Have I bricked my keyboard?

[Blitzschnitzel]

Hi, after a long while I wanted to flash some tweaks to my key layout but the QMK Toolbox didn’t work anymore.

Code: [Select]

*** DFU device connected: ATm32U4DFU -- 0x03EB:0x2FF4
*** Attempting to flash, please don't remove device
>>> dfu-programmer.exe atmega32u4 erase --force
    dfu-programmer: no device present.
>>> dfu-programmer.exe atmega32u4 flash "C:\Users\henni\qmk\qmk_firmware\xd75_henning.hex"
    dfu-programmer: no device present.
>>> dfu-programmer.exe atmega32u4 reset
    dfu-programmer: no device present.
I figured it could be a driver issue. To my surprise the device manager listed four devices labelled XD75. I uninstalled them and installed the drivers form Zadig. I also tried loading the drivers from ATMEL Flip but it said that this wouldn’t be an executable driver and that I should check if it was made for x64 systems. I am pretty sure that the Flip method had worked in the past.
Anyways, somewhere in this I must have broken something because now the Keyboard doesn’t even type the old Layout. I can still cycle the RGB modes, so I am still hopeful it might be fixed with drivers.
Does someone have advice?

[suicidal_orange]

Plugging it into a different USB port will make windows think it's a brand new device so it should type normally, then you can start again on trying to load flashable drivers (I have no advice there - it just works in Linux...)  RGB only needs power but if you can cycle modes the chip isn't fried so it's not properly bricked

[Blitzschnitzel]

THX but that didn't work. I had forgotten that there are different drivers for normal and DFU mode. So, now I was able to flash the board but it still doesn't type. Strangely the volume up and down keys work.
The device manager now shows two xd 75 devices. In Zadig it shows four "xd75(instance 0)" to "xd75(instance 3)". I've updated the driver of all four with Zadig but to no avail.

[Blitzschnitzel]

Does someone know how to solve this? Typing on my backup rubber dome hurts deep down.

[4sStylZ]

I have two suggestion for you not for solving the problem but for getting helped : 


1) Go to the discord QMK : https://discord.gg/mZ5qZvk and ask help in the #help channel.
2) Declare an issue on the QMK github.

[KHAANNN]

While no one suggested it, try it on a different computer first - If it doesn't work, you can move onto 4sStylZ's suggestions

From my experience keyboards don't brick easily, you usually can fix it somehow - I once fed -5V instead of 5V to a PCB, didn't work for a while, then kept working, once mis-flashed a PCB if I don't remember incorrectly, even that recovered tho I don't recall the exact details

[Blitzschnitzel]

THX guys! It kind of fixed itself... I uninstalled all drivers and restarted for the 20th time and then it just worked again. Apparently, windows randomly picked the right driver this time. No Zadig or other driver installing required.

[sickbabies]

Necro'ing to say that this is the only other place I have seen someone with this issue. All flashing goes fine for me, but after the reset and reflash the keyboard stops working. Layers can be accessed and Media keys work, like you said, but windows won't accept anything else. I'm at a loss as to what driver I need to replace and even on what device. My main USBIO controller?

[suicidal_orange]

Generally speaking you can delete any device in device manager then when you restart Windows will find a 'new' device and look for drivers.  Sounds like Blitz was deleting keyboards which are in something like 'HID' or 'Human Interface' Devices.

Swapping the board to a different USB port does the same 'new device/driver reset' because Windows is dumb so that's usually easier until you run out of ports, though seems you need some luck too in this strange scenario.