Proxmark3 community

skappy

Contributor

Registered: 2014-01-13

Posts: 91

pm3 strange behaviour ....

Hi,

I'm noticing a strange behaviour concerning my PM3,

HW version

[[[ Cached information ]]]

Prox/RFID mark3 RFID instrument
bootrom: /-suspect 2015-11-19 10:08:02
os: icemanmaster/-suspect 2016-06-18 15:50:08
LF FPGA image built for 2s30vq100 on 2015/03/06 at 07:38:04
HF FPGA image built for 2s30vq100 on 2015/11/ 2 at  9: 8: 8

uC: AT91SAM7S512 Rev A
Embedded Processor: ARM7TDMI
Nonvolatile Program Memory Size: 512K bytes. Used: 211849 bytes (40%). Free: 312
439 bytes (60%).
Second Nonvolatile Program Memory Size: None
Internal SRAM Size: 64K bytes
Architecture Identifier: AT91SAM7Sxx Series
Nonvolatile Program Memory Type: Embedded Flash Memory

When using the hf mf 14a reader on a known tag, the pm3 gives

pm3 --> hf 14a reader
Waiting for a response from the proxmark...
Don't forget to cancel its operation first by pressing on the button

And sometimes, it gives the right information ...

May I ask you some help please ?

Thank you very much

Have a nice day

iceman

Administrator

Registered: 2013-04-25

Posts: 9,538

Website

Re: pm3 strange behaviour ....

Have you checked distance between tag and reader?   14a needs 2-3cms.

skappy

Contributor

Registered: 2014-01-13

Posts: 91

Re: pm3 strange behaviour ....

Hi Iceman,
Yes i have tried with different distance but even without moving the tag, pm3 gives different answer ...
I have (re)flash the unit once again but no change ...
Any ideas please ?
thx a lot

iceman

Administrator

Registered: 2013-04-25

Posts: 9,538

Website

Re: pm3 strange behaviour ....

lets try some basic steps,

did you connect the right antenna to the right connector?

skappy

Contributor

Registered: 2014-01-13

Posts: 91

Re: pm3 strange behaviour ....

Dear Iceman ,

Yes, everything was running fine (i was working on a Mizip tag under the Iceman docker forck)  until this strange phenomena occurs ...

It is strange because the day before, each time I input the 'hf 14a reader' , the command show different answers for the same tag (different tag type, different uid ...) and the day after , PM3 only gives

"Waiting for a response from the proxmark...
Don't forget to cancel its operation first by pressing on the button"

then the PM3 reset itself ...

I can't figure what is going on ... I'm afraid of an electronic failure but i don't know how to test ...

Thank you for your help !

iceman

Administrator

Registered: 2013-04-25

Posts: 9,538

Website

Re: pm3 strange behaviour ....

Would you mind doing the following, just want to make sure you have the most recent code flashed.

"git pull && make clean && make all"

followed up with a re-flash?

skappy

Contributor

Registered: 2014-01-13

Posts: 91

Re: pm3 strange behaviour ....

Dear Iceman,
just done !
Flash done correctly ...

Prox/RFID mark3 RFID instrument
bootrom: /-suspect 2015-11-19 10:08:02
os: icemanmaster/-suspect 2016-06-27 19:07:16
LF FPGA image built for 2s30vq100 on 2015/03/06 at 07:3
HF FPGA image built for 2s30vq100 on 2015/11/ 2 at  9:

uC: AT91SAM7S512 Rev A
Embedded Processor: ARM7TDMI
Nonvolatile Program Memory Size: 512K bytes. Used: 2118
476 bytes (60%).
Second Nonvolatile Program Memory Size: None
Internal SRAM Size: 64K bytes
Architecture Identifier: AT91SAM7Sxx Series
Nonvolatile Program Memory Type: Embedded Flash Memory

Unfortunately, the problem still there ... always the same behaviour for the PM3 ...

hf 14a reader gives

pm3 --> hf 14a reader
Waiting for a response from the proxmark...
Don't forget to cancel its operation first by pressing on the button

then the PM3 reset itself ...
Please note that the same things occurs with all the hf 14a commands (list, cuids ...)

Hope you still have idea

Thank you for the help ...

Last edited by skappy (2016-06-27 20:18:43)

iceman

Administrator

Registered: 2013-04-25

Posts: 9,538

Website

Re: pm3 strange behaviour ....

Good, so we ruled out:
1. wrong antenna connected,
2. wrong distance
3. wrong fullimage

And you are running the same compiled client as fullimage,
4. wrong client?

Whats the output from:
"hw tune"  with and without tag placed over antenna?

skappy

Contributor

Registered: 2014-01-13

Posts: 91

Re: pm3 strange behaviour ....

Hello Iceman,

without a tag ...

pm3 --> hw tune

Measuring antenna characteristics, please wait......
# LF antenna:  0.00 V @   125.00 kHz
# LF antenna:  0.00 V @   134.00 kHz
# LF optimal:  0.00 V @ 12000.00 kHz
# HF antenna: 13.22 V @    13.56 MHz
# Your LF antenna is unusable.

with a tag
Measuring antenna characteristics, please wait......
# LF antenna:  0.00 V @   125.00 kHz
# LF antenna:  0.00 V @   134.00 kHz
# LF optimal:  0.00 V @ 12000.00 kHz
# HF antenna: 13.01 V @    13.56 MHz
# Your LF antenna is unusable.

If I well remember, i think that the drop of voltage induced by the tag is negligible compare to when the PM3 was healthy...

I'm worried ....

Thanks for your patience Iceman

Last edited by skappy (2016-06-28 20:48:54)

iceman

Administrator

Registered: 2013-04-25

Posts: 9,538

Website

Re: pm3 strange behaviour ....

That doesn't look like a HF tag,  are you sure of it?   I would hook up my LF antenna and repeat this test again.

skappy

Contributor

Registered: 2014-01-13

Posts: 91

Re: pm3 strange behaviour ....

Hi Iceman,
I do not have access to an  LF antenna, sorry ... but I'm sure of my tag (mizip) as it was running very well before ... It was perfectly recognized by the PM3 and all the 'hf 14a' commands were fully working ...
Do you think of an electronic failure ...
Thx a lot Iceman

iceman

Administrator

Registered: 2013-04-25

Posts: 9,538

Website

Re: pm3 strange behaviour ....

by what you say, it seems to be a hardware failure. 
Have you tried a different cable between antenna and pm3 device?
Examine the antenna ports, to see if there is any soldering thats loose.

If you tried all that, you should contact the seller and ask.

skappy

Contributor

Registered: 2014-01-13

Posts: 91

Re: pm3 strange behaviour ....

Dear Iceman ,

Everything looks OK ... I have change the USB cable, remove the usb connected antenna, solder a home made antenna on the right pins but nothing change ...

Seller was Gaucho from this forum , but i haven't see him on the forum for quite a long time now ...

Is there something i can do in order to determine the hardware failure ? I have access to an oscilloscope if need be ...

Thx for your support Iceman

iceman

Administrator

Registered: 2013-04-25

Posts: 9,538

Website

Re: pm3 strange behaviour ....

One of the group-buy,  I see.  It was a custom build if I remember it correct.  Try getting hold of Gaucho,  or if you are into hardware start measuring the different components.

I'm afraid I can't help you.