You can now install Sure Cuts A Lot 2 (you don't need a virtual machine, it runs on Windows 10) and use it to make practically any shape you want for free, without paying for cartridges. You should soon see a screen reading "Cricut V2.1 OK". Don't touch it, and don't hold the stop button like you had to do before. STEP 7: After the upgrade is done, the Cricut will move it's cutting tool a little bit and reboot. If the firmware update is at all interrupted, you risk damaging your Cricut. Sit there to make sure the computer doesn't turn off or go to sleep, but don't do any more than move the mouse. You will soon get a box showing the progress of your update. Things will start to happen, don't close any programs on the computer or touch anything on the Cricut. STEP 6: Select "Cricut Expression" and click Update Firmware Now. If your computer is a laptop, make sure it has lots of battery life. It will still update your firmware in Trial mode. Your XP virtual machine should behave as if you have just plugged in your Cricut. STEP 3: Using your virtual machine software, assign your Cricut (which will appear as an FTDI USB to Serial adapter in your VM software) to the VM. Once the device beeps and all the lights are on, you can take your finger off the stop button. Once it turns on, stop pressing the power button but keep holding down the stop button. While holding down the button, turn the Cricut on using the power button. STEP 2: Plug your Cricut Expression 1 into your computer. STEP 1: Install Cricut Design Studio 6.0 in a Windows XP virtual machine. 2.0 worked fine on Windows 10, but would reject the old firmware files when you attempted to install them. I then attempted to replace the 2.4.3 firmware files from 2.0 with the 2.1 firmware files from 6.0. It installed properly on Windows 10, but the program would crash when you attempted to start it. I was able to locate version 6.0 of the software, which contained Firmware Version 2.1 for the Cricut. Cricut Design Studio versions contain the latest firmware version from when they released, so I had to find the design studio version which contained Firmware 2.1 or 2.3. Back when these devices were new, firmware upgrades were performed through the Cricut Design Studio software. It was now simply a matter of sending it the proper firmware. Thankfully, it's not! As it turns out, when the Cricut is in update mode (activated by powering the device off, holding the stop button while powering it back on, and holding it down until the device beeps and all the lights turn on), it will use whatever firmware is sent to it, regardless of whether it is newer or older than the one installed. Before using it however, I had to downgrade my Cricut firmware to version 2.1 or 2.3, something I read was impossible. I eventually managed to find version 2, as 3 does not work with the Cricut. I then turned my attention to Sure Cuts A Lot, which included the Cricut drivers. I was able to find the right version, but not the plugin required to use it with a Cricut (pccplugin.dll). Around 2009, there were two 3rd party software packages that worked with the Cricut Expression 1. Turns out, they had, and Provo hadn't liked it very much. Wait, you have to pay for cartridges and can only print predetermined shapes? Make cardstock stuff? OK, I can make custom sized boxes or something.Ĭut vinyl? OK, it would be cool to have some vynil wraps for my 3D printed stuff. I bought the Cricut, and when I got it home I started Googling around for what it could do. That said, when I found my original Cricut Expression in a thrift store for $20, I figured "Ehh, I could make cool stuff with something like that". I will start by saying that I am much more of a tech person than a crafts person. For impatient people: skip to the bottom where I have a step by step downgrade guide.
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