Devo F12E Installation confusion

Hi,

I've just got hold of the Devo F12E which I have installed the deviation firmware onto, however I'm a little confused by the different subjects on installing to the F12E, and I'm now wonder if I have done this correctly.

First time round I downloaded the "deviation-devo12-v5.0.0.zip" from the Deviation 5.0.0 Release and installed this using the java based "DeviationUpload-0.8.0" uploader, according to the topics i've read for the F12E this is the only uploader we can use for this model, please correct me if this is wrong.

I followed this topic to install the firmware: How to load an F12E with Deviation(Possibly F7)

So when I switched the TX on after installing this version it pretty much failed to load up or do anything, so I looked in the nightly builds and spotted the "deviation-devof12e-v5.0.0-1480108.zip", so I wound everything back to the factory firmware and started again with this version.

I have installed this version selecting the "Format" check box and the Replace tx.ini, hardware.ini, and replace models options, as this is a new TX. This version seems to have installed correctly and when switching on the TX it fires up as expected and seem to function. However when I put the TX in USB mode and inspect the files listed on the TX it only shows a "devo.fs" file listed (see attachment).

I was expecting to a list of directories and files for things like models, languages, etc. and the hardware.ini and tx.ini files. So I'm now confused if I have done this correctly, other installation topics talk about having to copy these into the TX when in USB mode, the topics for the F12E suggest this is not required, and on looking in the "deviation-devof12e-v5.0.0-1480108.zip" it does not contain any of the additional directories and files we see in other versions of the firmware.

I am suppose this copy these files or not? If so where do I get the correct versions from?

P.S. I'm a complete noob to the devo TX, the end game is to get the 4-in-1 module installed so I can use it with my Hubsan H107D+ and other models.

Thanks
Darren

Hi!

You did everything the right way.
Because of size limitation of the standard flash chip of the Devo F12E an absolute highly skilled member of this forum, PhracturedBlue, wrote a special filesystem for it. The only file which is present on the DevoF12E is the devo.fs you see after installing deviation.

To get the files and folders you mention you have to copy the devo.fs file to your PC and "decompress" it by the use of "Buildfs.exe". You can find more information about that for example in this thread:

www.deviationtx.com/forum/3-feedback-que...oblem-upgrading-f12e
(seems like I can't paste a link here ob my mobile phone... so just copy and paste the url above)

After decompressing you can find the files and folders, alter them, rebuild a new devo.fs and copy that one to your TX (no formatting, only delete the original devo.fs on your TX). Thats it!

The 4in1 module installation is also a very doable task. The needed information can also be found in various threads here.

Also a very skilled member here, Vlad_vy, managed to install a bigger sized flash storage chip to enable more functionality on the F12E, search for "Ultimate F12E" thread.

But for now just try to get the devo.fs file decompressed and readable on your PC.

OK, that makes a bit more sense now, everything gets a little blurred when the installation documentation covers so may different models.

So when I update the firmware to a later version, do I need to copy the "devo.fs" file out first in order to save my model configurations, or will running the update without the format options etc retain these?

Also with regards to the nightly builds do these include the protocol updates to support the newer Hubsan models which goebish has been working on in this thread?

5028-the-new-hubsans

In particular the Hubsan H107D+

??

About the persistance of model files I am not quite sure when you don't select the format option, but it is always good practise to keep a latest copy of them stored on your PC.

And regarding the hubsan protocol goebish coded, in the thread you linked he statet that it is included from now on in the nightly builds.
If the H107D+ is covered by this protocol in particular I don't know.

Yeah it's kinda confusing. If you have models you have already added and setup and you want to keep those settings then yes. You'll need to decompress your Devo.fs file then extract the models folder and recompile with your models folder. Otherwise yes you'll lose all your settings. I have my new memory chip which I'm ready to install.

M8A4X wrote: Hi!

To get the files and folders you mention you have to copy the devo.fs file to your PC and "decompress" it by the use of "Buildfs.exe". You can find more information about that for example in this thread:

www.deviationtx.com/forum/3-feedback-que...oblem-upgrading-f12e
(seems like I can't paste a link here ob my mobile phone... so just copy and paste the url above)

After decompressing you can find the files and folders, alter them, rebuild a new devo.fs and copy that one to your TX (no formatting, only delete the original devo.fs on your TX). Thats it!

Could you explain this step in particular? I just don't get where i can find this Buildfs.exe ?
I haven't the best english... sry

Edit: i found this link: https://www.deviationtx.com/wiki/installing_on_f_series But the File isn't any longer on this Dropbox?! Where can i get it?

Thank you

You can find the buildfs.exe as well as very short How To attached in the .zip file.

I don´t know if there are different versions of buildfs.exe but the attached one always worked for me.

Edit: The maximum filesize for attachments is 2MB so please find attached a download link:

Buildfs.exe and How-To

@Quietsch:
Just as an example for using the buildfs.exe look at the screenshots.
The first one shows where and which folders I had placed on my PC, buildfs.exe is in the buildfs folder, in source the "raw" devo.fs file is located, the extracted files went into the target folder.
Hope this helps.

M8A4X wrote: @Quietsch:
Just as an example for using the buildfs.exe look at the screenshots.
The first one shows where and which folders I had placed on my PC, buildfs.exe is in the buildfs folder, in source the "raw" devo.fs file is located, the extracted files went into the target folder.
Hope this helps.

Thank you, i got the file on my computer and i tried to start this buildfs.exe but the cmd just flashed up and nothing happend, do i need this phyton thing?
(hope i get it soon, i want to use a DSMX RX)
Thank you for the kind answers

Edit: I think i got it. I have to open CMD and write this down there?! But where should i place the buildfs.exe? I put it in the Temp folder and cmd said that the command "buildfs.exe" is wrong or can't be found...

Correct, you have to run buildfs.exe through CMD.
In general it doesn´t matter where you put the buildfs.exe file, as long as your CMD commands do correspond.

For example when creating these folders and placing the files as follows:
C:\temp\buildfs\ --> put the buildfs.exe in this folder
C:\temp\source\ --> put the raw devo.fs from your transmitter in this folder
C:\temp\target\ --> in this folder the extracted files should be placed by buildfs.exe

Now the CMD commands should be the following:
run CMD, change current directory to the buildfs folder by
"cd\" from anywhere it starts (as long as you start from somewhere on your C: Drive) --> CMD goes to c:\

"cd temp" followed by "cd buildfs" --> this will bring you to the folder where the buildfs.exe is located

To extract the files in the raw devo.fs file (see attachment step1):

"buildfs.exe --fs c:\temp\source\devo.fs --dir c:\temp\target\ -x" --> buildfs.exe will run and put the extracted files in folder target

Now modify the files you need like hardware.ini and/or model.ini, save them to this location

To create a new devo.fs file with the modified files as content (see attachment step2):

"buildfs.exe --fs c:\temp\target\devoNew.fs --dir c:\temp\target\ -c"

The new devo.fs file (in the example called "devoNew.fs") is the located in the target folder, see attachment step3).

Now rename the "devoNew.fs" to "devo.fs", delete the existing "devo.fs" from your transmitter and copy over the new one.

Done!

I always get one step closer to the goal put when i think i got it there is another little problem

Thanks to you i can now open the folder in cmd, when i hit the command to extract it there doens't seem to change something (see attachment).

I just made a new folder under C:\ named it temp... Do i have to change the parameters in the attachment?

And why don't i get any outputs? At least an error message?

The program may not output in the cmd line if successful, check the c:\temp\target directory for the decompressed files and folders.

if you have not files or folders, check you have permission to write to that path.

I checked the folder, nothing in it...
Here are the Screenshots of temp. The read-only box i tried to clear but it always got this square in it...

I hope you don't think i am stupid... xD

Try running the cmd window as administrator with the right-click "Run as Administrator" option, if this still does not work perhaps try creating a new directory that's not in c:\temp and give full permissions to "Everyone" put the buildfs.exe and devo.fs file in here and run the cmd with that path instead.

Just tried this, it doesn't do either anything... Target remains with nothing in it...
Even with another path...
(C:\Users\Quietsch\Desktop\Quadrocopter\DEVOEXT\ )

So the problem doesn't come from a fault of me?

Very odd, everything looks fine from here.

Ok, I've zipped up my directory and file I use here, can you extract it to your C: and run the extract.bat in the BUILDFS directory, but you will need to copy in the buildfs.exe as it its too big to zip up for the forum.

Obviously please check the bat file does not contain anything untoward before running it, safety first

Actually I just had a thought, the default "devo.fs" file that gets loaded when you installed the deviation firmware may well be an empty file, I just can't remember back that far if it was or not?

so just try using my devo.fs file.

DIGGIDY wrote: so just try using my devo.fs file.

I think that worked... now i can see a lil helicopter on my screen, can i adjust all the settings to make a quad out of it at the Transmitter?

Yep, that sounds about right, so your devo.fs file was empty, feel free to use the bits I uploaded as a base to work from, they are pretty much standard files anyway.