GW Micro - Support - Knowledge Base - GWKB1107

GWKB1107 : Upgrading The BookSense Firmware

This Knowledge Base article applies to both the standard BookSense (ruby red) and the BookSense XT (off white) using firmware version 1.0 or newer.

From time to time, there will be a new update to the BookSense. The updates are made available by means of an image file called a firmware update. In order for your BookSense to take advantage of the new features, enhancements, or bug fixes, you must install the new firmware onto your BookSense.

Downloading and Extracting The BookSense Firmware

When there is new firmware to download, it will be available as a zip file from the downloads section of our web site. Upgrading the firmware requires that you first download the firmware zip file from a PC. Once the zip file has been downloaded, you need to extract the contents to the root of your SD card (secure digital card).

To download the firmware update from your PC, do the following:

1. Insert your SD card into the BookSense and connect it to the PC. It is important to take note of the drive letter of the SD card.
2. Point your web browser to the BookSense downloads section of our web site. The direct link is: http://www.gwmicro.com/Support/Downloads/?category=BookSense+Support+Files
3. From this page you will see links for both BookSense models. Be sure to choose the correct link for your BookSense.
4. The firmware will be packed in a zip file. Choose the appropriate version and press ENTER on the download link to begin downloading the zip file.
5. If your browser prompts you to save or open the file, choose save. If prompted for a file name, we recommend keeping the original file name.
6. Once the zip file has been downloaded to the PC, navigate to the location of the file and press SHIFT-F10 on it.
7. Press the Up or down arrow to the menu item called "Extract All". Then press ENTER to open it.
8. A dialog box will open. Press ENTER on the "Next" button.
9. An edit box will prompt you for the location where the files should be extracted to. Type the drive letter of your SD card followed by a colon and a backslash. I.E. "E:\" without the quotes.
10. If you don't know the drive letter of your SD card, you may press TAB to select the "Browse" button. Then you can select the drive using the "Select a Destination" dialog box. It is important to extract the firmware files directly to the root of the SD card and not inside a folder. I.E. The files must be extracted to "e:\" and not "e:\files".
11. Once the path has been selected, tab to the "Next" button and press ENTER.
12. At this point the PC will begin extracting all of the files to the root of the SD card. This may take several minutes as the files are relatively large. Once the firmware files have been extracted, navigate to the "Finish" button and press ENTER.
13. Close any open windows you may have by pressing Alt-F4 on each. Then disconnect the BookSense from the PC by way of the "Safely Remove hardware" utility of the "System Tray".

The aforementioned steps assume you are familiar with connecting and disconnecting the BookSense to and from the PC. If you are not, please refer to KB1104 - Connecting and Disconnecting the BookSense To and From the PC for assistance. In addition, if you are using another zip program such as Winzip or 7Zip, the steps to unzip the firmware files will be different.

Performing the Actual Firmware Upgrade

Once the firmware files are in the root of the SD card and the BookSense has been disconnected from the PC, you are ready to upgrade your BookSense.

To perform the actual firmware upgrade, do the following:

1. Connect the AC charger to the BookSense.
2. If the BookSense is not already powered on, press the play/pause button for 2 seconds to power it on.
3. Press the stop/cancel button to close any files or books you may have open.
4. Press the menu button to open the main menu.
5. Press up or down arrow until you reach the advanced menu item. Then press right to open it.
6. Press up or down arrow to choose upgrade. Then press the menu button to choose this option.
7. The BookSense will search in the root of the SD card and if it finds the firmware, it will ask you if you want to upgrade the firmware. Press the menu button to choose Yes and continue.

Using a different voice, the BookSense will inform you that it will be restarted. When the BookSense restarts itself, you will hear a series of beeps as the new firmware is written to the BookSense. This process can take a few minutes. During the update process, it is important that you do not touch any of the buttons, remove the SD card, or power off the BookSense. Once the firmware has been successfully installed, the BookSense will reboot once more.

Once you hear the startup music and the female voice speaking, it is safe to start using the BookSense. To verify that you are using the new firmware, press the menu key and navigate to the global options menu. Then arrow to the system status menu and press the menu key to open it. While in the system status dialog box, press the up or down arrows to hear the status. One of the lines will read out the firmware version along with the release date. Once you verify that the new firmware has been successfully installed, you can safely remove the firmware files from the SD card. Please note that you must use your PC to remove the firmware files from the SD card.

Some Things To Know Regarding The Upgrade Process

The following are some things to know regarding upgrading the BookSense firmware. They are listed in no particular order. If after reading this article you are still having trouble upgrading the firmware of the BookSense, please contact GW Micro technical support for assistance.

• Even if you have the BookSense XT, you must still copy the firmware files to the root of the SD card, not the flashdisk.
• If you attempt to install older firmware than what is currently installed in the BookSense, the BookSense will prompt you if you are sure. Only continue with this if you are sure that you want to go back to an earlier release.
• Sometimes one of the voices of the BookSense may not work properly after upgrading the firmware. if this happens, you must perform a factory reset of the BookSense by pressing the number 4 button. While holding the 4 button, press the reset button with the end of a toothpick. Keep pressing the 4 button for up to 20 seconds. Once you release the button, the BookSense will reboot itself.
• If for whatever reason the firmware is not upgrading from the upgrade option in the advanced menu, you can upgrade it by pressing the cancel and the 9 buttons at the same time. While holding these buttons, press the reset button with the end of a toothpick, but keep holding the cancel and 9 buttons until you hear the system will be restarted message.
• When the BookSense firmware is upgraded or the number 4 key reset is used, all settings will be set to their factory defaults. This means that any personalized settings such as speech rate, recording settings, and Bluetooth pairing information (XT model) will be lost.

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