Fix Bricked Flirc (Alternate Firmware fix) after 3.24.0 Install (with Linux)

[wreid23]

Fix Bricked Flirc (Alternate Firmware fix) after 3.24.0 Install (with Linux)

 

Like many on here I updated to 3.24.0 in Windows it attempted to update the Firmware and bricked my Flirc

 

Tried the Usual Fixes:

The Zadig Manual Firmware Fix did not Work.

Also the Use of the 1.44 FLIRC in conjunction with new version fix to reflash did not work.

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What I had to do was Download and install Ubuntu on a another pc and ReFlash From There. Linux is a lil more "flexible" and can recognize just about anything device wise even broken devices.

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What you’ll need:

A 4-8GB Flash Drive or blank CD preferably 2GB or more

A Spare junk PC that you can install Ubuntu onto

Kubuntu Iso: https://kubuntu.org/getkubuntu/

Rufus( USB flash Tool): https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/releases/download/v3.8/rufus-3.8.exe

 IMGBURN if you use a disc

Imgburn: https://ninite.com/imgburn/ or go to official site

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Steps:

Download some flavor of Linux that is easy enough for you

For this case lets use kubuntu as its pretty windows user friendly: https://kubuntu.org/getkubuntu/

Download the ISO file

Flash the ISO onto a usb flash drive using rufus or CD using IMGBURN

Open either tool locate the file where ever you save it and flash / burn it

Rufus may tell you it needs additional files to create the bootable accept the terms and let it install them

Take out Completed Flash or CD and place it in your Junk PC

*warning this will wipe everything on that old machine before installation of ubuntu*

Boot Directly to the Flash Drive or CD ( tap f10 or f12, thinkvantage button, etc or whatever gets you boot menu when you first turn on the pc or laptop). Alternatively boot to bios if you know how and set the flash drive as first boot device. Remember to change this back after install is complete to your primary Hard Drive.

Install KUBUNTU (installation is straightforward just read and follow prompts for user, time zone, and keyboard setup)

Use a simple password for the first run (you can change it later)

Get to the Desktop

Hit the Start button bottom right

Open Terminal

Type Sudo su (this is to get the terminal in root mode (similar to run as admin in Windows)

It will ask for password you made for the PC

Type it in

The terminal will now say root and your user

Type sudo apt-get update

This will update all your current repositories on the machine

Next we need to download the archive  aka (zip file on windows) for Flirc on Linux

Were gonna grab the 64 bit Archive  from here(https://flirc.tv/ubuntu-software-installation-guide) as we installed KUBUNTU 64 bit

Download it

Make a new folder in your home folder and copy the two files out (flirc and flircutil) of the archive into it

We need one more file 99-flirc.rules which doesn’t come in the zip file we downloaded earlier

We need to create this file

Open Kate (aka notepad) on Kubuntu (it’s a text editor)

Create a file called 99-flirc.rules and save to your home folder

File > Save AS > Home > 99-flirc.rules

Go back to the Terminal Window you have open

If you closed it open terminal again and sudo su you will be at your home folder again in the terminal

Confirm 99-flirc.rules can be seen by typing DIR (dir lists all files in the folder your in the terminal (aka command prompt) your in

It will show you all the files in your home folder by name

Run the following command: CP 99-flirc.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/

CP means copy this will copy 99-flirc.rules to the folder it needs to be in (/etc/udev/rules.d/)

Now we need to install all the dependencies needed to launch the flirc executable that are listed here on bottom( in instructions) separated by spaces (https://flirc.tv/ubuntu-software-installation-guide): Many of them will be installed already

But you may have to install them one by one to check:

For each one we will do the following:

Sudo apt-get update

Sudo apt-get install (dependency name)

Some will not work and you will have to do some research to find out their correct name

For example: how to install x on Ubuntu in google ( they will take you to threads and give you their correct or working repository names so you can install them via terminal)

Lets do first one as example:

Sudo apt-get update 

Sudo apt-get install libhidapi-hidraw0

It will tell you that it may already be installed which is fine

Continue to install all the dependencies (you will get Y or n prompts when you install hit Y to install)

For any of the dependencies that has a qt in the name in the dependencies .

These 3 commands should install most of the qt dependencies:

sudo apt install build-essential

sudo apt install qtcreator

sudo apt install qt5-default

those 3 commands basically install qt5 and makes it default which will help us install some of the needed dependencies in the list

*info only: Steps for QT5 Install taken from here: https://www.lucidar.me/en/dev-c-cpp/how-to-install-qt-creator-on-ubuntu-18-04/ *info only*

 

Once all the dependencies are installed (remember to check one by one) go back to the flirc folder in your  home folder and right click > actions > run in Konsole

This will launch flirc elevated and you will see flirc open in a gui window that your used to

Attached your bricked flirc and it will be reflashed and showup connected. (try a couple diff usbs if its not showing) preferably a 2.0 port (black)

Wait 30 secs, jump for joy, take your flirc out and bring it back to your windows machine

Close flirc if its open in windows and reopen

Optionally: Close Flirc GUI, Uninstall Flirc, Restart, Reinstall Flirc.

Insert Flirc

Should now show connected and happy

Done

 

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Additionally you can create a desktop shortcut to flirc if you want:

go in flirc folder

drag flirc to desktop 

you will be prompted with three options  

Choose  Link Here Option (it creates a "symlink" to the file which basically gives you a desktop shortcut)

Done

 

Hope this helps someone as it was a lifesaver for me.

Edited October 20, 2019 by wreid23