Courtesy of Bob Murphy, FEI

All CM200feg and CM120 Users:

From time to time the software on both the CM200feg and CM120 will probably need reloading. With all the power glitches and problems this year the problems will get slightly worse. You will know you will need to reload it if you see the message "Waiting for PC to attach". These 2 instruments have a feature called "Downloadable Lens Series" which allows you to edit and change lens values. The problem is that because of this option the memory is RAM which is more Volatile then Rom memory. Any power glitch can cause even 1 bit to change value which will make it necessary to reload all the memory. The following procedure needs to be used.

1. Turn the power off and on to verify that a memory block is failing consistently.

2. After the CM does some selftests you will get the message at the bottom "Waiting for PC to Attach".

3. On your laptops close windows and turn the laptop completely off (this is necessary to reset the COM port properly). Turn the laptop back on by holding the on button for a few seconds. After windows loads verify the cable to the Laptop is connected well and the switch box is set to PC.

4. Open to downloadable lens group. Double click the download lens Icon. The program will start-up. Click "select file" and in the list select "122.exe" for the CM200feg and "112.exe" for the CM120. These are the versions of the software you should be running then Click OK.

5. Click the download button and the Laptop should show download in progress and the bottom of the CM monitor should show Download in progress. On the CM monitor a number will count up slowly to about 80. NOTE: On occasion there is a timing issue so if the procedure doesn't work try getting the Laptop ready and hitting download even before the CM says "Waiting for PC to Attach". You can do this as the CM is testing blocks 5 or 6.

6. After the Loading is done the CM will restart and should pass all the tests. After the tests you can click on the laptop "Start CM". The microscope will start-up normally and the vacuum system will need to warm up.

7. To speed things up especially if wet film was just introduced before the glitch you can remove the film. You will also have to remove the Holder since after the CM starts it must reset it and do a home. If the anticontaminator is cold the system will also restart slower because it will automatically vent and could introduce a little moisture when air hits the cold blades.

NOTE: If you go to the configuration page on the CM and find there are no Aperture sizes listed then you will also need to run CMonitor from the laptop and restore an alignment to the microscope. You will also need to put the film information in like Emulsion, Data Intensity, Stock and exposure numbers and also redue the apertures sizes again. On the CM12O you will need to do a Gun Alignment Procedure and filament limit. Unfortunately these must be resored manually. You can find what data and numbers to put in by looking for PM sheets on the shelves. DO NOT do anything if the aperture sizes are listed which means the alignment memory is good.