Losing USB connection/Boot failure. Entered update mode

[Elric21]

If you just want to read about the problem, go to the "Now here is where the problem starts" paragraph.

 

So I just recently got the Helix, and man is it awesome.

As soon as I got it, I immediately started playing. I however knew about the 2.92 update that includes the Steve Vai Carvin pedal, so after about halve an hour or so, I wanted to update the Helix.

 

Now on the Line6 website it says "Read everything very carefully, if not the internet is going to make fun of you", so I tried to read everything very thoroughly, but having major GAS for the Helix, and in all of my enthusiasm, I misread one of the steps and opened the updater rather than the editor. Seemed like no problem as it showed connection to the Helix, the correct version that was installed and the available software versions (at this time I was still unaware of my mistake). So I clicked on update. It showed me an box where it said: During the update the Helix will display an error, but you can ignore it and it will reboot automatically. So I clicked continue, no problems still. The update screen popped-up with the update bar.

 

Now here is where the problem starts. Straight after starting the update, the update bar did not fill. I received an error that the update could not be completed and I had to turn the Helix off and back on again. After doing so, I restarted the process only to run into the same problem. After the second time, Line6 Updater could no longer find the Helix as connection seemed to be lost. The editor couldn't find it either. Rebooting would not work as it kept saying: "Boot failure. Entered update mode".  At this time, I thought I had fried the Helix because I didn't read carefully enough and opened the wrong program.

 

After some time, and just after keeping retrying and seeing some stuff on the internet, I tried the Updater ones more which at this time displayed the Helix again (with the correct software version, etc.). So I retried uploading the update to the Helix and this time, the bar did start to fill. Somewhere close to the end, the process failed again, but after noticing how it already worked significantly better compared to the first attempt, I again retried uploading the update and this time, I worked. I was so relieved.

 

The Helix has had no issues since, and has kept working just fine. When I connect the Helix to my laptop however (for the editor or recording) I keep on loosing connection between laptop and Helix. After seeing this clip:

 

 

I decided to test another USB cable which worked just fine. This cable does not have the round thingy close to one of the cable ends. The connection wasn't lost anymore.

 

Now to my understanding, the big round thing around the cable is something to prevent interference from entering the signal. What I do not know is if this interference is harmful for Helix or laptop and if it is fine just to connect some other non-interference blocking cable between the Helix and laptop.

 

Has anyone faced the same problems? And can I just connect the Helix using the other cable without damaging something?

 

Thanks!

[datacommando]

11 minutes ago, Elric21 said:

Now to my understanding, the big round thing around the cable is something to prevent interference from entering the signal. What I do not know is if this interference is harmful for Helix or laptop and if it is fine just to connect some other non-interference blocking cable between the Helix and laptop.

 

What you have there is a USB cable fitted with an "electronic noise suppressor".

 

See here for the science bit.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrite_bead