/controller

Loading DFU Firmware

Isa Farnik edited this page Dec 13, 2016 · 9 revisions

This page describes how to load the kiibohd firmware on to your keyboard using various OSs.

Windows

Step 1: Driver Installation

REQUIRED FILES:

  • Download and unzip the Windows Kii-DFU loader utility kii-dfu (source code is also available here and here). NOTE: This is not the same as the DFU loader utility. It includes extra files for Windows. If you choose to download DFU loader only you will only have access to the CLI command line.

  • Zadig USB Driver - (http://zadig.akeo.ie/)

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Download and install both utilities. DO NOT INSTALL THE ZADIG DRIVER YET
  • Plug in keyboard.
  • Enter DFU Flash Mode (e.g. press flash button), the debug led will turn on. Note: The firmware now supports a special key that can be assigned to a button on the keyboard to enter Flash Mode. In older keyboards the firmware may not have this capability UNTIL you re-flash it with the latest firmware.
  • Install the Zadig USB Driver - Make sure to select WinUSB and Kiibohd DFU Bootloader.

Loading Firmware

  • Plug in the keyboard.
  • Enter DFU Flash Mode (e.g. press flash button), the debug led will turn on.
  • Run the kii-dfu program (not dfu-util).
  • Click List Devices to see if you were successful installing the driver.

Failure - If you see Return Code 0, but no message saying serial="XXXX".

Success - If you see Return Code 0 and a serial number.

  • Select the .dfu.bin file that you generated (either from the configurator or compiling yourself).

  • Click Flash

Failure - Debug led stays on or turn back on. Usually a bad firmware image.

Success - Debug led turns off.

  • Keyboard is ready!

Mac OSX

  • Open a terminal
  • May require root permissions
  • Using brew (recommended) or macports, install "dfu-util" (brew install dfu-util or port install dfu-util and port install libusb)
  • Enter DFU Flash Mode (e.g. press flash button), the debug led will turn on.
  • Flash using dfu-util -D <.dfu.bin>
  • Debug led will turn off
  • Keyboard is ready!

Linux

Unfortunately/fortunately, there are a large number of Linux distributions. Below is the currently list of tested Linux distributions. If you know how to successfully load firmware on another distribution, please add it here :D In general it should be as simple as installing dfu-util.

  • Plug in keyboard
  • Open a terminal
  • May require root permissions
  • Install dfu-util package (see distro section below)
  • Enter DFU Flash Mode (e.g. press flash button), the debug led will turn on.
  • Flash using dfu-util -D <.dfu.bin>
  • Debug led will turn off
  • Keyboard is ready!

Ubuntu / Debian

sudo apt-get install dfu-util

Arch Linux

sudo pacman -Sy dfu-util

Fedora

sudo yum install dfu-util

OpenSuse

sudo zypper install dfu-util

Other

Loading DFU firmware from other OSs has not been tested. In most cases however as long as there is dfu-util available for your platform it should be possible. If you are successful, please add it here :D