Is there anywhere I can download the official A530 firmware installer? - Firmware Dumping - CHDK Forum
« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Is there anywhere I can download the official A530 firmware installer?

  • 16 Replies
  • 13566 Views
*

Offline Paco

  • **
  • 77
Is there anywhere I can download the official A530 firmware installer?
« on: 17 / November / 2011, 19:02:36 »
Advertisements
Hello Everybody,

I am new here. I am very interested in installing CHDK on my Canon A530 so I can do time lapse, motion detection, and kite photography. But first I need a backup plan just in case . . . Canon does not list the firmware installer for the one and only version of the firmware for this model. Strange. What would anyone do if their firmware were to get corrupted for any reason? There must be a link to download the official installer SOMEWHERE. Does anyone have any ideas how to go about finding it? I have scoured the net for hours now. I know about firmware dumping and it sounds like a hassle. I also downloaded someone else's dump but I'd much rather just get the installer than rely on someone else's dump.
« Last Edit: 17 / November / 2011, 19:05:55 by Paco »
Logged
*

Offline waterwingz

  • ******
  • 12140
    • Waterwingz
Re: Is there anywhere I can download the official A530 firmware installer?
« Reply #1 on: 17 / November / 2011, 19:05:55 »
Quote from: Paco on 17 / November / 2011, 19:02:36
Canon does not list the firmware installer for the one and only version of the firmware for this model. Strange. What would anyone do if their firmware were to get corrupted for any reason? There must be a link to download the official installer SOMEWHERE.
There is no installer involved - the camera will allow you to install firmware directly if a firmware update file is available on the SD card.  That's one of the methods used to load CHDK.   However,  Canon typically does not make firmware files available unless its for a major bug fix.    If you trash your firmware, you return the camera to Canon for repair.
Logged
Ported :   A1200    SD940   G10    Powershot N    G16
*

Offline outslider

  • *****
  • 762
Re: Is there anywhere I can download the official A530 firmware installer?
« Reply #2 on: 17 / November / 2011, 19:15:09 »
Well, as far as it's known there's no need to backup anything from the camera. The CHDK has no even one routine that writes anything into ROM. So nothing should happen with your existing firmware*.

CHDK is not in fact a firmware, it's an extension of the Canon firmware. It loads dynamically from the SD card and disappears on power-off. Again - nothing is changed in Canon firmware that is placed in camera ROM.

The only possibility od a kind of camera damage is forcing a camera to do things it was not designed. CHDK allows you to use 'very' long shutter times (even hours, depending on camera), moving lens (by setting zoom, focus), aperture overrides. Nevertheless even in these cases a firmware backup can't help you. There were only a few camera damages while using CHDK and most of them is nor clearly connected with using CHDK, rather just coincidence.

One of the most popular failures that are said to be caused by CHDK by users is "Lens error". But it's also one of the most common Canon failure in cameras without CHDK. So CHDK is rather not the reason...

*(Actually there is a possibility to access to the ROM-writing if you'd compile your own version of CHDK with native Canon functions enabled, but that's not a case for the standard binaries from autobuild and you probably not want to use this).
Logged
if (2*b || !2*b) {
    cout<<question
}

Compile error: poor Yorick
*

Offline Paco

  • **
  • 77
Re: Is there anywhere I can download the official A530 firmware installer?
« Reply #3 on: 17 / November / 2011, 21:11:13 »
Yeah, I got a typical response from Canon--ye olde runarounde:

Quote
Thank you for writing to us.  We value you as a Canon customer and
appreciate the opportunity to assist you regarding the firmware for your
PowerShot A530.

The firmware for this camera is not available for download.  I regret
any difficulty this causes.

Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance with your
PowerShot A530.

Thank you for choosing Canon.

Gee thanks.

I wonder if the ROM is a static ROM. Then there would be no risk. Maybe that's why they never updated it.
Logged
*

Offline waterwingz

  • ******
  • 12140
    • Waterwingz
Re: Is there anywhere I can download the official A530 firmware installer?
« Reply #4 on: 17 / November / 2011, 21:18:13 »
Quote from: Paco on 17 / November / 2011, 21:11:13
I wonder if the ROM is a static ROM. Then there would be no risk. Maybe that's why they never updated it.
Nope - it an EEPROM.  If you are nervous about that, maybe CHDK isn't for you.
Logged
Ported :   A1200    SD940   G10    Powershot N    G16
*

Offline Paco

  • **
  • 77
Re: Is there anywhere I can download the official A530 firmware installer?
« Reply #5 on: 17 / November / 2011, 22:57:00 »
Quote from: waterwingz on 17 / November / 2011, 21:18:13
Nope - it an EEPROM.  If you are nervous about that, maybe CHDK isn't for you.
Well, given the chance of bricking without any way back, obviously there is cause to be, um, "nervous." But that must be lost on you . . .
Logged
*

Offline Paco

  • **
  • 77
Re: Is there anywhere I can download the official A530 firmware installer?
« Reply #6 on: 17 / November / 2011, 23:02:42 »
Quote from: waterwingz on 17 / November / 2011, 19:05:55
There is no installer involved - the camera will allow you to install firmware directly if a firmware update file is available on the SD card.  That's one of the methods used to load CHDK.   However,  Canon typically does not make firmware files available unless its for a major bug fix.    If you trash your firmware, you return the camera to Canon for repair.
Almost any product with a microprocessor will have 2 or 3 bug fix updates in its life cycle, including most cameras. And Canon does provide convenient installers for firmware updates. That's why I find it strange they don't supply one as a backup. I can understand their not providing just the binary. That would be beyond the typical user.
Logged
*

Offline waterwingz

  • ******
  • 12140
    • Waterwingz
Re: Is there anywhere I can download the official A530 firmware installer?
« Reply #7 on: 17 / November / 2011, 23:07:11 »
Quote from: Paco on 17 / November / 2011, 22:57:00
Well, given the chance of bricking without any way back, obviously there is cause to be, um, "nervous." But that must be lost on you . . .
Not lost on me at all.  I understand that you want a guarantee that your camera will not be damaged.  There is no such guarantee.   That's why I said that perhaps CHDK is not for you.   
Logged
Ported :   A1200    SD940   G10    Powershot N    G16
*

Online philmoz

  • *****
  • 3450
    • Photos
Re: Is there anywhere I can download the official A530 firmware installer?
« Reply #8 on: 17 / November / 2011, 23:09:14 »
Quote from: Paco on 17 / November / 2011, 22:57:00
Well, given the chance of bricking without any way back, obviously there is cause to be, um, "nervous." But that must be lost on you . . .

Please keep your responses civil.

Quote
Almost any product with a microprocessor will have 2 or 3 bug fix updates in its life cycle, including most cameras. And Canon does provide convenient installers for firmware updates. That's why I find it strange they don't supply one as a backup. I can understand their not providing just the binary. That would be beyond the typical user.

While they do provide updates for their DSLR's, Canon rarely provides firmware updates for P&S cameras - I'm only aware of three across their entire product range for the last decade.

I think the point you missed is that CHDK does not update the camera firmware. It is loaded at startup using some special tricks and vanishes the moment the camera is turned off. If you insert an SD card without CHDK installed then the camera will start up without CHDK.

While it is possible to compile a version that has the capability to damage the built in firmware you would have to try very very hard to do this.

Phil.
Logged
CHDK ports:
  sx30is (1.00c, 1.00h, 1.00l, 1.00n & 1.00p)
  g12 (1.00c, 1.00e, 1.00f & 1.00g)
  sx130is (1.01d & 1.01f)
  ixus310hs (1.00a & 1.01a)
  sx40hs (1.00d, 1.00g & 1.00i)
  g1x (1.00e, 1.00f & 1.00g)
  g5x (1.00c, 1.01a, 1.01b)
  g7x2 (1.01a, 1.01b, 1.10b)
*

Offline Paco

  • **
  • 77
Re: Is there anywhere I can download the official A530 firmware installer?
« Reply #9 on: 17 / November / 2011, 23:21:46 »
Quote from: outslider on 17 / November / 2011, 19:15:09
Well, as far as it's known there's no need to backup anything from the camera. The CHDK has no even one routine that writes anything into ROM. So nothing should happen with your existing firmware*.

CHDK is not in fact a firmware, it's an extension of the Canon firmware. It loads dynamically from the SD card and disappears on power-off. Again - nothing is changed in Canon firmware that is placed in camera ROM.
You're sure of that? It can't even access ROM? Why the contortions that people go through to dump the firmware though?

Quote
The only possibility od a kind of camera damage is forcing a camera to do things it was not designed. CHDK allows you to use 'very' long shutter times (even hours, depending on camera), moving lens (by setting zoom, focus), aperture overrides. Nevertheless even in these cases a firmware backup can't help you. There were only a few camera damages while using CHDK and most of them is nor clearly connected with using CHDK, rather just coincidence.
Yeah, I don't plan on doing anything that extreme really. Do you have links to the examples you cite? I'd be curious about the circumstances.

Quote
One of the most popular failures that are said to be caused by CHDK by users is "Lens error". But it's also one of the most common Canon failure in cameras without CHDK. So CHDK is rather not the reason...
OK, that sounds good. Actually I have not seen that error. Does it display on the screen or does it just fail without notification?

Quote
*(Actually there is a possibility to access to the ROM-writing if you'd compile your own version of CHDK with native Canon functions enabled, but that's not a case for the standard binaries from autobuild and you probably not want to use this).
Yes, I read the extreme warning about bricking on the page about using Canon Basic to load the binaries. I would steer clear of that. My biggest concern would be that there could be commands in the CHDK library, or that there might be bugs, that might overwrite the ROM, but you seem to indicate that that is not possible. Still, there's nothing like having a fall-back. If I get no leads here, I will call Canon customer service and inquire further about getting the binaries maybe. I think it should be more productive talking to someone directly. But it sounds like the risk is minmal in any case. Should I mention what I'm trying to do or is CHDK strictly taboo with Canon?
Logged
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up
« previous next »
 

Related Topics


SimplePortal © 2008-2014, SimplePortal