D4 Firmware update failed.

Dhelton

I did the update to version 1.10 of the firmware for the D4 like I have done every other firmware update. this time when it got to 5 bars during the update. the screen went black. I let it sit for 10-15 minutes waiting for it to finish so I could verify the update. nothing happened. I call tech support and they had me do a factory reset. but my screen never came back. any suggestions short of sending it back in.?

Ironheart

Try pulling the battery for 5 min. If the camera doesn't power up, it's a brick and needs to be sent to Nikon for repair.

Dhelton

The camera powers up. in fact the lcds on the control panel stay on even when I switch the camera off. I used it before I did the update, the update corrupted or failed. screen went black. camera will still fire in manual mode but the metadata when I pulled it in suggests said it was shot Jan 01,2000...and it was shot at F/1 with a shutter speed of 1 sec. factory reset didn't reset the firmware like it should have

paulr

Repeat the whole download on another memory card, just in case the memory card got corrupted, failing that looks like its back to Nikon.

Dhelton

I can't see the screen to get back to the firmware update screen. when the update failed 3/4 of the way through. the screen went black and hasn't returned after the update failed and the factory reset.

cowleystjames

Just a thought, my D4s has an internal battery, which is removeable. Does the D4 have the same? I can't see that in the D4 manual, but my train of thoughts are: take the EN-EL18 out and the internal battery.
That will have removed all power. Give it an hour or so, how long, dunno, your guess is as good as mine.
But surely that will totally wipe the custom settings and hopefully, return it back to a working state.
Trouble is, I would've thought the firmware gets written to a eprom or similar, so what I've just said probably won't make any difference, but I'd try it anyway.
I guess the firmware update corrupted somewhere along the line, so unfortunately, it's probably a brick until Nikon get there hands on it.

Dhelton

thanks, i will try that. I ran a large video network and when I have a problem like this my vendor logs in takes control and solves the problem. maybe Nikon should look into remote access for simple diagnostic fixes'

Golf007sd

Sorry to hear about this Dhelton, but here is an idea that came to me and I wish I had the cable to try and see if it could work on my end.

My idea: If you can find yourself a Mini C HD HDMI cable (like this one) that you could connect to the side of the D4 body and then connect the other normal HDMI cable to your laptop or HDTV, and see if you can get the menu that is supposed to show up on the back of the lcd to show up on the TV, then you would be all set to go. Moreover, if anyone has such a cable can you try my idea and see if works.

Lastly, what happens when you push the Live View (LV) button and put the camera in video mode? Hence, does the LCD fire up?

Dhelton

Great idea. I will see if that works and let you know!

paulr

I spoke to the NPS service department on your behalf and they basically said do a complete upload with another card. They state that they cannot be any damage done to the camera while the download is in progress but if you still have no luck then it must be sent to a nikon service branch where they have the equipment to resolve the problem. this is the first time they have heard of this problem.

Dhelton

Thanks,
I have never had the problem either and I've done firmware updates on the D4,D3 and D2Xs and the D1. never had this problem. I would love to do a complete upload with a different card but I don't have access to the menu screen so I can't get back to the firmware to start the update over. I've tried the hdmi out to try and see it on an LCD and no luck. can't believe that you can't plug the network cable in and have the service center remote in to it and update the software. In my Video work I have vendors do that all the time. Think of the shipping and man hours save on running the diagnostics remotely

Parke1953

Maybe someone could give you the sequence of buttons to push.

Golf007sd

I was going to do that, but it would be hard to know exactly what menu the OP is located at. Hence: Play menu, Shooting menu, Custom setting menu, Setup menu (this is where the firmware update is located at), Retouch menu, and last one: My menu.

This video might help..and illustrate what I'm trying to point out.

spraynpray

I think @Parke1953 meant the sequence of buttons to press to de-brick the camera which is likely to be some 'secret squirrel' sequence Ali.

IIWM I would be at the Nikon Service Centre watching them sort it out.

Golf007sd

@spraynpray: OIC.

Well, If such a sequence is known, I would love to know what it is. I looked all over the net to find such a "secret" to no avail. On some of the older FX, Nikon had a whole at the bottom of the body where you could do a hard reset, but on the new generation of FX bodies that is no longer an option.

I have a feeling that they have device that connects to the body via the external connectors that allows them to access the CPU inside.

Msmoto

Not a suggestion, but an interesting thought… with the battery out, short all the battery contacts in the body together. In some old electronic watches this had to be done when the battery was replaced. But, I am not recommending this at all. It may cause irreparable harm.

Dhelton

I sent it in for NPS Repair. I left numbers for them to call me so I could walk them through the entire process of what happened and sent the .bin file used to do the update so they can analyse it to see if by chance it was corrupt. Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll let you know what they found. My guess is they will reload the software and test. the camera was in perfect operating condition prior to the update failing.

Thanks,
Brad