STT 8300M Migration to New Computer and Driver Sanity Check

This is cross-posted with the Maxim team as I am not sure exactly where the problem lies.

I am moving to a Mach-1 mount and got it to work last night but had problems with the SBIG STT-8300M and Maxim. I downloaded the driver checker and latest drivers as well as CCDOps. Camera connected fine but when it takes images they come out black.... I recall the earlier horror show I had with the camera and drivers not moving the shutter right.... I was an early adopter of the STT 8300M and tried to keep the original drivers once they worked. Could newly downloaded drivers be the issue? It was too late last night to check everything.

Luckily (actually not luck but experience) I have the computer from my old mount with all the settings and drivers. The new computer is the same except running Windows 10. I can troubleshoot by switching out the computer, but is there an issue with the driver?

I really should post this on the SBIG Hardware page, and probably will (here I am).

Tim, I am still on Skype and have your Skipe handle active. Will send you a note there. I am at the office but will be at home later today where I can troubleshoot.

 

Your are not alone!!! Same here, I finally got the main image back by going to CCDops and working that. However the guider scope will not come back. This is similiar to the issues that this camera had when it was initially issued. Now to find out how to go back to the older previous drivers. Sbig you are better than this. Star time is too precious to F with quirky drivers. Please fix this!!!

 

Oh! forgot something. STT8300M FWG8 Maxim with latest update, CCDops. The recovey proceedure I used was not unlike the ones I used three years ago for a similiar problem. Only this time the guide scope is involved. I have a further comment on the FWG8 that I will make a separate post. It is not flattering. BTW I own 3 Sbig cameras

 

Hi, hope you have clear skys in Kauai!

Thanks. I am going to go back to my old installation a see what driver it is using and see if I can cobble that into the current install.... The old driver is probably dated 2014... The filter wheel was moving, just as far as I could see no shutter motion or either Maxim or CCDOps. Worse comes to worse, i could use the old computer but I wanted to keep that for the Atlas mount.... I do also have a disk image...

 

The old (working) computer has 4.88 Build 4 06.25.15 and is Windows 7. The new install is 4.92 and running Windows 10. Anyone know if I can just replace the files and change the driver in device manager, or is this maybe a windows 10 issue and 4.92 works in Windows 7.

 

Was there any resolution to this for either of you, or did you revert back to older drivers and that was the end of it?

Setting up a new computer myself, so I'm very interested!

Thanks and regards,
Craig Smith

 

I just went back to the old drivers and Windows 7. Think that saved me a lot of work. Not enough time in the world to debug everything.... On my agenda is to use some software called doubledriver to save the old drivers then reinstall them on the new machine, but not enough time....

 

Thanks for the update.

Craig

 

Has anyone gotten these newer drivers or older drivers to work in Windows 10? My Windows 7 machine is getting long in the tooth. I have not tried the doubledriver install, but have been busy.

 

Windows10 is da bes as my Hawaiian brethern would say. I am running MaximDL, TSX, APCC, ST3, FM4, CCDops, CCDAP5, SeqGenPro, et al. The bottom line is I can not find anything that is current that will not run on this great OS.
You are just about out of time for the upgrade. BTW my observatory computer is an old Dell 690 with ten. when you upgrade make sure the computer is on a wired and NOT wireless connection
Aloha
Tom

 

Well, I put another HDD in the computer and upgraded it so I am "activated" but I just do not want to upgrade to current SSD since when I put a similar computer on the scope with W10 Maxim would not work with the STT-8300M. This, other machine however, because I started from scratch, made me download the lastest STT drivers, which may have been the kiss of death. Hard to believe I could be the only person trying to run concurrently W10, Maxim and an STT 8300M. If anyone has this combination running, would like to know what drivers are being used for the STT.

 

Suggest you follow the SBig recommendation that you install as admin. read the install instructions. I had the drivers updated and they would not work correctly I then did the one time admin install and everything settled out. If you update to 10 and then want to do SSD if it is a Samsung that have a fantastic clone app. Make damn sure you have a FULL backup/image before you do anything
Aloha
Tom

 

If I read above you had problems too with the STT. What driver do you have?

I see there is another post here with the STT, W10 and the 4.92 driver working (mostly). I'll reinstall everything.

 

Jerry I just tried to upload a snip of the drivers but I don't seem to be able to upload a jpg.

4.92 build1 did you ever run as administrator
tom

 

Jerry,

Uninstall the driver checker and download the new one. We updated recently.
Right click on the installer and run as admin.

• Download the SBIG Driver Checker Installer
  Important Note: If you need to update your camera firmware, we strongly recommend downloading the latest SBIG Driver Checker rather than using the Update button.
• Some improvements have been made to the firmware installation process.

 

Thanks Tim.

I did as you said and still I get no image in W10 with the new drivers. I basically have the same computer one with W7 the other W10. The W7 has sbigudrv.dll 4.88 and the system works. The W10 machine is exactly the same but was never used much (these are Dell M2400). The new one has the 4.92 dll and does not work. I recheck all settings.

The image gives me a range of 0 to 255. Same set up I get a normal image with the W7 4.88 combo. I can test these with the lens cover on. I can just move the USB.

I do not want to upgrade the firmware of the camera given all the trouble I have had with this camera.

Can I manually install the 4.88 dll or does it also have to get registered? The drivers in management on the W7 and W10 machines show the same. 2.41.

If I do not hear from you, I'll just switch out the dll and see what happens.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> IT WORKS NOW IN W10 WITH THE OLD DLL