HP 49/50 ROM Updates The first size listed is the downloaded file size and the second size listed is the size on the calculator.

49g+/50g ROM update information

At present I only have directions for updating the 49g+ or 50g ROM with an SD card.

Before you start

First make sure you have fresh batteries. You should also back up all RAM (HOME, port 0, and port 1), and it is probably a good idea to back up port 2 (the flash memory) as well.

Put an SD card into an SD card reader connected to your computer. Copy over the upgrade script file (update.scp) and the ROM update file (usually has the extension .bin and should be around 1.4MB) to the root directory of the SD card. Now remove the card from the computer and insert it into your calculator.

Performing the upgrade

Hold down the + (plus) and - (minus) keys simultaneously, and insert a paperclip into the reset hole on the bottom of the calculator. Release the paperclip from the reset hole, then wait a couple seconds, and then release the + and - keys. The calculator will now show "1.UPDATE CODE" on the first line. Press 1, and then it will prompt for USB or CARD. Press 2 to select card. The update will now start. The time to update will vary based on the speed of your SD card, but even a slow card should do it in under 2 minutes. When finished, it will say "WAIT RESET", so press the reset button with the paperclip again (newer calculators also allow you to press ENTER here instead). The calculator will now start with the new ROM.

Early 49g+ calculators are not as flexible with the arrangement of the data on the card, so here are some suggestions to try if the calculator fails to find the upgrade file:

• Make sure the card is formatted as FAT16.
• Make sure the update files are among the first files on the card. The easy way to guarantee this is to format the card and copy over only the update files.

49G ROM update information

At present the following ROM update instructions are only valid under Windows 95/98/NT/2000.

In order to update your 49G's ROM, you need the HP Graphing Calculator PC Connectivity Kit 3.0, also known as HPComm 3.0. If you don't have this, you can download it here. You may download the ROM update at the bottom of this page.

If you are unsure of your ROM version, type VERSION and press [ENTER]. It will return two strings, with the first saying something like "Version HP49-C Revision 1.10". If your calculator shows anything less than the latest ROM version (1.18 is the latest official ROM and 1.19-6 is the latest beta ROM), it is time for an upgrade.

Before you start

It is important that you use fresh batteries in your calculator when you attempt a software upgrade. The upgrade process uses more power than normal operations, and the upgrade will fail if the batteries are not fresh enough. If the operating system upgrade fails, you cannot use your calculator until you upgrade the operating system.

Also, back up the 49G's user memory to the PC, as you should do before transferring any new software onto your calculator.

Updating the 49G's ROM

1. On the PC:

1. Unzip the ROM update file to a folder on your hard drive, noting the location. Make sure it has a .flash extension; some zip decompressors do not support long file names, requiring you to rename the file.
2. Connect the HP 49G to the PC, and start the PC Connectivity Kit.
3. In the PC Connectivity Kit, navigate to the PC directory that holds the operating system file.
4. Double-click the .flash operating system file to display the Download program dialog box.

2. On the 49G:

1. Enter diagnostic mode by turning the calculator on, holding [ON], and pressing [F4].
2. While the Tests screen is showing, use your thumb to hold down [+] and [ENTER].
3. While holding down [+] and [ENTER], press and release [ON] to show the No System menu, and then release [+] and [ENTER].
4. Press [4] to select terminal mode. A blank screen appears. To abort at this time, hold down [ON], press [F3], and then release both keys.

3. On the PC:

On the Flash upgrade dialog box:

1. Use the Config Comms button to configure the PC serial port that the calculator is connected to.
2. Click the Talk to calc button to send the download program to the HP 49G.

4. On the 49G:

The download program sent from the PC is now running.

1. Press [1] to select Download System. The 49G communicates with the PC Connectivity Kit and commences the upgrade. This process takes about 15 minutes.
2. When the process finishes, the 49G prompts to press a key to reboot. Press [Q] twice to reboot the 49G. The operating system is now upgraded.

If it fails:

If it fails, your calculator will no longer operate properly until you re-flash the ROM. To do this, perform the following steps and then go back to 3. On the PC above:

1. Insert a paper clip into the reset hole in the back of the 49G
2. While the screen is blank, use your thumb to hold down [+] and [ENTER].
3. While holding down [+] and [ENTER], press and release [ON] to show the No System menu, and then release [+] and [ENTER].
4. Press [4] to select terminal mode. A blank screen appears. To abort at this time, hold down [ON], press [F3], and then release both keys.

There are 24 files totaling 16,235 KB in this category.

Equation Library and Periodic Table   (details) 49/50 ENG   55 KB / 97 KB Contains the old Equation Library and Periodic Table libraries from HP's Equation Library card for the 48SX, ported to the 49g+ and 50g. The Equation Library libraries are the same as those included with ROM 2.08 and higher, and are included here in case they are accidentally deleted from the calculator. By Hewlett-Packard. 2007-04-03

Equation Library and Periodic Table (Español)   (details) 49/50 ESP   56 KB / 97 KB Contains the old Equation Library and Periodic Table libraries from HP's Equation Library card for the 48SX, ported to the 49g+ and 50g and translated into Spanish. By Hewlett-Packard and Alexis Ariel Dávalos Zuleta. 2008-08-30

ROM 2.15   (details) 49/50 ENG   1,683 KB Flash update file to update the ROM of the HP 49g+ and HP 50g to version C-2.15. Also includes updates to the equation library and periodic table library. This is the latest official supported release. By Hewlett-Packard. 2009-04-21