HW-Q990C Firmware Help

[robmp11]

Having a Issue in smart things my q990c only stays for a few days then drops to offline then I have to uninstall and reinstall. I'm on firmware 1002 web sight says 1004 smart things keeps telling me no update, was hoping this update would fix my issue. I download the usb files but there are two folders SAT-MT8532D23WWC and SAT-iMX8M23WWC both have a upgrade.msd file which do i use or due you do one @ a time as you can put both files in the root.

[jack william]

For SmartThings issues on your Q990C, try the SAT-MT8532D23WWC upgrade.msd file first. If that doesn't work, you might need to try the SAT-iMX8M23WWC upgrade.msd file separately. Don't put both files in the root at the same time; it's generally one at a time. See if this helps with the offline problem

[robmp11]

Thank's will do that tonight and let you know how it goes.

[robmp11]

Should the thumb drive be formated to fat32 or ntfs?

[robmp11]

Ok the SAT-MT8532D23WWC didn't work said no data ran the SAT-iMX8M23WWC and updated now will wait and see if it stays connected to smart things now.

[Simonuk]

I have the same issue upgrading the new firmware and have been waiting for Samsung to come back to me with a solution. It's really surprising that the smarthing app doesn't find any new versions being their premium sound bar and even more of a disappointment is that after 2 weeks I have yet to receive any response and thats after 4 calls from me. I've tried following the manual instructions which appear totally wrong as the unzip files just give you two folders with no further information. I've tried putting both image files in the root directory without either prompting the SB to start the upgrade. Did you have the 990c on and then plug in the usb? 

[robmp11]

Yes sound bar was on just plugged in usb drive and the message came on the little screen was updating. I almost pulled out the drive to early seem to take about 5 min or so, seem to be done @ one point but wasn't so be careful. Also you can only have one file in the root @ a time and only the SAT-iMX8M23WWC upgrade.msd worked for me other file came up showed no data. Now will wait till the next firmware update and see if smart things work this time. ps usb drive was formated to fat32 sometimes this matters. 

[B3njammin · Accepted solution]

I just got my Q990C/ZA Soundbar(the ZA is not important, its the same device, just the full name for it in my territory/region) delivered last week, got it setup, and performed a firmware update via SmartThings app, however, it only updated firmware to version 1002, and stated that there were no new/further updates in the SmartThings app. After finding out there was in fact newer firmware, two or three versions newer(1004), I did some digging online, and decided to upgrade firmware manually to 1004 via USB. If you download the Q990C's Full Product Manual and/or Firmware Upgrade Manual from Samsung's US Customer Support- Product- Manuals and Software Site: https://org.downloadcenter.samsung.com/downloadfile/ContentsFile.aspx?CDSite=US&CttFileID=9037618&CD...     ....you will see that the instructions are not much better on how to update via USB, but ARE a bit more clear on exactly how the Firmware folders you extract should be copied onto the USB drive, in order to successfully update the soundbar firmware.

I actually updated to 1004 via USB last night, using the instructions in the official Firmware Upgrade manual I downloaded online(if the link above does not work, just go to samsung.com, click the three line menu in upper right corner, and select Support--->Product Support------>Manuals & Software..... but you[OP] seem to have the Firmware files already downloaded, and in hand, so this might not even be relevant to you specifically...but for others.....)

UPDATE STEPS:

I didnt even have to worry about formatting my USB thumb drive first(your situation might be different)...in fact, the USB thumb drive I used for the update, was actually formatted for Android/Google TV OS, as expandable storage for my Chromecast with Google TV, and still allowed me to perform the update without reformatting the drive first(okay, from here on out, I'm just gonna refer to it as a USB drive). I did however, delete all the files on the USB drive first though, so that there was nothing but the Firmware upgrade folders present on the drive; I just didnt bother formatting the drive before copying the firmware.

The instructions for updating firmware in the Q990C official product manual also state that when you attempt to update the firmware via the SmartThings app, you'll first need to unplug the bar, sub, and both rears for a full 30 seconds, and then plug them back in, and turn the bar back on, wait for all speakers to connect....then try using the update firmware button in SmartThings app to see if any new updates show up. Well, even though I was updating firmware via USB, I still followed the unplug/power cycle procedure at the start of the USB Firmware update process, as I figured it couldn't hurt anything(See below).

1. After my USB thumb drive was empty/blank, I downloaded and then extracted the version 1004 Firmware files on a Windows computer, and then copied the TWO extracted folders onto the Root directory of my USB drive(YES, BOTH FOLDERS...says it plain as day, right in the Q990C Firmware Upgrade manual. The manual even has pictures that say "Good" and "Not Good" to illustrate to you, the correct folder structure of the firmware upgrade folders you need to copy onto the USB Drive Root Directory, in order for the Soundbar to detect the firmware files.... which contradicts what Samsung Support was literally just saying in this thread/post).

2. The ONLY 2 folders on the USB Drive Root Directory should now be the SAT-MT8532D23WWC &  SAT-iMX8M23WWC folders, with ALL the files inside those 2 folders still contained within(LITERALLY all you have to do is just copy and paste the only 2 folders that are extracted from the ZIP File for the Firmware, onto the USB Drive Root Directory, and that's it!(as far as preparing the USB Drive). You DONT want to copy ONLY the upgrade.msd, or other individual firmware files onto the USB drive(this won't work according to the manual; you have to copy both full folders you extracted from the ZIP file, onto the USB drive...leave the upgrade.msd, and other file(s) inside those 2 folders alone, where they already are when copied onto the USB).

3. Next, after the two folders were copied to the USB Drive, I DID do the whole unplug soundbar, sub, and rears for 30 seconds(power cycle) thing that I mentioned above, plugged everything back in, turned on the soundbar, and waited for the speakers/sub to reconnect.(Yes, i know, this step was only mentioned in the instructions for users attempting to update firmware via the SmartThings app, and not USB, but i figured it couldnt hurt anything...and in the end, the update was successful, so I'm mentioning the power cycle step here anyway, just in case, as this is the way it worked for me, even though its likely not a necessary step when upgrading via USB. 

4. The rest I'm just going to copy and paste directly from the Q990C Firmware Upgrade Manual...as it is simple.

Sourced From Official Q990C Firmware Upgrade Manual:

-Turn on the Soundbar and insert the USB drive into the SERVICE port located on the bottom of the Main Unit. The software will begin to update automatically in less than one minute.

- A sequence of “UPDATE” → “BYE” → “ON” will appear on the display 3 times. It would take around 6 minutes

- After the 3 cycles are complete, the Soundbar will restart and the last source used will appear on the display for about 20 seconds and then it will go off

*Cycle and duration of update may differ by models*

*Important . Please DO NOT turn off the power or remove the USB while the update is in progress. (SOUNDBAR LED STATUS INDICATOR “UPDATE → BYE → ON“ 3 times → “D.IN” → OFF will indicate that update has completed.

(Tried to clean up the above text a bit, as it appears to have been written by someone/or a team or ppl who don't speak, or write/type in English as their native language)

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MAKE SURE YOU WAIT UNTIL THE ENTIRE UPDATE IS COMPLETE BEFORE REMOVING THE USB DRIVE. If not sure, and/or you want to verify that the firmware update was successful, you can either check  the firmware version in SmartThings app after the upgrade(leave the USB inserted until you're sure update was successfully completed), or leave the USB inserted into the Soundbar after upgrade is complete, turn the SB off, and back on, let it start the update process again, at which point, it will say "LATEST VERSION" on the soundbar display, assuming the firmware update was successful the first time. You can now remove the USB drive, and you should be good to go!

Side note... there isn't a change log or anything published by Samsung for Firmware Version 1004(i wish there was), but I have not noticed any issues after upgrading to firmware 1004.

Sorry this was so long, and contained a lot of run on sentences and such, but hope it helps you, and/or any others who aren't getting the most recent firmware updates for the Q990C via the SmartThings App, and are confused by the USB Firmware Upgrade Instructions/Process in the official Product Manual(s)

Best of Luck,

Regards

[user5eArdjj8LI]

Thank you

[B3njammin]

You're very welcome! I hope it helped...?