DON'T UPDATE JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN!

[Ausman]

Hi all, I'm pinning this. 

This was first written in May 2020.  Today 16th March, 2024 (and a little bit of further editing 7th Aug, 2024) I've added this note which also needs to be considered when making decisions.  The latest version(s) of Visilogic have specific changes to give better online security.  Updating IS strongly advised by Unitronics.  But if your unit is not connected to the outside world then don't do it.... 

We constantly have people with issues because they have updated their plc to the latest O/S and Visilogic version.  They then discover that things don't work as they did previously.  "Huh?   It worked ok before".

The problem seems to be that users are terribly ingrained into "You must have the latest software", which is flogged all the time, particularly by the App situation.  It also seems to be an innate part of younger people's nature because as soon as a new version comes out they rush to download it.  "Ohhh goody.  I've got the "new" one!  I must have it...I'm bored with that old fuddy duddy version that is a whole 2 months old".

In Unitronics land, if you have a working PLC humming along nicely, DON'T fiddle with it!  I'll put it another way..."If it ain't broke, don't fix it".  Have I drummed that into your head yet?        🤕 🔨   Hmmmm?  In yet?  Got it?   I've copied part of an answer from Flex on this, that says it all concisely. 

I remind everyone that unless there is a necessary & known reason to do so, do NOT routinely update the software and firmware on a working PLC. There is usually never a reason to do this, even when making an update to the software. Use the version of VisiLogic that the program was originally written in to perform any updates. Unitronics makes this fairly easy with Version Swapper.

Even when creating a new program, if there are other PLCs in service, I will continue to use the version that is on the other PLCs to keep things consistent.

Version Swapper is the facility that lets you change between Visilogic versions very easily, and is referenced in pinned items.

Clarifying what Flex says, IF you are doing work for a business that doesn't have any Unitronics stuff on site, then by all means use the latest version of everything.  But when you are called back to do more work and put in more systems, use the SAME version and O/S throughout.  ONLY change things if it is absolutely necessary due to some new feature arising that will make an operation much simpler, and then do it to everything and be ready to iron out any hiccouphs that may arise.

Some may see this as an issue, but if you take a step back and view it as a whole, the idea of continuing to use something that works perfectly is actually very sensible.  Kudos to Unitronics for making this fairly easy to do.

It is good practice to have the O/S and Visi version within your project allowing easy reference.  Edit...I actually do this into the last 4 MFs available, which covers my project number, Visi version, O/S and anything else I need to know.

cheers, Aus

 

[Flex727]

14 hours ago, Ausman said:

I actually do this into the last 4 MFs available, which covers my project number, Visi version, O/S and anything else I need to know.

Great minds think alike, though I do it in DWs. I also place the info in an unobtrusive place on the HMI screen.

Good thought on the pinned post. 👍

[Edwardvaughn]

Thanks for the information 

[Graham Witkowski]

Its great to say 'dont update just because your can'.  However I have just purchased a new laptop and done a clean download from the Unitronics website.  Surely this should this should have been fixed.  I have just tried to upload a program to a Samba 4.3 I had in stock, it asked for a OS update, which I've done many times before with no issues.  It has now effectively bricked the Unit.  I am going to have to try and revive my old laptop and see if I can use it to unbrick it.

 

Utterly unacceptable to be expected to just not do up dates, especially when Visilogic requested it.

[Ausman]

First up Graham, I am NOT a Unitronics employee.  I am one of the few moderators on the site, who spend countless hours for free filtering out garbage, and answering all sorts of questions.  We do it because we can, and have knowledge through experience that might be of help.  Some employees DO regularly visit the site, but it is not a major part of their lives.

That said, your issue......The standout here is that you've bought a new laptop, and that you've also done this before.

1).  If the Samba doesn't talk to the outside world then you should have been sticking to the Visilogic version that you've previously been using, and downloading that.  That is the entire essence of my initial post.  If you do have internet connections active, then it is advisable to use the latest version for the better innate security it offers.  Any time you encounter an "ask for an update" you need to make a cup of coffee and assess all the ramifications of doing it.

2). For many, many years Windows has been a complete pain in the butt at constantly wrecking perfectly ok connection methods by doing "updates", especially where "old-fashioned" serial is concerned.  And yes, "old-fashioned" still applies in your case as it is simply a conversion chip fitted to allow usb.  Why they do this to these connection types is a huge source of frustration.  It is often a case of Makers endlessly chasing their tails trying to keep up.  I have onboard serial on my Office PC, and windows insists on using drivers that wrecks Visilogic updates on 130s, even though I've told it to stay away from drivers.  I keep ones that I know work ok stored as necessary, but it did take me a long while to find the ones that would work under the 10 version I am on.  11 is likely a lot worse.  So the problem is partly Unitronics not keeping up, and partly frustration at endless changes being forced upon the Creators.  Of many various gizmos.

3).  Many members of the forum keep a number of old laptops specifically to have on hand to use for programs that no longer work ok under later Windows versions.  The other method which some have success with is virtualisation.  I always have issues with this doing serial stuff, that's why I've got different laptops on DOS, W95, XP, 7.  My W7Pro laptop runs ALL version updates ok through an onboard mini pcmcia card and is my backstop to my office PC.  Such units are cheap, and save endless head banging into brick walls.  Fit them with an SSD and they work fast and survive banging around to worksites etc.

Perhaps you can chat to the Creators using the support contact mentioned at the top of the page, and report back in once the solution is found.  The one thing I'll say about them is that they DO respond to program issues and requests as soon as they can, unlike large firms which treat them with disdain.

cheers, Aus