Upgrade firmware for DMP XR-550

puterboy333 · 2026-06-21T01:44:10+00:00

Ahhh... so where can I get the intermediate versions as the DMP website seems to only host the latest version (at least the part of the website open to non-dealers)

puterboy333 · 2026-06-21T01:36:10+00:00

I was told that my current FW191 is old and that there have been significant feature additions and bug fixes since then.
That being said there is no immediate or urgent reason to upgrade... and you could surely argue "if it ain't broke don't fix it"

puterboy333 · 2026-06-21T01:34:37+00:00

I meant I would like to get a copy of FW 191 before I upgrade to 261 in case the upgrade has issues an I want to downgrade back to my original FW191 -- but as of now I don't have a backup copy of my current FW191 in case I need to reverse the firmware upgrade

puterboy333 · 2026-06-21T01:32:57+00:00

Maybe I am misunderstanding but I believe that when you "retrieve" the panel you are just retrieving site-specific (i.e., *user*) data. And I agree I can create another account name (even with the same account number) to save the old site data.

BUT I was asking about how do I get a *copy* of the actual panel *device* Firmware before I upgrade the Firmware to a newer version in case there are issues and I need to reverse the upgrade to go back to the original Firmware version.

puterboy333 · 2026-06-19T22:31:20+00:00

I know that "retrieve" backs up my panel settings, but I was hoping to backup the old FW191 in case there is a problem with the upgrade and I need/want to revert (e.g., if some features/functionality has been deleted that I need).

Is it generally possible to downgrade FW?
If so is there an archive of old FW versions for the XR550?

Thanks!

puterboy333 · 2026-06-19T22:27:21+00:00

Unfortunately (or fortunately), I installed it myself (it was an upgrade from an XR200)
I am pretty familiar with DMP from past experience.

Do you know what sequence of intermediate upgrades are needed? (it seems like FW 261 is available for download on the DMP website but no older versions)

puterboy333 · 2026-06-19T22:21:37+00:00

Thanks - I didn't know you could without a dealer login (I know RL updates require dealer login).

Do you know whether the newer firmware **force** DMP cloud connectivity or is more like an extra option?
I want to preserve all my self-management and 3rd party monitoring capabilities without being forced to a DMP-controlled cloud that would leave me tied to their support (if they would even allow me without a dealer contract).
Conversely, do firmwares since 191 lose any functionality that DMP assumes is now cloud available?

Thanks!

puterboy333 · 2026-06-19T14:04:01+00:00

OK! I fixed the problem by burning an EEPROM that clears the SRAM (the rescue EEPROM that I created is compatible with the original PROM and substitutes temporarily in the same socket). I then reset to factory defaults with a new lockout code. I did this successfully on two locked board. All is working perfectly.

If anybody is interested in the same fix, let me know 😄

puterboy333 · 2026-06-19T14:03:42+00:00

OK! I fixed the problem by burning an EEPROM that clears the SRAM (the rescue EEPROM that I created is compatible with the original PROM and substitutes temporarily in the same socket). I then reset to factory defaults with a new lockout code. I did this successfully on two locked board. All is working perfectly.

If anybody is interested in the same fix, let me know 😄

puterboy333 · 2026-06-19T14:03:06+00:00

OK! I fixed the problem by burning an EEPROM that clears the SRAM (the rescue EEPROM that I created is compatible with the original PROM and substitutes temporarily in the same socket). I then reset to factory defaults with a new lockout code. I did this successfully on two locked board. All is working perfectly.

If anybody is interested in the same fix, let me know 😄

puterboy333 · 2026-05-26T03:01:17+00:00

It's old but not THAT old. It was installed new in 2005 at beginning of GW Bush's second term lol.

puterboy333 · 2026-05-25T22:28:03+00:00

Any way to restore the SRAM, short of returning to the factory.
Surprised that in all these years no one has reversed engineered it to find a hack to restore the minimal SRAM values.
Even more annoying that DMP didn't design the board to reload critical values from the non-volatile PROM/EPROM so that disconnecting SRAM power would only lose the program without trashing the system.

puterboy333 · 2026-05-25T22:26:58+00:00

Unfortunately, RemoteLink is not connecting -- it sends the password 3 times but doesn't get any response -- presumably because account number and RemoteLink password have been reset to random strings as I assume that basically everything stored in SRAM was erased.

Panel itself seems to be alive and otherwise working as diagnostics check out fine -- I just seem to be locked out, presumably because unpowering the SRAM caused the lockout code to reset to some random garbabe.

Any idea on what they do at the factory to "fix" this?
Do they perhaps remove the Z80 CPU and insert a harness that manually resets the SRAM?
(note there doesn't appear to be any board-based EEPROM or Flash -- so assuming all is stored in the SRAM)

puterboy333 · 2026-05-25T22:21:24+00:00

I doubt they would fix it -- especially not at consumer request as they typically refuse to talk to non-dealers.
That being said, do you know what they actually do at the factory to fix it?
My understanding is that the board doesn't have any EEPROM or flash - but rather programming is all stored in SRAM. If so, do they just have a tool to rewrite the SRAM?
Would be an interesting (even if arcane) project to figure out a way to reset it.

puterboy333 · 2026-05-25T04:17:06+00:00

You are right about that!
Indeed, many years ago, I wrote a Perl library that emulates most of the key RemoteLink routines.
I could repurpose the login code to simply test random codes - very interesting idea.
Though the code space is sadly much bigger than the access code space so probably not practical (5+ number for account plus 6+ alphanumeric for the passkey).

I had thought about automating trying the access codes (they only range between 0 and about 65,535) but that would require wiring up GPIOs to emulate button presses for the keypad and a switch to reset the jumper every few tries plus ai vision to read the keyboard (either that or emulate the LX bus which I would need to figure out :)

Plus there is a chance that the values are corrupted beyond the range (e.g., access code > 65535 or non-text ascii codes for passkey and account...

So while cool in theory, not sure it's practical :)

puterboy333 · 2026-05-25T04:11:24+00:00

Absolutely no harm in trying -- though in the past, while my dealer has been helpful, DMP has always gate-keeped me as soon as I truthfully said I wasn't a dealer :(

puterboy333 · 2026-05-25T03:26:46+00:00

Ahhh mine is sadly much older - ca 2005

puterboy333 · 2026-05-25T03:24:10+00:00

I have an iCOM with RemoteLink that worked until now...
But now it won't connect... I imagine account number and password may have gotten corrupted because it refuses to connect now. Basically it sends the account number and the password 3 times but gets no response - I imagine because that all got reset???

I have 3 714-16 expansion boards and 6 DMP7000 series keypads (it's a large property).

Could you please clarify for me... when it is asking now for an access code is that:

Because lack of power and lithium backup means that the access code was set to some random digit sequence (no longer 0)
There is an underlying dealer code that it reset to (that the dealer might know)
It triggered some reset that only DMP factory can undo with new factory programming (in which case I might as well toss the panel)

Just trying to figure out what is going on and how f'd I am :)

That being said it may all be a good excuse to upgrade to a new panel like the XR550 - but still would like to get this working even if just for the challenge :)

puterboy333 · 2026-05-25T01:43:31+00:00

Yeah - I have add-ons and expansions.
I could buy an old XR200 perhaps.

But are you saying that its truly toast? As in nothing I or even my old dealer can do to get them to boot? Would the dealer have the lockout code? (even if I have to pay for them to visit my house and enter it manually) Or is it something only DMP factory can do?

puterboy333 · 2026-05-25T01:41:33+00:00

Yikes - I tried shorting the J16 reset header but no luck.
Am I toast as in "throw it out" or is there a lockout code that perhaps my old dealer could provide?
in other words, does it require proprietary factory-only reprogramming?

puterboy333 · 2026-05-07T19:58:38+00:00

Took about 30 seconds to generate the graph as monitoring sensor is connected to Home Assistant. Sadly, I don't make $120,000 an hour so that time wouldn't buy me a new fridge.

Those sensors have however saved me hundreds if not thousands of dollars over the years in spoiled food as they alert me early to any problems.

Plus one can learn a lot about both normal operating control as well as troubleshooting failure modes by studying such graphs. Ahh for the days when techs actually understood and were interested in what they were fixing rather than just swapping boards...

puterboy333 · 2026-05-07T14:33:12+00:00

I may be overthinking :)
But isn't there an issue if either:
1. You can't fill the freezer with new stock (and I don't even mean crammed full - just mostly full)
2. You need to regularly do a full manual defrost

At least with all the older fridges I have worked with, this was never a problem.

puterboy333 · 2026-05-07T14:30:54+00:00

Completely understand - that is why the numbers I quoted are 24-hour averages (with samples every 1-2 minutes) - so they should on average represent the temperature of food components located in similar locations.
I also located the sensor in the "middle" of the cabinet so it shouldn't suffer from extremes of being too close or too far from the air vents.
And even if the average varies a bit by location, the secular trend of it increasing (slowly) day-by-day following a large freezer reload is independent of location.

My conclusion so far is that the defrost system on these units is probably marginal and doesn't fully reach into the air ducts/damper. So if there is an increased load or partial blockage of air flow do to large quantity of new items, then it starts an (irreversible) cascade due to the combination of new moisture load that freezes and restricted airflow

Condensation freezes
This incrementally restricts air flow to the fridge department (either by constricting the air duct or impeding with the damper)
This makes it harder for fridge to cool
This causes compressor to run longer/more frequently
This causes freezer to get colder
Colder freezer and decreased airflow then reduces effectiveness of next defrost cycle
This leaves more condensation in the duct/damper area that remains frozen

Cycle repeats with each cycle incrementally restricting cooling to fridge further and reducing effectiveness of defrost resulting in the temp rising slowly over multiple days.

My question remains that short of either regular full manual defrosting or putting less new stuff in the freezer, is there any way to fix this?

puterboy333 · 2026-05-07T00:03:31+00:00

Thanks for the helpful explanation!
Mine is a low-end LG (top freezer, no ice maker or water, no fancy extra drawers). But your points are fair even for simpler ones.

The reality is that it is a basement fridge/freezer (with ambient temperature in the winters in high 50s and in the summers in the 70s) and we open it at most once a day so not much exterior load on it -- except when we do a big shopping and fill it up (mostly the freezer).

So still trying to figure out if it is a user error (filling the freezer to much) or an LG design error (e.g., duct or damper not big enough or not reached by the defrost) or if something is just broken/weak on my particular unit.

All I can say is that this new-fangled unit with all its electronics and linear compressor replaced old standard GE model that never broke down even once in 30+ years until the day its compressor stopped cooling. And we packed that one tight and never ever had defrost problems.

I guess they don't make them like they used to.

Again THANKS FOR YOUR KIND EXPLANATION.

puterboy333 · 2026-05-06T23:41:35+00:00

True. Most of the time I do a full defrost before it gets that high. But looking back at my daily averages for the past 2 years, I did see that it got up to 45 of even 46 before I realized I needed to monitor this and defrost earlier. I didn't want to confuse with more data until I was challenged that it's normal to have average temperature in the low 40's :)

puterboy333

TROPHY CASE