LabQuest Update Installation and Troubleshooting FAQs

Why Update Your LabQuest?

Why should I update my LabQuest?

Updating to the latest LabQuest version will give you all the latest features and functionality available for your LabQuest interface.

Who should update to LabQuest version 1.7?

Anyone running LabQuest that does not already have version 1.7.

How do I determine which version of the LabQuest software I am running?

To determine which version of the software you are running

Tap on the Home icon
Select Control Panel
Select System Information
For LabQuest versions 1.2 and newer, the version is shown on the summary tab.
For LabQuest versions 1.0 and 1.1, the version is shown on the software tab.

What is new in LabQuest version 1.7?

Support for Ethanol Sensor
Support for Pyranometer
Support for Mini GC Plus
Support for Optical DO Sensor
Support for Goniometer
Support for Vernier Radiation Monitor
Supports ability for user to turn off spectrometer graph rainbow background
Spectrometer graph background for intensity measurements is now off
Supports display of spectrometer graph background as full height or thin strip
Added support for manual entry of a printer’s IP address
Added Pulse Width Modulation support in the DAQ firmware for use with engineering education applications when used with Vernier Logger Pro software
Improved messages displayed when there is a conflict between applications trying to use the internal microphone
Added Periodic Table information updates

What is new in LabQuest version 1.6?

Support for Chemical Polarimeter
Support for Projectile Launcher

What is new in LabQuest version 1.5.2?

LabQuest Version 1.5.2 is an optional patch to be applied only on top of version 1.5.1. It includes two changes only:

Support for the Constant Current System
Fixes an issue with the Power Amplifier App, where the output levels were incorrect

Only users of these two products need to update to 1.5.2.

What is new in LabQuest version 1.5.1?

System behavior is improved in low-battery state, avoiding a crash that required a reset.

What is new in LabQuest version 1.5?

Data Marks and Data Tags
New Sensors: Melt Station, 30-Volt Voltage Probe, and Anemometer
WDSS and Bluetooth support
Data Matrix

What is new in LabQuest version 1.4?

SpectroVis Plus Spectrophotometer + Fluorometer
Wireless Printing (with Vernier WiFi USB Adapter)
Improved Battery Life and Monitoring

What is new in LabQuest version 1.3?

Added sensor support for:

Additional features:

Peak Integration analysis feature
GPS (Global Positioning System) strength display
Now supports 14 languages

What is new in LabQuest version 1.2?

Added Sensor Support for:

Additional data collection modes and features:

Function generator for analog out and digital port DC mode
Audio out beats
Delta calculation tool
Fast Fourier transforms
Scientific notation support
Slow (long-term) data collection
Save custom calibrations to a sensor

Additional Language Localization of application:

Portuguese
Greek
Russian
Danish
Finnish
Netherlands
Swedish
Turkish
Greek
Japanese (in a separate release)

My LabQuest Library

Lab Creator
Lab Organizer
Increased number of embedded labs from 51 to 102
Organized the labs into folders by subject area

What is new in LabQuest version 1.1.1?

Updated firmware to improve performance.

What is new in LabQuest version 1.1?

Added support for the following sensors:

Blood Pressure Sensor (BPS-BTA)
Digital Radiation Monitor (DRM-BTD)
Rotary Motion Sensor (RMV-BTD, RMS-BTD)
New Vernier SpectroVis spectrometer (SVIS)
Spectrometers from Ocean Optics: Vernier Spectrometer (V-SPEC), Ride Tide models (SPRT-VIS, ESRT-VIS, SPRT-UV-VIS), USB 4000 models (SP-VIS, SP-UV-VIS)
LabQuest Internal Microphone as a sensor

We have also added support for language localization for the following languages:

Spanish
French
German
Italian

LabQuest Update Zip File

What is the update zip file?

The zip file contains the files needed to update the LabQuest to the latest version of the LabQuest software.

Can I update my LabQuest directly from the zip file?

No. LabQuest will not recognize or be able to open a zip file.

How do I extract the files from the zip on a Windows computer?

For Windows XP

Right click on the zip file
Select Extract All….
Click Next
Click Browse…
Select your USB drive
Click OK
Click Next to extract the files from the zip

For Windows Vista and Windows 7

Right click on the zip file
Select Extract All….
Click Browse…
Select your USB drive
Click OK
Click Extract to extract the files from the zip

How do I extract the files from the zip using WinZip Classic?

Connect your USB drive to your computer. Navigate to the location where the zip file is located. Double click to open this file. From the Actions menu select “Extract”. From the Folders/Drive section of the Extract dialog, highlight the USB drive then click Extract.

How do I extract the files from the zip using WinZip Wizard?

Connect your USB drive to your computer. Navigate to the location where the zip file is located. Double-click to launch the WinZip Wizard. Click Next to start the wizard. Choose Unzip or install from the zip file, then click Next. Click Select Different Folder and navigate to the USB drive. Click OK to verify your selection. Click Unzip Now to extract the files.

How do I extract the files from the zip using a Mac?

Connect your USB drive to your computer. Navigate to the location where the zip file is located. Double-click to extract the files. Move or copy the contents to your USB drive.

On my Mac, why is the the zip file not in the location where I saved it?

Some Mac operating systems will automatically extract the files from a zip file and discard the original file. Copy the files to your USB drive and proceed with the update. If you cannot find the files, try downloading again. If you continue to have trouble, contact Vernier for technical support.

Applying the Update to Your LabQuest

Can I use any USB drive for the update?

We have found that some USB drives will not connect to a LabQuest because of their physical size (outer casing is too large, or USB metallic connector is less than 12 mm). Also, only USB drives with FAT or FAT32 formats are supported. HFS, a Mac specific format, is not supported even after reformatting the drive or card to a supported format.

Can I use any SD card for the update?

Not all SD cards are compatible with LabQuest. LabQuest will recognize SD cards with either FAT and FAT32 formats, but NTFS and HFS formats are not supported. Also, SD cards marked as “SDHC” are not compatible with early versions of LabQuest firmware. They will work with version 1.5 or higher.

How much available memory is needed on my USB drive or SD card?

We require at least 100 MB of available memory prior to extracting the LabQuest-v1.7 folder. The update can fail if you do not have enough available memory. If possible, use a blank USB drive or SD card.

Do I need to close or quit any applications before starting an update?

You are not required to close any LabQuest program prior to doing an update. Any open program will be closed for you. For the best experience, we recommend you stop active data collection, save unsaved data, and dismiss the keyboard or calculator before starting the update.

Will I lose any files I have stored on my LabQuest when I update?

Every precaution is made to ensure there is no loss of information during the update. Nevertheless, it is always a good idea to have a backup of your important files saved on a computer or USB drive or SD card.

If the update fails, are my user files lost forever?

During an update, your user files are stored in a home.jffs2 file on your USB drive or SD card. The files are removed only after they are successfully written back to your LabQuest. If an update fails, the home.jffs2 file will be available on your USB drive or SD card. Contact Vernier for instructions for transferring the files back to a LabQuest.

What are the contents of the LabQuest-v1.7 folder?

The contents contained in the LabQuest-v1.7 folder are:

fw (folder including the following files)
- NGI_DAQ.hex
- rootfs.jffs2
fw_pre (folder including the following files)
- adminfs.jffs2
- uboot.bin
- uImage.bin
- uImage2.bin
LQ_1.7_2012-10-23.lqu

All of these files are necessary when updating to version 1.7. The bulletted files/folders must be in the same folder, or at the same directory level, on the USB drive or SD card.

Why does only one file show up when I open the LabQuest-v1.7 folder on the LabQuest during the update?

The LabQuest Update will only show files with an “.lqu” extension. The other files are needed for a successful update, but are not shown since they cannot be used to initiate the update.

Why is it necessary to use the AC adapter when updating a LabQuest?

Losing power during a critical step in the update could leave your LabQuest in a non-working condition. While the chance of this is small, using a power adapter will eliminate this possibility.

Can I remove the USB drive of SD card during the update?

No. Throughout the update, files are stored to and read from the USB drive or SD card. In addition, a log file is written to the USB drive or SD card during the update. You can remove the USB drive or SD card from your LabQuest after you complete the screen calibration. (Note: The log file is removed from the USB drive or SD card after a successful update.)

Error Messages

The flash drive is not configured correctly: This can happen if the files are not properly extracted from the update zip file. Try downloading and extracting the files again, then retry the update. If the update still fails, contact Vernier for technical support.
The LabQuest memory is too full to proceed: You will need to delete some of the files on the LabQuest before the update can be done.
The update encountered an error trying to save user data: This can happen if your USB drive or SD card does not have enough available memory or is write protected. Ensure you have at least 100 MB of free space and that any write protection is disabled. If the problem persists, try a different USB drive or SD card. If the update still fails, contact Vernier for technical support.
The update encounted an internal error unpacking data: The update copies the update files to the LabQuest memory. In the unlikely event this fails, reboot your LabQuest (tap on the Home icon, select System Information, and then select Reboot). This process will take about 3 minutes. Once the reboot is complete, try updating again. If the update still fails, contact Vernier for technical support.
The FLASH update encountered a problem but will proceed: This error occurs if one of the redundant files fail to properly install during an update. A failure to install one of these files will not affect your ability to use your LabQuest. In the unlikely event that your LabQuest does not successfully update after this error message, contact Vernier for technical support.