Aeotec Gen5 firmware just released

My stick coincidentally started showing the symptoms of failing that others have seen (dropping communication with the stick, graying out devices). I ordered a new one that arrives today and backed up the existing one last night that seemed to work. I also tried the firmware update and that failed, the stick keeps disconnecting from the USB port and switches off during the process. It asks you to press and release the reset button but the tool does not seem very intuitive or robust.

Once the new one arrives and is in place, I will try more with the old one but at the moment I need it to hang on for at least another 24 hours.

Neil

It was not just me then, I was doing exactly the same. I noticed they also have a download for a programming usb driver, I didn't successfully install that but will try again tonight when I get home.
I will also see if the new stick fixes my problem, it fails under intense activity (an optimisation kills it) or running night arm action group from my alarm was when it first failed.

So the new stick seems to have fixed the issue (the old one failed during an optimise) and it "seems" to be operating faster than before. I managed to upgrade the old stick, after installing the windows driver but given the hardware seems to be failing I am not going to test it, and I don't want to break my new one.

The backup and restore capability worked very well. Restored the backup and connected the new stick and everything worked straight away.

The difference seemed to be the driver installation. I didn't press and hold the reset button, just once then a few seconds later a second dialogue came up asking for another press, after that is starting applying the new firmware.
I may have spoken too soon on the new stick as it seems to have the same issue, so I will re-instate my original stick with the new firmware and see if I can find the issue (or indeed if the new version helps).

Neil

Anyone successfully tried the EU version yet?
It seems to have bricked my Gen5 stick.

I installed the update drivers on Windows, inserted the stick and started the update tool.
It states witing 0/0, than reading NVR 0/0
After that it states comport not available,
That's it. I have a brick now!

I already tried to contact Aeotec, but I thought I should warn everyone here also.
Cheers

Wilhelm

We can debate if as a Brit we are in EU or not, at least we do remain in the eyes of Z Wave frequency unless Brexit is even worse than we are being told. The upgrade seem to complete OK, but I didn't get a chance to test it (as I was replacing what I thought was a faulty stick). I will report back later tonight if the upgraded stick works.

Neil

Hi Neil,

in any way you will always be EU !
I find the brexit just sad like so many things happening nowadays...
Anyways I 'll be waiting for your report.

I just replaced the Aeotec with an UZB1 I had laying arround. I shortend the backup file to half the size and flashed it into the UZB .
It's working perfectly. Maybe I should leave it that way and forget about Aeotec.
cheers
Wilhelm

Good news !

I re-installed the old stick with the updated firmware and it definitely is not bricked. I will test to see if it still has the issue, but whatever it is it moved with the backup. My Z stick is on a USB extension, but high quality and has worked like that since 2015, so I don't see how that could be a problem. I will try and optimise and see if it fails again.

Given the process was flaky, and no description of the benefits of the upgrade I would probably stay away from it. I thought the stick was faulty so I gave it a go.

Is there any indication of what this firmware update changes? Release notes, or something?

It also seems they have taken the link down now, or at least it didn't work for me a few minutes ago.

It also seems they have taken the link down now, or at least it didn't work for me a few minutes ago.

So maybe I am not the only one who has a brick now...

After my report, they requested some screen shots, which I sent.

The only thing that confuses me is that Ian obviously was successful with his update.

Cheers
wilhelm

Hi Ian,

could you tell me what the filename is of the exe file which is included in the EU firmware zip that you downloaded?
In mine it's "ZStick_G5 Update tool.exe", the US Version was "ZStick_G5 US Update tool.exe" IIRC.

BTW I tried to reset the stick, but it didn't blink at all and after more than 20 seconds it simply stayed a brick - well a brick with a serial interface.

So mine (The EU version) is working successfully (I swapped over to my original stick) and it reports the updated version. I don't have access to the filename to check, but I am sure it will be the same one you have, as it came from the same source that is no longer available. I still have the original problem that I was trying to fix but that is a different issue and the firmware made no difference. At least now I have a shiny new spare should I ever have a problem.

You mean disabling devices during an optimize network?

Yes that one, and the device losing the serial connection during the optimisation.