For the past few days, I’ve been struggling to find a solution for this problem. Every time I try and update the firmware of our RoboRIO it shows up the same exact error code shown below. I tried all of the possible solutions show in the screenshot, I tried searching up the error code/message online and on NI’s website (it amounts to basically the same exact solutions shown in the screenshot), and someone in the FRC Discord even suggested me to change the PC hostname to make sure it didn’t have a dash in it. I’m really losing hope at this point. Please help.
I use a USB to connect the RoboRIO, if that helps.
Out of curiosity, have you tried imaging using a different computer (if available)? Do you see the same behavior? How about NI MAX (step 6 in the first link), can you see the device there? Does it show the roboRIO information properly?
Since the error you are getting says “A required pointer parameter was NULL” I am inclined to think that maybe there’s a software corruption (due to installation, download or the machine’s hard drive) somewhere and is preventing the tool from working properly. Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling the FRC Game Tools?
You can also call NI Technical Support from 1 to 7 PM CST during build season (aka: tomorrow) and troubleshoot live with one of our engineers in the phone: Connect with NI FRC Technical Support
As an extra note, if you have last year’s firmware on the roboRIO, you don’t need to update firmware this season. You can skip right to imaging the roboRIO instead.
UPDATE: I tried all of your solutions and nothing came out of it… also @JeffB reimaging doesn’t work either for me because it shows up another error code.
To put your roboRIO in SafeMode, hold down the reset button until the the STATUS light goes solid and then release the reset button. The roboRIO will now restart in SafeMode which is indicated by the STATUS light flashing three times in a row.
Hi! I tore my hair out over this exact error for two days; tried everything on the troubleshooting Docs except for the one 22raor mentioned(not sure if that one would work in your case).
If you have the RIO powered and hold down Reset for five seconds, the Status light will either start blinking in sets of 3 or continuously. If it starts blinking in sets of 3(indicating Safe Mode), I’d try taking 22raor’s advice and see if that works.
If it starts blinking continuously(indicating an Unrecoverable Error), you need to call NI using the contact info at https://www.ni.com/en-us/landing/first.html.
If you tell the tech support rep the problem you’ve been having(error, nothing working for troubleshooting, and status light blinking continuously), they should be able to email you a file that’ll factory-reset the RIO and fix everything.
If you do all these things and it’s still not working (as it did for me), try a different laptop. That is the only thing that worked for us. Frustrating.
Update, I’ve tried @22raor 's solution, but it didn’t work (man, I had hope). @DemocritusRadon I called them already but they have yet to get back to me, I might try and call again sometime this week. @NewtonCrosby unfortunately I do not have access to another computer, as my robotics mentor said I needed to use my current computer since we have nothing else.
Thanks for helping out everyone, but this is probably just bad luck from my side
Update, so instead of using the school issued Robotics computer, I brought in my 7 year old laptop and it works! My conclusion is that the school firewall or whatever blocked the ports and all that. A week of work and this feels great. Regardless, thank all of you for helping.
