Firmware Error with FAT32 / Howto Format on OSX?

zthee

Trying to install V0.21 instead of V0.19. My SD card is FAT32, the FIRMWARE.BIN is in the root folder. Yet the machine gives me "Firmware Error" when I try to install it. 

What could be wrong? 

I'm on a Mac OS 10.6

julian

OSX is very unwilling to make a propper FAT32 partition, you have to convince it L-)
I have no mac, so this is only hearsay...

The problem is, it makes a FAT32 filesystem, but the partition type is GPT(?) per default.
You have to make it a 'Master Boot Record' partition instead or ms-dos and simple embedded devices won't recognize it.

My OSX knowledge ends here. But apparently it is possible, but I only got the explanation in german
I try to translate but I don't know the propper program names.

You have to open the disk tools program.
select the sd card. The physical card, not the partition/drive on it.
Then, on the right under partition, partition layout select " 1 partition"
check "Master Boot Record" in the options
close the dialog
click apply

not tested and without warranty! maybe one of the other apple owners might chime in?

zthee

Thanks!  But it didn't work  

Even tried it through the Terminal -  "Sudo diskutil partitionDisk /dev/disk1 MBRFormat “MS-DOS FAT32” “2G” 2Gb" Which should turn it into a FAT32. But still didn't work. 

I'll try to format it in the office tomorrow where I have a PC.

aTc

I had the same problem on linux with gparted.
Instead of trying to find a solution, I fixed it the easy way by simply formatting the card in my camera.

zthee

Ah, good idea with the camera! 

Tried it with my Nikon D90. Didn't work. Still Firmware Error.

mqldng

zthee 

I found myself on a similar situation, except that Disk Utility would only format the 2GB card to FAT16

In some apple user forum discussion I read that FAT32 is reserved for memory units above 4GB... To be on the safe side, I got an 8 GB SD card and it worked like a charm... a little investment which makes all the difference

I hope this is useful...

fcd72

Solution for OS X (at least mine): get any 8Gb Card and DONT REFORMAT IT ON THE MAC!!!!

toneburst

I bought a 4GB card, and did format as FAT32 using Disk Utility on my Mac (MacOS X 10.8.something), and it worked fine.

a|x

zthee

Tried with a 4GB format in my camera and it worked! 

So the 2GB seems to be out of the question...

julian

The problem is that a lot of devices format anything <= 2GB to FAT16 no matter what.
Since FAT16 can't handle volume sizes above 2gb all other cards have to be formatted FAT32

I have quite a few different 1gb card here that all work fine.

Anyways, I will update the bootloader with the same filesystem code I used in the normal firmware.
Seems I got plenty of space left. I fell for the old byte/word trap. I thought my bootloader memory was nearly full, so i had to use a stripped down filesystem. Turns out is used 2k bytes of space, but got 2k words of space left =P~

Mesmerised

I had similar problems ob Mac. (See my post) Even though the format of the card was right (fat32 and mbr, Julians instructions are right) I still got "Firware Error"
I tried a newer sdhc 8gb card from my dgital cam and it worked. A newly bought Samsung sdhc 4gb also works.
So finding the right sd card seems to be a bit tricky.

zthee

I formatted the 2GB on the office PC today, worked like a charm.