Trouble flashing cRIO

[gvarndell]

Originally Posted by oddjob

Our team also had a very difficult time reimaging the cRIO. The strategy that worked for us was to set the cRIO into Safe mode, cycle power, reformat using the Image app, exit Safe mode, cycle power, then Image it fully to v19 C++. That worked from the Classmate, on which we installed the complete suite of FRC software. We also have a laptop and it didn't work from that at all, so that needs all the FRC software uninstalled and reinstalled.

You should not have had to try all those things.
By breaking down the individual steps of the process, you alter the timing of steps and you can certainly arrive at an accidental success.
I noted no fewer than 4, and maybe up to 6, reboots of the cRio while trying to image it.
Each time (when direct cable connected) my laptop noted the link loss and went into fairly lengthy recovery.
Ethernet hubs are very cheap and I'd hazard a guess that most teams have a couple of them that they haven't even used in quite a while.
I'm convinced that using a hub or switch between any PC and the cRio will eliminate all the try this (I call it voodoo because you might as well sacrifice a chicken too while you're at it) and try that.

Note - disable Windows Firewall and UAC. Both have the potential to silently interfere with the software installation and Imaging process so it might fail and you aren't sure why.

That is good advice.

EDIT: I do not endorse sacrificing chickens, but I do like KFC original recipe.