GH2 New P-Tool - something to consider.

F

Framerate

Well-known member
With previous versions of P-Tool it was possible to reinstall the orginal Panasonic firmware file, simply by loading the original onto the card in the normal way.

If, for example, you named the modified F/W V12, or V13, or whatever, it didn't matter - the orginal file V11 would reinstall *without* any need to use P-Tool.

Not so with the latest version - choose the original F/W V11 after using P-Tool, and it won't load.

There *is* a way to restore the 'original' F/W functions - load the authentic F/W into P-Tool (make no adjustments) and re-save as V11 in another location.

That 'V11' will load, and will restore the camera to original spec.

However, it is *not* the orginal F/W - it obviously has identifiers that show it was 'made' using P-Tool. It cannot, for instance, be re-used as an orginal F/W file in P_Tool - because it is a previously manipulated file.

Does it matter?

Probably not - unless you have a GH2 that requires warranty work. Unlike previous versions (both GH1 & GH2) the genuine firmware cannot be re-loaded - and, while the modified 'original' performs the same functions, it is obviously identifiable by Panasonic as 'hacked' firmware.

Just something to bear in mind - particularly if you've been used to simply reloading the genuine F?W as and when required.


EDIT

It's just occurred to me that the only thing I did differently this time was to load patched F/W into a GH2 with already patched F/W

Previously, with the GH1 and the GH2, I always reinstalled the original firmware diret from the card, without using P-Tool. Then, after that, I applied the new hacked F/W

This time (through sheer idleness) I installed the F/W produced by P-Tool 3.64 over F/W previously produced using P-Tool 3.63.

So - if you have yet to use P-Tool 3.64 I'd suggest reinstalling the orginal F/W and *then* applying the modified F/W.

Hopefully, that would allow an independent reinstall of V11 if you ever needed to.

If that didn't work, then P-Tool has obviously been changed.
 
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Thank you for mentioning this because I had this issue when I tried to revert to the original V11 firmware. The same thing happened, the camera didn't recognize the file so I half-guessed that you had to use the new PTool and Save-As and it worked.
 
tinbeo said:
What about re download V 1.1 from Panasonic and do it: Copy to Sd card and push play?
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Doesn't work. With the latest P-Tool version it seems that once it's been used it has to keep being used.

Previously, if I ever needed to reload the standard fireware (even up to & including V11 & P-Tool 3.63) it was just a metter of putting the orginal F/W on the card in the way you suggest.

Now, with P-Tool 3.64, that no longer works and the only way of getting the 'original' F/W back is to load into P-Tool and save as V11 without any further adjustments.

As stated, that restores the standard V11 functionality - but it's obviously *not* the genuine F/W and is doubtless identifiable by Panasonic as such if they choose to care.
 
Framerate said:
but it's obviously *not* the genuine F/W and is doubtless identifiable by Panasonic as such if they choose to care.
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...I don`t see this as being much of a big deal. If Panasonic chooses not to honor their warranty because you hacked your camera, well I think that`s completely fair, as you are using the camera far out of it`s original specs.

The warranty is only good for 1 year, so my GH-2 warranty expired last Xmas. If I fry my camera, I am fully prepared to buy another, but I really don`t expect this to ever happen.
 
TheDingo said:
...I don`t see this as being much of a big deal. If Panasonic chooses not to honor their warranty because you hacked your camera, well I think that`s completely fair, as you are using the camera far out of it`s original specs.

The warranty is only good for 1 year, so my GH-2 warranty expired last Xmas. If I fry my camera, I am fully prepared to buy another, but I really don`t expect this to ever happen.
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Fair points - although it's worth remembering that many EU countries (not Britain, of course....) specify a mandatory 2 year warranty, and some other countries (Canada?) make manufacturers guarantee their products for three years.

Thus, it would probably be worth keeping the warranty live for as long as possible.
 
I think that it should be pointed out that most situations where camera's crash and die won't allow you to reload firmware anyway. It's good info to know that you won't be able to reload your stock firmware without using PTool in the rare case where your camera has some form of malfunction that still allows the camera to work well enough to do so... If for no other reason then to make it 100 percent clear that the hack will void your warranty with the latest Ptool no matter what.
 
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