Month: June 2009
iPhone OS 3.0 Software Update
Apple released their latest iPhone/iPod Touch software update last June 17th, 2009. To install the 3.0 software, you first need to make sure you are using iTunes 8.2, which can be downloaded from the Apple site.
I do not have an iPhone but I have an iPod Touch (1st gen) so I will be referring to the iPod Touch in this post.
When the iPod is connected, it should appear on the left pane under Devices. Select it and then the summary pane should show up. Click Check for Update. Click Download and Install. Do not disconnect until the update has finished.
In my case, there was a problem with the upgrade. I got an unknown error 0xE800000B, error (13) and an error (8) — each on different tries. I think I also got an error (14) when I tried installing the 2.0 software upgrade last year when it came out. Not all iPods work properly when the firmware is being attempted to be installed, just like in my case.
No need to worry. There is another way to upgrade your iPod Touch. When this also happens to you, try upgrading the firmware in DFU mode (Device Firmware Upgrade mode). This will “force restore” your device to whatever version it is given with. This would apply to the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPhone 3G, and iPod Touch (2nd gen).
Be sure you have downloaded the software first on iTunes and know the location where it is saved. In my case, the 3.0 software was saved in this folder:
C:\Documents and Settings\USER\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPod Software Updates\iPod1,1_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw
To get into DFU Mode (Windows/Mac Compatible method), first turn on your iPod Touch and connect it to iTunes. Once iTunes shows your device, do the following:
Step 1: Hold down the Home button.
Step 2: Hold down the Power button.
Step 3: Ignore when it says “Slide to turn off”. It should restart with a blank screen. Check that your device should be removed from iTunes. Release the Power button immediately after, but still continue holding down the Home button until the device reconnects on iTunes.
Step 4: When the device shows up in iTunes, release the Home button. If you wait any longer, it will go into Recovery Mode, and that’s not what you want. The device screen should be blank.
Step 5: Now iTunes will tell you that the device is in Recovery Mode. You can now perform a manual restore/upgrade on it.
To manually upgrade it, press Shift while clicking on the Restore button on the Summary pane of the device. Locate the .ipsw file you need for upgrading. Although it says it is restoring, you are actually doing the upgrading. As mentioned, the device will just take whatever firmware it is given while in the DFU mode.
This method may not work right away for you. I had to try it several times until I got it to work. Just be patient and hopefully you will be able to successfully upgrade the software on your iPod Touch/iPhone.
Photo Credit: katielips
Linksys NAS 200 Tech Support – Part 2
[Part 1 of this topic HERE.]
I took out and checked the hard disk drives and it turns out I actually had two 1000 GB (1 TB) hard disk drives put in the Linksys Network Storage System NAS 200. So I actually was supposed to have a total of 2 TB capacity (or technically, 2 x 931 GB = 1862 GB). Got even worse since only 858 GB was showing, eh?
I tried the Separate Disks drive configuration and it showed the correct capacity. The problem was when I had it configured as JBOD/LVM. I tried installing two, then just one. But still the same.
When I contacted chat support on Day 2, the agent tried to suggest solutions and walked me through them, but they didn’t work. I wasted about 40 minutes with him for this. Then I had to cut our conversation short since I had to do something else at that time.
In the end, that afternoon I found out the solution on my own. I simply needed to flash the NAS 200 with the latest firmware which is Version 3.4R75. In the release notes, this is specifically what I needed:
11. Fix the issue that the drive size can not be recognized correctly when hard drive size over 500GB under JBOD/LVM configuration.
The tech support agents should have asked me the question what firmware version did the NAS 200 have but they didn’t! Problem would have been solved sooner if they had. Note to self: Check for latest firmware version of equipment always!
If you ever encounter a problem with equipment not showing proper capacity or anything similar whatsoever, check for the latest firmware always on the product website. Or if they don’t have updated firmware, third-party sites might have (use Google to search for these).
Linksys NAS 200 Tech Support: Unsatisfactory
[Update/Part 2 of this topic HERE.]
“The Linksys by Cisco brand is known and respected worldwide through products designed to fit each country’s networking requirements…”
“Why Choose Linksys by Cisco…
…Technical Support.
Our call centers are recognized worldwide for quick response and the ability to solve problems…”
I found these statements on Linksys by Cisco’s About Us page. With this, you would surely be confident of the technical support they would give you, right? NOT! That is not the impression I had today when I contacted their technical support for the first time. Let me share what happened to me.
I was working with the Linksys Network Storage System NAS 200. I configured and set it up on the local network. It has two SATA hard drive bays and also two USB ports where external hard drives can be attached. In the drive configuration for the NAS 200, four choices are given on how you want to set it up, depending if you want (A) maximum storage, (B) maximum data security, or (C) maximum speed:
- 2 separate disks — A
- 2 disks configured as one large disk (JBOD/LVM) — A
- Mirroring (RAID 1) — B
- Striping (RAID 0) — C
I put in two 500 GB SATA hard drives, a total of 1 TB, and configured it as JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks). Expected total capacity should be about 931 GB. What did it show me? Only 858 GB. Where did the 73 GB go? No idea. So I called tech support, explained the situation, and asked why this is so. A lady agent received my phone call around 4:35 PM EDT.
- Conversation ~ 2 minutes
- On hold ~ 4 minutes
- Agent asked more questions and gave me a vague answer then told me I should probably speak to her supervisor ~ 2 minutes
- On hold ~ 10 minutes
- Agent told me supervisor should be with me in one minute and asked that he can either call me back or if I will wait. I said I will wait (after all, I’ve been waiting already and wanted an answer right away, right?). I wanted to make sure so I asked her “one minute?”. She said, “Yes, one minute.” So I confirmed again that I will wait. ~ 1 minute
- On hold ~ 3 minutes ( ! )
- Agent apologized that the supervisor wasn’t available because he was still on the phone with someone else. They will have to call me back in 20 minutes. Exasperated, I just agreed.
Guess what? She nor the supervisor didn’t call me back. They just wasted about 22 minutes of my time!
I tried to search for answers online but it was getting late so I didn’t find much. I tried the e-mail support instead but I got an automated response that they no longer have e-mail support and recommended an option for live chat support instead. Good thing is I was able to chat to an agent and was more enlightened by his responses. He recommended that I connect the hard drives directly to the computer to check its exact capacity. I figured if the total capacity would still be 858 GB when connected directly, then the problem has to do with the hard drives. If it indeed shows ~931 GB, then the problem would be their storage system.
Tomorrow I’ll check the capacity. I’ll write an update about what happens.
P.S. I’m hoping their phone support was only poor for today and not regularly.
[Update/Part 2 of this topic HERE.]
Photo Credit: Evil Erin
Tech-Life in Pink 