Install the Latest Platform Updates on Your EViD Stations

This is an automated installation package that must be run one time on each EViD station to apply Windows security updates and other required platform changes that are needed for the 2024 Election Cycle. This is a separate process from EViD staging.

Important:
  • Please be patient during this installation. The update can take 1 to 4 hours to complete, depending on the EViD configuration. Various windows will automatically open and close during the process and there will be periods of time in which it appears as if nothing is happening. This is normal; the updates are continuing in the background.

  • There may be messages in the black command window that report errors; you can safely ignore these messages. You only need to pay attention to pop-up messages.

Below are instructions for using the installation package.

  1. On your computer, open a browser and go to:

    https://vrsystems.sharefile.com

  2. Log into your ShareFile account and navigate to Folders\Shared Folders\EViD Downloads\EViD Platform Updates.
  3. Download the EViDPlatformUpdate24.zip file to a convenient place on your computer—not to a USB drive. This will take from a few minutes to an hour, depending on your internet connection speed.
  4. Right-click the downloaded file, select Extract all, and click Extract. A new folder named EViDPlatformUpdate24 is created automatically.
  5. Copy the entire EViDPlatformUpdate24 folder to the root of a blank USB flash drive.
    Note: If the EViD is a Gen 1 EViD Compact running Windows 10 build 1607, the USB drive must be 8 GB or larger.
  6. Power on the EViD, but do not plug in the USB drive with the update package. Before you insert the USB, do the following:
    1. Exit FastVoterCheckIn by tapping repeatedly on the words Searching for Activator and touching CANCEL twice.
    2. When you are at the desktop, make sure the date and time are correct. Correct them if they are not.
    3. If you use an external USB barcode scanner with this EViD station, make sure the scanner is plugged into the station.
  7. Plug the USB drive with the update package into the EViD.
  8. Open File Explorer and navigate to the EViDPlatformUpdate24 folder on the flash drive.
  9. Double-tap start.exe to begin the updates. After a few seconds, you will see a UAC prompt.
  10. On the prompt, select the admin account, enter the admin password, and select OK.
    Note: If you do not know the admin password, call EViD Support to receive the password by telephone.

    A command window opens that shows files are being copied.

    After about a minute another command pop-up window prompts you to change the user password.

  11. On the pop-up window, type a new password and press Enter. It will then prompt you to change the admin password. Again, type a new password and press Enter.

    The EViD will automatically reboot and resume the update.

    Shortly after the reboot, a pop-up message indicates that the EViD is done with the USB drive.

  12. On the pop-up message, touch OK. Do one of the following:
    • For Gen 1 Compacts running Windows 10 build 1607—Leave the update USB drive in the EViD until the very end.
    • All other EViD configurations—You may unplug the USB drive and move it to the next EViD station. The update will continue without it.

    The EViD will install some updates after the first reboot, and will then reboot a second time to apply the remaining updates.

    When the updates complete, an alert indicates whether the updates have succeeded or failed.

  13. On Edge units only, do the following:

    1. Go to Start > Control Panel > Devices and Printers.

    2. For each Bixolon printer object (e.g. BIXOLON SPP-R300, BIXOLON SPPR310 USB, etc) do the following:

      1. Double-tap the printer. The queue will open up.

      2. Go to Printer Menu > Printing Preferences > Document Settings tab.

      3. Set Line feeds after printing to 2.

      4. Touch Apply, then OK, and close the printer queue.

    3. Close the Control Panel.

  14. On the alert, touch OK. The EViD station will shut down and is then ready for use.

It is normal during the shutdown and following boot cycles for standard Windows update screens to appear (for example, configuring updates, preparing Windows, etc.). These screens may remain for a few minutes. Do not power the unit off during this time as Windows may be configuring updates in the background.

The update will take 1 to 3 hours depending on the EViD configuration. After the EViD shuts down, the additional time added to the next boot cycle is up to 15 minutes. To reduce the overall time required, you can update multiple EViDs simultaneously by using multiple USB drives with the update package, or by moving the USB drive to the next EViD after receiving the message indicating the EViD is done with the USB drive (except for Gen 1 Compacts running Windows 10 build 1607).

If the update has failed, or if you are unsure if the update has completed properly, you may try running the update again. If it was successful the first time, a message will immediately appear telling you that the EViD has already been updated. Also, when the EViD is successfully updated, the EViD platform version number (the last part of the alphanumeric string) near the lower-right corner of the desktop will show 24.233.

If you are unable to successfully update one or more EViDs, please contact EViD Support.