Author Topic: Can't connect to mcDongle using Windows in VirtualBox on a Mac  (Read 508 times)

craigwebster

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Can't connect to mcDongle using Windows in VirtualBox on a Mac
« on: November 21, 2016, 09:56:29 am »
Hello,

I have just today opened my Kickstarter reward to start using my mcThings. I've managed to connect to the mcGateway, and have updated the firmware using a USB key (it's really hard to find USB keys that require less than 100mA!)

Now I'm trying to update the rest of my mcThings using the mcDongle. Unfortunately I can't seem to connect to the dongle no matter what I try.

My laptop is running OS X 10.12, on which I have Windows running in VirtualBox. I have selected to pass the USB device through to the Windows VM - however the OTA software can never connect to it. I have attempted this on both Windows 7 and Windows 10.

After the device is mounted in the VirtualBox guest I launch the OTA software, and I am shown the message "Can't find USB with descriptor mcBoot. Try manually adding the Port Number then press connect"

The port number is 3 - this appears in device manager when I mount the device in the Windows VirtualBox guest. When I enter this port number I can see an LED blinking on the mcDongle. The OTA software waits for a few seconds then says "mcDongle not found on port 3." When trying other ports this response is instant and the LED does not blink on the board.

I'm not sure what information would be useful to help debug my issue but, for what it may be worth, the Device Instance Path of the device in the Windows VirtualBox guest is "FTDIBUS\VID0403+PID_6015+DJ00QMTZA\0000".

When running `system_profiler SPUSBDataType` on my Mac, I see the device as follows:

Code: [Select]
        FT230X Basic UART:

          Product ID: 0x6015
          Vendor ID: 0x0403  (Future Technology Devices International Limited)
          Version: 10.00
          Serial Number: DJ00QMTZ
          Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
          Manufacturer: FTDI
          Location ID: 0x14200000 / 20
          Current Available (mA): 500
          Current Required (mA): 90
          Extra Operating Current (mA): 0

I have installed the FTDI drivers as explained by the OTA manual, however from some posts on the forum I believe that where this says `FT230X Basic UART` I should instead be seeing `mcBoot`. Could the issue be that the drivers do not work as expected under OS X Sierra?

Has anyone experienced similar, or do you have any idea what I might try next? Please let me know if I can provide any more information that may help.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,
Craig

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mc-John

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This looks like a production problem. The descriptor should be mcBoot.
The best way to handle this is to download the program FT_Prog from the FTDI website. After installation check the Product Description. It should be mcBoot. See attachment.
If this is not the case you can just change it with the same program.

craigwebster

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Thanks for your prompt reply John. I will try this tonight after work, and report back.

craigwebster

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I'm happy to report some progress has been made, thank you very much for your assistance.

Here's what my system profile output looks like now, after changing the device descriptor as you've suggested.

Code: [Select]
        mcBoot:

          Product ID: 0x6015
          Vendor ID: 0x0403  (Future Technology Devices International Limited)
          Version: 10.00
          Serial Number: DJLD4Q4
          Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
          Manufacturer: FTDI
          Location ID: 0x14100000 / 9
          Current Available (mA): 500
          Current Required (mA): 90
          Extra Operating Current (mA): 0

I now get what seems to be a step further. When I open the OTA application in the Windows guest I am told that the device capabilities couldn't be retrieved: "ANTLibrary Exception: Retrieving Device Capabilities Failed, probably connecting at the wrong baud rate". If I ignore that and try to connect to the port (still port 3) manually I'm still told there's no mcDongle on that port.

I'm happy to edit the settings for the COM port, but I'm not sure what they should be. Currently they are:
* Bits per second: 9600
* Data bits: 8
* Parity: None
* Stop bits: 1
* Flow control: None

Should I be changing these, or is there something else I should be doing to connect?

Thank you for your help!

Cheers,
Craig

mc-Gyver

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The COM port settings are:
* Bits per second: 38400
* Data bits: 8
* Parity: None
* Stop bits: 1
* Flow control: None

BUT, those should have been automatically set when mcOTA starts and an "mcBoot" device has been found.


craigwebster

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Thanks mc-Gyver - I'll try those tonight.

Since they should be set when OTA tries to communicate with the dongle, can you suggest something else that I may have not done correctly or which may be broken which I could check?

mc-Gyver

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Did the manual setting of parameters work?

craigwebster

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Hello,

Apologies for the delay replying.

Unfortunately changing to these settings makes no difference, I still get the same error message about probably not communicating at the correct baud rate.

Do you have any other suggestions I might try?

Cheers,
Craig

mc-T2

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Hey Craig,
it looks like there may be an issue with your mc-Dongle. I am going to send you a direct email so we can discuss a replacement.
Thanks,
mc-T2
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