Making backup ML cards

[MagicEclipse]

Hi guys, I have a few cards that I want to have ML installed and ready for my camera.  However, it's not working as easy as I thought it would.  I went ahead and dropped the three files (ML Folder, 7D_203.fir and autoexec.bin) and no luck.  This is the nightly build for the 7d and the only one running at the moment is the original card I started with ML.  The other card, however, will not work even though it has the same file contents. 

Am I missing something when I transfer over?  I notice that on my normal card with ML has lots of .LOG files (Assert00.log, Crash00.log, Logo000.log) files, are these needed as well?

Thanks!

[Walter Schulz]

Top of page -> User Guide -> Install Guide

[MagicEclipse]

I see, (Installing Magic Lantern on other cards) thank you so much!  I have a feeling I'm not the first person to have asked this.  Sorry for the repetitiveness if so.

When I install the firmware skip (EOScard) do I just put the card in and select the two icon options at the bottom CHDK and ML icons and then click Save?  If so, I tried it and it didn't work.

[MagicEclipse]

Also, I realize that there are a lot of newer builds available.  I have the magiclantern-Nightly.2014Oct08.7D203.  Should I upgrade to the latest, and if so do I just copy the three files in the folder and replace it with the old existing ones?  But before doing that, I want to be able to get my other card working with ML.

[Datadogie]

Just EosCard then drop the files in that are required. Worked for me and I have six cards.

[MagicEclipse]

I am having a lot of trouble making this work.

Could you tell me what am I doing wrong?

1) Put card in computer and copy the 3 files (ML Folder, 7D_203.fir and autoexec.bin) onto the card.

2) Run the Eoscard program.

3) Refresh and once the card is found,  check the boxes (EOS_DEVELOP and BOOTDISK) or click the two big icons at the bottome (CHDK raw and ML LOGO) and click save.

4)Remove card and place in camera....... doesn't boot magic lantern...

and I missing a step or something?  Do I have to exit out magic lantern from the old card?

[Walter Schulz]

Format card in cam, copy extracted nightly build contents to card and run firmware update. Redo for each card.

[MagicEclipse]

Do I have to exit out of magic lantern with the old card or can I just swap the cards and format the new card?

Also, if I were to add the new build on my new card and left the old build in my old card will that cause complications?

[ansius]

1. Make cards bootable with EOScard (you can just simply tick on ML icon and Save, it does not matter what instal it would download)
2. Copy all the contents form card you have been using with ML to card you just made bootable (I suggest delete previous files and then copy)
3. check the card in camera, it should work.

tough be careful when swapping cards, switch the camera off and wait the red led before ejecting card, otherwise camera can hang. Had it couple times, ejecting battery fixed it.

[MagicEclipse]

Thanks everyone.  I went ahead and just ignored the EOScard program and just did it through my camera and it works now   

I'm confused on how ML actually works.  I know the camera runs ML from the memory card with the files in it, but does that mean when the card is removed and another clean card is inserted, the camera is running stock with no sign of ML right?

I read up that if you want to go back to stock, you shouldn't just delete ML off your card.  It's best to exit out of it from going to the menu and doing the upgrade process and converting it back to stock.  If that is so, should I put my old card in and convert it back to stock?  This is why I'm confused, if the camera was already booting up in ML and I put a new card with the same files, why did it run stock and not boot up ML? 

Also, would the settings be saved as well in the ML menu or return to stock? 

[Walter Schulz]

And here we go again ...

ML needs three things to run:
- Cam with bootflag set.
- Bootable card
- Card with ML files

If cam bootflag not set: Cam starts up as intended by Canon
If cam bootflag is set: Cam will look for bootable card.
- If card is not bootable or card not inserted: Cam will come up without ML. There is indeed a difference in behaviour because cam will always look for a bootable card thus slowing down startup and wakeup from powersave state.
- If card is bootable cam will try to load Autoexec.bin (and other ML stuff).

If you just delete card's content from a bootable card cam will get stuck during startup because Autoexec.bin is absent.
You have to remove card's boot option to remove ML from card. Easiest way to do this is formatting it inside a cardreader or within cam after toggling Q button.
To deinstall cam's bootflag you have to redo installation process and wait for timeout to set in.

[MagicEclipse]

So when doing the bootflag process, is it writing a specific information into the card so that it will read ML? 

Because I don't see how having two cards with the same file content will result in one booting ML and the other card not booting into ML.

[Walter Schulz]

Same as on PC:
Contents stored in boot sector are hidden by default and not visible using tools like Explorer.
EOScard will show you card's status.

[MagicEclipse]

Just to clarify, I do have ML working on all of my cards now by doing the bootflag process on my camera.

By bootflagging the camera with the new card, is it overwriting ML information on the camera....or is it hardcoded on the compact flash card?

My biggest concern is that I don't want it to contain multiple coded information of ML in my camera. 

I just want to make sure by having two compact flash cards used for bootflagging the camera that it won't store multiple data which might corrupt the camera.

[Walter Schulz]

You may want to read all of above + Install Guide + FAQ + User Guide + disclaimer in download page. I'm not going to repeat it all over again.
EOT.