Hero 3 won't update [ Edited ]

[swiftcave00626]

Hello everyone,

I had this Hero 3 white edition (HD3WA101261A78D) since 2014; but I never update the software. I have been trying to mannually update wifi and firmware but it never worked. The problem is always the last step, after I put all the files in the memeory card and turn the camera on, it will show the update icon and then shows that update failed. I have been torubleshooting every aspect of this issue and watched many youtube videos but nothing helped. 

Is it just Hero 3 is too old model to run the new software? (I main tyring to update the wifi setting so that i can have remote control acess to the camera, but everytime I try to use my iphone 6+ to to connect with the camera, after I type in the new name and password, it states an error occurred and won't connect my phone to the camera).

My memory card is San Disk Ultra 32gb (do I need an San Disk extreme to do the update??)

I have spent lots of time on this, hope someone can help me out, thanks in advance! 

[danielr15 · Accepted solution]

First, don't use SanDisk Ultra. This may or may not have anything to do with your current issues, but the Ultra is a terrible card, especially for GoPro cameras. You don't necessarily have to go to a card like the SanDisk Extreme either as that's a bit of overkill for your camera. It wont hurt, but you can get by with a Lexar 633x or a SamSung Evo Plus. It really just comes down to price. The Samsung Evo Select 32GB are around $5 right now on Amazon, so you might want to look into that.

As far as updating goes, try doing the following (preferably with a card other than the Ultra):
1) Charge your battery completely
2) Remove the battery and SD card
3) Hold down the front Mode/Power button for about 20 seconds and release
4) Press down on the top shutter button and hold it down while inserting only the battery.
5) Keep holding down the shutter button and power on the camera
6) Once the camera has completed powering on, release the shutter and power off the camera
7) Set the camera aside and insert the SD card into a USB/SD adapter
8) Insert the USB/SD adapter into your computer and using Windows Explorer, find the SD card, right click and choose format. Be sure to uncheck Quick format as you want to run a FULL format. If the card is 32GB or less, you want the format to be FAT32. If it's bigger (which isn't the best choice for this camera), use exFAT.
9) Download the UPDATE file to your computer
10) Right click and choose Extract to extract the UPDATE folder to your computer
11) Open the UPDATE folder and copy the files within it (note, on HERO3+ cameras and newer you paste the entire UPDATE folder) and then paste these files to your now blank and formatted SD card. Once done, right click on the SD and choose Eject
12) Insert the SD card into your camera on power on. Do not touch the camera until complete (it will power off and then on halfway through the process)
13) Go to settings in the camera and scroll to the trashcan and select Delete All/Format
14) Once done, take two pictures and then a short video
15) Go to settings and turn Wi-Fi>App ON
16) Go into you call settings on your phone and make sure Wi-Fi calling is turned off
17) Open the app on your phone. If you have any instances of the camera already preset, hold down on the picture and choose delete (you should also check your Wi-Fi to make sure there are no connections there.
18) Press the (+) add new camera and choose your camera
19) Follow the prompts and it should connect
20) If the above doesn't work, contact the GoPro Support Team https://gopro.com/help/ContactUs

[danielr15 · Accepted solution]

First, don't use SanDisk Ultra. This may or may not have anything to do with your current issues, but the Ultra is a terrible card, especially for GoPro cameras. You don't necessarily have to go to a card like the SanDisk Extreme either as that's a bit of overkill for your camera. It wont hurt, but you can get by with a Lexar 633x or a SamSung Evo Plus. It really just comes down to price. The Samsung Evo Select 32GB are around $5 right now on Amazon, so you might want to look into that.

As far as updating goes, try doing the following (preferably with a card other than the Ultra):
1) Charge your battery completely
2) Remove the battery and SD card
3) Hold down the front Mode/Power button for about 20 seconds and release
4) Press down on the top shutter button and hold it down while inserting only the battery.
5) Keep holding down the shutter button and power on the camera
6) Once the camera has completed powering on, release the shutter and power off the camera
7) Set the camera aside and insert the SD card into a USB/SD adapter
8) Insert the USB/SD adapter into your computer and using Windows Explorer, find the SD card, right click and choose format. Be sure to uncheck Quick format as you want to run a FULL format. If the card is 32GB or less, you want the format to be FAT32. If it's bigger (which isn't the best choice for this camera), use exFAT.
9) Download the UPDATE file to your computer
10) Right click and choose Extract to extract the UPDATE folder to your computer
11) Open the UPDATE folder and copy the files within it (note, on HERO3+ cameras and newer you paste the entire UPDATE folder) and then paste these files to your now blank and formatted SD card. Once done, right click on the SD and choose Eject
12) Insert the SD card into your camera on power on. Do not touch the camera until complete (it will power off and then on halfway through the process)
13) Go to settings in the camera and scroll to the trashcan and select Delete All/Format
14) Once done, take two pictures and then a short video
15) Go to settings and turn Wi-Fi>App ON
16) Go into you call settings on your phone and make sure Wi-Fi calling is turned off
17) Open the app on your phone. If you have any instances of the camera already preset, hold down on the picture and choose delete (you should also check your Wi-Fi to make sure there are no connections there.
18) Press the (+) add new camera and choose your camera
19) Follow the prompts and it should connect
20) If the above doesn't work, contact the GoPro Support Team https://gopro.com/help/ContactUs

[swiftcave00626]

Thanks for the instruction. I just tried with the same memory card. The update failed at step 12. After i insert the memory card, the update icon appears and then the blue wifi light went on for 2 seconds and the screen shows camera update failed and blinking red light (the blue light also blinking once a while, looks like the wifi is on)

[danielr15]

hmmm. are you trying with a wifi + firmware update, or just firmware?

[danielr15]

I would try just updating the firmware and then again with Wifi + Firmware.

[swiftcave00626]

I was just updating the firmware.