Updating the QIAcube® operating software
This document describes how to upgrade your QIAcube mainboard firmware to version P, your mainboard PLC program to version R, and your centrifuge firmware to version H. Follow the steps in the order in which they are listed.
IMPORTANT: Update the mainboard firmware before updating the centrifuge firmware. If the updates are not completed in this order, the centrifuge firmware update could fail, resulting in technical problems with the QIAcube.
Downloading the updated software version
1. Connect the USB stick (supplied with the QIAcube) to your computer via the USB port.
2. Go to the QIAcube Web catalog page (www.qiagen.com/MyQIAcube) and select the
“User Support” tab.
3. Select “QIAcube Software Update Executable, Version PRH (Self Extracting EXE 524 KB)”, which appears under “Operating Software”.
4. The following security warning will appear.
5. Review the security warning message, and then click the “Run” button.
Note: Alternatively, click the “Save” button, and select a location in which to save the QIAcubeSWUpdate_PRH.exe file. When you are ready to install the new version of the QIAcube software, proceed to the “Extracting the software update files” section of this document.
6. The following security warning message will appear.
7. Review the security warning message and then click the “Run” button. Proceed to
“Extracting the software update files”, below.
Extracting the software update files
1. The “QIAcube Software Update” dialog box will appear.
Note: If the QIAcubeSWUpdate_PRH.exe file was saved, browse for the file, and then double-click to open it. The “QIAcube Software Update” dialog box will appear.
2. Select the drive for the USB stick in the “Extract to” field.
Note: The drive for the USB stick depends on the configuration of your computer.
3. Click the “Start” button to generate the folders that are required for the software update files.
Note: If you cannot extract the files directly onto the USB stick, extract them to your computer.
Then copy the “SW_Update” folder and the Service.key file to the USB stick.
4. Browse to the USB stick. Check that the “SW_Update” folder and Service.key file are saved, as shown below.
Note: If other files were stored on the USB stick before extracting the software update files, these files will still be present after extracting the software update files.
5. Remove the USB stick from the computer using the “Safely remove hardware”
function.
Note: Before the update files can be installed on the QIAcube, existing protocols must be deleted from the QIAcube.
Deleting existing protocols
Before installing the new software version, all existing protocols must be removed from the QIAcube. After the software update is complete, all protocols on the USB stick can be loaded onto the QIAcube at the same time.
1. Connect the USB stick to the QIAcube via the USB port located at the front right of the QIAcube.
Note: The instructions below are only valid if firmware version G or higher is already installed on your QIAcube. If an older firmware version is installed please refer to Section 5.4 of the
3. Select “Service” by pressing “i” or “j” to scroll through the list.
4. To remove all protocols, press “Software Update” followed by “Remove all protocols”.
After deleting all protocols, the main menu will be displayed as shown below.
Updating the PLC program
1. To update the PLC program, press “Tools” in the main menu. Select “Service” by pressing
“i” or “j” to scroll through the list until it is highlighted, and then press “Select”.
2. Press “Software update” and then “PLC program”.
3. Select the FIW-50-002-R_PLC_MB.prs file. To start the PLC program update, press “OK”.
Note: If you have several PLC program versions stored on your USB stick, you can easily distinguish them in the alphabetic index.
Important: Do not switch off the QIAcube or remove the USB stick during the update procedure.
The PLC program update takes approximately 10–15 s. When the update is finished, the system will emit a short “beep” and will automatically restart. After initialization of the QIAcube, an error message “Error 1 on X axis – Motion error: Invalid parameter” may be displayed (this is normal as the existing firmware version installed on the QIAcube may not be compatible with the newly installed PLC program). Confirm the error message by pressing “OK”.
4. Continue with the firmware update.
Updating the firmware
1. To update the firmware, press “Tools” in the main menu. Select “Service” by pressing
“i” or “j” to scroll through the list until it is highlighted, and then press “Select”.
2. Press “Software update” and then “Firmware”.
3. Select the “FIW-50-001-P_FW_MB.hex” file. To start the firmware update, press “OK”.
Note: If you have several firmware versions stored on your USB stick, you can easily distinguish them in the alphabetic index.
Important: Do not switch off the QIAcube or remove the USB stick during the update procedure.
The firmware update takes approximately 5 min. When the update is finished, the system will emit a short “beep” and will automatically restart.
After successfully updating the QIAcube operating software, the main menu will be displayed as shown below.
Updating the centrifuge firmware
Important: Update the mainboard firmware before updating the centrifuge firmware. If the updates are not completed in this order, the centrifuge firmware update could fail, resulting in technical problems with the QIAcube.
1. Press “Tools” in the main menu. Select “Service” by pressing “i” or “j” to scroll
3. Select the FIW-52-001-H_FW_Centrifuge_V1.HEX file. To start the centrifuge firmware update, press “OK”.
Note: If you have several centrifuge firmware versions stored on your USB stick, you can easily distinguish them in the alphabetic index.
Important: Do not switch off the QIAcube or remove the USB stick during the update procedure.
The firmware update takes approximately 2 min.
Note: The centrifuge firmware update may fail and error 350 or 909 may be displayed. If this occurs, switch off the QIAcube and switch it on again. When the QIAcube has finished performing initialization tests repeat step 1 above.
When the update is finished, the message shown below will be displayed.
4. Press “OK”.
Installing new protocols
For detailed information about installing protocols, see Section 5.4 of the QIAcube User Manual.
1. Delete any protocols that are stored on your USB stick in the “New_Protocols” folder.
2. Download the latest versions of the protocols that you require from the QIAcube Web Portal and save them to the “New_Protocols” folder on the USB stick.
Note: If it does not already exist, create the “New_Protocols” folder on your USB stick.
Note: Working with the latest protocol versions from the QIAcube Web Portal guarantees optimal protocol performance. If you deleted customized protocols from your QIAcube before updating the software, you can download these protocols again from the QIAcube Web Portal and save them to the USB stick.
3. Transfer the protocols to your QIAcube. To do this, press “Tools” in the main menu, and then select “Data Exchange” by pressing “i” or “j” to scroll through the list.
4. Press “Protocols” followed by “Load all from USB”.
All protocols on the USB stick are loaded at the same time onto the QIAcube. A maximum of 48 protocol files can be loaded using this function. This number decreases if protocol files that contain more than one protocol are loaded.
Note: It is also possible to load protocols individually. To do this, press “Protocols” and then
“Load individually from USB”. Choose a protocol to load from the list.
5. When all protocols have been transferred, remove the USB stick from the USB port and close the access cover.
Material safety data sheets (MSDS) for QIAGEN products can be downloaded from www.qiagen.com/Support/MSDS.aspx.
For up-to-date licensing information and product-specific disclaimers, see the respective QIAGEN kit handbook or user manual. QIAGEN kit handbooks and user manuals are available at www.qiagen.com or can be requested from QIAGEN Technical Services or your local distributor.
Trademarks: QIAGEN®, QIAcube® (QIAGEN Group).
Jan-11 © 2011 QIAGEN, all rights reserved.
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