New member with an upgrade nightmare - Helix 7 and 9

[Bear4405]

I posted my frustrations earlier on a post started by Snuffy671, but I am hoping with that someone with more experience can decipher what happened:

Wanted to upgrade HB basemaps on my Helix 7 SI G2 and Helix 9 Chirp Mega SI+ GPS G3N. Needed first to upgrade H9 to version 2.280. I completed this then upgraded basemaps to both units, using map version 1.031 in the Helix 9. Decided then to Update Helix 7 to software version 2.32 and Helix 9 to version 2.440. My fatal mistake. After this update both units show no HB basemaps installed. So I tried to install basemaps 1.031 again on the Helix 9. It gives me the initial confirm screen, the abort? screen, then the loading screen, then stops. I checked the Helix 7 and I have the same thing on that unit, with no basemaps.....and it aborts its own loading of them. What happened?

I know the first question will be did I update to version 2.440 BEFORE attempting to install the basemaps. That could not have happened. I did not even download 2.440 from their website until 2 hours after I started the map install, and I reformatted the SD card and used that same card for the last update. Spent 2 hours speaking to two HB techs and they could not explain what happened either. Since their latest software does not allow you to load their own maps, restart, or revert to a previous version, the only solution is to send both units to Alabama.

Has anyone experienced this and do you have any suggestions to try? Does anyone even use basemaps, or is there a better alternative. Any chance they might resolve this little issue in a software upgrade. I have a brand new Mega360 unit that I don't want to watch gather dust while the control heads take the long trip south and back.....

BTW, I am a new member here but have owned HB units for yeas. Never had an update problem like this. Thanks !!

[Bear4405]

Update - I just found a piece of information that might resolve this:

HB tech service says that once you update to system version 2.440 you cannot revert back to a previous version. So if you have 2.440 and no maps, you are out of luck.

The update instructions on the website, however, say that you cannot downgrade from 2.440 to version older than 2.280. Which means that you can downgrade from 2.440 to 2.280???? Has anyone tried that?

If I could downgrade back to 2.280 and then put the maps back in, thought would fix it. Wouldn't it??

[Wayne P.]

Since the basemap for a Helix 5,7, and 8 is different than for the larger units, did you download the proper map file for each to load to each?

[ezfishn]

That's what it says but I'm not willing to try it...LOL I may have read your post wrong but did you use the same basemap files for both units?

[Bear4405]

Thanks for the replies. Good questions.

No, I did not use the same basemap. The Helix 7 basemap has two files, and Helix 9 has six files. I actually didn't focus too much on the maps for the Helix 7 or try to troubleshoot it. I use the 7 for sonar and down imaging mostly, and the Helix 9 for 360 imaging and mapping spots.

[Bear4405]

Following the step one instructions, I downloaded system version 2.280 and the basemaps and installed on a fresh MSD. Logically it should have reverted to version 2.280 and then installed the basemaps. Instead, it installed the full basemaps and remained at version 2.440. Did the did the same things with the Helix 7, and that worked also.

I don't know why it worked that way, but I'll take it.