Cobra USB Flashing issues

[RikuAkiyama]

I've been emailing Cobra Support about this for a couple weeks now and haven't gotten much back concerning my particular issue.

I attempted to update the Cobra from right before 4.0/4.1 to 4.1 and cobraflash gave me this error:
"Error Opening Device: COBRA was not found".
So I figured no big deal Ill just go back to playing what I have available. Well thats not happening either because now the device just blinks at me in the ps3 and refuses to be recognized by my computer. And yes, I've installed the drivers. However, no computer I try will recognize the cobra usb, even after the drivers have been installed. It only shows up as an unknown device on the pc and WILL NOT jailbreak the ps3 (the cobra usb logo just flashes and boots the ps3 into normal mode). I truly hope the old updater didn't brick my device.
In return I received this email:

Please use another USB slot and ("Make sure to set the Cobra switch to PC") and install the driver located in "Cobra-USB_updater_v2.0.rar" from Windows auto detection device.

if you can't get it to show on screen use "DEVICE MANAGER " look for something like (Material Id number: USB\VID_AAAA&PID_C0BA&REV_0000). find the new USB device detected and update drivers from propriety menu. (In some case before the last procedure you may need to uninstall your prior drivers then restart your PC)

As soon as you have updated the drivers you should be able to drag and drop the Cobra frimware file "Cobra-USB_Firmware_v4.1.cba" on the file"cobraflash.exe" you should see the update progress and waiting message and after a small delay you will get "Press enter to exit ".

If the process end with error please retry the flash procedure.


If the problem persist and your drivers are up to date and you can't use the "cobraflash.exe" without receiving errors, there is another possibility that the issue come from your PC setup. We suggest you to try on another computer to see if this help. otherwise you may have a defective unit.


Best Regards - Cobra-USB Technical Support


Well I've tried everything they've suggested. I even had my programmer roommate to help me out. He informed me that the device isn't recognizing itself. I tried EVERY step imaginable and it still refuses to work. I also tried 5 other pcs and 2 laptops with different operating systems. I've attached the 2 things that confuse me most. The device changed its material id number (its now "USB\VID_0000&PID_0000\5&7138A9C&0&2"), which means its no longer a cobra USB device. Can anyone here help me out?

[bitsbubba]

contact the seller for an exchange

[iGoTiT4FrEe]

If the problem persist and your drivers are up to date and you can't use the "cobraflash.exe" without receiving errors, there is another possibility that the issue come from your PC setup. We suggest you to try on another computer to see if this help. otherwise you may have a defective unit.

Yeah sounds like the dongle went bang man, best to contact the reseller you bought it from and ask for an exchange.

[RikuAkiyama]

Well damn =/ Right as PSP support launches. Figures lol Thanks guys, I'll see about getting it replaced.

[jaronco2]

ya man same here but it worked one day then stopped same problems also

[Nicodimus]

I've just had the same problem. The cobra team needs to address this and issue a fix or replace these units that have been bricked by their own software, I'm confident it wasn't a problem with the PC or a defective dongle the flasher program is the source of the problem. I cannot get a replacement from the reseller because the place I purchased mine, slickgate, no longer sells them.

[windrider]

I've just had the same problem. The cobra team needs to address this and issue a fix or replace these units that have been bricked by their own software, I'm confident it wasn't a problem with the PC or a defective dongle the flasher program is the source of the problem. I cannot get a replacement from the reseller because the place I purchased mine, slickgate, no longer sells them.

I seen your post on PS3crunch earlier, but didn't bother to answer you there, although I am sorry about your troubles.

The Cobra Team as you say does address this issue, by you going through your reseller to replace the dongle.

Was slickgate among one of the Retailers listed on the Cobra USB dongle site?

Have you contacted Slickgate, even though they no longer sell this dongle?

You have to be careful when buying these things from a good solid retailer that will honor the warranty in place. Slickgate doesn't even participate in Resellerratings.com

I can't answer for the Cobra Team, only from my own dealings with them, and I was told the same thing. My Reseller gladly put in a RMA and issued me an new one. You need to go through your reseller to get a new one or a refund. Even if they no longer sell it, send them your receipt and tell them the problem.

[Nicodimus]

Thanks for your reply windrider. I have contacted slickgate but have heard nothing back from them as of yet, nor have I heard anything from the Cobra Team whom I also e-mailed, though I suppose it'll be the same reply you fellas received. I think in the end I'm just going to have to chalk this one up as a loss. And when I said address the problem I was speaking of releasing a new flasher that will not brick the dongle. I wish I would've had the foresight to know that the software released to update the dongle could also render it useless, in that case I would've made sure the reseller I purchased from was legit and would honor the warranty. Lesson learned, I will not make the same mistake again. You said that your dongle had to be replaced, did yours also die via the flashing brick? I'm just trying to get a feel for how prevalent this problem is.

[windrider]

Well i have bought many types of dongles, flashcards, psp memory cards in my life. They can fail just as any computer part can. It just happens.

This is why it is always good to have the patience to find a good retailer to start with.

But it is the retailer that does handles the warranty, not the company itself usually. The Cobra team has a six month warranty I believe, but I could be wrong. I think thats what my retailer offered anyway.

In your case I don't know.

I do know how you feel and have had to chalk up a couple mistakes I made in the past as well.

But anyway mine just failed one day when loading it in the PS3, had nothing to do with flashing. The first one I bought back in July. It died in August, got a replacement and been working great since.

bitsbubba is a moderator here and his also died, but I am not sure if his had to do with flashing either. But like I say if bought from one of the retailers listed on site, you should have no problems with warranty no matter the issue.

!	bitsbubba wrote:
	same as you it just died one day, luckily I went through their official US/Canada re-seller and it's getting replaced! (and it was a week or 2 past warranty)

[SwordOfWar]

I was following the PDF tutorial with the update flasher to update my dongle.

Everything was going fine until the updater quit and said "can't communicate with device (is device unplugged?)"

So I pressed, enter, switched ports and tried a few other USB slots with the same problem.

Now all windows says is that the device is not recognized. When trying to manually select the drivers for installtion again, it just says the drivers for my device are already installed and still shows it as "unknown device"....

It was attemping to update before and now it won't do anything.

I'm getting pissed because I haven't even got the chance to use the thing yet.