Problem With K30 Firmware 1.06 Update

Biro · 04-06-2014, 04:18 PM

Okay, I've been a bit lazy and haven't updated the firmware to the latest versions until today. I just successfully updated my K-5 and K-01 without a problem. But it just doesn't seem to be happening with my K-30.

I successfully downloaded file fwdc215b to my computer (a Mac) and then transferred it to a SDHC card that was formatted in the camera. I properly ejected the card from the computer, installed it in the camera and turned the camera on. But when I go to setup tab and firmware option in the menu, it shows the camera has firmware 1.00 (yes, I've been bad with the K30, the camera I use the least often) and there is no option to update to a new version.

I've tried reformatting the card and going through this procedure five times. I have downloaded the file from both the link on Pentax Forums and directly from the Ricoh Pentax site. And, yes, I used the Mac version. Has anyone had this problem? Any suggestions?

Last edited by Biro; 04-06-2014 at 04:37 PM.

fgaudet · 04-06-2014, 04:38 PM

You've unzipped the file before moving it to your SD card?

You're not mentioning going through the firmware update process either. (hold menu while power up with unzipped bin file on the root of the SD card). It should give you a "firmware update successful" if it works.

My K5 won't update unless it has a decent charge in the battery, how is your K-30 battery?

richandfleur · 04-06-2014, 04:47 PM

Sorry just came to add that it worked fine on my K-30

Good luck with yours, as above, check all the basics too

Biro · 04-06-2014, 04:50 PM

Originally posted by fgaudet

You've unzipped the file before moving it to your SD card?

You're not mentioning going through the firmware update process either. (hold menu while power up with unzipped bin file on the root of the SD card). It should give you a "firmware update successful" if it works.

My K5 won't update unless it has a decent charge in the battery, how is your K-30 battery?

That's not the process for the K30... that's the process for the K5, which is different. And I can't even go through the firmware update process. There is no option to do so when I go to the firmware options page in menu. But I have fresh lithium-ion batteries in the camera. Perhaps I must have the Li-109 in it instead? That still doesn't sound right because the K-5 and K-01 will present the update selection screen to you. If the battery is too low, you'll get a message that is the case.

Last edited by Biro; 04-06-2014 at 05:05 PM.

fgaudet · 04-06-2014, 05:03 PM

Have you tried re-downloading the zip file? or try another SD card?

You probably read it already but this is what the update help file has to say when the options aren't available:

"*If firmware file is not saved to SD card correctly, this screen will not be displayed."

Biro · 04-06-2014, 05:21 PM

Originally posted by fgaudet

Have you tried re-downloading the zip file? or try another SD card?

You probably read it already but this is what the update help file has to say when the options aren't available:

"*If firmware file is not saved to SD card correctly, this screen will not be displayed."

Yes, I've tried a second card. Either there's something wrong with the file (not likely since others have successfully used it) or there's something wrong with the camera. I'm going to have to contact Ricoh Pentax. I've never had a problem updating the firmware on any camera before.

fgaudet · 04-06-2014, 05:30 PM

one last thing you could do is try to update to V1.01 (if you can find it) and work your way up to 1.06

ScooterMaxi Jim · 04-06-2014, 06:56 PM

Off hand, I would try two possible issues. If possible, go the Windows route. Second, I'd be curious about the two SD cards. If they both happen to be Sony cards - well, the K-30 and the odd Sony architecture do not get along.

By the way, getting away from the K-30 1.0 firmware will make a world difference no matter what newer version you ultimately implement.

Biro · 04-06-2014, 07:04 PM

I appreciate all of the feedback. Both cards were SanDisk Extreme. I also tried to start with firmware version 1.01 - but all updates on the Ricoh Pentax page take you to version 1.06. This is strange. I've never had firmware update problems before. I've send Ricoh Pentax a message via their customer service page. Good thing the camera is still under warranty. And I have an extended warranty.

fgaudet · 04-06-2014, 08:05 PM

I remember reading not that long ago here on the forum someone had problems updating his K-01... It turned out he only needed to rename the file name... Maybe try getting rid of the B at the end of the file (fwdc215.bin)

Always worth a try...

richandfleur · 04-06-2014, 10:04 PM

I try to use smaller slower older basic cards also, if that's of any use?

SteveB · 04-06-2014, 10:35 PM

Are you copying the fwdc215b.bin file directly to the root of the SD card? It won't work if you have it in any folder.

Biro · 04-07-2014, 04:09 AM

Originally posted by SteveB

Are you copying the fwdc215b.bin file directly to the root of the SD card? It won't work if you have it in any folder.

I'm pretty sure I am. I completely formated the card in the camera before downloading the file. It worked perfectly with my K-5 and K-01 only minutes earlier. Perhaps I should try renaming the file or trying with the Windows version of the file. But that'll have to wait until tonight.

**niceshot** · 04-07-2014, 01:53 PM

unzip it and put it in the root of the card .that means no folder

---------- Post added 04-07-14 at 04:55 PM ----------

one more thought maybe you downloaded a corrupt file try downloading it again.

fgaudet · 04-07-2014, 02:52 PM

Originally posted by Biro

I completely formated the card in the camera before downloading the file. It worked perfectly with my K-5 and K-01 only minutes earlier.

Another stupid question but did you get rid of the other *.bin files (the ones for the K5 and K01)?

Maybe the K-30 doesn't like seeing more than one bin

04-06-2014, 04:18 PM	#1
Biro Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,200	Problem With K30 Firmware 1.06 Update Okay, I've been a bit lazy and haven't updated the firmware to the latest versions until today. I just successfully updated my K-5 and K-01 without a problem. But it just doesn't seem to be happening with my K-30. I successfully downloaded file fwdc215b to my computer (a Mac) and then transferred it to a SDHC card that was formatted in the camera. I properly ejected the card from the computer, installed it in the camera and turned the camera on. But when I go to setup tab and firmware option in the menu, it shows the camera has firmware 1.00 (yes, I've been bad with the K30, the camera I use the least often) and there is no option to update to a new version. I've tried reformatting the card and going through this procedure five times. I have downloaded the file from both the link on Pentax Forums and directly from the Ricoh Pentax site. And, yes, I used the Mac version. Has anyone had this problem? Any suggestions? Last edited by Biro; 04-06-2014 at 04:37 PM.

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04-06-2014, 04:38 PM	#2
fgaudet Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 726	You've unzipped the file before moving it to your SD card? You're not mentioning going through the firmware update process either. (hold menu while power up with unzipped bin file on the root of the SD card). It should give you a "firmware update successful" if it works. My K5 won't update unless it has a decent charge in the battery, how is your K-30 battery?

04-06-2014, 04:47 PM	#3
richandfleur Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand Photos: Albums Posts: 1,788	Sorry just came to add that it worked fine on my K-30 Good luck with yours, as above, check all the basics too

04-06-2014, 04:50 PM	#4
Biro Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,200 Original Poster	Originally posted by fgaudet You've unzipped the file before moving it to your SD card? You're not mentioning going through the firmware update process either. (hold menu while power up with unzipped bin file on the root of the SD card). It should give you a "firmware update successful" if it works. My K5 won't update unless it has a decent charge in the battery, how is your K-30 battery? That's not the process for the K30... that's the process for the K5, which is different. And I can't even go through the firmware update process. There is no option to do so when I go to the firmware options page in menu. But I have fresh lithium-ion batteries in the camera. Perhaps I must have the Li-109 in it instead? That still doesn't sound right because the K-5 and K-01 will present the update selection screen to you. If the battery is too low, you'll get a message that is the case. Last edited by Biro; 04-06-2014 at 05:05 PM.

04-06-2014, 05:03 PM	#5
fgaudet Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 726	Have you tried re-downloading the zip file? or try another SD card? You probably read it already but this is what the update help file has to say when the options aren't available: "*If firmware file is not saved to SD card correctly, this screen will not be displayed."

04-06-2014, 05:21 PM	#6
Biro Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,200 Original Poster	Originally posted by fgaudet Have you tried re-downloading the zip file? or try another SD card? You probably read it already but this is what the update help file has to say when the options aren't available: "*If firmware file is not saved to SD card correctly, this screen will not be displayed." Yes, I've tried a second card. Either there's something wrong with the file (not likely since others have successfully used it) or there's something wrong with the camera. I'm going to have to contact Ricoh Pentax. I've never had a problem updating the firmware on any camera before.

04-06-2014, 05:30 PM	#7
fgaudet Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 726	one last thing you could do is try to update to V1.01 (if you can find it) and work your way up to 1.06

04-06-2014, 06:56 PM	#8
ScooterMaxi Jim Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,520	Off hand, I would try two possible issues. If possible, go the Windows route. Second, I'd be curious about the two SD cards. If they both happen to be Sony cards - well, the K-30 and the odd Sony architecture do not get along. By the way, getting away from the K-30 1.0 firmware will make a world difference no matter what newer version you ultimately implement.

04-06-2014, 07:04 PM	#9
Biro Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,200 Original Poster	I appreciate all of the feedback. Both cards were SanDisk Extreme. I also tried to start with firmware version 1.01 - but all updates on the Ricoh Pentax page take you to version 1.06. This is strange. I've never had firmware update problems before. I've send Ricoh Pentax a message via their customer service page. Good thing the camera is still under warranty. And I have an extended warranty.

04-06-2014, 08:05 PM	#10
fgaudet Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 726	I remember reading not that long ago here on the forum someone had problems updating his K-01... It turned out he only needed to rename the file name... Maybe try getting rid of the B at the end of the file (fwdc215.bin) Always worth a try...

04-06-2014, 10:04 PM	#11
richandfleur Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand Photos: Albums Posts: 1,788	I try to use smaller slower older basic cards also, if that's of any use?

04-06-2014, 10:35 PM	#12
SteveB Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: U.K. Posts: 685	Are you copying the fwdc215b.bin file directly to the root of the SD card? It won't work if you have it in any folder.

04-07-2014, 04:09 AM	#13
Biro Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,200 Original Poster	Originally posted by SteveB Are you copying the fwdc215b.bin file directly to the root of the SD card? It won't work if you have it in any folder. I'm pretty sure I am. I completely formated the card in the camera before downloading the file. It worked perfectly with my K-5 and K-01 only minutes earlier. Perhaps I should try renaming the file or trying with the Windows version of the file. But that'll have to wait until tonight.

04-07-2014, 01:53 PM	#14
niceshot Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,564	unzip it and put it in the root of the card .that means no folder ---------- Post added 04-07-14 at 04:55 PM ---------- one more thought maybe you downloaded a corrupt file try downloading it again.

04-07-2014, 02:52 PM	#15
fgaudet Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 726	Originally posted by Biro I completely formated the card in the camera before downloading the file. It worked perfectly with my K-5 and K-01 only minutes earlier. Another stupid question but did you get rid of the other *.bin files (the ones for the K5 and K01)? Maybe the K-30 doesn't like seeing more than one bin