Unable to update Virus C

gridsleep · 28. Januar 2011

I purchased a second-hand Virus C in impeccable condition (aside from the rubber feet missing) with OS 6.5 installed. I wanted to try the newer OS 6.6 beta but I am having a little trouble installing it.
I downloaded and unzipped "Virus_C_Series_OSC660x367_INT.zip". After preparing the Virus by turning it on while holding STORE to get "Initialize...Edit-Buffers" and "OS UPDATE...[STORE] Receive<" and then pressing STORE again to get "RECEIVING UPDATE....waiting for data", I went through the following steps.
I tried FL Studio 9. FL Studio requires some enormously complex and obtuse process not even fully explained in its help file, to send a MIDI file to a MIDI hardware device. Honestly, it makes me wonder why I spent the money on it if it won't allow a simple send of a MIDI file through MIDI Out with anything less than a Space Shuttle Launch Sequence.

I tried Samplitude SE No. 9 (even though it's giving me some trouble staying registered.) Samplitude is not helping in that it won't load the MIDI file properly. The MIDI track is only a couple of minutes long, while the MIDI file is in reality six minutes twenty-one seconds when streamed properly, which I discovered when using MIDI-OX.
Neither of the sequencers play the MIDI file at anything approaching what appears to be the proper speed for reception by the Virus.
Then, there's MIDI-OX. I love MIDI-OX. At least it tries to do something intelligibly.
When I use MIDI-OX, the only program that makes a nearly full-hearted attempt at streaming the file "first_c_367_OS660.mid" through its MIDIBar player, I can see "Receiving SysEx....0....0" on the Virus display, and the Bank and Program numbers increase through to "Receiving SysEx....7....127". Then the display changes to "Recv. last bank....0" which proceeds to "Recv. last bank....15" at which point the Virus freezes, apparently waiting for something. None of the buttons on the Virus respond. All I can do is shut it off or try to send more data.

I try starting MIDIBar playing the file "virusc_second_1024.mid" but the Virus immediately displays "Block was missed....Please try again". I stop MIDIBar, press STORE, and start MIDIBar playing the second file from the beginning. The Virus displays "Receiving SysEx....8....0" through to "Receiving SysEx....15....127", and then does the "Recv. last bank....0" through to "Recv. last bank....15" again and there it stays. I press STORE but there is no response. There are no more files to send. The buffer is full, but the Virus is not at the point of burning it into ROM. I do not understand what is going on.
I thought perhaps it wants the A and B banks. I load "ABM.MID" into MIDIBar and start it. "Block was missed....Please try again". I stop the play, hit STORE and start the play again. "Checksum Error....Please try again".
I tried sending the original demo song file "second_c_367_OS660.mid" but MIDIBar only produces the error "The specified file cannot be played on the specified MCI device. The file may be corrupt, not in the correct format, or no file handler is available for this format."
I downloaded the file "Virus_C_Series_OSC660x367_INT.zip" again, but bit comparison shows both it and the original download are identical. I also tried the whole process with "Virus_OSC650x352_INT.zip" with exactly the same results as outlined here.
I tried all this with both "1 MIDI....ClockRx Auto<" and "1 MIDI....ClockRx Disable<".
Don't even get me started with the "OS in chunks". Each of them produces the same error as the demo song file.
This is most frustrating. I can only wonder in awe at how this synthesizer was upgraded to OS 6.5 previously. What titanic patience its original owner must have had. And what an astounding intellect. I am no fool, myself, but this is becoming beyond me.
What...am I doing...wrong?

DecadeCounter · 11. November 2012

I know this is an old post, but were you ever able to update to OS 6.6b? I am having the same problem. To further complicate matters, I use SONAR X1 and for some reason Cakewalk decide to omit their DAW from outputting standard .mid files used as SYSEX dumps.

As for your first concern with the "RECV. LAST BANK...15" stalling issue, I was able to fix that ONLY by using the OS Chunks files. I think it has to do with a timing issue between the sending program and the Virus C. If one could change the tempo of MIDI-OX's playback rate, then it would probably work. However, one cannot do such a thing.

Up to this point, I have been using MIDI-OX for these .mid files for updating OS for my various synths. Seems to have worked fine until OS 6.6b. I now get the same error as you.

Like you said...a "titanic" waste of time right now...

Frelulex · 8. Februar 2013

Have either of you had luck with this since these posts? I am having exactly the same problems with the Virus KB in trying to update to OS 4.80 - I've used two different MIDI interfaces, widely varied tempos for playback of the MIDI file and have tried both the chunk files and the full-length, and every time I get either a stall or a Block Missed message at random times during the playback. I am using Pro Tools 10, as I don't currently have another sequencer on this machine that is capable of playing back the update file (Ableton won't let me drag the file into a track for reasons I'm still looking in to). My interface is a Saffire Pro24 DSP, and I previously used a MOTU Fastlane. Most of the time I get a stall rather than an error message, and this normally occurs before the first 128-part chunk is completed. If anyone has any advice I'd be glad for it.

Thanks,
Sam

theRoyal1 · 9. Februar 2013

I have a Virus C but never tried the Beta since 6.5 was the final release. What benefit was there to 6.6?
Since there are no more updates you have to ask, is it worth it if It bricks my C?

I know it's an old post but I believe when I udated my C I used Cubase and slowed the tempo down really slow so that it reduces the chance of missing data..

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