Loic

Hi all, I don’t really know if this is a programming question or if I am asking on the right board. But I wanted to know if any one knew if it was possible to extract the firmware from a printer (a Dymo Labelwriter 400) then copy it back to an identical printer, well one with an outdated firmware.

Any ideas? Is this even possible?

Salem

I guess you've already searched for a firmware update utility and found nothing (like I did).

Possible is only a "maybe", and it would still take a lot of time and equipment to make it happen even if it were possible.

__________________
If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.

matsp

If you have enough resources [money/time] you can extract firmware from anything - but in this case, I suspect it's not worth the effort for a single printer.

It is unlikely that the printer has a function that allows SOFTWARE to read out the firmware - why would you ever need that? So why would someone put the code in the driver/printer to perform such a task [I'm not saying it can't be done, but there's really no "use case" for this sort of functionality]. There is probably a way to update the printers firmware, with the right software, but to "upload from printer to host computer" has no meaning - the use-case is that you have an upgrade in the host-computer, and download into the printer. You get such updates from the producer of the printer.

I'm sure Dymo tech-supports should be able to help you out there.

--
Mats

__________________
Compilers can produce warnings - make the compiler programmers happy: Use them!
Please don't PM me for help - and no, I don't do help over instant messengers.

abachler

try to find teh EPROM chip on the printer circuitboard. it should have a number like 27c010 or similar, it will start with 27, maybe like MCM27c etc. Thats the firmware. Now buy an identical chip and use an eprom burner to copy it.

__________________
Until you can build a working general purpose reprogrammable computer out of basic components from radio shack, you are not fit to call yourself a programmer in my presence. This is cwhizard, signing off.

Salem

It's more likely to be a PIC where the EEPROM, RAM and processor (and a bunch of other stuff) are all integrated on a single IC.

Copying from a PIC which has been copy protected is going to be hard work since you don't have physical access to the internal memory.

__________________
If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.

abachler

That would depend on the PIC itself. If its a modern PIC that has a security bit, then it is impossible to extract the data.

__________________
Until you can build a working general purpose reprogrammable computer out of basic components from radio shack, you are not fit to call yourself a programmer in my presence. This is cwhizard, signing off.

brewbuck

Maybe you can physically swap the PIC.