Dead N900 - green light only
 

Hey! :)

I managed to find a cheap N900 but it's... dead.

It's got a green light only and no display. After a struggle to find any flasher-3.5 and RX-51 bin files I cannot get it to show on PC (win 10/64 bit).

Wondering if anyone can share any ideas on if its salvageable?
Not too fussed if its dead - I'll just display on desk (its in great condition).

Symptoms:
Green light when plugged in
Nothing showing in device manager
No gui/no vibrate on power press.

Open to any thoughts.

Edit: on my old mac laptop - its a dark green light on the charger and no device found.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

First I would try another battery, the best would be a new one.
Or at least one which is known to work.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

I would also see what or how the computer see it when connect via usb.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

When the battery is really dead you will see nothing, also in addition the usb plug could be half broken and you will see nothing. I think in both cases the led will be on.

When the battery and N900 is not totally dead, and you see some dmesg output, but the flasher doesn't recognized it (suitable device is not found), then it could be that the boot loader is corrupted. This could be fixed by cold flashing the device.

Read this thread maybe it is interesting for you. However go for a good battery and then we can see if it is really a paperweight.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

just copy the words that nokia flasher tool show up!!!!!!

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

Could also be a driver problem win x64?

You could try this.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

Thanks!
Will test with cold boot.
The battery seems dead, multimeter could not get any readings.
I ordered a new battery from eBay.
As for x64 drivers that very possible but my laptop is the same Mac I had when the n900 was in its prime (same OS still running) and that is where the light was barely on.

On desktop - standard green light.
MacBook - barely visible dark green.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

No can do unfortunately. PC and Mac don't see it - no output other than waiting for suitable device.

No unknown devices, no lsusb showing up.
I have a thought on connecting my benchtop PSU to it but too risky 😂

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

Interesting... Decided to connect up the bench PSU and after a bit of fiddling I got the Nokia screen to boot up!!!!
I can't connect USB or anything right now but I got to Nokia screen.
I'll upload some pics - looks scarry and was ����

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

I'm back - likely the last time for this evening but!
1 Laptop
1 USB
1 Benchtop PSU
1 Dead N900
= Not working BUT not exactly dead! :D:cool:

I got the N900 into USB mode (hold U) and my mac saw it!

Unfortunately I've encountered an error I have no seen before:

Jasons-MacBook-Pro:~ Jason$ sudo flasher -F /Users/Jason/Desktop/N900/RX-51_2009SE_10.2010.13-2.VANILLA_PR_EMMC_MR0_ARM.bin -f
flasher 3.12.1 (Oct 5 2011) Harmattan
WARNING: This tool is intended for professional use only. Using it may result
in permanently damaging your device or losing the warranty.

Suitable USB interface (bootloader/phonet) not found, waiting...
USB device found at bus 253, device address 4.
Device serial number is
Sending request 0x01 failed: Operation timed out
NOLO_REQ_GET_STATUS: Operation timed out
ERROR: Device status query failed
Jasons-MacBook-Pro:~ Jason$


Error on flasher is
Sending request 0x01 failed: Operation timed out
NOLO_REQ_GET_STATUS: Operation timed out


And for some fun I have got some pics!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2f0IgiCRvUwFX7XA2

Its old school stupid hackery :) Please enjoy some pics and I'll keep at it until my new battery arrives.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

Huh...
weird.
all around weird...

Hey KOD (easier to say than Kingoddball all the time..)
what's up with using the Harmattan flasher?
-Maemo Flasher-3.12.1 Tool for Harmattan-
I didn't know it worked for the n900...

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

This is the wrong flasher, it is designed for N9/N950

This hack will not work to run maemo because of ti bq27200 battery managment, BME and watchdog. I guess when you have your new battery, the N900 will start.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

hahahhaha well the flasher may be a problem I suppose hahah..
But I THINK that was the same setup I was using for years. I will recheck.
I have flasher-3.5 but can't get it to run...

I'll be back when I get it running!
hahaha Dopey...

RE: Battery; I did see the BME issue online before, still fun to play around while I'm waiting. :cool:

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

I think it needs a 32bit driver and lower version of libusb-0.1.12.
Don't know about mac how to solve this. If you like playing around you can try my linux live image, see my signature.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

Hhahahaha! I got it to flash using a Benchtop power supply, kapton tape and hopes and dreams :p ...

Update: After some playing around I got flasher-3.5 to run.
N900 to boot into flash mode without a battery and not worried about the BME/Watchdog (until maemo boots)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/0IoHQU9S3KFZ0phy1

Please enjoy the pics above! :)
Maemo does not boot as there is no battery BUT maemo bubbles do pop up!!
I'm happy with my "Broken" N900 from ebay :)

Hopefully these random posts were a bit of fun for some people.
N900 -- still bringing joy to the lives of people 7 years later!!


For anyone who cant get flasher to run on Mac: https://blog.omgmog.net/post/factory...00-from-a-mac/

Edit: Thank you all for your help, it was greatly appreciated! Don't know how I missed the Harmattan flasher - dopey :o
Issue in the end: Likely a dead battery.
Solution: Buy a battery or just screw around with a power supply and wait :D

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

I have had stellar success with xp 32bit and the flasher forever and a day...

and yes..widows (deliberately no "n" in there) 7...with the flasher ...with libusb and it works fine....(can't remember a problem I have ever had with it...)

mac?
haven't bothered ...(other than ancient versions of the old operating system)
naw ...
a dozen linux os's ...
and maemo 4 and 5 and a few obscure os's on almost 11 devices...
and 2 os's that are a monolithic pain in the butt
(win xp tablet version and win 7)
... is enough for me..

adding Mac to the pile ...would be the straw that broke the endsormeans..

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

Just an idea. What happens when you take the circuit from the old battery and attach the power supply to it? I don't know if it is possible and safe. Need to look into this bq27200 datasheet.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

Or even a battery? Say three NiCd/NiMH AAs in series?

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

Would be interesting..
quite...

Or....
Just an idea.....
What happens when you take the circuit from the old battery and attach 3 hamsters, a goat and 4 llamas ...

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

Hahahaha I have no idea!!
I'll pull it apart carefully tomorrow and build an attachment jig from the +/- to my bench and leave the sense (whatever it is) connected up!!

Sounds like some firey fun

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

Nah, that one doesn't work - the goat sets off the over voltage circuits. Just over it's nominal allowance.
Tried that already.
Stupid goat - blew a fuse.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

Actually ..
that does remind me of the comic vid my Veracruzean girlfriend sent me earlier today...

I would post it but the content is rather above pg...
but it is as funny as hell...

it's only about a minute long..
guy standing on kitchen chair, redoing the electrical on the ceiling light fixture..
can't see him from the camera shot higher than his chest...
and his wife is getting rather aroused...watching him work..
and can't stand it any longer..
So she pulls down his pants to his protestations..at her distracting him...because he is trying to finish the work ..
and well...
a-hem...
next thing that happens is she gets "electrocuted" on the mouth and both are thrown from the electric shock...
Just about fell off my chair I laughed so hard..

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

hahahaahaa...
of course ...the goat WOULD blow a fuse...
perhaps a chinchilla would be a better alternative...
all that rolling around in dust definitely generates plenty of static charge...
so the chinchilla has JUST gotta conduct electricity better.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

Try spuds instead. An additional advantage - they won't run away. For example, after female spuds.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

you could always try coconut halves...wired together..in a chain..
It always seemed to work quite well for the Professor on Gilligan's Island...

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

Indeed, but how many chinchillas to a goat? What's the GCC (Goat/Chinchilla Coefficient)?

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

That IS a good question... since one cannot go by simply mass of the two..
But one must look at the energetic values attached to the chinchilla versus the goat...
I think...due to the fact chinchillas are quite active...and can build up static elec. all on their own very quickly...
harnessing that ..I would guess..the ratio for output would be something akin to..
20 hamsters on the wheel are the equivalent in elec output to say...
12 chinchillas...
whereas ..goats are fairly calm creatures...
so one would need either young goats ..sporting...
or mating season...
so there is limited output..
So the ratio would have to be much greater than hamster or chinchilla ...to balance out...

I would think also that the goats may indeed start trying to chew and digest the equipment and harnesses ...thereby threatening electrocution...

Actually...
all the test subjects...
hamster, chinchilla and goat...
are very likely to die from electrocution from eating the wiring...
and quite possibly either start fires or catch fire themselves in the process...
the carnage and confusion would be astounding...

Unless...
One could minimize the amount of wiring ..externally...
Say...
Qi-charging-hamsters?
but in reverse...
So they "feed" the Qi charger...

It does have a mad merit.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

That flasher (3.12.1 Harmattan) is the wrong flasher for the N900. Its for the N9 and N950. That's why you are getting the error.

Re: Dead N900 - green light only
 

hahaahahhhaaaa


yeah...
we guessed at that a few days ago...
little on the olde "delayed reaction Tony " time there jonwil...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQW5Zms6Y5E

hahahhaahhaha