Troubleshooting BALTECH Uploader
Connection issues
The reader I want to connect isn't shown in the Select a Reader dialog
See this entry.
The reader is in use by another application, but I've closed all other BALTECH tools
See this entry.
An Ethernet reader is no longer shown after a few minutes
See this entry.
General errors
"Customer key doesn't match"
Details
Error message:
Customer key doesn't match: This file is encrypted with a customer key that is
different from the key on the reader. Please re-export the file in ConfigEditor
using a reader with the same customer key.
In versions below 4.26, the message is as follows:
Customer Key Signature does not match. Reader Disconnected.
Issue
The BEC2/BEC file was created with a reader that holds a different customer key
than the reader you want to upload the file to.
When a BEC2/BEC file is created, it is encrypted with the customer key on the
reader connected to the computer. The file can only be uploaded to a reader
holding the same customer key. The reader to which you want to upload it now,
however, holds a different customer key
(learn more).
Solution
This happens typically when productive readers are equipped with your
company's own customer key, while the configuration was created on a standard
BALTECH reader with a default customer key. To fix this, you need to create
a new BALCFG file and release it on a reader holding your company's own
customer key.
A quick way to create the new BALCFG file is to create a copy of the existing one. This copy will not be linked to the same customer key.
"File format rejected"
Details
Error message:
This file format is either invalid or not supported by the reader firmware version.
Issue 1
Your reader has a firmware version below 1100 v2.05, but the configuration
you're trying to upload has been exported for firmware version 1100 v2.05
or above. (This export feature is currently only supported by certain custom
ToolSuite versions.)
Solution 1
Update the reader firmware.
You can download
a supported firmware version from our website.
Issue 2
You're trying to upload a configuration or firmware file with an invalid format.
Format errors may e.g. occur during file transfer, or when the file is edited with a
non-BALTECH software tool.
Solution 2
- If the file is a configuration you've created yourself, re-export it. To do so, open the BALCFG file in ConfigEditor and click Export Deployable File.
- If the file is a configuration you've received from us, please contact us, and we'll resend the configuration to you.
- If the file is a firmware from our website, download it again. If the problem persists, please contact us.
Wired Upload errors
"Configuration rejected"
Details
Error message
Configuration rejected: This configuration is for a different project than
the one currently deployed. The reader rejects it to prevent unauthorized
reconfiguration. To load this configuration anyway, please factory reset the reader.
In versions below 4.26, the message is as follows:
You are trying to load a configuration from a different project into the device. For security reasons, this action is blocked by the device. To load this configuration anyway, the device has to be reset to factory settings.
Issue
For security reasons, readers with an existing configuration only accept new
versions of the same configuration
(learn more here).
The configuration you're trying to deploy is a completely different configuration.
Solution
- If you want to use the reader in a different project, click Factory Reset to remove the existing configuration. Then you can upload the new configuration.
- If you actually want to deploy a configuration update for the existing project, please use a different workflow for creating that update: Create a new configuration version instead of a new configuration or a copy of an existing configuration.
"Outdated version rejected"
Details
Error message:
This configuration version is older than the one currently deployed.
The reader rejects it to prevent rollbacks to potentially insecure versions.
To load this version anyway, please factory reset the reader.
In versions below 4.26, the message is as follows:
The device contains a newer version of the configuration which blocks configuration downgrades for security reasons. To load this configuration anyway, the device has to be reset to factory settings.
Issue
For security reasons, readers with an existing configuration only accept new
versions of the same configuration (learn more).
This applies to all configurations created with BALTECH ConfigEditor v4.15.00
(released 11 September 2018) or above.
Solution
If you want to deploy this version to this reader, click Factory Reset to
remove the existing configuration. Then you can upload the older version.
However, what we recommend is a different workflow:
- If you want to make a version rollback on productive readers:
Open the version you want to deploy in ConfigEditor. Create a new version from it and deploy this version to the readers. - If you want to try out different settings with a test reader:
Don't release the configurations, but keep them in draft mode. Then you can overwrite one configuration with another without a factory reset.
"Factory reset required"
Details
Error message:
This reader's configuration prevents firmware updates. To update the firmware,
you need to factory-reset the reader. After the update, you'll need to re-deploy the configuration.
Tip: To deploy the firmware and configuration in 1 step without a factory reset,
package them in BALTECH ConfigEditor.
Issue
The reader contains a configuration packaged with a specific firmware version,
so you cannot upload a new BF2 file alone.
Solution To upload the BF2 file, factory-reset the reader or create a new version of the configuration and package it with the BF2 file.
Wireless Upload errors
"Configuration rejected"
Details
Error message
Configuration rejected: This configuration is for a different project than
the one currently deployed. The reader rejects it to prevent unauthorized
reconfiguration. To load this configuration anyway, please use Wired Upload.
This allows you to first factory reset the reader and then deploy the configuration.
Issue
For security reasons, readers with an existing configuration only accept new
versions of the same configuration
(learn more here).
The configuration you're trying to deploy is a completely different configuration.
Solution
- If you actually want to deploy a configuration update for the existing project, please use a different workflow for creating that update: Create a new configuration version instead of a new configuration or a copy of an existing configuration.
- If you want to use the reader in a different project, use Wired Upload. You'll get the same error message, but here, you can factory-reset the reader. This will remove the existing configuration and upload the new one.
- Wired Upload incl. a factory reset may not always be feasible, e.g. when you have a standard configuration deployed and want to replace it with an end-customer-specific configuration with Wireless Upload only. In this case, you can order a special configuration that can be overwritten without a factory reset.
"Outdated version rejected"
Details
Error message:
This configuration version is older than the one currently deployed.
The reader rejects it to prevent rollbacks to potentially insecure versions.
To load this configuration anyway, please use Wired Upload. This allows you to first
factory reset the reader and then deploy the configuration.
Issue
For security reasons, readers with an existing configuration only accept new
versions of the same configuration
learn more).
Solution
If you want to deploy this version to this reader, use
Wired Upload.
You'll get the same error message, but here, you can factory-reset the reader.
This will remove the existing configuration and upload the new one.
However, what we recommend is a different workflow:
- If you want to make a version rollback on productive readers:
Open the version you want to deploy in ConfigEditor. Create a new version from it and deploy this version to the readers. - If you want to try out different settings with a test reader:
Don't release the configurations, but keep them in draft mode. Then you can overwrite one configuration with another without a factory reset.
The target reader doesn't respond at all
Details
Issue 1
The target reader isn't configured for Autoread mode (i.e. for autonomous operation).
Wireless Upload can only be used with target readers operated in Autoread mode.
This includes:
This issue usually only occurs with USB readers, e.g. an ID-engine Z that you may use for testing. ACCESS200 readers, for which Wireless Upload is designed, usually have Autoread enabled.
Solution 1
You can temporarily enable Autoread on the target reader with BALTECH ID-engine Explorer:
- Connect the reader to your computer.
- Open BALTECH ID-engine Explorer.
- On the left, click Test Autoread Configuration.
Now you can perform the Wireless Upload as described here. When you're done, click Reconnect in the popup that will be displayed. Otherwise, you can ignore this error message.
Issue 2
The reader is configured for Autoread mode, but Autoread has been disabled
temporarily. This happens e.g. when the host sends a VHL or low-level command
to the reader.
Solution 2
Reboot the reader. This automatically reenables Autoread mode.
Issue 3
The target reader's existing firmware doesn't support Wireless Upload.
To support Wireless Upload, target readers need the following firmware:
- 1100 v2.00 or above
- Custom firmware originally created as of November 2021
Solution 3
Update the target reader's firmware using Wired Upload.
After the reboot, the target reader blinks red
Possible LED patterns:
Yellow LED, followed by red blinks
Red blinks
See this entry.