JMRI problem

[woodone]

I just did an update for my JMRI and for some reason my history vanished?
The history is not a big deal but does work me some.
Even after this up date I can’t seem to be able to program a SoundTrax Tsunami-2 decoder.
Equipment being used is —Power-Cab. NCE adaptor and a lap top.
I can launch the program but JMRI WILL NOT read what decoder is in the locomotive.It looks for CV-8 but never ID’s it.
Any ideas- I wiped my computer of JMRI and re-installed the latest version with JAVA.
THE loco runs I have all functions with the Power Cab.

[C855B]

I just did an update for my JMRI and for some reason my history vanished? ...

By "history", do you mean your panel and roster data? Did you update by dragging the new version folder over the old one? If so, then you overwrote the old JMRI folder contents with the new one, and those contents were your programming from the roster and panel editors. Did you keep the old folder by renaming it? Or backing it up before updating?

Reading your post again, you "...wiped my computer of JMRI and re-installed...". That's not good.

Anything advice beyond that is going to be computer-specific, as the three versions - Win, Mac and Linux - put important files in different places. I can only speak to Linux, and Digitrax.

[woodone]

Yes roster data- I downloaded the latest version from the JMRI web page-
I more than likely goofed up some where but I did check a box that said to back up files.
I am running Windows 10, forgot to put that in my first post.
But at any rate I still am unable to program- I noticed that when I try using JMRI the loco still is powered up- normally in the program mode the lights and sound good dead.

[John]

The first thing to do is get JMRI talking to the railroad --

1) Make sure you select the proper booster / dcc system in the preferences and save that
2) Make sure you can see commands going to back and forth from the layout to the JMRI computer ( open the loconet monitor)
3) If that doesn't work, make sure the drivers / if any are installed on your computer.   https://www.jmri.org/help/en/html/hardware/nce/NCE.shtml

[woodone]

Well computers are not my strong suite. I use JMRI has a tool to do DCC installs. I would think that all the drivers and other devises are already in the computer, seeing that I have been using JMRI for years.
But like I said computers are not my thing.
Yes the data lost hurts, but I did not refer to it much, just used the programming.   

[Mike C]

  When you try to program does the light on the NCE/USB interface blink ? If not the USB device may be toast .  It could also be the usb cable .

[woodone]

Never gave that a thought. What would cause the USB interface to fail?
Age?
 Mine is over 10 years old.

[C855B]

Never gave that a thought. What would cause the USB interface to fail?
Age?
 Mine is over 10 years old.

Not age necessarily. Most frequent cause of failure in modern consumer electronics is static discharge. It's a 1-in-1000 sort of thing, but, f'rinstance, in the low humidity characteristic of household winter heating, static electricity potential on your body can get quite high - 10,000 volts or so... just ask my dog when I forget to zap something else first  . Something as simple as handling a connector if you're full of static can discharge damaging voltage into the device.

Moral of the story? Especially if humidity is low (<~30%) touch a doorknob or other metal object immediately before plugging and unplugging stuff.

[peteski]

Jerry, before balming tings on faulty hardware, I have some questions.

did you unplug the USB cable in question from either end between when it was last workign and when it stopped working?  If you didn't unplug it, then chances of it being zapped by static electricity are very low.

You coudl try verifying the USB interfaces on both ends.
First unplug the NCE cable from your computer and plug in another USB device (any simple USB mouse or keyboard would be good devices to try). A USB mouse you have handy would work.  But I wouldn't mess up with any of those fancy wireless keyboard/mouse things you have. Or  if you have a camera whihc has a USB interface, that should also work ok. Once you plug it into the port, the computer should discover it and load its driver. Then you should be able to use the device as intended.  If that works, then that USB port hardware on the computer is ok.

Next, try to plug in the now-unconnected NCE/USB cable into another free USB port on your computer. I assume that the computer will recognize that "new hardware" is plugged in (assuming that the NCE/USB was never plugged into that USB port before.

Let us know what the results of both tests are. I guess we will pause at this point, so  your head doesn't explode. 

[woodone]

Pete- yes I had removed the USB adaptor between the last time I used JMRI and now.
The USB adaptor usually stays hooked up to my lap top, but I had a problem with one of my Power Cab’s and moved the throttle and the adaptor to complete what I was working with, then moved it back.
What I do hear is a small ding from the lap top when I plug the USB cable into a com port. I hear the same sound when I unplug and replug the USB cable at the adaptor.  The lap top has only two USB ports, I hear the ding at both USB com ports.
I think that the computer is letting me know when a new devise is plugged in.at Esther port.

[djconway]

one thing to try is to delete and reinstall the device driver for the JMRI-Command Station interface.
I know I had some problems with JMRI-Digitrax PR3 interface that seemed to be corrected on the driver reload.

[Mike C]

 Jerry I had a similar problem last year . I talked to   Ed  at NCE , My light was not flashing and we determined that the interface was faulty . It just went bad while it was connected , only thing I could figure was static although he said that was a very rare problem . Any way I sent it to him to check and after checking said he had never seen a board so messed up ! Still have no idea what happened , but he did replace it free of charge . Excellent customer service ....Mike

[woodone]

Well I guess anything is possable.
What I do see on the screen when I open JMRI the 1st page at the very bottom left is a message in green letters is
Service Mode Programer NCE is Online. Then Operations Mode Programer NCE Is Online  then in black Programer Status Idle
Active Profile DecoderPro3.
But when I select new loco and then read type from decoder  it seems to freeze at read MFG
I just left this on for a minute or two it now says Stoped due to error; timeout talking to command station (306)

[woodone]

A quick follow up- I just noticed a red LED flashing ata very slow rate- LED is on the NCE USB board at the rear (don’t really know front from rear of board)but it is next to the RC12 plug socket from the throttle.