Bricked

[Herb-alaska]

I think I will wait a bit before I spend money on one. I prefer to allow others handle the beta testing

 

[wcl]

Similar experience yesterday ... send the inquiry below to Nautilus tech support, awaiting answer.

If this is a USB 3.0 incompatibility, that would be bad -- USB 3.0 has been out in general release for 5 years, significant adoption for 2-3, I have no computers (macs or windows) with USB 2.0 ports any more. Failure to keep up with that fundamental core requirement for the product (necessary connectivity for management) would be a significant service failure.

-- W

"I plugged my Nautilus in to check for software updates, was prompted to update the firmware, tried to do this, it started but failed before completing.
Now, the radio won’t power on, is no longer visible to the application, and cannot be recovered even when the application is trying to find hardware without firmware.
Before this, the radio worked, and was visible on both my Macintosh and Windows machine (the Mac prompted the install, directing to use a PC — that, by the way, is one big flaw with the platform). The device was charged.
Please advise."




---------- Post added March 24th, 2015 at 09:04 AM ----------

Update:

The issue is USB 3.0 incompatibility.

I was able to dig up a USB 2.0 port at work, and was able to recover the radio. (it was hard -- we have all late-model computers ... turns out the Thinkpad dock I have supplied 2xUSB2.0 ports tucked away in the back, hiding among the 4xUSB3.0 ports).

The good news:
== Good customer service from Nautilus: They were willing to RMA the radio, and cross-ship an advance replacement radio in time for my scuba trip this Saturday. That was a positive solution approach to the problem.
== They are working on the USB 3.0 issue.

Cheers,
W

Similar experience yesterday ... send the inquiry below to Nautilus tech support, awaiting answer.

If this is a USB 3.0 incompatibility, that would be bad -- USB 3.0 has been out in general release for 5 years, significant adoption for 2-3, I have no computers (macs or windows) with USB 2.0 ports any more. Failure to keep up with that fundamental core requirement for the product (necessary connectivity for management) would be a significant service failure.

-- W

"I plugged my Nautilus in to check for software updates, was prompted to update the firmware, tried to do this, it started but failed before completing.
Now, the radio won’t power on, is no longer visible to the application, and cannot be recovered even when the application is trying to find hardware without firmware.
Before this, the radio worked, and was visible on both my Macintosh and Windows machine (the Mac prompted the install, directing to use a PC — that, by the way, is one big flaw with the platform). The device was charged.
Please advise."

 

[PeterNBiddle]

I wish they had RMAed a replacement our way. We had to dive without the radio.

 

[Paddy5]

fwiw, I was able to recover my bricked Lifeline with an older computer with USB 2.0 ports. It took several attempts, though and I tweaked factors between attempts, so I'm not entirely sure what made the difference.

The things I did included: 1) running Windows updates (Windows 7 & this computer had been sitting for 3 years), 2) trying all three ports, 3) installing the USB driver separately (the link for this is near the bottom of this page: Nautilus Lifeline Support Troubleshooting PC Software), and 4) swapping the cable.

That said, it's ridiculous that a bug that bricks a system that's been known about for at least three years or so hasn't yet been fixed...

In any case, it's working now & I'm be happy to have it with me at Chinchorro Banks in a couple of weeks.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Has anyone tried a inserting USB 2 hub if they don't have a USB 2 (EHCI) host?

USB 3 is still not well understood by the industry.

 

[reefseeker2]

2017 - same issue here. 3 button reset is doing nothing. Sorry I tried to update it. It was working fine

Carl

On January 30th I plugged in my lifeline to recharge it and connected it to the Windows client app. I then tried to update my Lifeline to the latest firmware, which Nautilus say on their support page "has gone through extensive testing but we want to make darn sure that the upgrade performs perfectly in as many scenarios as possible all over the world":



Unfortunately the update didn't take and it left me with a completely dead Lifeline. As in, bricked - the HW reset (holding down the 3 buttons) didn't even work anymore. I left the following message on the lifeline support site:

>> Peter Nicholas Biddle (Client) Posted On: 31 January 2015 12:50 PM
>>
>> I just tried to install the new firmware (after making sure the desktop SW
>> was NOT running) and my lifeline seems to be bricked. It was working just a
>> few minutes ago and was visible via your desktop SW.
>>
>> Here's what I've tried:
>> When I connect to any of the USB ports the green light comes on but the
>> Lifeline display does not. Windows tries to automatically install the USB
>> Mass Storage driver and then says it failed to install.
>> The existing desktop SW now no longer sees the lifeline.
>> Nothing happens when I hold down the three buttons for 3 seconds for a hard
>> reset.

Lifeline responded on with the following:

>> Tech Support (Staff) Posted On: 02 February 2015 12:27 PM
>>
>> Peter, thank you for the email.
>>
>> It sounds like the firmware may have been erased on your Lifeline which is usually an easy fix.
>>
>>
>> Please connect the Lifeline to a PC and listen for a chime indicating the computer is recognizing a device is connected. If you hear the chime, open the Desktop Software. Look for any messages such as "Scan and Fix" or "A Lifeline has been found with no firmware". If this doesn't appear right away, do the hard reset on the Lifeline while connected to the computer.
>>
>> Also ensure that you are not connecting to a USB 3.0 port. There is a known compatibility issue between the Lifeline (with no firmware) and these ports.
>>
>> It may also be necessary to try connecting with a different USB cable or even on a different computer if possible.
>>
>> Please let me know if it continues to give you trouble.

I replied with the following:

>> Peter Biddle (Client) Posted On: 02 February 2015 12:40 PM
>>
>> The cable worked and the ports worked before the failed firmware update - I could see the Lifeline via the desktop SW.
>>
>> The hard reset no longer works at all - not when it is connected nor when it is standalone.
>>
>> I’m connecting on a Mac Book Pro running windows. I believe the MBP has USB 3.0 ports. All we have are MBPs in my house - I no longer have access to other PCs.

This was their reply:

>> Tech Support (Staff) Posted On: 03 February 2015 10:50 AM
>>
>> Peter,
>>
>> Unfortunately, this particular issue can only be resolved by connecting to a non-USB 3.0 port on a Windows PC computer.
>>
>> If you are not able to get access to one of these computers, alternatively we can issue you an RMA number to have the Lifeline sent in for service. Please let me know if you would like to proceed with that.

I was pretty sure that I'd spend days dorking around trying to get someone to loan me another laptop and then I'd find out that it still didn't work, so I opted for the return, noting that we are heading out to Coz on the 16th. They said this should be okay:

>> On Feb 4, 2015, at 09:18, Tech Support <info@nautiluslifeline.com> wrote:
>>
>> Peter,
>>
>> Yes, if you send it out right away, I will make a note in our system to do our best to get that back to you before Feb. 16. Please see the RMA instructions below:

I sent it to them on the 6th and it should have arrived on the 7th. They are only a few hours up the coast from Seattle in BC and I used FedEx.

Days passed with no word from them. I pinged them over the weekend to see what was happening and this is what they replied with:

>>On Feb 16, 2015, at 09:42, Tech Support <info@nautiluslifeline.com> wrote:
>>
>>Hi Peter,
>>
>>Unfortunately, we were not able to complete repairs by the date requested. There is some further testing still required. I will get back to you as soon as it is ready to return.

We will be diving without our trusty (?) Lifeline. Hopefully we will not need it.

Here are the issues as I see them:

1) An easy-peasy little bit of SW can check for USB 3.0 and then fail gracefully when it's present. That's like kindergarten programming. It's an If.Then statement. If your coders can't manage that they shouldn't be working for you or on lifesaving scuba equipment.
2) If bricking is a KNOWN ISSUE then they shouldn't be so enthusiastic about installs. I am not swimming in your alpha testing pool, I'm a scuba diver with a piece of life-saving equipment.
3) When a device is bricked it should be an all-hands-on-deck event - see #2. This is life-saving equipment. If it no longer turns on it can't save my life.
4) Why didn't Nautilus FedEx me a brand new device on Friday if they couldn't get it working for the preceding week?
5) If the issue was so easy to solve then why did the techs fail to solve it after a week?
6) Why no word about what was happening?

I understand that product technical support is a thankless endeavor - I know because I did it for Windows a long, long time ago. I sympathize. My guess is that Nautilus isn't a very technically savvy company (based on their SW infrastructure, which seems to be crap) and they under-invest in support which means the techs are all over-worked and under-appreciated. I feel kinda bad about writing this.

But in the end I'm a customer of a life-saving piece of scuba equipment. That equipment was working and then the manufacturer knowingly ruined it by releasing firmware with bugs that can result in bricking on any modern PC (those with USB 3.0 ports) and they didn't take my issue seriously enough to merit solving it before I head out to dive next, which is the only time I could possibly need it. It just doesn't sound good when I describe it that way.

I'm hoping that by writing this Nautilus pays attention and fixes the issues that they clearly have so that this doesn't happen to anyone else.

 

[al303]

Has anyone tried a inserting USB 2 hub if they don't have a USB 2 (EHCI) host?



I know this is an old thread, but yes, I grabbed a 4-port USB hub from my kids computer after I "bricked" my Lifeline VHF/GPS trying to update the firmware. My Windows 10 computer would sound the tone, but would not show up in the Nautilus software.

If you plug in your Lifeline, and all you get is a green charging light, open Widows Device Manager from Control Panel. At the bottom is Universal Serial Bus Controllers. You should see a USB that is having a problem. That's your Nautilus Lifeline. As you plug/unplug your Lifeline, it will appear/disappear. Now, unplug it, and plug your Lifeline into a USB hub($5 on eBay). Plug the USB hub into any port on your computer, and your computer should now recognize your Lifeline VHF/GPS. Open the Nautilus software, and it should start dl the latest firmware.

I hope this helps others. It took me most of a Saturday morning to figure out.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Has anyone tried a inserting USB 2 hub if they don't have a USB 2 (EHCI) host?



I know this is an old thread, but yes, I grabbed a 4-port USB hub from my kids computer after I "bricked" my Lifeline VHF/GPS trying to update the firmware. My Windows 10 computer would sound the tone, but would not show up in the Nautilus software.

If you plug in your Lifeline, and all you get is a green charging light, open Widows Device Manager from Control Panel. At the bottom is Universal Serial Bus Controllers. You should see a USB that is having a problem. That's your Nautilus Lifeline. As you plug/unplug your Lifeline, it will appear/disappear. Now, unplug it, and plug your Lifeline into a USB hub($5 on eBay). Plug the USB hub into any port on your computer, and your computer should now recognize your Lifeline VHF/GPS. Open the Nautilus software, and it should start dl the latest firmware.

I hope this helps others. It took me most of a Saturday morning to figure out.

Sometimes it is worth using USBView.exe to get more information. Available via the WDK (Windows Driver Kit). Not something most will do, but people can contact me for assistance (I’ve worked ion USBView for Windows 8).