KORG E3 USB Boot Utility Instruction Manual

Compatibility: wavestate, modwave, multi/poly, and opsix
instrument families
Operating Systems Supported:
- macOS: Mac OSX 10.12 through macOS 14, Intel or Apple
  Silicon
- Windows: Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit versions only)

Product Usage Instructions

Installation

macOS:

Open the Korg USB Boot Utility Installer [version number].dmg
file in the Finder.
On the disk image, open the Korg USB Boot Utility [version
number] .pkg file.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the
installation.

Windows:

Double click Korg USB Boot Utility [version number] Installer.exe to start the installation process.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the
installation.

Using the Korg USB Boot Utility

The USB Boot Utility allows you to update the instrument
software even if the USB network connection is unavailable or if
the instrument is not starting up normally.

Updating with an internet-connected computer:

The utility enables you to update the instrument software even
without a USB network connection.

Offline use: saving and installing update files:

An internet connection is required to download software updates.
However, the utility supports offline installation of previously
downloaded files. You can save update files for later use.

Saving an update file:

Follow steps 1-4 of Updating with an internet-connected
computer.
Press the Save button.

Select a location on disk to save the update image, and press
Open.

FAQ

Q: What are the operating system requirements for using the
Korg USB Boot Utility?

A: For macOS, you need Mac OSX 10.12 through
macOS 14, Intel or Apple Silicon. For Windows, Windows 10 and 11
(64-bit versions only) are supported.

Q: Can I use the Korg USB Boot Utility without an internet
connection?

A: While an internet connection is initially
required to download software updates, you can also save update
files from the utility for offline installation.

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Korg USB Boot Utility
SOFTWARE UPDATE & RECOVERY UTILITY
E3

Contents
Korg USB Boot Utility…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3 About the Korg USB Boot Utility……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3 What’s installed on my computer, and why?……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3 Cautions……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3 Operating requirements ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Installation …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 macOS ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4 Windows…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Using the Korg USB Boot Utility……………………………………………………………………………………………… 5 Updating with an internet-connected computer ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5 Offline use: saving and installing update files …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6 Confirming the update…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6 Troubleshooting …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7
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Korg USB Boot Utility
Korg USB Boot Utility
About the Korg USB Boot Utility
The Korg USB Boot Utility provides low-level software installation and repair for select Korg hardware instruments. Currently, this includes the wavestate, modwave, multi/poly, and opsix instrument families. It can be used even if the USB network connection to the instrument is not available, or if the instrument is not starting up normally.
Important: This application must be used with caution. It cannot detect the type of instrument to which it is connected. When using it, you must be very careful to select the appropriate file for your instrument. Incorrect use may render the instrument inoperable. The Korg USB Boot Utility connects to an internet server to download the software for installation. In some cases, the software versions may be slightly older than those available via the Korg System Updater application. Installation files can also be saved for offline use.
What’s installed on my computer, and why?
To use the Korg USB Boot Utility, the instrument is put into a special “USB Boot Mode” state, in which it appears as a USB storage device. For macOS, no drivers are installed. For Windows, the installer includes the BCM2710 Boot driver.
Cautions
Important: Do not disconnect your instrument from USB, or turn its power off, while the updater is running. Important: To make sure that you are working with the right instrument, only one instrument at a time should be connected via USB Boot Mode. Important: This process makes some of the instrument’s storage available to the host operating system (macOS or Windows). This storage format is unfamiliar to macOS and Windows, which may prompt requests to scan, fix, or re-format the drive. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, RE-FORMAT THE DRIVE.
Operating requirements
To use the Korg USB Boot Utility, you need an internet connection to download updates (offline operation is supported after the update has been downloaded), a USB cable, and a USB-capable macOS or Windows computer that satisfies the requirements below. Note: Full functionality is not necessarily guaranteed with all computers, even if they satisfy these system requirements.
macOS
Operating system: Mac OSX 10.12 through macOS 14, Intel or Apple Silicon.
Windows
Operating system: Windows 10 and 11. 64-bit versions only; 32-bit versions are not supported. Touch panel operation is not supported.
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Installation
Installation
macOS
To install the Korg USB Boot Utility on macOS: 1. Open the “Korg USB Boot Utility Installer [version number].dmg” file in the Finder. The disk image will open. 2. On the disk image, open the Korg USB Boot Utility [version number] .pkg file. The installer will start. 3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. Enter your administrator password when
prompted. The installation will run, and the application will be installed in Applications/KORG/Korg USB Boot Utility.
Windows
To install the Korg USB Boot Utility on Windows: 1. Double click “Korg USB Boot Utility [version number] Installer.exe” to start the installation process. The installer will start. 2. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. The installation will run, including the Korg USB Boot Utility application and the BCM2710 Boot driver. In some cases, the instruments may not be immediately recognized after installation. If this occurs, simply restart your computer.
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Using the Korg USB Boot Utility
Using the Korg USB Boot Utility
Updating with an internet-connected computer
The USB Boot Utility allows you to update the instrument software even if the USB network connection to the instrument is not available, or if the instrument is not starting up normally.
Important: During this process, the instrument will connect to the computer as a USB storage device. Under some circumstances, Windows users may see a prompt to format the newly-connected device. Do not do this! Formatting will render the instrument inoperable. 1. Start with the instrument powered off. 2. Connect the instrument via a USB cable. 3. Open the Korg USB Boot Utility application. On Windows, right-click on the application icon and choose the “Run as Administrator” option. The window will contain a list of the most recent software versions of all products supported by the Korg USB Boot Utility, labeled “Select model.” The last option in the list is “Previously saved file;” for more information on this, see “Offline use: saving and installing update files,” below. 4. Select the model name that matches your instrument. Important: Be very careful to select the correct model! The Korg USB Boot Utility cannot detect the type of instrument to which it is connected. Incorrect use may render the instrument inoperable. 5. Press the Select button. The Korg USB Boot Utility will download the selected software, and then show a warning message to remind you to confirm that you’ve selected the correct model. 6. Press OK if you’re sure that you’ve selected the correct model to match your instrument. The window will change to show the title “Start the instrument in USB Boot Mode.” This page includes detailed directions for how to start the specific model in USB Boot Mode. These directions vary depending on the model, so please follow them closely. At the top of the window, you’ll see the selected model and the software version to be installed. 7. Follow the on-screen instructions for starting the instrument in USB Boot Mode. 8. Once the instrument is in USB Boot Mode, press Start to begin the installation, or Cancel to stop. Important: Do not disconnect your instrument from USB, or turn its power off, while the installer is running. Note: After pressing Start, you may see a system message about accessing files on a remote volume. If the message appears, press OK to allow access. Several progress messages will then appear. After a minute or two, the window will show the message “Files written successfully.” The instrument must now be re-started to finish the installation. To do so: 9. Physically disconnect the instrument power cable. The power switch is software-controlled, and will not function at this point of the installation. You may see a system message about a disk not being ejected properly. You can safely ignore this message. 10. Re-connect the instrument power cable, and then turn on the instrument. The instrument will start the software update process. The startup screen may show for a while, followed by blinking LEDs on the front panel. Please be patient. When the update is complete, the screen may go dark for about 12 seconds. The system will then restart automatically, ready to play.
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Using the Korg USB Boot Utility
Offline use: saving and installing update files
While an internet connection is required to download software updates, the Korg USB Boot Utility also supports offline installation of previously downloaded files. You can also save update files from the Korg USB Boot Utility, for later use.
Saving an update file
To save an update file: 1. Follow steps 1-4 of “Updating with an internet-connected computer,” above. 2. Press the Save button. A standard file dialog will appear, with the prompt “Choose Folder To Save Image.” 3. Select a location on disk to save the update image, and press Open. The Korg USB Boot Utility will download the selected software, and then show a confirmation message. The file will be named something like “wavestate_mkII_usb_boot_3_0_9.zip.”
Important: Do not un-zip the file.
Installing an update from a file
To install a saved update file: 1. Follow steps 1-3 of “Updating with an internet-connected computer,” above. 2. Under “Select model,” click “Previously saved file” and then press Select. A standard file dialog will appear, with the prompt “Choose Previously Saved File.” 3. Select the previously saved update imagefor example, “wavestate_mkII_usb_boot_3_0_9.zip”and press
Open. You’ll see a warning message to remind you to confirm that this matches your instrument. 4. Return to step 6 of “Updating with an internet-connected computer,” above, and follow all of the remaining
steps.
Confirming the update
wavestate, modwave, and multi/poly
For the wavestate, modwave, and multi/poly, the software version is shown on the About page. To get there: 1. Press UTILITY twice, and then hold SHIFT and press < (PAGE -). This will take you to the About page. The version number is shown at the top of the screen.
opsix
For the opsix, the software version is shown at startup. To see this information: 1. Restart the opsix The software version will appear in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
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Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting
Software won’t start up
Make sure that your computer meets the operating requirements See “Operating requirements” on page 3. Check whether other applications might be running If other applications are running, it is possible that they might somehow interfere. As a troubleshooting step, quit the other applications.
Can’t connect to the instrument
Make sure that the instrument is connected via USB The Updater requires USB, and cannot communicate with the instrument over 5-pin DIN MIDI. Try connecting the instrument directly to your computer, without a USB hub Faulty hubs may interfere with the connection. Hubs must support USB 2.0 or better. Try a different USB cable A faulty cable may interfere with the connection.
Apple, Mac and the Mac logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the US and other countries. All product names and company names are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice for improvement.
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Documents / Resources

KORG E3 USB Boot Utility [pdf] Instruction Manual
E3, E3 USB Boot Utility, E3, USB Boot Utility, Boot Utility, Utility

References

User Manual