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-rw-r--r--www/docs/flash.t65
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
86these mods don't need to worry. The others may feel unpleasant using the first 86these mods don't need to worry. The others may feel unpleasant using the first
87tool for reflashing the firmware. 87tool for reflashing the firmware.
88<p> 88<p>
89To comfort you a bit again: The flash tools are stable since a while. I use 89To comfort you a bit again: The flash tools are stable since quite a while.
90them a lot and quite careless meanwhile, even reflashed while playing. However, 90I use them a lot and quite careless meanwhile, even reflashed while playing.
91I don't generally recommend that. ;-) 91However, I don't generally recommend that. ;-)
92<p> 92<p>
93About the safety of operation: Since we have dual boot, you're not giving up 93About the safety of operation: Since we have dual boot, you're not giving up
94the Archos firmware. It's still there when you hold F1 during startup. So even 94the 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.
103You need three things: 103You 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
106package, Recorder and FM are different! In principle, the technology works for 106package, Recorder and FM are different! The technology works for
107the Player models, too. It's just that no work has been spent on this 107the Player models, too. Players can also be flashed, but Rockbox does not
108(developers welcome). 108run 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%
111that you have, but Archos also used an older flash chip which can't do the 111that 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
114is to solder in the right chip (SST39VF020), at best with the firmware already 114is to solder in the right chip (SST39VF020), at best with the firmware already
115in. If the chip is blank, you'll need the UART boot mod as well. 115in. 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.
118The vast majority of the Player/Recorder/FM all have the same boot ROM content,
119differenciation comes later by flash content. So far very few people had a
120different, presumable later boot ROM. It uses a different flash layout.
121The Hardware Info screen tells the boot ROM version in the ROM CRC line.
122You need a value marked with "V1".
123For V2 boxes the tools will refuse to work for the time being.
124Flashing these is not impossible, but the firmware authoring has to be
125different. 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>
121Short explaination: copy the firmware_*.bin files for your model from my distribution
122to the root directory of your box, then run the "firmware_flash.rock" plugin.
123Long version:
124<p>
125
130I'm using the new plugin feature to run the flasher code. There's not really a 126I'm using the new plugin feature to run the flasher code. There's not really a
131wrong path to take, however here's a suggested step by step procedure: 127wrong 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
140firmware file)<br> 136firmware 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,
142with my bootloader and the two images) 138with my bootloader and the two images). There now is also a _norom variant, copy both,
139the 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
148IDs and ROM CRC (bottom two lines), and please make a note about your hardware 145IDs (bottom line), and please make a note about your hardware
149mask value (second line). The latter is just for my curiosity, not needed for the 146mask value (second line). The latter is just for my curiosity, not needed for the
150flow. If the flash info shows question marks or you have ROM V2, you can stop 147flow. If the flash info shows question marks, you can stop here, sorry.
151here, 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
197job, because that's the one it was tested with. 193job, 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"
201or build. Long version: 197from the download or build. Long version:
202 198
203<p> 199<p>
204The second image is the working copy, the "rockbox_flash.rock" plugin from this 200The second image is the working copy, the "rockbox_flash.rock" plugin from this
205package reprograms it. The plugins needs to be consistant with the Rockbox 201package reprograms it. The plugins needs to be consistant with the Rockbox
206plugin API version, otherwise it will detect mismatch and won't run. 202plugin 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
209that's my internal format. UCL is a nice open-source compression library I 205that's my internal format. UCL is a nice open-source compression library I
210found and use. The decompression is very fast and less than a page of 206found and use. The decompression is very fast and less than a page of
211C-code. The efficiency is even better than Zip with maximum compression, cooks 207C-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>
274The latest ATA init fixes seemed to have solved early adopter's problems.
275However, the wait for the harddisk is longer, you're unlikely to reach the 3
276seconds boot time. I hope it will improve one day again.
277
278<p>
279Loading the original Archos firmware via rolo may hang, if Rockbox is started
280from flash. This is some initialization problem which I hope to fix, rolo-ing
281Rockbox versions works OK. If you feel homesick, move away ajbrec.ajz and hold
282F1 during powerup.
283
284<p>
285Latest Rockbox now has a charging screen, but it is in an early stage. You'll 270Latest Rockbox now has a charging screen, but it is in an early stage. You'll
286get it when the unit is off and you plug in the charger. The Rockbox charging 271get it when the unit is off and you plug in the charger. The Rockbox charging
287algorithm is first measuring the battery voltage for about 40 seconds, after 272algorithm 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,
291they had to revert to the original flash content. 276they had to revert to the original flash content.
292 277
293<p> 278<p>
294The plugin API is currently changed often, new builds may render the plugins 279If the plugin API is changed, new builds may render the plugins
295incompatible. When updating, make sure you grab those too, and rolo into 280incompatible. When updating, make sure you grab those too, and rolo into
296the new version before flashing it. 281the new version before flashing it.
297 282
298<p> 283<p>
299Two people have an issue with recording, it freezes after a few minutes or so 284There 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. 285firmware files. The vast majority of the Player/Recorder/FM all have the same boot
286ROM content, differenciation comes later by flash content. Rockbox identifies this
287boot ROM with a CRC value of 0x222F in the hardware info screen. Some recorders
288have the boot ROM disabled (it might be unprogrammed) and start directly from a
289flash mirror at address zero. They need the new _norom firmware, it has a slightly
290different bootloader. Without a boot ROM there is no UART boot safety net. To
291compensate for that as much as possible I have included my MiniMon monitor,
292it starts with F3+On. Using that the box can be reprogrammed via serial if the
293first ~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>