...if servicing a scope, if we had to do a board swap how would we program the instrument's SN and KEY to the new board?...
In the case of Rigol with hardware V1.0 boards - they don't. At least not the S/N, I can't say how keys are handled as I didn't have any installed. A while back I sent my scope in to Rigol NA for warranty work. When I received the repaired scope back, sure enough I had the dreaded corrupted S/N reset to ...001
. I used the serial/model # file I posted earlier to successfully correct the S/N.
While verifying my info was still correct, I happened to notice that my horizontal timebase now topped out at 500ps
. I verified that it was indeed sweeping at 500ps/div by applying a 400 MHz signal and making sure it displayed a period of 5 divisions which it did (naysayers see attached pics). I then re-applied the 300 MHz codes and it retained the 500ps setting. Finally, I power cycled the scope and it lost the 500 ps setting. At that point I again uninstalled the options via SCPI and the 500ps sweep rate returned. I power cycled the scope again and tried sending the uninstall command again (without any active licenses) and it did not activate the 500ps sweep rate. I didn't notice this behavior until after correcting my serial # and I see at least one other member mentioning having a 500ps time base setting as well. Throughout this process, my model # has been stuck as DS2302 regardless of what/any licenses installed. I was running firmware 00.02.01.00.03 with license code DSHH.
At this point I removed all licenses and reflashed 00.01.01.00.02 firmware. After power cycling the scope, my model # reverted back to DS2072. I then applied the old DSA9 license code, power cycled, and the model changed to DS2202 as expected. I again uninstalled the options and checked the horizontal timebase and sure enough, I had 500ps again. However, this time the timebase was actually still running at 1ns even when switched to 500ps, just throwing the trigger point off a couple of divisions. Once again, the 500ps setting disappeared after power cycling the scope.
Next, I reflashed the 00.02.01.00.03 firmware back onto the scope. After power cycling the model remained DS2072. I then installed the DSHH codes. Although all options were installed, the model # remained DS2072. The 500ps setting returned but again it was still running at 1ns/div. with the offset trigger.
The only obvious difference between when I had real 500ps horizontal rate and the fake 500ps rate was the model number. So I took a chance and used the snmodfix.exe utility I posted earlier to forcefully change the model # back to DS2302 to see if it had any effect on the 500ps rate. This time around, I was unable to change the model # - it stayed DS2072 even with DSHH applied. I then tried to change both the S/N and model number. The S/N changed but the model # didn't - still stuck on 2072. If I reflash .02 firmware and apply the DSA9 key, it changes to 2202.
I've been too busy with other things lately to play further. At this point it appears that the model # may affect the behaviour of applied keys inferred from having a real 500ps timebase when it was a DS2302 to a 5ns timebase (even with the DSHH key applied) when it's model # is 2072. Also, it appears that there are certain circumstances where the utility to alter model/serial numbers will fail to do so as other members have experienced. So far the author doesn't understand why it's failing to work and hasn't been able to replicate the failure on his scope. The good news is I've confirmed it's capable of a 500ps horizontal time base if we can just determine the mechanism required to invoke it permanently. As I get some free time I'll experiment further.
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