[CA] Updating software within a MFD running LightHouse software

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Updating software within a MFD running LightHouse software

NOTE: When updating the software of Raymarine MFDs and one finds that one or more interim software updates have been missed, one need not be concerned. Updating the MFD with the latest LightHouse II or LightHouse 3 software will not only update the MFD's software to support all of the specified feature additions and corrections listed for the previous versions of LightHouse II or LightHouse 3 software.

NOTE: The LightHouse II compressed folder for a/c/e/eS/gS-Series MFDs and the LightHouse 3 compressed folder for Axiom/Axiom Pro/Axiom XL MFDs not only contains the software update .iso files for updating the system's MFDs, but also for updating the systems other Raymarine accessories which are designed to be updated by the system's Data Master MFD. As such, the size of the downloaded compressed folder for a MFD running LightHouse II or LightHouse 3 software can be as large as 2.4GB (LightHouse 3 v3.8.97) and will contain many .iso files. Each of these .iso files is designed to update software within a specific family of Raymarine accessories. The instructions below detail how one may use the Windows Extract All feature to easily copy all of these files to the root level directory of a microSD memory card.

As indicated above, the software update compressed folders for MFDs running LightHouse II and LightHouse 3 software include software update .iso files to not only update software of the MFDs, but also of many Raymarine accessories. The software updates for individual Raymarine products may also be accessed and downloaded via Raymarine's Product Software Updates web page. Software update instructions may be accessed via the links found on each respective product's software update web page. When these software update files are downloaded from Raymarine's website, they will be in one of the following two formats:

- an .iso file (image file) ... you need simply copy this file to the root level directory of the microSD memory card. If you instead erroneously attempt to open one of these files, the Windows operating system will typically treat the file as disk image file which would normally be associated with a DVD or CD burner. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OPEN .ISO FILES!

- a .zip file (compressed folder) ... you need simply right click on this file and then select EXTRACT ALL from the displayed Windows context menu. This will then cause a dialog to displayed which will request where the contents of the compressed folder should be extracted to ... once again, select the root level directory of the microSD memory card as the destination for the extracted files.

Detailed instructions for populating a microSD memory card with software update files may be found below. When a microSD memory card containing either of the above items is inserted into the memory card reader of a MFD running the latest LightHouse II or LightHouse 3 software, the MFD will then display a dialog alerting the operator that new software updates have been detected and then permit the software update dialog to be displayed.

The most common mistakes reported when updating the software involve erroneously attempting to open a .iso file and/or downloading the software update compressed folder directly to the root level directly of the microSD memory card rather than to the PC (will typically be saved into the PC's Downloads folder).
Should one desire to upgrade a MFD with the latest version of LightHouse II or LightHouse 3 software, then one need simply:

1) download the LightHouse II v19.03 compressed folder or the Lighthouse 3 v3.x compressed folder from latest available Raymarine product software updates to one's computer. In the case of LightHouse 3 software for eS/gS-Series MFDs, an .iso file rather than a compressed folder will be downloaded the computer.

2) locate the downloaded compressed folder or LightHouse 3 .iso file (typically found within the computer's Downloads folder).

3) extract all files from the compressed folder (right click on the compressed folder to view this menu option) into the root level directory of a microSD memory card (<32GB w/FAT32 or NTFS file system). If the LightHouse 3 software update for eS/gS-Series MFDs was downloaded, then simply copy or move the downloaded .iso file to the root level directory of a microSD memory card ... DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OPEN .ISO FILES (see the comment above).

4) Switch ON the system's MFDs and permit them to complete startup initialization

5) In the microSD memory card containing the extracted software update files into the Data Master MFD's memory card reader

6) If any of the system's devices are not presently running the latest software, then the Data Master MFD should automatically detect the presence of a microSD memory card containing software update files. Acknowledge the corresponding alert dialog when displayed.

7) Elect to update the software within any of the system's devices which have not yet been updated with the latest available software. Please note that when updating Evolution autopilot components, the autopilot's EV-1/EV-2 CCU must be updated prior to updated the autopilot's ACU (i.e. deselect this item from the list of products to be updated). After all of the system's other components have been updated, the microSD memory card containing the software update files may be ejected and then reinserted to then initiate updating the Evolution autopilot ACU's software.

8) When all software updates have been completed, then safely eject the microSD memory card containing the software update files.


RAYFAQ#