[s1mp3-dev] [content redesign] the ready "Dead recovery guide" page
robert
bg7jzw at tom.com
Mon Jun 5 09:28:53 CDT 2006
do you know the link of diassemble?thank you.
If you don't know how to disassemble your player, read How to
disassemble your s1mp3(link).
----- Original Message -----
From: Bluechip
To: S1mp3.org - SWAN development
Sent: Monday, June 05, 2006 1:23 PM
Subject: Re: [s1mp3-dev] [content redesign] the ready "Dead recovery guide" page
I've not really been following these documentation threads ...I've got some time now - I will make notes as I see fit ...feel free to ignore them.
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==Basics you need to know==
First, this guide is for S1mp3-type players only. For more information,
and to check if your device is or not an S1mp3, see [[S1mp3]]. This
procedure is the same for '''all''' the broad types of S1mp3s.
The s1mp3 project and SWAN Firmware are dedicated to players which use the ATJ-20xx series of multimedia ICs by Actions Semiconductors Ltd(link) If you do not know what chip is inside your MP3 Player, click on this link(link). Do NOT continue until you are sure that your MP3 Player is built around an ATJ-20xx IC.
Before trying anything, if your player is under any warranty, it's
highly suggested to try to refund/change the player with the seller
before trying any recovering operation, because they might void the
warranty.
If your player is still under warranty, we suggest that you contact your retailer and request that the unit is repaired or replaced. Undertand that following these instructions may invalidate your warranty.
An S1mp3 dies when the player's CPU (the ATJ20xx) can't correctly load
the program that controls the S1mp3 functions, called
'''firmware'''(wikipedia link). This program is normally installed in
CPU's memory '''and''' on a special, hidden, region of flash drive.
The two main causes are: the S1mp3 hardware broke or firmware recorded
on the player became corrupted / invalid. Hopefully, in most of the
cases, the problem is related to firmware, and can be corrected by
loading a correct firmware into the S1mp3. Follow the operations in
this guide and you'll learn how to do this.
If it's a hardware thing, then you have a more serious problem. Your
best option is to get the player replaced (preferably under warranty)
Modern MP3 players are simply little computers which run one special program ("MediaPlayer"). There are two possible causes for a "dead" Player. Broken Hardware or Corrupt Software. If you are lucky, the cause will be Corrupt Software. Lucky?? Yes, because we can simply reload the software. This guide will tell you how to do this.
==Get the S1mp3 talking with Windows==
Before you can do anything, you have to get your player detected correctly by Windows, with the correct drivers.
The first thing you need to do to reload the software is make sure Windows can detect The Player.
Even if you think your player is correctly detected, follow this steps to ensure nothing is wrong:
If your player is not detected follow these steps.
We advise you to follow these steps Even if you think your player is correctly detected. You can do things the safe way a hundred times, you only get to be wrong once!
#Uninstall the "Mp3 player tools"(link) (the program that comes on the
mini-CD that usually ships with the player) you have installed
previously. Install the 1.46 version, if your player is not the "MP4"
type, and the 4.0 version, if your player is the "MP4" type. Programs
are available to download at the [[Tools]] page.
# If you have "Mp3 player tools"(link) installed on your machine - Uninstall it
This program is normally supplied on a (mini-)CD with The Player or downloaded from the internet.
If you do NOT have this software installed, ignore this step.
# Does your player support MP4 Video
Yes? ...Install "MP3 Player Tools" version 1.46(download link) from the tools page(link)
No? ...Install "MP3 Player Tools" version 4.0(download link) from the tools page(link)
#Unplug the player and remove/uninstall '''all''' the drivers related
to USB at the device manager. (Control Panel > System > Hardware tab >
Device Manager). (screenshot with arrows)
!!! You can't see a USB device which is not connected
!!! Well, is it "remove" or "uninstall"?
!!! This needs a LOT more explanation
# Now, click "scan for hardware changes" button. Finally after the USB
drivers are installed, plug in your player.
"now" ...really! LOL
I am soooooo sure that must be wrong
USB will not detect unconnected devices - so why "scan"
if you're gonna bullet point things, do not put "first, next, now, finally"
and if you're gonna bullet point it ...surely "finally" gets its own bullet point?
If you have problems with missing drivers, they may be obtained at the
place you've installed the MP3 player utilities (Program Files/MP3
Player Utilities/), at folders "Windows98Drv", and "Dissipate/drivers".
Make sure windows driver signing is not set to "block"(screenshot with
arrows).
ooops, wasn't anticipating this much typing ...that's me for the night guys.
Nite all
BC
If you follow all these steps and Windows still doesn't recognize it,
you can try to push ALL the buttons while plugging the player into the
USB port. Try every button, and keep the button pressed.
IF that fails, press random buttons like crazy and connect/disconnect
the player to the USB port like only a very nervous person would do.
Sometimes, this button chaos confuses the player in some strange way so
that it gets detected by Windows
You can also try to plug it on another (preferably Windows XP)
computer.
If you still can't get the player recognized, there is a special trick
that will do it, with is to short (ie. connect) some memory pins and
make the player go to the ADFU mode. Skip to |short the memory
pins|(#link).
==Find the right firmware for your specific s1mp3==
At this step we assume that your player is detected by Windows. If not,
perform steps explained before or read |short the memory pins|(#link)
section.
Now, you'll need to get the correct firmware for your player. There are
several ways to accomplish this:
#'''Via a previous dump'''.<BR>
A previous-made dump using s1fwx will suit your need when the device
can be flashed without going on the ADFU mode. We'll explain why and
what "ADFU mode" is later.
#'''Via the manufacturer/seller'''<BR>
If your player is branded, you can contact the manufacturer or the
seller and ask for a firmware. Sometimes, if you are lucky, they will
send you one!
#'''Via the board ID'''<BR>
The board ID is a small white writing on the green (sometimes red)
s1mp3 PCB board, and it's the only unique way to identify your player's
hardware, and, therefore, search if someone already found a correct
firmware for it.
However, this does require you to open your player and disassemble it a
little.
##'''Via a dump from a player with the same board ID''' - If you know a
friend that has a player with the same board ID, use S1FWX(link) to
extract his/her firmware, and then use that one to recover your player.
#'''Via trial and error'''<br>If there is no firmware known to work for
your board id, or your player doesn't have a board ID, you don't have a
dump, and the manufacturer/seller can't help, this is the only way out.
You can download the GREAT FIRMWARE DATABASE(link) for a bunch of
firmwares to attempt. If none on the pack works, you will need to
google for firmware files yourself.
Note that the board ID is the only safe way to identify your player and
the firmware that works on it. Chip numbers, external look, models or
brand names can't uniquely identify a hardware set. A firmware working
on a player can kill other player with EXACTLY the same external
characteristics and brand/model name.
More information on the board ID and where to find it can be found
here: Board ID(link)
Once you've found your board ID, you may see if there is any tested
firmware for your player at the Firmware list(link).
On most of the cases, open the player case to get the board ID will be
the most wise thing to do, you may quickly find the information on the
firmware table. However, if you are unable to find the firmware for
your board, rest assured that the only way is via trial and error.
'''DON'T''' post on forum or email the team for firmwares files - they
don't have your device, only you can do the trial and error job. If you
find a new firmware for a new board ID, please post on the forum or
email the admins for the inclusal of the discovery on the firmware
page. If you are also out of firmwares to try, after trying the whole
set on the great firmwares database, you will have to google for for
more firmwares. '''Don't post asking someone to do this for you.'''
If you don't know how to disassemble your player, read How to
disassemble your s1mp3(link).
==How to flash your firmware to the player==
First, make sure you have followed all the instructions to get the
player talking to windows. Kill as many processes as you
can(Ctrl+alt+del), and disable any anti virus / anti spywares. It's
recommended that you plug your player without the AAA battery, or with
the on/off switch set to OFF.(Don't confuse the on/off swith with the
hold swith!)
TODO : is it really necessary that people with internal battery to cut
down the battery before shorting ??
If your player is detected as a flash drive, do a full format on it.
Select FAT16 or FAT for the file-system(and NOT FAT32 or NTFS, the
player can't handle that).
Open the "MP3 Player Upgrade Tool", select the firmware you have chosen
to flash, and hit "Begin Upgrading".
===If you get a write-protection error===
#Flip the "hold" switch and try again
#Keep one of the buttons of the player pressed during the procedure. Do
this for every button on your unit
(sometimes, corrupted firmware causes the player to mix up it's button
layout, so buttons (including the hold switch) change function)
#Short circuit the memory chip to enter ADFU (recovery) mode
===If the Mp3 player update tool can't set the device to Firmware
Upgrade mode===
Do that manually inside the player menus.
===If you get "Invalid Upgrade Firmware File" and you are on ADFU
mode===
This is happening because when recovering from the ADFU mode, you can
only flash complete firmware files.
Dumped firmwares are not complete - if you are trying to flash a dump
you need to make it complete first. See |guide to do it| for
information.
To check if your firmware is complete or not, you must extract firmware
(%:\s1fwx x):
Dumped firmware contain about four files (example: ADFUF644.AP,
BRECF644.BIN, FWIMAGE.FW, FWSCF644.BIN)
Full firmware contain many more files (example:
ADFUF321.AP,ADFUF641.AP, ADFUF644.AP, ADFUS.BIN, BRECF321.BIN ,
BRECF641.BIN, BRECF644.BIN, FWIMAGE.FW, FWSCF321.BIN, FWSCF641.BIN,
FWSCF644.BIN, HWSCAN.BIN, RCSE7502.BIN, RCSL7502.BIN, WELCOME.BIN)
If the firmware for your board haven't worked, or if you are trying to
flash a dump(incomplete firmware), one thing you might do is to flash
another (random) firmware, until you get a working usb flash disk.
Then, flash your player in the normal way(not under ADFU mode), with
your incomplete firmware(without doing any short-circuit). Incomplete
DUMPS won't work on ADFU mode, remember that!
===If you get any other error===
If you are getting "UNKNOW FLASH TYPE", "FLASH NOT RESPONDING", "DEVICE
NOT DETECTED", "DEVICE IS BUSY" or other errors, you should uninstall
you current updater program and try other versions. (get the different
versions at tools(link) page).
If none of the versions that you are trying works with your player, you
might need to make a special trick to make your firmware run on the
ADFU mode.
If even on the ADFU mode you are still not allowed to flash a firmware
in any version, it is VERY likely that you have a hardware problem, for
example, bad solders on memory chip, or a burnt ATJ2085. See how to
check and fix bad solders(link).
==How to put your player on the ADFU mode==
'''Notice''': You must have a FULL firmware (acquired from mini-CD,
producer's site or internet)to flash player that is in ADFU mode, a
repaired dump acquired with s1fwx tool '''won't work''' as it doesn't
contain important files that are uploaded into CPU's memory.
You must disassemble your mp3 player. If you haven't done this yet,
check how to disassemble the s1mp3(link).
To make the ATJ2085 run the recovery mode, we short-circuit the memory
chip during startup.
Recognize the memory chip, near the ATJ2085 chip. It's usually a
samsung or hynix chip, and it's the biggest chip on the board(picture
of the memory chip). If your s1mp3 has 2 memory chips, you have to
short the memory chip nearest to the ATJ2085. If that doesn't work,
short the other one.
Now, without the batteries, with a flat screwdriver or another metallic
material (metal paper clip works nice):
#touch 2 or more of any of the 8 IO legs of the memory chip. (schematic
showing the IO legs on the chip)
#KEEP the screwdriver shorting the pins
#Connect the player to the USB.
#now, RELEASE the screwdriver shorting the pins
#Keep trying this procedure until you are successful.
You may need to do this procedure lots of time before getting a
successful short. When you are successful, windows will recognize your
s1mp3 as an ADFU server device (you may check it on the system tray)
and then, when you start the firmware update program, you'll be warned
that the device is on recovery mode, and you will finally be allowed to
flash a (FULL only) compatible firmware file. If you try to flash a
dump, you will get an error message.
Why does this work? On power-up, the player tries to test several core
files for integrity. If you short the memory IO lines, the CPU can't
properly read the files and assumes they are damaged. Damaged files, to
the CPU, mean that it can't run, so it enters ADFU (Actions Device
Firmware Update) mode, so you can reflash the important files and
thereby fix them.
If you can't make the device go into the ADFU mode, even after
extensively trying this method, it's because, on some (rare) cases, the
bootloader on the ATJ2085 is also corrupt, so the ATJ2085 won't NEVER
enter the ADFU mode. In these cases, there is no way for us to write
the correct firmware via USB. It is only possible to fix the firmware
via ICE(wikipedia link). See the [[S1ICE]].
After you are successful with this method, let windows talk to your
s1mp3 again. This will clear all the possible software erros while
updating the firmware. If you still have an error while trying to put
the firmware, or there is something wrong with your player's
hardware(??see |guide to fix|??), or your firmware is corrupt on
incomplete.
==Last words==
All the firmwares we have collected so far are on the |great firmware
archive|(link), get them and start trying. If you progress to flash an
unsupported board, post that on the forum for we to update the firmware
table.
If you have SURE you have made all the steps above, post on the forum
describing with as much details as possible, what is going wrong, maybe
we can help you. But all that is known are on this page, the people
probably won't be able to help much. '''Please, don't post asking for
firmwares!!'''
If you are getting a persistent error like "UNKNOW FLASH TYPE" after
trying everything suggested here, it's likely that there is a bad
solder on your memory chip or the memory chip itself is physically
damaged. You might |try to re solder it|(link).
The most important is to keep hope, LOTS of people already recovered
their players!
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