topic Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable? in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

mmills79 — Thu, 04 May 2023 12:51:18 GMT

Hi,

I am using UHS-II cards in my R7. I don't have a UHS-II card reader. So I use the USB cable to upload my pictures from the camera to my Windows PC. That works well.

However, I can't seem to be able to use the USB to C cable to download the newest firmware version to the root of a reformatted SD (UHS-II) card. I can clearly see the root directory of the card on my PC using the USB cable (when the card is mounted in the camera slot 1). Why shouldn't you be able to use a USB cable to download the firmware to the SD card when the card is in the camera and you have set up a connection to the PC?

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

jrhoffman75 — Thu, 04 May 2023 13:12:41 GMT

@mmills79 wrote:
Hi,
I am using UHS-II cards in my R7. I don't have a UHS-II card reader. So I use the USB cable to upload my pictures from the camera to my Windows PC. That works well.
However, I can't seem to be able to use the USB to C cable to download the newest firmware version to the root of a reformatted SD (UHS-II) card. I can clearly see the root directory of the card on my PC using the USB cable (when the card is mounted in the camera slot 1). Why shouldn't you be able to use a USB cable to download the firmware to the SD card when the card is in the camera and you have set up a connection to the PC?

You could download the firmware app to the PC, extract the .fir file and copy that file to the card in camera. but a better method is to use the Canon EOS Utility application on the PC.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

mmills79 — Thu, 04 May 2023 13:27:09 GMT

Well, my experience is as I said in my post. I cannot seem to be able to copy the .fir file from the PC to the SD card mounted in the R7 over a USB connection. I regularly & successfully transfer the photo files from the camera to the PC using a USB cable. So, I can only say making a connection between a PC and the camera over a USB cable doesn't seem to work to transfer firmware updates (the .fir file) to the camera. Why would that be a problem?

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

jrhoffman75 — Thu, 04 May 2023 13:50:35 GMT

Maybe it is how your computer sees the camera - what kind of device.

I always transfer the .fir to my card via a card reader.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

mmills79 — Thu, 04 May 2023 14:21:01 GMT

It's curious...

The PC apparently sees the SD card mounted in the camera as a storage device since I can transfer the images stored on the SD card from the camera over a USB connection to the PC. So, I am befuddled why I can't transfer a file in the opposite direction (from PC to SD card in camera over USB)? I think it has to be a bug.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

shadowsports — Thu, 04 May 2023 14:58:58 GMT

Greetings,

I've used all 3 methods, EOS Utility (once years ago), USB cable and card reader.

Card reader is the #1 recommendation, but there is no reason why you should not be able to copy data to and from the camera's memory card when the camera is connected via cable. It becomes a mass storage device and to the computer (PC or MAC) it is viewed as removeable storage.

If you are not going to use a card reader, then remove your photos from the card. Format the card in camera. Now connect it to your PC or Mac and copy the .FIR file to the root directory of the card.

Disconnect from your PC, use a freshly charged battery and perform the update. Also note, a UHS-I card reader can read your UHS-II card, just slower.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

Lisaa77 — Thu, 04 May 2023 15:14:50 GMT

Although upgrading the firmware on your R7 camera is possible via USB cable, there are specific limitations to consider. The type of cable used and the method of transferring firmware to the SD card can cause issues. Transfer speed is one of the most common issues since not all USB cables support UHS-II cards' high speeds, which can result in errors when transferring firmware. Moreover, some SD cards may not be compatible with certain cameras or firmware updates, so it's vital to format your SD card correctly and ensure it's compatible with the R7 camera.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

mmills79 — Thu, 04 May 2023 15:15:08 GMT

That is exactly how I tried to do it.

I formatted the SD card in the camera, left it in the camera, connected the camera to the USB cable and the USB cable to my windows HP computer. I opened file explorer and browsed to the SD card - no problem accessing the SD card over USB. I opened a second file explorer and browsed to the .fir file on my computer. I first tried to drag and drop the .fir between the computer file explorer window to the SD card file explorer window and that did not work. I then tried to copy and paste between the two windows and that did not work either. So, on my R7 at least, I cannot write to the SD card in this manner.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

jrhoffman75 — Thu, 04 May 2023 15:30:29 GMT

I just tried it with a Rebel. Cannot paste the .fir to the camera when the card is showing. Works fine in card reader. It bings a sound when I try to paste to camera.

My 1D X Mark III used CFExpress cards; they are treated as hard drives. Same behavior trying to paste .fir to the camera. The .fir is on the card (loaded in reader). It shows in the reader but all the camera shows is the two folders. Doesn't show the .fir or two configuration files that are on the card.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

Waddizzle — Thu, 04 May 2023 15:39:18 GMT

@mmills79 wrote:
Well, my experience is as I said in my post. I cannot seem to be able to copy the .fir file from the PC to the SD card mounted in the R7 over a USB connection. I regularly & successfully transfer the photo files from the camera to the PC using a USB cable. So, I can only say making a connection between a PC and the camera over a USB cable doesn't seem to work to transfer firmware updates (the .fir file) to the camera. Why would that be a problem?

You cannot write to the card in the camera from your PC when it is connected to your PC using a USB cable. You need to use a card reader connected your PC or the SD card slot, if your PC has one. I recommend using a dedicated SD card for firmware updates.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

mmills79 — Thu, 04 May 2023 16:04:21 GMT

Hi,

Just trying to understand this...
I agree it doesn't seem possible to use file manager to write files from a PC to the SD card in the R7.
I tried another experiment, I tried to copy a JPEG from my PC to the image directory on the R7 and that did not work either.
We know the camera can write to the mounted SD card when you take a picture so, the media is write enabled. We also know that the EOS utility can write to a mounted SD card in the camera. I successfully write to my SD card in my phone all the time from a PC over a USB cable.
Do you know why you can't write to the SD card mounted in the Camera from a PC using USB connection? What is the constraint or concern in doing so and why would that capability be disabled? Again, just for my education at this point but it could still be a bug.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

Waddizzle — Thu, 04 May 2023 16:11:39 GMT

It is not a bug. The card is write protected to external devices when it inside of the camera. This is done for security reasons. This is not a bug.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

normadel — Thu, 04 May 2023 16:15:20 GMT

Is this a universal issue? Some time ago I tried to move/copy a file from my computer to one of my EOS cameras via USB cable. I think it was a firmware update file. It would not work.

Is this perhaps something Canon does not allow?

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

Waddizzle — Thu, 04 May 2023 16:17:50 GMT

@normadel wrote:
Is this a universal issue? Some time ago I tried to move/copy a file from my computer to one of my EOS cameras via USB cable. I think it was a firmware update file. It would not work.
Is this perhaps something Canon does not allow?

Yes, writing to the memory card in the camera is not allowed. Always has been.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

mmills79 — Thu, 04 May 2023 16:20:53 GMT

Ok...

I guess the EOS utility has a work around for that security protection?
When I talked to Canon tech support they told me the utility uses the USB connection to install the update.
It may seem like I am splitting hairs here but when I travel, I skinny down what I carry and I just wanted to go simple and use a USB cable for any kind of transfer when necessary. Is there a way to disable this security protection? I don't need this protection personally.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

Waddizzle — Thu, 04 May 2023 16:23:47 GMT

Use a dedicated UHS-I SD card for firmware updates.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

jrhoffman75 — Thu, 04 May 2023 16:34:22 GMT

If I was traveling I wouldn’t do a firmware update. Wouldn’t want a problem to brick camera. If you are determined to do it, a small SD reader is not much to carry. Less volume than a cable.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

Stephen — Thu, 04 May 2023 16:34:31 GMT

Have you tried a firmware update using the Camera Connect app?

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

mmills79 — Thu, 04 May 2023 16:51:31 GMT

Hi,
I am now aware of several methods (other than a direct USB connection) to upgrade the camera firmware so upgrading firmware in and of itself is not what I am trying to understand right now.

A response earlier has said you cannot write to a Canon Camera mounted SD card (from a PC directly over USB using windows file manager) for security reasons. I guess this is a Canon philosophy. We know however, the EOS utility can write to the camera over USB so I guess I am just wondering why was security a concern with directly writing to an SD card directly over USB? I just prefer to connect the camera simply & directly to my PC over USB (as I do with the card in my phone to transfer music) and use windows utilities for all file transfers from and to the camera. All you should need is a USB cable.

Is there a way to turn off this security protection? If not, so be it but, I'm thinking this could certainly be a user selectable menu function. I personally don't need this protection.

Re: Can you upgrade the R7 Camera using a USB cable?

Stephen — Thu, 04 May 2023 17:12:42 GMT

It's a built-in function of the linux operating system. Only the admin/superuser can access the root directory of the card while it's mounted (accessible by the camera). That's why the camera has a handful of folders (DCIM, etc.). A normal user (you) will never be able to access the root of the card, or the camera's base OS - to prevent damaging the firmware.

TL;DR: No, this can't be overridden. You do need this protection, or you can potentially damage your camera and break your camera.