33
the process or the benefits of a firmware update, open a ticket to consult with our tech support team
before attempting to perform an update.
Note: Layout files should not be deleted or damaged as a result of a firmware update but Kinesis
recommends backing up your layout files in the event a Hard Reset is required after a firmware update. Also,
after a successful firmware update, the
“
update.upd
”
file will be deleted from the firmware folder. You may
wish to keep a copy of the firmware file with its original name in the firmware folder.
To update the firmware, perform the following steps:
1.
Obtain the appropriate Advantage2 firmware update
(“.
upd
”
file) from Kinesis tech support or website.
2.
If Power User Mode (PUM) has not been enabled, do so (progm + shift + esc). The LEDs will flash 4x.
3.
Open the v
-
drive (progm + F1) and its
“
firmware
”
folder.
4.
Copy and paste the firmware update file into the firmware folder.
5.
Rename the file
“
update.upd.
”
Note: it is advisable to paste a copy with the original name here too.
6.
Optional: Eject and close the v
-
drive (progm + F1).
7.
Initiate Firmware Update with progm + shift + u. The update normally takes 10
-
12 seconds, during which
time the keyboard will be inactive.
IMPORANT NOTE: DO NOT unplug or type on keyboard until done.
8.
After ~12 seconds, you can tap the Keypad key to test the keyboard. When the keypad LED illuminates,
the keyboard is active again.
9.
Run a Status Report to confirm the new version of firmware was successfully installed.
10.
If keyboard does not wake up after 12
-
15 seconds, perform a Hard Reset (Right ctrl+F9 while plugging in).
9.0 Keyboard Care & Maintenance
The Advantage2 is hand
-
assembled in the USA by trained technicians using premium components. It is
designed to last for many years with proper care and maintenance.
9.1 Keyboard stops working suddenly
If a layout or settings file has unreadable information or becomes corrupt, the keyboard may become
unresponsive. If this happens, there are several user actions that can get your keyboard typing again.
Hard reset
In many cases, a hard reset will fix the problem. This will erase any changes in both QWERTY and dvorak
layout files as well as change the settings in state.txt back to defaults. Hold progm + F9 briefly while plugging
in the keyboard (if you purchased your keyboard prior to February 2018 and have a 2MB v
-
drive and haven
’
t
updated the firmware, or if you updated your keyboard with version 1.0.170, July 2017, or earlier, a hard reset
requires Ctrl + F9 while plugging in).
Rescue command
If a hard reset doesn
’
t work or you want to try to salvage one or both of the layout files, a rescue command
(progm + F12 while plugging in) doesn
’
t erase the layout and settings files, but skips reading them during
startup. If the rescue command is required, normally you will want to repair or reformat the drive immediately
thereafter. The rescue command is enabled in firmware versions 1.0.277 and newer.
9.2 Avoiding corrupt files on the v
-
drive.
There are various things that users can do that may cause corruption of files, with direct editing of files being
the biggest risk. If your firmware is not 1.0.431.us or newer, you will want to update the firmware before doing
any direct editing of layout files. First determine what firmware version is installed, and which size v
-
drive you
have by running a
“
Status report.
”
With a text editing screen open, press the Program key (progm) plus Esc to generate a status report which
indicates the firmware version and the v
-
drive size in line 2:
Firmware> 1.0.431.us (4MB), 11/14/2017
.
