Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

I was away for the weekend and randomly my N900 decided it wanted to go into a continuous reboot loop which I cant seem to fix! I've tried (warm) flashing it to no avail. I wondered if someone might be able to tell me how totally wipe it, back to day one standard. I cant seem to find instructions anywhere that my noob brain can understand!

Cheers!!

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

First you will need to do a eMMC flash using Flasher 3.5, then do a OS flash later using Flasher 3.5.

Follow Wiki for more information on how to do the eMMC flash. If you don't flash eMMC then the Phone will be stuck in eternity loop.

Why? because there are packages stuck inside the install partition and causing it to clash with the OS partition when it is trying to boot up.

Hope this help

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

There are different steps to use, depending on what operating system you have running on your computer.

Windows: Windows users can update their Nokia N900 using Nokia Software Update tool. You can use this walkthrough to install and run NSU under Windows 7, too. Be sure to backup any critical information before applying the update, as it will reset your device to factory settings. The internal device memory will be cleared, but your 32GB internal memory card will not be.

Linux: Linux users can use the Flasher to update their firmware. Download the flasher here, and the N900 firmware image here. To start flashing, turn the N900 off, then connect the USB cable (with the device still powered off). Open a terminal and run ‘sudo ./flasher-3.5 -F <firmware image filename> -f -R‘ and enter your administrator password. You’ll get a message that a suitable USB device isn’t found, so you’ll now need to press the power button to turn your N900 on. Once it’s on, it will start flashing, and then it will reboot. When you see the normal desktop, you can disconnect your N900.

Mac OS X: Follow the same steps as for Linux users, except you’ll need to download the 770Flasher application. As with Linux, you’ll want to connect your N900 (powered down) via USB cable, then run the 770Flasher and drag the firmware image that you downloaded (ends with .bin) over to the 770Flasher. It will tell you a suitable USB device wasn’t found, and that’s when you press the power button to turn the device on. It should then begin flashing your N900, and again, when you see the normal desktop on the device, it’s safe to disconnect.

http://bestof.eblogza.com/2010/02/21...%99s-firmware/

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

please refer to the wiki:
http://wiki.maemo.org/Updating_the_tablet_firmware
:)

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

Thanks for the advice guys! All fixed! Now all I have to do is put all my stuff back on the bloody thing!!! :-$

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

Thats why you should use a micro SD card - any phone, any device, save all your music and pictures

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

Lesson well and truely learnt...copying music.....3hrs remaining!

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

should have copied it in USB mode...transfer rate upto 18MBps (for me anyway)

:)

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

Hi there,
This is my first post in Maemo but for a problem :(
My N900 rebooting continuously.. I have done the firmware and eMMC updates to fix this problem but all in vain :( Totally disappointed..When i try to do the firmware update for the second time to go for a chance, by pressing the 'u" key is not showing the USB symbol at the top right corner and also my PC (Windows) is not detecting the drive... I really don't know what to do..Please guyz please help me out :( Waiting for your replies to make my N900 live again..
Thank you All..

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

If your using Windows 7 32 bit, disconnect your internet connections, then flash using this:
flasher-3.5 -F "FIASCO" -f
Then by this:
flasher-3.5 -F "EMMC" -f -R
Be sure to place the 2 .bims in flasger 3.5's directory, and to hold the "u" button while plugging in the usb cable to your N900.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

Hi Jade..Thanks for that rapid reply. I tried disconnecting the internet connection and tried flashing by pressing the "u" button ..but all i see is - the orange led is glowing continuously (not blinking) and after some time the logo "NOKIA" (without any light) shown on the screen and then vibrates and then repeating to show this logo.. and then the orange led :( Any other clue?

Adding to the above, I'm using Windows XP 2000 professional Version 2002 SP3

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

hey buddy do you have enough charge in your battery. I suggest you charge your battery for a while before you try to flash it again.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

When i try to charge the battery using power outlet, the phone is continuously rebooting...with NOKIA with the light...then i disconnected thinking that make the problem more worse :( Also when i try to charge it via USB, then the orange led glows for ~1 min and then there is no action on the phone..what shall i try now?

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

The phone loads part of the os to get it to properly charge.
if it cant it will just 'trickle' charge the battery (solid orange light) just leave for a few hours and then try to flash again using jade's method.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

Thanks for that Idea..I left it now connected with USB..Is that sufficient to charge the battery rather than connecting it to the power outlet? The only difference I would say between these two connectivity to charge the battery is - when connected to the power outlet, the NOKIA comes with the backlight and then reboots continuously..but when connected to the USB, the back-light is absent...all it happens here is the orange led glows for some time and then the NOKIA logo with no backlight..this process is continuing now..does it harm the device anyway?

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

I've simmilar issue time ago and I've could avoid re-rebooting :) removing the battery...later I've could flash it simply pluging-in the USB and switching on the n900....

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

Use the power outlet..it will charge faster.It happened to me also. I left it for 2-3 hours on charge and then it flashed succesfully.
Try it and then let me know.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

when plugged into wall charger your giving it more power so it can charge and boot up. but with usb the phone knows it gona struggle to do both so just charges.eventually your get enough charge in the battery and it'll try to boot on usb too.
just leave it on wall charger if you want to be reflashing it a bit sooner.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

Thanks a lot..I will connect it to power outlet right now...but all i wanted to know is whether this continuous rebooting during this charge, with vibration anyway harms the device?

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

no its just trying to boot a damaged os. shouldn't harm it in any way.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

it wont harm it...just leave it for 2 hours and then flash cause it charges really fast with the main outlet.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

Ok. That's nice to hear..Whether the problem will be solved or not, you guys had given me a good hope..I'm very thankful to all of you for that :)
I will keep it for charge for 1-2 hours. But why all of a sudden this problem is occurring :( It was working like a charm...little disappointed due to this :(

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

did you install/upgrade any new apps/mods lately?

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

did u by any chance install CON900??

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

The thing i have done before this problem was I have done few setups using Theme Customizer which done a reboot after the changes applied. This I have done for 2-3 times where the phone rebooted after each setup..The problem occurred when there was a fourth time reboot..Hope I should have not done such frequent theme settings change and reboot after that.
Before this, I have a problem with the camera which shows "Operation failed" whenever i try to use it. So I uninstalled the relevant apps for the camera hoping that may work after that. But the problem was still existing even after I had cleared some space in the phone memory which was suggested by few forums.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

No. I haven't. Is this a generic problem in this model? I'm bit afraid whether this would be solved or not. I don't wanted to send it back to Nokia even for a replacement as I love my phone a lot. Hoping for the best to happen.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

u don't have to send it to nokia for anything. Its just that maybe frequent reboots cause of theme customiser might be the issue.

Once you flash it will be working just like before.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

the camera will show operation failed if u installed FCam. Have you installed the enhanced kernel?

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

Ya. I had installed FCam earlier. I have uninstalled this app after the problem in the camera. Yes. I have installed Enhanced Kernel.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

http://thenokiaguide.com/2010/01/11/...sets-all-data/
I had the same problem and I did this. Everything you need is available here.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

Thanks for that. Which latest/stable version of firmware and eMMC files do I have to pick? Could you please guide on this? I'm in Switzerland and I bought the phone here only.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

do u have the testing & devel repos as well or just the the default Extras?

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

for emmc chose

For PR1.3 It’s called:

RX-51_2009SE_10.2010.13-2.VANILLA_PR_EMMC_MR0_ARM.bin

for firmware choose global firmware

RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

I had both "Extras-Testing" and "Extras-Devel" installed but I remember I had disabled Extras-Devel.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

I dont know that but I flashed it and after turning it on I updated through Ovi suite to Pr 1.3

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

enable devel and install Enhanced kernel for power users version 46.

This is the latest version & has fixed the camera error. after that reboot & try camera.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

Wow..That's cool. I will try it once my N900 comes alive...It was charging for 1 hour by now. Could I try the flash now? Or shall i Wait for some more time?

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

give it a try with the flash & see if it detects or not..

Hold the U key on the keyboard before u plug the usb cord to the fone.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

yeah go have a try you nothing to lose at the moment.

Re: Bricked N900 - HELLLPPPP!!!!
 

Guyz...Splendid!!! I have done the flashing ..now the cmd prompt showing CMT flashed successfully...What next? Do I have to run the eMMC file as well?? Is it a must as part of the flashing??