RIGOL DS1052E - changing to 100Mhz

[birlan97]

Hi Dave,

I followed your instructions on EEVBLOG #70 " http://tv.fooyoh.com/fooyohtv_videos_viral/6618127 "
and my model doesn't change to DS1102E, it's changing only serial but no model.
Am I doing something wrong ?

Regards,
birlan

[wd5gnr]

If you go to Utility | System Info what firmware rev is your scope?

[angelo]

If your firmware is 2.04, you must first downgrade it as shown in #77 to 2.02 then preform the conversion/hack

hope it helps

[birlan97]

Utility ->  System Info -> Software version : 00.02.04
So, do I need to downgrade to 2.02 found in archive: DS1000_D,E_Upd_v2_02_02.zip
is that right ?
Is there any chance to broke my scope ?

[EEVblog]

There is a chance of breaking your scope by doing the actual hack, it has happened to a couple of people, much less chance just by downgrading the firmware though.
But yes, you have to downgrade your firmware first, Rigol fixed 2.04 so the hack does not work.

Dave.

[wd5gnr]

Probably goes without saying but be sure to use the "E" firmware if you have "E" hardware and the "D" if you have a scope with the logic analyzer.

I used CuteCom on Linux to do the upgrade which works well. You set the line ends to LF and then you can type each string according to Dave's video, double and treble check it, and then press SEND and see the result up in the other window. See http://cutecom.sourceforge.net/ for some screen shots.

Now you might say "But I don't use Linux." Well, two options come to mind. First most Linux now will boot off a CDROM or thumb drive so you could get an Ubuntu disk, for example, and boot off there. Cutecom is probably not on there, but it is easy to install. Just open a command prompt and type (on Ubuntu) "sudo apt-get install cutecom". Or on Windows there is http://realterm.sourceforge.net/ which has lots more options (and is thus a little more confusing) but can work the same way.

The key idea either way is to be able to type in each command, check it for correctness, and then hit send since there is a lot of speculation that entering extra characters (including backspaces and carriage returns) can write over parts of the scope's memory. Of course I guess you could also put your text into notepad and copy and paste it into hyperterminal, but you still have to worry about getting an accidental CR in there. Hmmm maybe an ASCII file that you "upload" using Hyperterminal. But it would have to be changed for your specific serial number... I guess... assuming you want a unique serial number.

[birlan97]

There is a chance of breaking your scope by doing the actual hack, it has happened to a couple of people, much less chance just by downgrading the firmware though.
But yes, you have to downgrade your firmware first, Rigol fixed 2.04 so the hack does not work.

Dave.

Is there a video "how to downgrade to 2.02" ?
I do not know linux !
In the "DS1k Upgrade Guidance.pdf" said how to upgrade not downgrade
I have a few question about downgrading:
 - "Select the flash or other USB storage medium" -> where should I select this ?
 - "Decompress the upgrade software and place it under the initial catalog of the flash" -> Docompress is ok but how do I place it under the initial catalog of the flash and where is it ?
-"Insert the flash and will be automatically recognized" -> flash means USB stick ?

The 2.04 firmware  where do I found ?  For The upgrade after patching to 1102 model

[wd5gnr]

I sent you a private message with the links to both 2.02sp2 and 2.04 that are "elsewhere".

You don't need to know Linux. Put a USB drive in your scope and it should say "USB device install success" -- if not, you need to make sure the drive works and is formatted as FAT or try another drive. Once you have a working drive put one and only one RGL file in the root directory. So use File explorer or copy or any other way you put files on your USB drive. If your flash drive is drive F:\ for example then you should put the file in F:\ -- that's what root directory means. Don't put it in F:\flash_images\rigol2.02.RGL (for example). That's NOT the root directory.

 It seems to be ok if there are other files, but only one RGL file. Make sure to cleanly unmount the drive from your PC. If you don't know how, the simple answer is shut your PC down gracefully before you pull the drive. That's not necessary but it will work no matter what. Then stick the drive in the scope again (with the scope turned on). You should see a message offering to upgrade the firmware. Press the button to proceed and away you go.

One thing I'd warn about. The AC cord is hard to get a good mount on. Before I flashed a new firmware I'd wiggle the cord just to CERTAIN that I had it in good and good bump wasn't going to power the scope down during the reflash. Also would not do it at a time when I was afraid my power might go out.

[birlan97]

Finally it worked !

[qwerty_face]

There is a chance of breaking your scope by doing the actual hack, it has happened to a couple of people, much less chance just by downgrading the firmware though.
But yes, you have to downgrade your firmware first, Rigol fixed 2.04 so the hack does not work.

Dave.

Hi,

Before I go an buy one of these, have Rigol completely made it impossible to hack the 1052E or am I misinformed? See, I have read a number of posts online in various places about people breaking their scopes on the recent models - I note that Dave's original vlog post was April 2009. Are the 1052E 2010 models any different?

Cheers.

[rossmoffett]

See, I have read a number of posts online in various places about people breaking their scopes on the recent models - I note that Dave's original vlog post was April 2009. Are the 1052E 2010 models any different?

Cheers.

It wasn't until March 2010 that the hack was figured out.  There's a lot of speculation about the unsuccessful mods, at least one of them was trying to go further and get different features.  A couple are kind of mysterious, but the assumption is that they accidentally threw in some characters that shouldn't be there.  A few people are installing the NI Visa libraries and using the USB port to do the mods, it's less sensitive to mistakes and I would recommend that.

[qwerty_face]

See, I have read a number of posts online in various places about people breaking their scopes on the recent models - I note that Dave's original vlog post was April 2009. Are the 1052E 2010 models any different?

Cheers.

It wasn't until March 2010 that the hack was figured out.  There's a lot of speculation about the unsuccessful mods, at least one of them was trying to go further and get different features.  A couple are kind of mysterious, but the assumption is that they accidentally threw in some characters that shouldn't be there.  A few people are installing the NI Visa libraries and using the USB port to do the mods, it's less sensitive to mistakes and I would recommend that.

Ah, you're right. I was thinking of Dave's original review - I didn't bother to proof-read my post. My bad.

Thanks for your reply; without me asking you too many questions do you mind just simply providing me the links to:

• the 'one trying to go for further features'
• and info on the NI Visa libraries

?

QF.

[Polossatik]

See, I have read a number of posts online in various places about people breaking their scopes on the recent models - I note that Dave's original vlog post was April 2009. Are the 1052E 2010 models any different?

Cheers.

It wasn't until March 2010 that the hack was figured out.  There's a lot of speculation about the unsuccessful mods, at least one of them was trying to go further and get different features.  A couple are kind of mysterious, but the assumption is that they accidentally threw in some characters that shouldn't be there.  A few people are installing the NI Visa libraries and using the USB port to do the mods, it's less sensitive to mistakes and I would recommend that.

I just modded my 2 day's old rigol using USB and did a little write up changing the rigol DS1052E to DS1102E using USB , the dummy guide

worked for me, but of course this is at you're own risk....

[rossmoffett]

• the 'one trying to go for further features'
• and info on the NI Visa libraries

?

QF.

USB libraries above, search the forum for posts by user "Shafri."  He was trying to make his scope into a logic analyzer version, but that's not possible without additional hardware.

[hepcat]

Greetings All:

First off, I would like to thank everyone for all the great information. 

I also jumped on the bandwagon and bought one of these scopes.  I just received it today.  I would like to do the hack on it, but mine came with the newer firmware.  I'm pretty sure I understand how to do the hack by following the instructions, but I can't seem to find any clear links to the firmware.  I would need both the older version to do the hack, and then the newer firmware to put it back to where it is now.  Can anybody help me with some clear and direct links to the firmware?

Thanks,


Jason

[Polossatik]

Kindly read my post https://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=553.0
the older firmware is included in the zip file, the new firmware you have is not that same as the one found in the net ,
All like I explain in the post itself.

[hepcat]

Success!!    Thanks to all.  I decided to stick with the serial cable method.  I was getting discouraged for a while because the model change wouldn't stick.  Every time I would reboot the scope, it would revert back to the DS1052E model, but the serial number change would change and stick.  I finally did it by changing the serial number back to the original, and then the model number would change and stick.  After I rebooted it and confirmed that the model number had in fact changed, I then proceeded to change the serial and it stuck too.  So, my hack had to be done in two stages for it to work.  I then installed the 2.04 firmware, which if I remember correctly, it was said that it's not the same as the 2.04 that the scope came with.  At any rate, it seems to be all right.  The only test I have to confirm the hack is that it now goes down to 2 nS.

Thanks again to all!

Regards,


Jason

[rf-loop]

There is some opinions that shared 2.04 and factory 2.04 difference is only buttons "help texts". Other potential differences may be, but has not been verified, but they are possible.