Lightning Software Updates using FDRS

[Mike G]

For those of us who haven't been made aware of this update speed-up trick... if / when FDRS prompts us to insert a USB, it really helps to substitute a relatively cheap yet always always wayyy faster portable SSD with a USB dongle, for that USB. FDRS won't ever notice... but you'll definitely notice the increased download and write speeds.

SSD download and read / write speeds are always much faster than any currently available USB, and of course an SSD will not choke on the size of a download.

I use an Ethernet cable between my FIOS modem and the laptop in the car for extra speed in such "6 GB" downloading updates. Two+ years and three (at least) Synch version updates and other big updates to the IPMA, etc. on the Mach E prepared me for these Lightning updates he hee... hope this is helpful to someone out there.

One crucial tip I received from another member regarding the use of an NVMe SSD in an enclosure (mine didn't work initially), was that you need to make sure the drive's partition is of the 'MBR' type for the vehicle to recognize it ...not the newer 'GPT' type of partition. Windows recognizes an actual USB thumb drive and the partition will automatically be created as MBR normally. But Windows might create a partition on a SSD drive as if it was a fixed drive in use on your computer and those are usually GPT. The vehicle doesn't recognize GPT partitioned drives.

If you're not sure what partition format your SSD is using, you can browse on over to here to find out how to find out, and get it sorted if it's not MBR.

Sponsored

 

[Mike G]

I didn't check FDRS yesterday after doing the whole battery disconnect, and then the fascination with watching my APIM get updated to Sync 1270 (very relieved that worked) ......so the ACM and RFA that showed up this morning in my FDRS might have actually been there yesterday and I didn't know it.

You can see that APIM is still there, cause I haven't gone out and connected up yet to do a network scan..but I'm sure it will drop off the list when that happens.

It's non-stop rain right now, so I'll have to wait for a break before I start anything.

I have seen the ACM and RFA updates on a couple of '23 models...but not all Lightnings have RFA modules (depending on trim level).

I have not seen the ACM or RFA show up on the one '24 model I checked.

 

[ChrisCon]

I didn't check FDRS yesterday after doing the whole battery disconnect and then the fascination with watching my APIM get updated to Sync 1270 (very relieved that worked) ......so the ACM and RFA that showed up this morning in my FDRS might have actually been there yesterday and I didn't know it.

You can see that APIM is still there, cause I haven't gone out and connected up yet to do a network scan..but I'm sure it will drop off the list when that happens.

It's non-stop rain right now, so I'll have to wait for a break before I start anything.

I have seen the ACM and RFA updates on a couple of '23 models...but not all Lightnings have RFA modules (depending on trim level).

I have not seen the ACM or RFA show up on the one '24 model I checked.

These were new for me this morning as I checked last night . Going to run the updates now while I sing some karaoke ( which I will absolutely not do and why is it now the fifth icon? . Wtf)

 

[ChrisCon]

Updates for ACM and RFA completed (5 minutes for both ). . Though they refuse to clear on FDRS .

 

[Mike G]

Updates for ACM and RFA completed (5 minutes for both ). . Though they refuse to clear on FDRS .

So...glad you mentioned it. I'm not the only one then!

The ACM took maybe one second? WTH?

But afterward on the file check they all passed.

After the ACM, the first time I tried the RFA it took maybe a minute....and I knew that wasn't right either.

So I spammed the network scan button a few times and ran selftests and then re-ran both the ACM (nothing changed) and finally the RFA. This time the RFA did actually start block erasing and programming, and it took like 20 minutes to do, and afterward I confirmed the installed files against the application manifest. So I'm confident that one updated as well.

But yeah, both of those are still in the list and don't seem to want to clear.....maybe it's a 'Sunday' server thing?

 

[pkirby11]

Just came here to see if I was insane as my RFA and ACM updates didn’t clear either. Seems like i experienced a similar situation as mine took seconds the first time. The a second go of the RFA took 20 minutes.

 

[sstevetx]

Any ideas what actual changes came with the ACM and RFM updates?

 

[Mike G]

Any ideas what actual changes came with the ACM and RFM updates?

Not a clue.

 

[pkirby11]

So...glad you mentioned it. I'm not the only one then!

The ACM took maybe one second? WTH?

But afterward on the file check they all passed.

After the ACM, the first time I tried the RFA it took maybe a minute....and I knew that wasn't right either.

So I spammed the network scan button a few times and ran selftests and then re-ran both the ACM (nothing changed) and finally the RFA. This time the RFA did actually start block erasing and programming, and it took like 20 minutes to do, and afterward I confirmed the installed files against the application manifest. So I'm confident that one updated as well.

But yeah, both of those are still in the list and don't seem to want to clear.....maybe it's a 'Sunday' server thing?

So I checked this morning and the ACM and RFA are still stuck as showing available. I take it there is no way to get these to clear out? How would you know if it installed and also how would you know if there is a newer update? I tried the RFA update three times and it appears to have actually fully installed the third time but now I have no idea if they truly installed correctly.

 

[Mike G]

So I checked this morning and the ACM and RFA are still stuck as showing available. I take it there is no way to get these to clear out? How would you know if it installed and also how would you know if there is a newer update? I tried the RFA update three times and it appears to have actually fully installed the third time but now I have no idea if they truly installed correctly.

According to Jesse on the ICE forum the RFA files in this update were already on our trucks. There is a manifest file that lists the files that would be updated. It’s not easy to read but you can scroll through that and compare those revisions with the ones listed in the details view for that module to see if they are the same or if they appear newer.

I’m not worried about the ACM and RFA still being on the list. That kind of stuff has been going on with FDRS for a long time. Once I know the module actually did get updated by comparing the details then I just ignore it in the list and it eventually goes away.

 

[ytwytw]

Hey Mike, can you please assist to check what updates my truck have?
1FTVW1EV5PWG02527

also does individual is able to update BCM now? does it still need password?

 

[Mike G]

According to Jesse on the ICE forum the RFA files in this update were already on our trucks. There is a manifest file that lists the files that would be updated. It’s not easy to read but you can scroll through that and compare those revisions with the ones listed in the details view for that module to see if they are the same or if they appear newer.

I’m not worried about the ACM and RFA still being on the list. That kind of stuff has been going on with FDRS for a long time. Once I know the module actually did get updated by comparing the details then I just ignore it in the list and it eventually goes away.

Wanted to update my post from last night. I did run a compare myself of the manifest file and what FDRS details view for the RFA module shows, and there are a couple of things I'm not sure about. One of them is the secondary boot loader value listed in the manifest file that is not listed anywhere in the details view, and the value for the 'ECU Configuration' in the manifest file that shows a rev. of "-AJ" seems to be newer than what my "-AF" revision is as currently installed. So maybe this update didn't actually install correctly afterall.

I'm not a wiz at parsing json files or java in general...it's not something that's in my wheelhouse.

So I guess I'll just wait to see what happens (like maybe a revised update later?).

Everything seems to work fine with both the RFA and ACM (radio) on my truck so

 

[Mike G]

Hey Mike, can you please assist to check what updates my truck have?
1FTVW1EV5PWG02527

also does individual is able to update BCM now? does it still need password?

DM sent...and as far as I'm aware, that BCM still needs a dealer tech with PATS permissions to install it. I don't think that will change for that BCM particular update, as it's related to "walk-away locking". I don't know if all BCM updates going forward will require that, but this one still does AFAIK.

 

[pkirby11]

Wanted to update my post from last night. I did run a compare myself of the manifest file and what FDRS details view for the RFA module shows, and there are a couple of things I'm not sure about. One of them is the secondary boot loader value listed in the manifest file that is not listed anywhere in the details view, and the value for the 'ECU Configuration' in the manifest file that shows a rev. of "-AJ" seems to be newer than what my "-AF" revision is as currently installed. So maybe this update didn't actually install correctly afterall.

I'm not a wiz at parsing json files or java in general...it's not something that's in my wheelhouse.

So I guess I'll just wait to see what happens (like maybe a revised update later?).

Everything seems to work fine with both the RFA and ACM (radio) on my truck so

There was a hold on them and it was released when this showed up, maybe they released it too soon and it wasn't fully baked. I have not looked, I may but also not great at reading json files. Probably just a wait and see if they push anything newer out. Thanks as always for checking and the information. Always a great help.

 

[pkirby11]

@Mike G I had one question, as I am still learning FDRS, where do you see the details view? I probably am just missing it but thought it would be easier to ask.

Sponsored