ET301 locking up computer

**S4Per** · 09-11-2007, 12:10 PM

I just recently installed my ET301 from sparkfun and it is periodically, and randomly, hard locking up my computer: music will get 'stuck' playing a a 1/4 second loop over and over, and nothing responds: touch screen, keyboard, etc. I have to reboot the box to get functionality back.

I'm using the current drivers from their website (2.2.4 I think?).

Has anyone else had this problem?

What versions of the drivers are others running that don't have any issues?

TIA,
Per

**RedGTiVR6** · 09-11-2007, 12:41 PM

I've just reinstalled my OS and all software and downloaded the latest driver from the site linked to on the Spark Fun site. I haven't run into the issue you're having in the past, but I also haven't gotten my GPS up and functioning yet...something I'm going to have to get done before tomorrow since we'll be driving 16 hours to Atlanta for NOPI nationals. I'll post up my results...hopefully I'll get it working tonight.

**S4Per** · 09-11-2007, 12:48 PM

Thanks much, Jan. Curious to hear about your experience; that 16 hour drive will no doubt be a great test.

-Per

**RedGTiVR6** · 09-11-2007, 11:56 PM

welp, I'm having the same issues. If I'm not running SD, but running WinAmp instead (which means no nav) then it doesn't happen.

I've had it happen 3 times now...first one while transfering music from external HDD to CarPC, once while playing MP3s from hdd in car, and once while playing a CD in the car...

I'm going to try reverting to a previous driver version and see if it helps. Since I've recently reinstalled windows in the car, I've got to reload all of my music...which I want to have done before the trip tomorrow. I'll load an older driver (if I can find one) and then load my music while SD is open to see if it helps anything. I'm also going to load iGuidance and see if there is a difference. I don't think there will be since it appears to be just from the ET301 drivers...didn't have this problem over the past 3 days when I didn't have the ET301 drivers installed.

**S4Per** · 09-12-2007, 12:06 PM

bummer to hear it, but i'm at least happy there's some consistency here. could you send me the older driver if you do find it? per at thefarnys.com.

**RedGTiVR6** · 09-12-2007, 01:05 PM

I'll load it here since others might have the same issue.

I'm just having one issue trying to revert to this older driver...

I've uninstalled the device under the device manager, rebooted and tried to reinstall, but it's still looking for FTlang.dll in the new driver...I've tried pointing it to the old file in the old driver folder, but no dice.

Not quite sure where to go from here?

**S4Per** · 09-12-2007, 01:14 PM

Thanks Jan. I'll give this a try myself.

Have you searched your entire file system to see if it's perhaps a Windows dll? (just a thought).

**2k1Toaster** · 09-12-2007, 01:26 PM

When a device is installed it creates a GUID which is a unique code given out. When you install a new driver this goes in the registry and also the inf file is copied to the systems inf folder as a number.inf (like 13.inf or oem13.inf).

So to remove the driver first uninstall, then reboot.

Then look in your systems inf folder and open each one up in Notepad. If you find one that is the same as the new (nonfunctional) driver, then delete it outright. Windows may complain it is a system file, but who cares, because you have the original anyways.

Then try to reinstall.

If that doesnt work, then the easiest way (but would leave a messy trail of drivers in your system) is to open the old (functional) inf file and change the: "DriverVer = 08/29/2007, 1.0.0.0" where it would be "mm/dd/yyyy, v.v.v.v" where v is a version number. If either the v.v.v.v or the date is higher/newer than the old oem file, it should say it is a new driver and overwrite the old one.

So change it to like v.v.v.(v+1)

**S4Per** · 09-12-2007, 01:30 PM

I had previously uninstalled the old driver, not sure if I ever rebooted (guessing 'no'). I just went back to device manager and told it to look for changes, when prompted for drivers, I told it don't search, and i'll pick my own, then went via 'have disk' to the files you posted, Jan. It installed without issue (and I did see that the dll is part of that driver package). I rebooted, and gave it a quick test and it's functional. I have two 30 minute drives today during which I would expect it to hang or not. I'll let you know how it goes.

Hope you get it installed,
Per

EDIT: To clarify, I chose the option "I will tell you what device this is", NOT "I will point you to the right driver" which makes sure that it doesn't do any type of search itself. On the following dialog box it then shows you what it thinks it is (the previous i.e. newer driver) and it has the 'have disk' button which I chose, pointed to the old driver, and voila.

**RedGTiVR6** · 09-12-2007, 06:22 PM

Ok - I did what you suggested S4Per and it installed fine...had another file come up this time that it wanted me to tell it where it was, just pointed it right back to the same folder I told it to look for the driver in the first time...it warned me that the file on the PC was newer than the one I was replacing it with...I told it yes, replace the file...

I'm finishing up transfering all of my music back onto the drive in the car right now. Once that's done I have to go pick up my replacement Sprint EVDO card then pick up my husband at the air port then head back home so we can drive to Atlanta. I should be able to test it while I do all of this. I'll be sure and report back with my findings.

I did notice that the new driver was digitally signed while the old one wasn't...I used AraxisMerge to compare some of the .inf files between the two drivers and there looks to be a decent number of changes between the two versions, so I wonder where the problem lies. Hopefully they will have a fix for it soon, in the mean time, the 2.0 driver seemed to always work fine for me in the past.