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Products => Test Equipment => Topic started by: teknut on July 17, 2020, 02:43:20 pm

Title: R&S SMIQ03B - Clearing the calibration flash EPROM - But How ?
Post by: teknut on July 17, 2020, 02:43:20 pm
I think I may have a problem with the calibration memory slots in the R&S flash EPROM of my SMIQ being full. I get an "unable to save" message when I try store a new calibration value for the OCXO as explained in the manual. Reading the SMIQ R&S Manuals I also see:

"The flash EPROM does not permit the deletion of individual data. Thus new memory space is occupied for each calibration. If there is no memory space available any more, the EPROM must be cleared by an authorized service shop and be written into anew. Thus a calibration should only be made if necessary"

Well ... my one is necessary but don't have the money to have it cleared by an authorized service shop hence I need to use one that is not authorized but hopefully free!

Can anyone in the know please help explain what is necessary to complete the flash EPROM initialization? Do I need software running on a PC or is done using the keypad and numeric codes?

Thanks,
A
 
Title: Re: R&S SMIQ03B - Clearing the calibration flash EPROM - But How ?
Post by: SMB784 on July 18, 2020, 04:48:06 am
From my own thread on the R&S groups.io feed, it looks like reprogramming that EPROM is really difficult without the special (and apparently unobtainium) software

https://groups.io/g/Rohde-and-Schwarz/topic/smt_03_error_311_memory/75186948?p=,,,20,0,0,0::recentpostdate%2Fsticky,,,20,2,0,75186948
Title: Re: R&S SMIQ03B - Clearing the calibration flash EPROM - But How ?
Post by: james_s on July 18, 2020, 04:54:02 am
Can't you just use something like a TL866? What kind of EEPROM does it use? Maybe dumping a copy of the data first and then erasing it?
Title: Re: R&S SMIQ03B - Clearing the calibration flash EPROM - But How ?
Post by: teknut on July 22, 2020, 03:48:37 pm
OK ... hum!!! This sounds harder than I thought it should be. I will take the front out and disassemble it so I can find out what chip is used then report back. This coming weekend and I will take pics to upload.
Title: Re: R&S SMIQ03B - Clearing the calibration flash EPROM - But How ?
Post by: james_s on July 22, 2020, 05:49:47 pm
It's obviously harder than it should be. I can think of no reason they would make it so that the ROM can't simply be cleared out if it becomes full, or even automatically overwrite the oldest data.