VEXTREME v0.40
Pre-release
Pre-release
Software Changes
- Fixes 64kb bank-switching support, Y-Music and other 64kb games work now #38
Updating VEXTREME
The following instructions show:
- Installing
dfu-util - Installing Zadig WinUSB Driver on Windows 10
- Flashing VEXTREME
1. Install dfu-util on Windows 10
dfu-util is a command-line tool to flash devices that support DFU (Device Firmware Upgrade), such as STM32’s built-in USB bootloader.
Steps:
-
Download the Windows build of dfu-util
- Go to the official releases page:
🔗 https://dfu-util.sourceforge.net/releases/ - Download the latest ZIP for Windows (e.g.,
dfu-util-0.11-win64.zip).
- Go to the official releases page:
-
Extract the ZIP
- Right-click the ZIP → Extract All… to a folder, e.g.:
C:\utils\dfu-util\
- Right-click the ZIP → Extract All… to a folder, e.g.:
-
Add
dfu-utilto PATH (optional but recommended)- Press Windows Key + R, type:
rundll32 sysdm.cpl,EditEnvironmentVariables - Under System variables, select Path → Edit → New →
C:\utils\dfu-util\ - Click OK to close all dialogs.
- Press Windows Key + R, type:
-
Verify installation
- Open Command Prompt and run:
dfu-util --version - You should see the version printed.
- Open Command Prompt and run:
2. Install Zadig USB Driver for STM32 DFU Mode
Windows may install an ST driver that doesn’t work with dfu-util.
We’ll replace it with the generic WinUSB driver using Zadig.
Steps:
-
Download Zadig
- Go to: https://zadig.akeo.ie/
- Download the latest version (
zadig-2.x.exe).
-
Put VEXTREME into DFU mode
- Disconnect VEXTREME from your Vectrex and USB
- Connect the JP1 jumper (short the pins of the JP1 connector together), connect the USB connection to the computer. At this point you can disconnect the jumper if you wish, the device will stay in DFU mode.
- The device should appear as STM32 BOOTLOADER in Device Manager,
usually under Universal Serial Bus devices or Other devices.
-
Run Zadig as Administrator
- Right-click
zadig.exe→ Run as administrator.
- Right-click
-
Select the correct device
- In Zadig, go to Options → List All Devices.
- From the dropdown, select STM32 BOOTLOADER (USB ID
0483:DF11).- Confirm VID:PID is
[0483:DF11].
- Confirm VID:PID is
-
Install WinUSB driver
- In the right column, choose WinUSB (v6.x.x.x) as the new driver.
- Click Replace Driver (or Install Driver if none exists).
- Wait until Zadig reports success.
3. Flash the update to VEXTREME
-
Put VEXTREME in DFU mode
- Open a command prompt by pressing WINDOWS_KEY + R and type CMD and press ENTER
- Navigate to your Downloads folder, or wherever you have placed the VEXTREME binary.
- VEXTREME should be disconnected from your Vectrex and USB
- Connect the JP1 jumper (short the pins of the JP1 connector together), connect the USB connection to the computer. At this point you can disconnect the jumper if you wish, the device will stay in DFU mode.
-
List DFU devices
-
Try to run
dfu-util -lin the command prompt, you should see something like this.$ dfu-util -l dfu-util 0.11 Copyright 2005-2009 Weston Schmidt, Harald Welte and OpenMoko Inc. Copyright 2010-2021 Tormod Volden and Stefan Schmidt This program is Free Software and has ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY Please report bugs to http://sourceforge.net/p/dfu-util/tickets/ Found DFU: [0483:df11] ver=2200, devnum=2, cfg=1, intf=0, path="6-2", alt=3, name="@Device Feature/0xFFFF0000/01*004 e", serial="********" Found DFU: [0483:df11] ver=2200, devnum=2, cfg=1, intf=0, path="6-2", alt=2, name="@OTP Memory /0x1FFF7800/01*512 e,01*016 e", serial="********" Found DFU: [0483:df11] ver=2200, devnum=2, cfg=1, intf=0, path="6-2", alt=1, name="@Option Bytes /0x1FFFC000/01*016 e", serial="********" Found DFU: [0483:df11] ver=2200, devnum=2, cfg=1, intf=0, path="6-2", alt=0, name="@Internal Flash /0x08000000/04*016Kg,01*064Kg,03*128Kg", serial="********"
-
-
Flash the upgrade
- Use
dfu-utilto flash the binary with the following command via Terminal/Command Prompt:- NOTE: This is only for VEXTREME with the v0.3 jumper wire mod!
- NOTE: Make sure you at least have SW v0.24 or v0.40 to start with
dfu-util -a 0 -d 0483:df11 -s 0x08000000:leave -D stm32-sw.v0.40.hw.v0.3-64kbankfix.bin
- Use
-
Finishing up!
- Once that completes, remove the JP1 jumper, and unplug/connect the USB again. You'll see the VEXTREME USB drive mount again.
- Make sure you remove
menu.binsince the Menu is built into the binary you just downloaded. Keeping an old menu.bin on a newer updated VEXTREME can break things. - Game on!