Fix for Kontrol Mk3 firmware update on Windows

Vas P · 2023-10-24T17:05:08+00:00

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Hi all,

I see many Windows users experiencing problems with firmware update on new Mk3 Kontrol keyboards.

One of these issues can be resolved by assigning driver to a device manually, when it switches to firmware update mode.

Here's step-by-step guidance:

1) Make sure you followed initial steps in https://ni.de/kontrol-setup and installed new Native Access and Hardware Connection Service

2) Check that Hardware Connection Service is running (using Win+R -> services.msc or you favourite command line tool)

3) Open Device Manager console using Win+R -> devmgmt.msc and look for Kontrol SXX DFU entry in Universal Service Bus devices item

If you see this picture, then you are good to continue. Otherwise, install the latest updates for your OS (in my case it's Win 11 22H2 22621.2428).

3) Download and start KSMK3Updater (follow https://ni.de/kontrol-update)

4) If it found your keyboard, click UPDATE and if you get stuck on this, then I have a solution for you

5) Open Device Manager console using Win+R -> devmgmt.msc and look for Kontrol SXX DFU once again, I bet you'll see unknown device in Other Devices category (took screenshot from FlipBit's post):

6) Now let's apply correct driver to this device manually. Right-click on the device and select Update Driver , in dialog popup select Browse my computer for drivers

7) In the next dialog, select Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer

8) Find Native Instruments driver for Kontrol S49/61/88 MK3 DFU and install it for this device.

9) Restart KSMK3Updater and update your firmware. It should work now.

I hope this will work for you, enjoy your keyboard!

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Comments

PoorFellow

@Tim_NI , Just notifying you about above post in case there is anything new at all for you ! ?

fLaX

for me it's not working, i tried everything in this forum but nothing works. Can't NI give us a seperate driver so wie can install the firmware?

GehWasserHolen

I got to the point where the updater is not showing an error anymore. How long did it take for you to complete the update?

Vas P

@GehWasserHolen, 10-15 minutes or so, did it work for you in the end?

GehWasserHolen

After 15min I tried restarting the process. However now it seems to be broken completely. Now everytime i start the keyboard it says "Looks like something went wrong". I guess I have to bring it back to where i got it from and ask for refund :(

Vas P

@GehWasserHolen , oh, sorry for you mate, didn't expect that you'll treat my timing experience as your hard limit for restart. Restarting or power-cycling device in the middle of update process, that is actually running and not failing with an error, is a bad idea.

GehWasserHolen

@Vas P That happened before you wrote your message :D. Also I have never ever in my life seen a product brake to the point where i have to return it even when restarting a device during an update process. There should always be some kind of safe mode to get into that has some base functionality so these errors can be fixed. Anyway, gonna refund and have to wait another week probably for a replacement...

reffahcs

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/103204#Comment_103204

If you start the update process you need to let it go until the firmware update tool indicates that it either finished or an error occurred. If the firmware update tool says to standby then it's still doing something. I've seen some posts from Windows users saying that it took them several hours for the update to work. As long as your keyboard still says "something went wrong" that's a good sign. It means your keyboard booted into recovery mode and was able to load that picture from it's internal memory, in other words, it's most likely not bricked.

reffahcs

If you're computer savvy, you can download a program called Wireshark which is normally used to capture network traffic. However it also has an add on feature that allows you to capture USB traffic. If you have the correct USB interface selected, you should see packets like this when you power on the keyboard. "idVendor: Native Instruments (0x17cc)"

When the firmware update is in progress you should see a stream of URB_CONTROL messages

As long as those are happening the firmware update is working.

Happy to help if you'd like some assistance but also understand that the MK3 launch has been frustrating for a lot of people.

joden

Sorry, that fix above

does not work as in my case Windows states it is already the correct driver. Also, there is nothing in Unknown. All drivers for the whole system are present and correct. It still will not update firmware!!!

joden

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/103299#Comment_103299

Yes, but the app says the update failed, NOT the keyboard...and then it all just hangs! Seems to be a lot of misinterpretation going around. I've tried pretty much everything...still will not update, ergo I cannot use the keyboard

joden

Yep this works!

But one tip I would make is to not just use the folder, but drill down to the actual driver file in that folder, then over-ride the W11 warning (although to be fair it's probably what the OP meant anyway).

What actually causes the issue , is the updater drops the auto loaded USB driver (at PC boot) when it starts the update process, ergo it cannot complete and posts a fail. The above method re-loads that driver (with the updater still running) then on the retry (NOT a restart of the app) it works. Happy Days

ZenBalancer

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/17887/fix-for-kontrol-mk3-firmware-update-on-windows

Finally! The reasonable fix for me is this! It worked perfectly for me. I used the most recent updated driver using Windows Update and selected it from a list of all available drivers. Now I can move forward.

Thanks a bunch!!

Yosh Studio

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/17887/fix-for-kontrol-mk3-firmware-update-on-windows

You are a god ! Thank you so much you are a weapon ! took me a while lto work out finding where to find that driver in the list but once i found the device and selected the right one it worked soo quick !

Dufix

This almost worked, however I could only find the MK2 drivers in "NI USB Devices"

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