Rigol DS2072A Random Freezes

[canadaboy25]

Hey everyone,

I have a Rigol DS2072A that I upgraded the firmware to a DS2302A using a hack on this forum a long time ago.  I can't remember what hack I used but it involved connecting the scope to the PC with a USB and some sort of command line tool.  I do remember that the GUI based hack at the time would not work with my scope.

Anyways, it has worked perfectly fine for years but about a year ago I started experiencing occasional random freeze ups.  The screen will continue updating and working normally but none of the controls or buttons will do anything at all.  Rebooting the scope fixed the problem.  This happened vary rarely so it was not an issue.

However, now I am attempting to use the ethernet connection and LXI commands to log the time between voltage changes for a project I am working on.  Originally I used python with telnet library on windows and it worked fine for a short while until it would freeze.  I then used a fresh linux install on a laptop with lxi-tools because I thought it was a problem with windows or python.  The exact same problem remained.  I then thought it was a problem with the LXI interface on the scope.  I later realized that when the LXI program freezes, the controls on the scope are also frozen but the display continues working properly.

I am thinking there is a problem with the firmware because I would occasionally experience this problem when the scope was not connected via ethernet and just using it normally.  Now when using the LXI commands the scope freezes up very quickly.  It still seems to be completely random when it freezes.

I would like to do a software upgrade on the scope but I am unsure how to go about that on a scope with a hacked firmware as I do not want to end up bricking it.  Is there a hacked DS2302A firmware that is more recent than version 00.03.00.SP1 which is what I have?  Or is it likely that the hack is actually causing my issue?  If so, can I safely upgrade to the latest DS2072A firmware or is there a special procedure to follow since my scope is running a hacked firmware?

If anyone has any advice on updating/rehacking the firmware or has any other ideas as to why my random freezes are occurring, it would be greatly appreciated. 

[Bud]

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/rigol-ds2072-rma-ed-to-rigol-for-repair/msg540943/#msg540943

DS2072A, confirmed intermittent wacky behavior after power cycling the home LAN router. Did test two times, first time the menus gone unresponsive. Second time everything was normal. Mine has a static IP, not DHCP.

Using Wireshark I captured that in first test the 2072A sent two ARP packets before going crazy. Second time it first still sent same two ARP packets but spit out bunch of other packets after that.

So indeed 2072A has problems with LAN.

[canadaboy25]

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/rigol-ds2072-rma-ed-to-rigol-for-repair/msg540943/#msg540943

DS2072A, confirmed intermittent wacky behavior after power cycling the home LAN router. Did test two times, first time the menus gone unresponsive. Second time everything was normal. Mine has a static IP, not DHCP.

Using Wireshark I captured that in first test the 2072A sent two ARP packets before going crazy. Second time it first still sent same two ARP packets but spit out bunch of other packets after that.

So indeed 2072A has problems with LAN.

So the DS2072A just has a very poor LAN interface.  That's disappointing.

I set up the scope and laptop with a fresh linux install on their own router in order to obtain minimal network noise and now it is working quite well.  The scope does still miss commands once in a while and occasionally the response time of the scope slows down to once a second instead of the 0.25 seconds I am sending it commands at.  However it is not locking up anymore which at least makes it usable for my project now.

Thanks for pointing me to that thread.

[TurboTom]

Why don't you attempt a F/V update? I think, currently the latest version is 00.03.06 something. The last version that came with a change log shows that really a lot had beeen added / improved since your version, also addressing LXI / Network interface issues. I haven't heard of anybody having lost the "hack" after a firmware update. But even if that should happen, there are hacking methods now available that don't necessitate to open the scope to access its CPU's JTAG interface. You will find many more such examples and instructions if you search the forum.

FYI, here's an excerpt of the change log for the previous F/W version (which is known to corrupt some of the pictures on the "Help Screens" -- corrected in the 00.03.06):

Code: [Select]

[Supported Model]    All the MSO/DS2000A Series Digital Oscilloscopes
[Latest Revision Date]  2018/04/02

[Updated Contents]
--------------------
v00.03.05.04.00  2018/04/02
     - Inproved the wave updating

[History]
-------------
v00.03.05.03.03  2017/06/26
     - Add new models of DS2102E and DS2202E
     - Fixed the error of some Traditional Chinese menu
     - Fixed the bug of EDU version
     - Fixed the bug of wave stop updating

v00.03.05.00.01  2016/07/20
     - Modified the naming rule for saving screen snap
     - Fixed the bug of the wave stop updating
     - Fixed the bug of Math expression

v00.03.04.02.01  2015/12/14
     - Fixed the sensitivity in EXT trigger mode

v00.03.04.01.00  2015/10/10
     - Supporting the EDU models for education market
     - Standard with 28/56M memory depth and advance triggers options in EDU
       models
     - Opening the interface for replacing the Logo by AE in EDU models

     - Fixed the scope freeze when changing the timebase in high-resolution mode

v00.03.03.02.06  2015/06/17
     - Added the persistence of XY wave
     - Added the French language menu
     - Supporting the license file installed by U DISK
     - Supporting the installation of bandle option
     - Optimized the SCPI command system
     - Supporting the remote access to decoded data

     - Fixed the bugs of waveform reading
     - Fixed image storage
     - Improve the stability the LAN interface communication

v00.03.03.01.00  2014/12/25
     - Only Setups data can be saved without UDISK inserted
     - Update the library of PictBridge
     - Update the library of LXI

     - Modified some SCPI commands
     - Fixed the bugs of picture data saving in the SINGLE trigger mode

v00.03.02.00.00  2014/09/03
     - Fixed the invalid measurement when the trigger status is Wait
 
v00.03.01.00.04  2014/08/22
     - The Ultra Station can't download the wave table data
     - Fixed the crash issue of using "AUTO" function in decode mode
 
v00.03.01.00.03  2014/04/15
     - Added phase and delay measure of different edge
     - Added the setting of power status
     - Upgrade LXI driver

     - Optimized the storage menu operation