[csa]

Seeing yet another member that wrecked their camera while trying to update the firmware, definitely convinces me I'm not going to attempt it, especially since I can't open the file!

Thanks everyone for your time & help.

[virusn3t]

How would this software be different from what I now have; 7-Zip?

Well, it works....

7zip must have to do the job same way, but if you are not secure to update the firmware i recommend to avoid the process

[MarkJerling]

Seeing yet another member that wrecked their camera while trying to update the firmware, definitely convinces me I'm not going to attempt it, especially since I can't open the file!

Thanks everyone for your time & help.

Hi Carol
It's a self-extracting Zip file - you don't need Winzip or any such program.
Regards,
Mark

[csa]

Mark, I'm very confused when it comes to zip files. This is all that shows up, rather than the two separate items I saw in one of the instruction pages. I'm sorry, but I'm just not confident to try to go forward, when I don't know what I'm doing. As I mentioned, I certainly don't want to damage my brand new camera trying to update this firmware; especially reading that two members posted here that they did wreck their cameras trying to update the firmware. I simply do not have the computer knowledge to try to do this.

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Last edited by csa; 10-17-2015 at 06:34 AM.

[Larrymc]

Mark, I'm very confused when it comes to zip files. This is all that shows up, rather than the two separate items I saw in one of the instruction pages. I'm sorry, but I'm just not confident to try to go forward, when I don't know what I'm doing. As I mentioned, I certainly don't want to damage my brand new camera trying to update this firmware; especially reading that two members posted here that they did wreck their cameras trying to update the firmware. I simply do not have the computer knowledge to try to do this.

If you are seeing fwdc220.bin then that is the unzipped version 1.21 of the K-3 firmware. There is nothing else to do except copy it to a formatted SC card root directory (not to a folder on the SD card). I've loaded several versions of K-3 firmware and had no problems doing so. You need to have the battery fully charged before proceeding. The original file should be a .zip file of 13.7 MB named k3_v121.zip that is the one that needs to be unzipped as it contains the fwdc220.bin which should be 16.0MB in size and have a date and time of May 12 2015 10:38 am. If you are using a Microsoft operating system then you can right click on the fwdc220.bin file and see that it will be a 7zip file because it is a form of compressed data. If the file has a .bin file extension it needs no unzipping. If the Pentax Forum update explanation isn't sufficient then go to this link at Ricoh Latest K-3 Firmware Update : Software Downloads | RICOH IMAGING . Folks who brick their cameras probably did something wrong, if you follow the instructions to the letter you will be OK. Firmware is nothing more than a computer program for your camera which is basically a computer.

[csa]

Thank you! I've printed your post out for reference. I noticed that I should have a 32GB SD card, and only have a 16GB. So I will be ordering a new card before I try the firmware update.

[robtcorl]

I've updated a K-01, K-5, and a Q once each, and each time it was a major hassle, and worrisome.
I won't do it on my K-S2 unless the update is super duper important, or will automatically turn me into an Ansel Adams.

[Crooski]

Thank you! I've printed your post out for reference. I noticed that I should have a 32GB SD card, and only have a 16GB. So I will be ordering a new card before I try the firmware update.

It is MB not GB.

Thank you! I've printed your post out for reference. I noticed that I should have a 32GB SD card, and only have a 16GB. So I will be ordering a new card before I try the firmware update.

No, you do not need a 32GB card. The 16 GB is just fine.

[csa]

Ooops, my bad, thought it read 32 GB!

[Larrymc]

Thank you! I've printed your post out for reference. I noticed that I should have a 32GB SD card, and only have a 16GB. So I will be ordering a new card before I try the firmware update.

As long as you format the SD card a 16 gig card is more than enough. The .bin file is only 16 meg not 16 gig. 16 gig will be limiting when you start taking photos especially if you are working with RAW files JPEG will be just fine. You do, however, need a relatively fast card to use the continuous shooting capabilities of the K-3

[Canada_Rockies]

I have updated the firmware on my K10D, now gone, several times without any issues. I brought the K3 I just brought up to 1.21 with no issues. The important instructions are to

1. have a fully charged battery in the camera. If the battery dies part way through the update, the camera will need the factory to fix it. This is probably what happened to the people who fried their cameras.
2. To extract a self extracting file, simply double click the .zip file.
3. Select where you save the file. I put these sort of files on my desktop where they are easy to find.
4. Format an SD card in camera. I never format a card on my computer. Works for me.
5. Plug the card into your computer or card reader.
6. The card will show at least one directory. Make sure you do not save your file in the directory. If you do, the update simply won't happen.
7. Look at the card in file explorer and make sure the correct update file (the one ending in .bin) is outside the folders on the card.
8. Put the card in slot 1 on your K3, not slot 2.
9. Press the menu button and turn on the camera with the menu button held down.
10. Go have a cup of tea. My K3 was complete about a minute after I refreshed my coffee.
11. Do not interrupt the update process, even if it seems to take forever. I poured myself a cup of coffee and surfed the web until the camera flashed "Complete" and shut itself off.
12. Turn the camera off.
13. Turn the camera on.
14. Format the card to remove the file so that it doesn't update again and again and ...
15. Check the firmware number. The K3 keeps it at the bottom of page 4 of the "wrench" menu.
16. My K10 would give me the firmware version if I held the menu button while turning it on, unless I had a bin file on the card.

I hope this helps. If you are still leery of trying this, find a handy 15 year old and let her do it for you. She will probably shake her head at how ancient and dumb you are, but that comes with teenage attitudes. Don't let it bother you.

[csa]

To extract a self extracting file, simply double click the .zip file.

There lies the problem, when I dbl-click the file, I get a message that (Foxit Reader or IE, etc.) "does not support this file format". I apologize to everyone about not knowing more about files, etc., but I simply do not.

[MarkJerling]

There lies the problem, when I dbl-click the file, I get a message that (Foxit Reader or IE, etc.) "does not support this file format". I apologize to everyone about not knowing more about files, etc., but I simply do not.

Hi Carol
Just extract the .bin file. That's all you need. I've just checked the ZIP file from the Ricoh Japan site, and there's no read-me file in the ZIP file, only the .bin file. And, it's only the .bin file you need.
It's a minimum 32 MB card, not GB, so no problem there.

Updating Procedure

Provide a formatted SD memory card for the update software.
The download file is self-extracting. The following file is extracted.
•Fwdc220b.bin: This is the updated firmware.

Copy the above Firmware file [fwdc220b.bin] to the root directory in the SD card.
If your computer does not have a card slot, you can copy the firmware update file by inserting the SD card into your camera and then connecting the camera directly to your computer.

Insert the D-LI90 battery into the camera and confirm the battery is full by battery level indicator then turn the camera off.

Insert the update SD card (prepared in step 1) into the camera (slot 1) and close card cover.

Turn the camera power on while pressing the MENU button.

"Updates the camera firmware" appears in the LCD monitor.
Ver: 1.00/1.01/1.02/1.03 /1.10 / 1.11/1.20→1.21　will be displayed.

Press the four-way controller to select "Start" and press the "OK" button.

"NOW LOADING" appears on the LCD monitor and updating starts.

Please do not under any circumstances switch off the power before the update is completed.

When update is completed, the "COMPLETE" will be displayed at the left bottom of the LCD monitor, then turn the camera off.

Remove the update SD card from the camera.

I've carried out the update procudure with every update for my K-5 and have not had any issues. But, make sure you use a good SD card and a good and fully charged battery. Of course, if you're not confident to do it, then don't - but it's really easy, so you should not have any issues.

Coincidentially - I presume you've not done the updates for your K10 either? (There's seperate update files for each camera model - don't mix them up!)

[csa]

Just extract the .bin file.

Mark, this is so embarrassing for me; but what exactly do you mean by extracting the .bin file? When I click "extract" in 7-Zip, nothing happens. Do you mean to send this file, as is; to the SD card?

You can certainly see why I'm very, very hesitant to upgrade the firmware, when I frankly don't know what I'm doing.