KISS FC 1.2 firmware flashing on W7 (Spring 2017)

LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
Throwing this guide together as an experienced multirotor builder but KISS NOOB. These steps are based on steps that recently worked successfully for me without all the extra searching around. Things change fast, so if it doesn't work a couple months from now, let us know so we can update the post. :)

First things first. A brand new KISS FC does NOT ship with any firmware on it. Before you can attach to it to configure it with the KISS GUI, it will first need to be flashed with firmware. Any attempts to connect without flashing will be futile. Don't waste your time trying the GUI unless you know for sure you got one that somebody already flashed.

Head on over to the Flyduino download site and grab all the required files. I created a KISS directory under my downloads directory to keep everything together in one spot.
http://kiss.flyduino.net/downloads/

Grab the Bundled Firmware for sure, and maybe your favorite browser or phone GUI. (I prefer standalone GUI and only pulled the Bundled Firmware)
KISSdownloads1.jpg

If you scroll further down the downloads page, you will get to the KISS FC GUI standalone versions. I picked the newest.
KISSdownloadGui2.jpg

Keep scrolling down and download the manuals relevant to the hardware you have. Don't forget to read them after you download them! Read The Fantastic Manuals!
KISSdownloadManuals3.jpg

Head over to the KISS Drivers and Tools page and download the STM DeFuse Demo v3.05 for Windows
http://kiss.flyduino.net/dwkb/stm-drivers-and-tools/
KISSdownloadDrvTool4.jpg
If the st.com site asks you for all your life's history and firstborn child, hit back in your browser and then click the link again. That got me around it any way....

If you have never installed any other FCs using your system, you may also need to download and install the STM Virtual COM Port Driver v1.4 for Windows.

After downloading the files, unzip the contents of the files and install the KISS GUI and DeFuse Demo software.

More to come in the next post of thread......
 
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LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
Installing correct STM32 DFU Driver

Before the firmware can be flashed on the FC, the correct STM32 DFU drivers must be installed for the device in windows. The default driver that windows installs is STM32 BOOTLOADER. This driver will not work with the DfuSeDemo program used to flash the firmware. Open Windows Device Manager and find the device. It Should look like this in the tree:
KissFCwrongBootDrv.jpg

Double click on the device and then select the Driver Tab and Update Driver button.
UpdateDriver.jpg

Next select "Browse My Computer for driver software"
BrowseComp.jpg

Next select Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my Computer
LetMePick.jpg

Next click Have Disk
HaveDisk.jpg

Next click Browse
InstallFromDisk.jpg

Navigate to the drivers directory where DfuSeDemo was installed specific to your version of windows. For Windows 7 X64
LocateFilePath.jpg

And then select the actual driver .inf file before clicking Open
LocateFile.jpg

Highlight the STM Device in DFU Mode and then click Next
SelectDriver.jpg

After the driver installation completes, it will probably spit out an error like the following:
InstallError.jpg

Never worry, never fear, after you unplug the USB cable and replug it while holding the BOOT button, It should come up all Hunky dory like this
DevMgrWcorrectDFU.jpg

If you double click the device the driver information should look like this:
KISSfcCorrectDFUdrv.jpg

YAY! Now you are ready to flash your firmware using DfuSeDemo (next post of this thread.)
 
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LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
Flashing the firmware using DfuSeDemo

Plug your FC in to the USB port while holding the BOOT button so it comes up in DFU mode. Now start DfuSeDemo from the Start Menu and it should look like this.
DfuSeDemoInitial.jpg

Click the Choose button in the Upgrade or Verify Action section
ClickChoose.jpg

Select the firmware file that matches your board from the path where you unpacked the firmware bundle and then click Open
SelectFCfirmwareFile.jpg

You should get a message stating File correctly loaded. Click Upgrade
Upgrade.jpg

Click Yes on the Your Device is read protected popup.
ReadProtected.jpg

Click Yes on the Continue However popup
Continue.jpg

If you get an error, don't worry, Unplug the board and plug it in with the BOOT button pressed and click the upgrade button again after the device shows up in DfuSeDemo.

The Upgrade will go through several steps like erasing and flashing
Upgrading.jpg

Hopefully it all ends like this
Success.jpg

"Quit" DfuSeDemo and unplug your FC.
Plug it back in without holding down the boot button. Windows should detect the board and assign it to a COM port.
ComAssigned.jpg

YAY!!! now we can move on to the GUI......
 
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LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
Connecting to the FC with KISS GUI for the first time

Make sure your FC is plugged in without having pressed the boot button.

Start the KISS-GUI and select the COM port for your board then press connect
InitialGui.jpg

There is a small bit of DRM built in to the KISS FCs. Every time you flash your FC, it will need to be Activated before it can be used. Make sure your PC is connected to the internet and click Activate Now.
ActivateNOW.jpg

If all goes good, it will jump to the main config screen
CONFIG.jpg

If it doesn't go good and complains that your board is invalid, you will need to send an email to FlyDuino support with the info about your board, where you got it, and the serial number that shows up on the activation screen. They should get back to you within a day telling you to try again. I had this happen on my KISS-CC-AIO.
 
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PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
Awesome write up LB.

Where were you last month when I was going thru this crap...
Oh yeah.. right alongside me in my thread laughing at my struggles. ;)

You made this look easy.
 

LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
You made this look easy.

PB, Hindsight is 20/20. I grabbed what took me a day or so to figure out and shrunk it to what was really needed. Just happened that I got my first KISS just after all your fun. Was using the info from your thread to help me get up to speed on KISS. I'll have to post a picture of the tools I used on your Borked FC for things to add to the box of tricks. I should have taken a pictures before cleaning up the FOD with macro lens and some pics afterwards.

Cheers!
LitterBug


EDIT: In a month or so, after I forget how to do it, I can come back here and teach myself how to do it.
 
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PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
No worries. Its all good. However we got there we did it. Some take the high road some well I'll leave it at me wandering aimlessly about trying things as I go hehe.

I do think we should lobby for this thread to be stickied once you finish the write ups as the process is the same as far as drivers and such for other gui's and stuff. Or maybe start a locked thread and post just the stuff you wrote so it does not get cluttered and leave this one for a discussion thread.
 

Liam B

Well-known member
I followed these steps, but when I plug the FC back in from DfUse Demo, it won't assign the board to a COM port.
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
You only need to be in Defuse to flash while using the boot loader button. All other times you connect will be thru the gui without using the boot loader button. Even when it comes time to flash the esc's which is now done in the gui if you are at the current firmware.
 

Liam B

Well-known member
I got it!!! I used a Mac and got in immediately. The PIDs are set, and so is the receiver type and FC orientation. Do the ESC's come pre flashed with Firmware?
 

Liam B

Well-known member
Well, I plugged it in and got a series of beeps. No control on throttle, probably because I hadn't flashed the new Firmware. Then I plugged it in the second time, and the front right ESC blew out. I'll have to desolder it, get a replacement and flash the ESC's at FFwest :(
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
bummer :( By plugging it in do you mean to the usb or to a flight battery when you blew up the esc? If you blew it up by just a usb then something is / was seriously wrong. KISS esc's are pretty bulletproof. About the only way to kill em is polarity on the power side or long time full amp draw and over heat them.
 

Liam B

Well-known member
bummer :( By plugging it in do you mean to the usb or to a flight battery when you blew up the esc? If you blew it up by just a usb then something is / was seriously wrong. KISS esc's are pretty bulletproof. About the only way to kill em is polarity on the power side or long time full amp draw and over heat them.

I plugged the LiPo in. The first time I plugged it in, all was fine and I got blue lights on all ESCs (I think that's normal). I just didn't have any control from my transmitter. Then I plugged it in again, thinking it might have been a connection issue. This is when the ESC blew up. I'm guessing that the blow-out and communication were due to the lack of updating the ESC firmware?
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
Shouldn't be. Most or all of the esc's below 1.02 should have been sold or purged by now and in any case they always have some firmware on them. There is usually a sticker that will tell you their current firmware version from the factory. It sounds more like there was a short. Its possible a tiny solder blob was on the esc and moved when you plugged in the battery a second time if you didn't clean it all down with alcohol after soldering was done. That or maybe a single strand of wire from stripping and tinning. I have done that before and let the magical smoke out of things. That's why I never strip wires over my bench and do that over a trash can or bag.

Do you have and use a smoke stopper? That would prevent things like this from happening.
 

Liam B

Well-known member
Shouldn't be. Most or all of the esc's below 1.02 should have been sold or purged by now and in any case they always have some firmware on them. There is usually a sticker that will tell you their current firmware version from the factory. It sounds more like there was a short. Its possible a tiny solder blob was on the esc and moved when you plugged in the battery a second time if you didn't clean it all down with alcohol after soldering was done. That or maybe a single strand of wire from stripping and tinning. I have done that before and let the magical smoke out of things. That's why I never strip wires over my bench and do that over a trash can or bag.

Do you have and use a smoke stopper? That would prevent things like this from happening.

I don't use smoke stoppers, but I just looked them up and they look pretty helpful.

I'll have to go around and clean up the pads on this next ESC.

Any idea on why I wasn't getting control? I use Graupner and I selected the Graupner receiver and turned SUMD and the Telemtry port on on the receiver, so I don't know why I'm not getting anything.
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
I have zero knowledge of Graupner and SumD. I can only do a general comparison to Taranis gear and Sbus. Maybe a look at some of the recent Flite Test build videos as they have been doing those with Graupner gear a lot. I know its not on a KISS based craft but the radio basics will be the same as far as setup steps and procedures.