How-to guide

How to Flash DMA Firmware

Whether you've got a Captain 75T, Squirrel 35T, Enigma X1, or Screamer M.2 — the flashing flow is the same. Roughly 15 minutes start to finish, including reboots.

What you need

Step 1 — Generate the firmware

Log in, head to the dashboard, choose your board (e.g. Captain 75T) and tier (Standard, Advanced, Ultimate, or Premium). Click Build. After the patch runs, you'll get a single .zip bundle containing:

Step 2 — Install the JTAG driver

  1. Extract JTAG_Driver_Setup.rar with WinRAR or 7-Zip.
  2. Right-click the installer → Run as Administrator.
  3. Click through the prompts. Reboot if Windows asks.
If Windows complains about an unsigned driver: use the install wizard's "Install anyway" option. The JTAG driver is unsigned but standard for FPGA dev work.

Step 3 — Open FlashTool

  1. Extract FlashTool.rar.
  2. Plug the JTAG cable into the DMA card and into your PC.
  3. Right-click FlashTool.exe → Run as Administrator.
  4. The tool should auto-detect the card. If it doesn't, click Refresh. Confirm the card name (e.g. Captain 75T) appears.

Step 4 — Flash and verify

  1. Click Browse and select the .bin from the bundle.
  2. Click Flash (or Program, depending on your version).
  3. Wait. Do not unplug the JTAG cable mid-flash.
  4. When the tool reports done, power off the PC. Wait 10 seconds. Power on.
  5. Open Device Manager → expand "System devices" → your card should now identify as the firmware's chosen device (e.g. an audio controller).

The "0% progress bar" bug

FlashTool quirk: the progress bar can stay at 0% during the entire flash, then jump to "done" at the end. This is normal. The flash does complete. Don't cancel the operation.

This bug is in FlashTool itself, not in the bundle or the firmware. As long as the tool's status line eventually reports success, the flash worked. Verify by power-cycling and checking Device Manager.

Common errors

"No device detected"

The JTAG cable isn't connected, or the JTAG driver didn't install. Check Device Manager for a yellow-bang device — that's the symptom of a missing driver. Re-run JTAG_Driver_Setup as Administrator.

"Programming failed" or "Verify failed"

Usually a bad JTAG connection. Re-seat the JTAG cable, ensure the card has stable power, retry. If it persists, try a different USB port for the JTAG cable.

Card present in Device Manager but the wrong identity

Either the flash didn't take (re-flash) or you flashed the wrong .bin. Each download is unique to the board you selected — flashing a Captain 75T .bin to a Squirrel 35T won't work.

BSOD on next boot

Almost always JTAG driver conflict. Boot into Safe Mode, uninstall the JTAG driver, reboot, reinstall.

FAQ

Can I flash from the same PC I game on?
Yes. Many players do. The only reason to use a separate "flashing PC" is convenience — no need to disturb your gaming PC.
How long does the flash take?
Roughly 60–120 seconds for the actual flash, plus a power-cycle. Total wall-clock time including driver install on first run is about 15 minutes.
Do I need to re-install the JTAG driver every time?
No, only the first time. After that, FlashTool will detect the card immediately.
What if the flash fails halfway through?
Don't panic. Power-cycle and re-attempt the flash. The card has on-board recovery for partial flashes.

Ready to build & flash?

Sign in, top up, build, download. The whole thing takes ~15 minutes including the flash.

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