CTRL Keyboard dead after flashing the firmware

[judy80426]

I followed all the steps here https://github.com/Massdrop/mdloader to flash the firmware; successfully changed the LED setting on one of my CTRL, but failed on the other one. The keyboard LED not on anymore and also cannot type. I tried several times on my first CTRL, always success.
Anyone has a clue?

[danielartavia7]

Judy you tried the reset back button? I´m having problemas with my ALT changing the leds colors. It says It says ¨could not find a valid device port¨

[Iliain]

Similar issue here. I added a new profile about a week ago and everything seemed fine. Then the device started failing, which kept the LEDs on but left the keys unresponsive. Unplugging it for 10 mins then back in was the only fix I found to get it back on, but it eventually happens again.
Tried to flash it with a new profile, but now Fn + b no longer works; pressing the reset button underneath switches it off but fails to find a port and it never switches back on. Stays dead until I unplug it and wait another 10 minutes.
Not sure what's gone wrong.

[debrutal]

I am experiencing the same issue described by judy.
It just arrived. I tried to flash the firmware. Since then it's dead. No LEDs no keyspress available.
Linux is not able to recognize the keyboard $ xinput --list
Flashing the firmware resultet in the following output.

Massdrop Loader 1.05

Massdrop Loader  Copyright (C) 2018-2020 Massdrop Inc.
This program is Free Software and has ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY

Scanning for device for 60 seconds
.....................................
Device port: /dev/ttyACM0 (SAMD51J18A)

Opening port '/dev/ttyACM0'... Success!
Found MCU: SAMD51J18A
Bootloader version: v2.20 Mar 27 2019 10:04:47 [ctrl]
Applet file: applet-mdflash.bin
Applet Version: 1
Writing firmware... Complete!
Booting device... Success!
Closing port... Success!

[debrutal]

Hey @judy80426,
could you solve your issue? In my scenario i messed up using the right FILE_NAME within the command.
I accidenly was using applet-flash.bin instead of the actual firmware bin.
Adter that my keyboard was dead and i had to reflash it using sudo.

Since it works fine again maybe that was the issue

[pollyj]

My ALT is dead after flashing ALT firmware from configurator. now it won't turn on. Really upset about this because it was okay before, but I was getting some chattering, hence trying the firmware update. Now it's completely unusable. Does anyone have any ideas??

Here is what I did:

• Download firmware file from the configurator https://drop.com/mechanical-keyboards/configurator/preset/alt--default
• Download mdloader and applet from: https://github.com/Massdrop/mdloader/releases/tag/1.0.5
• chmod to use mdloader
• Run ./mdloader_mac --first --download massdrop_alt_md_configurator_1608256628_372699133.bin --restart
• Press reset button
• Terminal says

Massdrop Loader 1.04
Massdrop Loader Copyright (C) 2018-2020  Massdrop Inc.
This program is Free Software and has ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
Scanning for device for 60 seconds
.
Device port: /dev/cu.usbmodem142201 (SAMD51J18A)
Opening port '/dev/cu.usbmodem142201'... Success!
Found MCU: SAMD51J18A
Bootloader version: v2.18Sep  4 2018 16:48:28
Applet file: applet-flash-samd51j18a.bin
Applet Version: 1
Writing firmware... Complete!
Booting device... Success!
Closing port... Success!

• The keyboard goes dead. Nothing happens after this.

Can't turn it on. Remove and replug in, but nothing. If I press reset button, an orange light comes on, but nothing else. I know an orange light means a connectivity problem. But not sure what else to try now. I've tried:

• unplugging and replugging in
• redownloading applet, mdloader, config file
• using previous release version of applet and mdloader
• trying different usb ports on both computer and keyboard
• rerunning the flash
• using QMK toolbox to do the flash
• trying a different config file

Nothing's worked.

[pollyj]

Hi, I just started retrying all the things I tried yesterday, and I managed to fix it my keyboard. Since it was already broken I tried some random things. I think what eventually fixed it was using the QMK toolbox software and putting the keyboard in DFU mode by pressing the reset button, then clicking the "Clear EEPROM" button. Then I did the flash using QMK. Finally the keyboard lights came back on and I can use it. ><

I tried a bunch of other random things too, out of desperation. Just in case any of these had an effect, and just in case any random person comes here searching for how to fix their keyboard, I'll list them here. (These are things I tried before the QMK thing above. I don't think they had any effect, but idk.)

• I flashed the applet file on purpose followed by the firmware -> didn't fix it, as expected
• I tried both default and configured firmware again
• Tried using the QMK toolbox with Massdrop/ALT as the keyboard model -> regular flashing didn't work.
• Tried setting the keyboard model to "Massdrop/CTRL" instead of ALT -> nothing.

[mrardon]

I'm the random person that you helped! This happened to me as well. I tried everything to get it back working. Luckily I stumbled onto this. Had to do what you said to get it to boot back up and work:

using the QMK toolbox software and putting the keyboard in DFU mode by pressing the reset button, then clicking the "Clear EEPROM" button. Then I did the flash using QMK. Finally the keyboard lights came back on and I can use it. ><

[Turbo-Duder]

Hi, I just started retrying all the things I tried yesterday, and I managed to fix it my keyboard. Since it was already broken I tried some random things. I think what eventually fixed it was using the QMK toolbox software and putting the keyboard in DFU mode by pressing the reset button, then clicking the "Clear EEPROM" button. Then I did the flash using QMK. Finally the keyboard lights came back on and I can use it. ><

Hey there, I'm in the exact same boat. My ALT wasn't working at all until I downloaded the QMK toolbox software and flashed it (new ALT btw) and now the keys all work but the LEDs do not. I was hoping you could help me with the option that you mentioned that you think fixed your keyboard "clicking the "Clear EEPROM" button". I don't see this and I was hoping if this thread isn't totally dead that you could point it out to me!

[pollyj]

Hi, I just started retrying all the things I tried yesterday, and I managed to fix it my keyboard. Since it was already broken I tried some random things. I think what eventually fixed it was using the QMK toolbox software and putting the keyboard in DFU mode by pressing the reset button, then clicking the "Clear EEPROM" button. Then I did the flash using QMK. Finally the keyboard lights came back on and I can use it. ><

Hey there, I'm in the exact same boat. My ALT wasn't working at all until I downloaded the QMK toolbox software and flashed it (new ALT btw) and now the keys all work but the LEDs do not. I was hoping you could help me with the option that you mentioned that you think fixed your keyboard "clicking the "Clear EEPROM" button". I don't see this and I was hoping if this thread isn't totally dead that you could point it out to me!

Hey, I don’t have my computer to take a ss but I remember that it was an option at the bottom left of the window if I’m not mistaken.

[Turbo-Duder]

Hi, I just started retrying all the things I tried yesterday, and I managed to fix it my keyboard. Since it was already broken I tried some random things. I think what eventually fixed it was using the QMK toolbox software and putting the keyboard in DFU mode by pressing the reset button, then clicking the "Clear EEPROM" button. Then I did the flash using QMK. Finally the keyboard lights came back on and I can use it. ><

Hey there, I'm in the exact same boat. My ALT wasn't working at all until I downloaded the QMK toolbox software and flashed it (new ALT btw) and now the keys all work but the LEDs do not. I was hoping you could help me with the option that you mentioned that you think fixed your keyboard "clicking the "Clear EEPROM" button". I don't see this and I was hoping if this thread isn't totally dead that you could point it out to me!

Hey, I don’t have my computer to take a ss but I remember that it was an option at the bottom left of the window if I’m not mistaken.

Hey there, I looked into it and it turns out the Alt doesn't have EEPROM support, so I'm back to being totally lost haha

[yungkneez]

Hi, I just started retrying all the things I tried yesterday, and I managed to fix it my keyboard. Since it was already broken I tried some random things. I think what eventually fixed it was using the QMK toolbox software and putting the keyboard in DFU mode by pressing the reset button, then clicking the "Clear EEPROM" button. Then I did the flash using QMK. Finally the keyboard lights came back on and I can use it.

This worked for me also. I'm not sure whether the EEPROM was actually cleared; as nothing was logged, but doing this and re-flashing the default QMK solved it. Still no clue why it failed in the first place, but this saved me having to buy a new PCB so thank you!

[eaglejs]

For those who might still be looking for this in the future. I was able to put my keyboard back into EEPROM mode by holding the reset button in the back, and pressing fn + b or "DFU MODE"

at that point, I was able to run $ mloader --list and find the correct device connected again.

I installed a proper bin file that I knew was working by running something like:
$ mdloader --download custom_qmk_map.bin --port /dev/cu.usbmodem1201

--download = the file you want to add to the keyboard, (you can do the full path /user/jamesfrank/Downloads/name.of.bin
--port = where the device resides

This is how I fixed it.