Anyone else having trouble upgrading to 3.1?

[tstreete]

It may just be me, but when I tried to upgrade via my macbook, it detected the Neato, noted the need to upgrade to 3.1 ("You have 2.6, click here to install 3.1"), but then hung when doing the install: the "window" with info goes blank a couple of minutes in, and the NeatoUpgraderMac.app reports "application not responding." Waiting 20 minutes does not help. On my Windows 7 machine, it doesn't detect the Neato (error message something like "Upgrade Software Error: Cannot get information from the Neato." On both machines, reinstalled the software, rebooted, tried multiple times, same results. (The Neato itself shows no awareness of anything happening on its screen, but I don't know if it's supposed to.)

Is this my dumb luck, or are others having the same or similar problems?

[vic7767]

Try using a terminal emulator with the Neato driver and connect to the Neato, type "help" and see if you receive a list of the Neato commands.

[tstreete]

Try using a terminal emulator with the Neato driver and connect to the Neato, type "help" and see if you receive a list of the Neato commands.

Yep, using CoolTerm on my mac, typing help got the list of commands. (And though I don't know my way around those commands, I typed "GetSchedule" and it coughed up the schedule of my Neato.)

[vic7767]

There may be an issue with the drive for the OS you are running. Contact Neato Robotics CS for support.

[glnc222]

Is the Mac on router? Also firewall issues. Some routers have some built-in firewalls reported interfering.

[acc]

I have the same problem too. Always found the neato upgrade software finicky; it took me a few tries before I successfully upgraded to V2.6 on a Windows machine.

[tstreete]

Is the Mac on router? Also firewall issues. Some routers have some built-in firewalls reported interfering.

Thanks, interesting thought. Mac is on wifi, PC is hard-wired by an ethernet cable to the home internet router. But no firewalls selected in the router.

[vic7767]

In the past I had a problem upgrading an xv-11 using a Laptop with WiFi, when I switched over to the CAT5 10/100 card I had success.

[glnc222]

Since updates have settled to maybe only annual releases, unless you want to diagnose the com, plug the PC directly into the modem just for this job.

[UnknownPerson]

I upgraded from 3.0 on a newish Mac Air and it seemed to work really well. At least, it updated.

Oddly though, it reported a low battery as soon as I went to use it - which is odd as it's been charging all night and is a new robot.

Also, I went to set the time and it kept jumping back from the 'set minutes' bit as if the back button was slightly blocked. Testing on other menus it all seemed ok.

I'll see how it works as soon as it finishes its charge - although I'm not sure why a previously 'full' battery needs a charge with the new firmware.

Back to the subject though, the MAC updater seemed to work well for me!

[tstreete]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. The only one I haven't tried yet is to connect a computer directly to the modem; my city-owned fiber-to-the-home network requires a call to tech support each time you change what's plugged into the modem -- hence two calls, one to switch to laptop, one to switch back -- and at this point I just don't have the time. (And 2.6 is working fine for me anyway.)

I did call Customer Service last night, and she was very nice, though saying to me repeatedly in a puzzled voice, "that shouldn't happen" isn't exactly a confidence-builder. She was nervous and uncertain about using the mac, because the software is new to them, but suggested I try alternate USB ports on the PC. Did that, no go. Emailed them the whole story, we'll see what happens. (With the upgrade to 2.6, I had similar problems, and they just offered to have me ship it to them for upgrading; I said thanks but no thanks, and shortly thereafter the thing's screen went wonky, so I got a replacement with 2.6 installed.)

[lowb35]

Try connecting through a powered USB hub as suggested on Neato's Mac http://www.neatorobotics.com/support/troubleshooting-mac-vacuumsoftware/troubleshooting page. That's how I finally got it to install. I unsuccessfully tried on a Windows 8 machine first (full x64 version). Disabling driver signature enforcement allowed the updater tool to install (found that trick on Neato's FB page) but it still couldn't establish a connection with the Neato. I suspect now that if I had additionally connected it through a powered USB hub it might have worked in Windows 8 but as I had my husband's Mac handy I did that instead. Still took a couple hours total to figure it out and get it to work.

BTW, on the Mac the upgrade worked fine via WiFi once I injected USB power. It appears to be an issue with "older" Macs, aka anything before July 2010. I used a summer 2010 build MacBook Pro. Before I did this I had the same problem as you--it started working and then stopped responding, and then I ended up force closing the app. I also have city-owned FTTH service (though here I can connect directly to the master Ethernet port without having to call first).

[glnc222]

Broadband services with routers requiring calls to the provider when disconnected should not be unplugged as it seems the connection is used to verify integrity of the network. Router problems some encounter probably don't apply to that system anyway.
The web is replete with complaints about firmware updating for all sorts of devices. Suppliers seem loath to download firmware in complete applications to install on the PC and run separately from connection to networks, maybe for copy protection. I think PC Bios updates get done that more reliable way, being so critical.

[captainstrong]

whoa whoa.

I bought my xv-21 factory direct in august and it came with 3.0.

I just tried to upgrade and the firmware failed during the installation. The software said hey you have 3.0 you can upgrade to 3.1. I rebooted my comp and tried again but the software said invalid firmware detected.

I then called Neato support for fear I bricked the bot. The woman who answered said just do a battery pull that I'd be fine....she also said my bot doesn't support 3.1! She said that robots with 3.0 aren't ready to be upgraded to 3.1 and the update won't be ready for a few months. She was right, I battery pulled and am back to 3.0 ok.

Anyone with an XV-21 with 3.0 update to 3.1?

[tstreete]

Try connecting through a powered USB hub as suggested on Neato's Mac http://www.neatorobotics.com/support/troubleshooting-mac-vacuumsoftware/troubleshooting page.

Thanks much. That does seem like my mac problem. (I'm embarrassed I missed it on the website.) I'll have to scrounge up a powered USB hub at work, which probably means not until Monday. Will report back the results. (And would love to talk city owned fiber networks with you, but this probably isn't the place.

[glnc222]

If the PC communicates with Neato with a telnet, terminal emulator, coolterm, hyperterminal etc., then power to the USB hub cannot matter to communication of the PC with the internet, a different link. Besides power in a hub, it reproduces in a smart IC some of the USB protocol, possibly compensating for some lack in the PC. Doesn't work on problems with AMD Windows systems observed. Need for a powered hub can be tested with the terminal program. USB manual at Neato website. It echos characters, so shows at once if connected (do not configure internal PC echo of typing).

[crowone]

Anyone with an XV-21 with 3.0 update to 3.1?

In the Netherlands someone update the XV 25 3.0 to 3.1
(XV25 is the european version.)


Firewall and virusscan Disable.

[vic7767]

Anyone with an XV-21 with 3.0 update to 3.1?

The USA version of the XV-21 with a PCAB (Printed Circuit Assembly Board) version 64 and 3.0 firmware cannot use the NeatoRobotics upgrade FW 3.1 that is designed to use with PCAB version 113.

[JEfromCanada]

I tried quickly updating yesterday night. First tried through the router (definition of insanity). Then, I tried again with a direct modem connection (from my AMD-based PC).

This was the first time it failed an update when directly connected to the modem. I've done updates from 2.0, 2.1, and 2.4 successfully when connected directly to the modem. This update from 2.6 was the first to fail.

I will be trying again from my netbook computer (Intel based) to see how that works.

Edit:

Update completed successfully using Intel Atom-based Netbook computer over wifi.

[captainstrong]

Anyone with an XV-21 with 3.0 update to 3.1?

The USA version of the XV-21 with a PCAB (Printed Circuit Assembly Board) version 64 and 3.0 firmware cannot use the NeatoRobotics upgrade FW 3.1 that is designed to use with PCAB version 113.

Damn. Well I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and hope they are going to bring the corner feature in a future update. I will say it'd be nice if they updated the computer software (which was real easy to use) so that it wouldn't falsely say I'm all set for the new firmware. I'm guessing it must not be easy to check the PCAB or something.