Knowledge base Setup, installation, and configuration issues
How to Copy/Upgrade the Printer Base Code via USB Cable
How to Copy/Upgrade the Printer Base Code via USB Cable
Overview
This article details how to copy and/or upgrade the printer's base code via USB cable.
Requirements
Any user can do this. Requirements: a computer, the code file(s) needed, and a way of connecting the computer to the printer. However, it is strongly recommended that the person performing the upgrade be experienced with Windows and MS DOS operating systems and networking.
IMPORTANT!
You need to be using
Microsoft Windows 98SE
or a later
operating system in order to be able to flash code via USB.
Procedure
To download the current base code file, go to the printer firmware page. You will be asked for an authorization key code.
If you do not know the correct key code for the base code file you need, please contact Lexmark Technical Support for further assistance.
When you enter the authorization key code, the computer will begin downloading information.
IMPORTANT!
Some files can be very large in size. Please allow plenty of time, possibly up to an hour, for downloading files when using a slower Internet connection speed, such as 56k.
Save the files to a directory or folder of your choice. Make a note as to where you have the files saved.
Once you have downloaded the files, you will need to copy the base code file onto the printer. Do the following:
Connect the printer to the computer with a USB cable, if it is not already so connected.
Open an MS DOS command prompt. To do this: Click
Start
>
Run
> Type "
command
" and press
Enter
.
Navigate to the directory in which the base code file is saved.
Type
usbutil filename.xyz
and press ENTER.
Wait for the printer to finish the code download.
WARNING!
It is important that you do not power off the machine while updating the code.
If the file does not appear to be getting to the printer, make sure the USB cable is fully seated. Also make sure the spelling of the file name is correct and that you are in the precise directory/folder to which you saved the file.
If the printer appears to have got stuck during the installation, wait 15 minutes. If the machine is still stuck after 15 minutes, power off the printer. Wait 1 minute. Then power on the printer again.
Print the menu settings pages again and see if the code level has been updated.
Press the
Menu
button to enter the printer menu.
Press the down arrow button until the check mark is next to
Reports
.
Press the
Select
button once to enter the
Reports
menu.
Press the down arrow button until the check mark is next to
Menu Settings Page
.
Press the
Select
button once. The printer should display
Printing Menu Settings Page
and the menu settings pages should print out.
Look for a section/column labeled
Device Information
on one of pages.
Then look for the
Base
setting in this column. The
Base
setting should look something like
LS.ST.P067-0
; the
P067
suffix indicates the level of base code that is currently installed.
If the code level did not change, please confirm that all of the cables are completely plugged in and are in good working order. Also make sure you are following the instructions closely and are in the directory/folder where the file is saved.
Try sending the file to the printer again.
If the code level does not change after two or three attempts, please contact Lexmark Technical Support for further assistance. Numerous repeated attempts to change the base code can cause damage to the system board.
Additional information
If you cannot copy the file to the printer using a USB connection, you can also try upgrading the printer base code using a parallel connection or via the network through an ftp command.
For instructions on how to copy the base code file to the printer when it is connected via