Flash the Falcon I to OCZ's firmware without losing data?

[TwoCables]

I have a friend with an older Falcon that he purchased in mid June (for reference, 1571 was released on June 4th). Here is the conversation in order to help you help us:

Alright, so this time, I'm wondering about firmware. I'm typing this on an old iBook, with sig rig at my right with the Falcon in it (jumpered, both hard drives disconnected). I attempted to boot off of the Vertex firmware update ISO, and it does not show the SSD at all, whether it's jumpered or not.

I don't know what firmware came with it but I want it flashed so I can use it again. Currently, the update ISO is for Vertex 1.4 (for TRIM), as I'd hoped I could use that since it doesn't wipe any data in the process. Since that appears to be impossible at this time, I'm wondering what I CAN do to get it working again. Thanks.

Hmm. Then you might be able to flash it to the 1571 firmware, but I don't know from experience yet. The 1571 firmware updater tool (and manual) is on this page:

http://gskill.us/forum/showthread.php?t=820

But if using that doesn't work, then I wouldn't know what to do. So yeah, I really hope this works!

What's the equivelant OCZ firmware? I'm thinking 1.3... but either way, I would like a way to update without wiping the data, unless that's the only firmware you can find that has a good chance of working.

So then I searched this forum for discussions about this, but all I could find were discussions about doing it, but I didn't see any actual results. So, I was still left wondering if this is even possible.

So, I am looking for responses from anyone who can help and also from people who can speak from experience as to whether or not we can flash this drive without losing the data that's already on there as well as which OCZ firmware is supposed to be version 1571.

I thank you very much for looking at this thread!

P.S. I only know him via the internet. I mean, I don't know him in person.

[Extide]

Yes you can, but you must FIRST flash to OCZ firmware v1.1, then move forward thru 1.3, 1.4, etc. So you will need to back up the data this one time, but then once you get to a recent flash (ocz v1.4 and later) you can THEN flash without losing data.
Once you have OCZ 1.3 on there THEN the 1.4 and later updates do not erase the data.

To switch firmware vendors you MUST do a "jumper flash" using an older flash file that is MEANT to be used with jumper flash. (You cannot use a flash file that is meant to be used non-jumper -- like v1.4 -- with the jumper.)
THEN you can do the "non erase flash"

I hope that makes sense...

[vaca]

Sorry for the incomvenience.
Now Falcon has release the latest firmware update rev.2030 that it won't wipe your existing data after updating firmware.

However the Falcon II firmware update would still erase your target SSD due to its firmware architecture has been different than the previous firmware that it has to erase flash and re-build the firmware.