diff options
-rw-r--r-- | www/docs/flash.t | 65 |
1 files changed, 29 insertions, 36 deletions
diff --git a/www/docs/flash.t b/www/docs/flash.t index 5f0bb026a0..7a4f0fcdec 100644 --- a/www/docs/flash.t +++ b/www/docs/flash.t | |||
@@ -86,9 +86,9 @@ Most of the developing effort went into this tooling. So people skilled to do | |||
86 | these mods don't need to worry. The others may feel unpleasant using the first | 86 | these mods don't need to worry. The others may feel unpleasant using the first |
87 | tool for reflashing the firmware. | 87 | tool for reflashing the firmware. |
88 | <p> | 88 | <p> |
89 | To comfort you a bit again: The flash tools are stable since a while. I use | 89 | To comfort you a bit again: The flash tools are stable since quite a while. |
90 | them a lot and quite careless meanwhile, even reflashed while playing. However, | 90 | I use them a lot and quite careless meanwhile, even reflashed while playing. |
91 | I don't generally recommend that. ;-) | 91 | However, I don't generally recommend that. ;-) |
92 | <p> | 92 | <p> |
93 | About the safety of operation: Since we have dual boot, you're not giving up | 93 | About the safety of operation: Since we have dual boot, you're not giving up |
94 | the Archos firmware. It's still there when you hold F1 during startup. So even | 94 | the Archos firmware. It's still there when you hold F1 during startup. So even |
@@ -103,9 +103,9 @@ one hundred thousand), so you don't need to worry about that wearing out. | |||
103 | You need three things: | 103 | You need three things: |
104 | <ul> | 104 | <ul> |
105 | <li> The first is a Recorder or FM model. Be sure you're using the correct | 105 | <li> The first is a Recorder or FM model. Be sure you're using the correct |
106 | package, Recorder and FM are different! In principle, the technology works for | 106 | package, Recorder and FM are different! The technology works for |
107 | the Player models, too. It's just that no work has been spent on this | 107 | the Player models, too. Players can also be flashed, but Rockbox does not |
108 | (developers welcome). | 108 | run cold-started on those, yet. |
109 | 109 | ||
110 | <li> Second, you need an in-circuit programmable flash. Chances are about 85% | 110 | <li> Second, you need an in-circuit programmable flash. Chances are about 85% |
111 | that you have, but Archos also used an older flash chip which can't do the | 111 | that you have, but Archos also used an older flash chip which can't do the |
@@ -114,19 +114,15 @@ flash info gives you question marks, you're out of luck. The only chance then | |||
114 | is to solder in the right chip (SST39VF020), at best with the firmware already | 114 | is to solder in the right chip (SST39VF020), at best with the firmware already |
115 | in. If the chip is blank, you'll need the UART boot mod as well. | 115 | in. If the chip is blank, you'll need the UART boot mod as well. |
116 | 116 | ||
117 | <li> Third, your boot ROM (within the CPU) has to contain the right stuff. | ||
118 | The vast majority of the Player/Recorder/FM all have the same boot ROM content, | ||
119 | differenciation comes later by flash content. So far very few people had a | ||
120 | different, presumable later boot ROM. It uses a different flash layout. | ||
121 | The Hardware Info screen tells the boot ROM version in the ROM CRC line. | ||
122 | You need a value marked with "V1". | ||
123 | For V2 boxes the tools will refuse to work for the time being. | ||
124 | Flashing these is not impossible, but the firmware authoring has to be | ||
125 | different. It takes a developer with the serial mod to go ahead with it. | ||
126 | </ul> | 117 | </ul> |
127 | 118 | ||
128 | <h2>5. How do I flash the firmware?</h2> | 119 | <h2>5. How do I flash the firmware?</h2> |
129 | <p> | 120 | <p> |
121 | Short explaination: copy the firmware_*.bin files for your model from my distribution | ||
122 | to the root directory of your box, then run the "firmware_flash.rock" plugin. | ||
123 | Long version: | ||
124 | <p> | ||
125 | |||
130 | I'm using the new plugin feature to run the flasher code. There's not really a | 126 | I'm using the new plugin feature to run the flasher code. There's not really a |
131 | wrong path to take, however here's a suggested step by step procedure: | 127 | wrong path to take, however here's a suggested step by step procedure: |
132 | <ul> | 128 | <ul> |
@@ -139,16 +135,16 @@ wrong path to take, however here's a suggested step by step procedure: | |||
139 | <li> "ajbrec.ajz" into the root directory (the version of Rockbox we're going to use and have in the | 135 | <li> "ajbrec.ajz" into the root directory (the version of Rockbox we're going to use and have in the |
140 | firmware file)<br> | 136 | firmware file)<br> |
141 | <li> firmware_rec.bin or firmware_fm.bin into the root directory (the complete firmware for your model, | 137 | <li> firmware_rec.bin or firmware_fm.bin into the root directory (the complete firmware for your model, |
142 | with my bootloader and the two images) | 138 | with my bootloader and the two images). There now is also a _norom variant, copy both, |
139 | the plugin will decide which one is required for your box. | ||
143 | <li> the .rockbox subdirectory with all the plugins for Rockbox<br> | 140 | <li> the .rockbox subdirectory with all the plugins for Rockbox<br> |
144 | </ol> | 141 | </ol> |
145 | <li> Restart the box so that the new ajbrec.ajz gets started. | 142 | <li> Restart the box so that the new ajbrec.ajz gets started. |
146 | 143 | ||
147 | <li> Enter the debug menu and select the hardware info screen. Check you flash | 144 | <li> Enter the debug menu and select the hardware info screen. Check you flash |
148 | IDs and ROM CRC (bottom two lines), and please make a note about your hardware | 145 | IDs (bottom line), and please make a note about your hardware |
149 | mask value (second line). The latter is just for my curiosity, not needed for the | 146 | mask value (second line). The latter is just for my curiosity, not needed for the |
150 | flow. If the flash info shows question marks or you have ROM V2, you can stop | 147 | flow. If the flash info shows question marks, you can stop here, sorry. |
151 | here, sorry. | ||
152 | 148 | ||
153 | <li> Backup the current firmware, using the first option of the debug menu | 149 | <li> Backup the current firmware, using the first option of the debug menu |
154 | (Dump ROM contents). This creates 2 files in the root directory, which you may | 150 | (Dump ROM contents). This creates 2 files in the root directory, which you may |
@@ -197,15 +193,15 @@ box this time. Keep the Rockbox copy and the plugins of this package for that | |||
197 | job, because that's the one it was tested with. | 193 | job, because that's the one it was tested with. |
198 | 194 | ||
199 | <h2>6. How do I bring in a current / my personal build of Rockbox?</h2> | 195 | <h2>6. How do I bring in a current / my personal build of Rockbox?</h2> |
200 | <p> Short explaination: very easy, just play "rockbox.ucl" from the download | 196 | <p> Short explaination: very easy, just play a .ucl file like "rockbox.ucl" |
201 | or build. Long version: | 197 | from the download or build. Long version: |
202 | 198 | ||
203 | <p> | 199 | <p> |
204 | The second image is the working copy, the "rockbox_flash.rock" plugin from this | 200 | The second image is the working copy, the "rockbox_flash.rock" plugin from this |
205 | package reprograms it. The plugins needs to be consistant with the Rockbox | 201 | package reprograms it. The plugins needs to be consistant with the Rockbox |
206 | plugin API version, otherwise it will detect mismatch and won't run. | 202 | plugin API version, otherwise it will detect mismatch and won't run. |
207 | 203 | ||
208 | <p> It currently requires an exotic input, a UCL-compressed image, because | 204 | <p> It requires an exotic input, a UCL-compressed image, because |
209 | that's my internal format. UCL is a nice open-source compression library I | 205 | that's my internal format. UCL is a nice open-source compression library I |
210 | found and use. The decompression is very fast and less than a page of | 206 | found and use. The decompression is very fast and less than a page of |
211 | C-code. The efficiency is even better than Zip with maximum compression, cooks | 207 | C-code. The efficiency is even better than Zip with maximum compression, cooks |
@@ -271,17 +267,6 @@ for the latest Recorder and FM firmware. | |||
271 | 267 | ||
272 | <h2>7. Known issues, limitations</h2> | 268 | <h2>7. Known issues, limitations</h2> |
273 | <p> | 269 | <p> |
274 | The latest ATA init fixes seemed to have solved early adopter's problems. | ||
275 | However, the wait for the harddisk is longer, you're unlikely to reach the 3 | ||
276 | seconds boot time. I hope it will improve one day again. | ||
277 | |||
278 | <p> | ||
279 | Loading the original Archos firmware via rolo may hang, if Rockbox is started | ||
280 | from flash. This is some initialization problem which I hope to fix, rolo-ing | ||
281 | Rockbox versions works OK. If you feel homesick, move away ajbrec.ajz and hold | ||
282 | F1 during powerup. | ||
283 | |||
284 | <p> | ||
285 | Latest Rockbox now has a charging screen, but it is in an early stage. You'll | 270 | Latest Rockbox now has a charging screen, but it is in an early stage. You'll |
286 | get it when the unit is off and you plug in the charger. The Rockbox charging | 271 | get it when the unit is off and you plug in the charger. The Rockbox charging |
287 | algorithm is first measuring the battery voltage for about 40 seconds, after | 272 | algorithm is first measuring the battery voltage for about 40 seconds, after |
@@ -291,13 +276,21 @@ while plugging in. Some FM users reported charging problems even with F1, | |||
291 | they had to revert to the original flash content. | 276 | they had to revert to the original flash content. |
292 | 277 | ||
293 | <p> | 278 | <p> |
294 | The plugin API is currently changed often, new builds may render the plugins | 279 | If the plugin API is changed, new builds may render the plugins |
295 | incompatible. When updating, make sure you grab those too, and rolo into | 280 | incompatible. When updating, make sure you grab those too, and rolo into |
296 | the new version before flashing it. | 281 | the new version before flashing it. |
297 | 282 | ||
298 | <p> | 283 | <p> |
299 | Two people have an issue with recording, it freezes after a few minutes or so | 284 | There are two variants of how the boxes starts, therefore the normal and the _norom |
300 | (statistically). They use F1 to record with Archos software as a workaround. | 285 | firmware files. The vast majority of the Player/Recorder/FM all have the same boot |
286 | ROM content, differenciation comes later by flash content. Rockbox identifies this | ||
287 | boot ROM with a CRC value of 0x222F in the hardware info screen. Some recorders | ||
288 | have the boot ROM disabled (it might be unprogrammed) and start directly from a | ||
289 | flash mirror at address zero. They need the new _norom firmware, it has a slightly | ||
290 | different bootloader. Without a boot ROM there is no UART boot safety net. To | ||
291 | compensate for that as much as possible I have included my MiniMon monitor, | ||
292 | it starts with F3+On. Using that the box can be reprogrammed via serial if the | ||
293 | first ~2000 bytes of the flash are OK. | ||
301 | 294 | ||
302 | <h2>8. Movies and images</h2> | 295 | <h2>8. Movies and images</h2> |
303 | <p> | 296 | <p> |