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[SOLVED] Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

(In the spirit of the Mythbusters)
I downloaded FIASCO-image.
Unpacked it with 0xffff. (./0xFFFF -M RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin -u)
Selected xloader corresponding my hwrevision (not 2nd. not secondary.)
Made one byte modification (inside version string by guess).
-trying to not break code logic
-definitely break any checksum and/or signature
Flashed with 0xffff.

-> Instant brick.
Device can't be powered on.
When attached to the computer, dmesg doesn't show anything. (expected: http://wiki.maemo.org/User:Joerg_rw/...og_of_USB_enum)

Seems to me that consumer using usb can only cold flash secondary (which means nolo). So is this the border of brickability and unbrickability? (between xloader and nolo) Or is there still something to do without special equipments?

------------EDIT------------
First: Pali, Freemangordon and Joerg were correct all the time: N900 is non-brickable (via system and/or usb). I just could not read what they wrote: 1) Remove battery. 2) Attach USB. 3) Insert battery.
Second: dmesg is the king. And the 'new' -w flag (http://karelzak.blogspot.fi/2012/09/util-linux-222.html since kernel 3.5.0) specially.

So startup your Terminal (in Linux PC) and fire

Code:

dmesg -w

It shows kernel log and keeps printing them in realtime.

A)
Shutdown working N900, attach it to the PC with USB-cable and you will see:

Code:

[ 1641.214675] usb 3-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0421, idProduct=0106

[ 1641.214691] usb 3-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=34, Product=38, SerialNumber=0

[ 1641.214695] usb 3-2: Product: Nokia USB ROM

[ 1641.214698] usb 3-2: Manufacturer: Nokia

[ 1641.515422] usb 3-2: USB disconnect, device number 3

[ 1642.381098] usb 3-2: new high-speed USB device number 4 using xhci_hcd

[ 1642.651190] usb 3-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0421, idProduct=0105

[ 1642.651198] usb 3-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=5

[ 1642.651202] usb 3-2: Product: Nokia N900 (Update mode)

[ 1642.651205] usb 3-2: Manufacturer: Nokia

[ 1642.651208] usb 3-2: SerialNumber: 4D554D343430373238

[ 1642.827155] NET: Registered protocol family 35

[ 1642.844717] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_phonet

[ 1644.082315] usb 3-2: USB disconnect, device number 4

[ 1650.777427] usb 3-2: new high-speed USB device number 5 using xhci_hcd

[ 1650.906621] usb 3-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0421, idProduct=01c7

[ 1650.906638] usb 3-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3

[ 1650.906642] usb 3-2: Product: N900 (Storage Mode)

[ 1650.906645] usb 3-2: Manufacturer: Nokia

[ 1650.906647] usb 3-2: SerialNumber: 372041756775

[ 1650.907614] usb-storage 3-2:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected

[ 1650.907881] scsi host7: usb-storage 3-2:1.0

[ 1651.906622] scsi 7:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Nokia    N900              031 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2

[ 1651.907261] scsi 7:0:0:1: Direct-Access     Nokia    N900              031 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2

[ 1651.908069] sd 7:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0

[ 1651.908476] sd 7:0:0:1: Attached scsi generic sg4 type 0

[ 1651.910036] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI removable disk

[ 1651.911979] sd 7:0:0:1: [sdd] Attached SCSI removable disk

This is described by Joerg very well.

B) Wipe/destroy/mess xloader of your N900. Shut it down. It can't be booted anymore. Attach via USB, and dmesg is totally silent. This WAS my point of this thread. Because kernel can't see my N900, any flasher can't do anything with it.

B2) N900 without working bootloader.
Remove battery. Start new terminal (1st terminal is running dmesg -w). Start flasher with cold flash flag: example:

Code:

flasher-3.5 -h RX-51:2101 -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin -c -S usb

Attach USB cable.
Insert battery to the N900, and dmesg shows:

Code:

[10446.008076] usb 2-1.3: new high-speed USB device number 9 using ehci-pci

[10446.101264] usb 2-1.3: unable to get BOS descriptor

[10446.102639] usb 2-1.3: New USB device found, idVendor=0421, idProduct=0106

[10446.102644] usb 2-1.3: New USB device strings: Mfr=34, Product=38, SerialNumber=0

[10446.102647] usb 2-1.3: Product: Nokia USB ROM

[10446.102650] usb 2-1.3: Manufacturer: Nokia

[10446.576654] usb 2-1.3: USB disconnect, device number 9

And flasher will say:

Code:

Suitable USB device not found, waiting.

USB device found found at bus 002, device address 026.

Waiting for ASIC id...

usb_bulk_read: No such device

Code:

Suitable USB device not found, waiting.

USB device found found at bus 002, device address 027.

Waiting for ASIC id...

usb_bulk_read: Resource temporarily unavailable

Code:

Using serial port usb

Suitable USB device not found, waiting.

USB device found found at bus 002, device address 028.

Error claiming USB interface: Bad file descriptor

Remove battery. Start flasher again. Insert battery back. Repeat until success. There are only 0.3-0.7 seconds for flasher to react. In my case it took seven tries and then it worked:

Code:

Suitable USB device not found, waiting.

USB device found found at bus 005, device address 004.

Waiting for ASIC id...

Got 69 bytes.

ASIC ID:

05 01 05 01 34 30 07 57  13 02 01 00 12 15 01 3f

8f 41 14 07 41 48 49 d9  b5 94 4b 98 89 00 fb df

40 a2 89 14 15 01 87 3b  4d cd ca f5 44 4d 24 ec

b2 ac 95 53 88 41 4f ab  cd 66 15 09 01 f7 48 8f

28 a0 27 e5 b3

Sending 2nd image (14720 bytes)... done.

Sending ping... timeout!

failed.

Sending ping... pong.

Sending secondary (109440 bytes)... done.

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Flashing with F-Bus/Mbus Cable (Contacts under the battery) and UFS/HWK Flasher-Box should go.
I can do it, but i'm in Berlin/Germany

Or try to find xxxed Nokia Phoenix Service Software.
This has especially an option "Dead USB Flashing"

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Hi! X-Loader & Nolo compose one nand partition and are flashed at same time to N900.

If you accidentely flash something unbootable to N900, do not worry.

You can cold-flash via *usb* 2nd & Nolo image into N900 even if N900 has broken X-Loader/NOLO.

Make sure that your battery is charger and use 0xFFFF or flasher-3.5 in cold flash mode. After you get working NOLO, do normal flash and thats all.

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pali (Post 1494620)

You can cold-flash via *usb* 2nd & Nolo image into N900 even if N900 has broken X-Loader/NOLO.

I just test with another spare device that I can cold flash:

Code:

./flasher-3.5 -h RX-51:2101 -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin -c -S usb

http://wiki.maemo.org/Updating_the_f.../Cold_Flashing

My issue is not broken nolo, but broken xloader (I know terminology is little bit fuzzy, but I mean file named 'xloader' which comes inside fiasco). Cold flashing will not ever start because my computer is not seeing N900 (nothing comes in kernel log).

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AapoRantalainen (Post 1494824)

I just test with another spare device that I can cold flash:

Code:

./flasher-3.5 -h RX-51:2101 -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin -c -S usb

Does not matter what is broken (if nolo or x-loader). Cold flashing is started *before* booting x-loader and is started by omap rom.

Above command for cold flashing should be OK. If you are not seeing usb device it is because of power supply.

Make sure you have fully charged battery. If needed use external charger. N900 with broken bootloader cannot charge your batttery.

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pali (Post 1494826)

Does not matter what is broken (if nolo or x-loader). Cold flashing is started *before* booting x-loader and is started by omap rom.

If you are not seeing usb device it is because of power supply.

I fully charged battery with my working N900 and put it to the 'bricked' one. Then used same cable and same USB-port of computer than with working N900. But no, computer is not even noticing something were attached.

Connecting 'bricked' N900 to the computer.
When I use 100% full battery, nothing visually happens in N900.
When battery is below 100% (let say 95%) then there are orange led shining (continuous, not blinking).
(Any use of this information)

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AapoRantalainen (Post 1494962)

This looks like broken usb :-(

Anyway, try another computer with usb 2.0 bus (not 3.0!). Maybe your computer or operating system has slow usb enumeration and so cannot detect it.

Also you can try to use your working N900 if it can enter into cold flash mode. Turn it off, start 0xFFFF -I and then connect usb cable.

0xFFFF in -I mode just do identification, nothing more! And if it see Nokia N900 device in cold flash mode, it just tell N900 to start NOLO and it wrote message about it. So you will see if your computer/OS can detect device in cold flash mode.

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

My experience is that its pretty hard to brick a N900 by flashing stuff to it...

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonwil (Post 1495137)

My experience is that its pretty hard to brick a N900 by flashing stuff to it...

I'd say it is impossible.

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonwil (Post 1495137)

My experience is that its pretty hard to brick a N900 by flashing stuff to it...

I also thought so.

I had two working N900. I flashed them couple of times (also nolo-part). Always with the same cable and with the same computer. Then I (intentionally) flashed modified xloader (signed part). N900 instantly went black. After shutdown with battery removal it feels bricked. It can't be powered on. It will not show any more in kernel logs. I use working N900 for reference (cold flashing, kernel logs) and to charge batteries.

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AapoRantalainen (Post 1495592)

Always with the same cable and with the same computer.

Cold flashing is implemented differentely and implication normal flashing working --> then cold will work too is not truth.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AapoRantalainen (Post 1495592)

Then I (intentionally) flashed modified xloader (signed part). N900 instantly went black. After shutdown with battery removal it feels bricked. It can't be powered on. It will not show any more in kernel logs.

That is expected. Bootloader cannot be booted.

I'm just waiting for output from 0xFFFF when N900 is connected to usb 2.0 host (without hub, etc).

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pali (Post 1495603)

I'm just waiting for output from 0xFFFF when N900 is connected to usb 2.0 host (without hub, etc).

It gives nothing (full battery):

Code:

root@aapo:/0xFFFF/src# time ./0xFFFF -I 

0xFFFF v0.6.1  // Open Free Fiasco Firmware Flasher



Not a local device



Waiting for USB device...

I waited 65 minutes in this state.

----------------------------------
My working device gives (took couple of seconds)

Code:

0xFFFF v0.6.1  // Open Free Fiasco Firmware Flasher



Not a local device



Waiting for USB device...  

Found USB device: RX-51 (0x421:0x106) in Cold flashing mode

USB device product string: Nokia USB ROM

USB device serial number string: (not detected)

Detected USB device: (not detected)   



Waiting for ASIC ID...

Detected OMAP3430 chip

Device: (not detected)

HW revision: (not detected)

NOLO version: (not detected)

Kernel version: (not detected)

Initfs version: (not detected)

Software release version: (not detected)

Content eMMC version: (not detected)

Root device: (not detected)

USB host mode: (not detected)

R&D mode: (not detected)

Sending OMAP memory boot message...



Waiting for USB device...  

Found USB device: SU-18/RX-44/RX-48/RX-51 (0x421:0x105) in NOLO mode

USB device product string: Nokia N900 (Update mode)

USB device serial number string: MUM218786

Detected USB device: RX-51            



Initializing NOLO...

Device: RX-51

HW revision: 2101

NOLO version: 1.4.14

Kernel version: 2.6.28-20103103+0m5

Initfs version: (not detected)

Software release version: RX-51_2009SE_21.2011.38-1_PR_MR0

Content eMMC version: RX-51_2009SE_1.2009.40-3.SCANDINAVIA

Root device: flash

USB host mode: disabled

R&D mode: disabled

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Hm... this looks like broken/non-working usb :-(

You can try: remove battery, start 0xFFFF, connect usb cable, insert battery

Also can you try using another motherboard/computer for flashing?

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pali (Post 1495693)

Hm... this looks like broken/non-working usb :-(

You can try: remove battery, start 0xFFFF, connect usb cable, insert battery

Also can you try using another motherboard/computer for flashing?

Keep in mind there is only ~200ms period cold-flasing can be done, so it might take a couple of tries

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by freemangordon (Post 1495752)

Keep in mind there is only ~200ms period cold-flasing can be done, so it might take a couple of tries

But I should see something in kernel's log even flasher was too slow. I don't get single line.

I would say this is broken usb, but it happens when flashing modified xloader.

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Any news on this?
Cause it may stop people from trying to hack xloader.
Which i like to see cause gpio and spi on sdcard pins would be nice.
I have a n900 with missing (omap 1808 (ARM926EJ-S)).
it boots but the only booting option is debian900 which fails to bring up wifi and i have to repair the keyboard first to able to login.

But 0xFFFF doestnt see this device either, even it is booting fine..
usb networking seems to stop working.
Is usb dependend on broadband? (Maybe aapos fix hit broadbands firmware)
Is 0xfff distro dependend?
if there is interest i can solder a serial (+ levelshifter) to the debug serial pins on n900.
Not booting is fine but bricked is kind of hard.

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Have you tried the things ITT? http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=94802

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pythoneye2 (Post 1499382)

Any news on this?

Not yet. I have discussed about opportunity to reflash with fbus/mbus, even I know nothing about them. I'm trying to revive this unit and proof it is fully working and no bad-usb. ...And then brick it again =)

At this moment I'm claiming messing with xloader will lead bricking.
(Maybe the point is formally valid xloader, but broken signing).

--
Meanwhile I have collected what we (=community) know about NOLO hacking.

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by explit (Post 1494569)

Hi,

I created a new topic, but apparently it didn't get published yet. I'm gonna copy-paste what I wanted to ask:

I recently acquired a N900. I tried to install Debian directly on the internal memory (I don't have an SD card) following this tutorial -> n900.elektranox.org/installation.html. But now, the phone no more boot up, nor appear via dmesg when connecting it via USB.
I've been reading that topic, and after trying many solutions on my computer, I think that's the best solution I have in order to revive my N900.
If there is someone like explit, who can help me by flashing it with F-Bus/Mbus Cable (Contacts under the battery) and UFS/HWK Flasher-Box, living in France, that would be awesome. If not, I could travel to Berlin to solve that issue.

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by explit (Post 1494569)

Hi,
I'd like to flash my N900 with F-Bus/Mbus Cable and UFS/HWK Flasher-Box. I created a topic speaking about my issue, and I'd like to know if it's possible to reach you at Berlin or if you know someone who can do the flashing in France. Thank you.

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Just let me know, if ican help you with flashing

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pali (Post 1495693)

You can try: remove battery, start 0xFFFF, connect usb cable, insert battery

This is it. Solved, done. I just could not read this correctly.
Remove battery.
Start flasher.
Connect usb cable.
Insert battery. (Now it is seen by kernel and dmesg shows it)

I just didn't understand that it makes difference which order usb is connected and battery is inserted.

Quote:

Originally Posted by freemangordon (Post 1495752)

Keep in mind there is only ~200ms period cold-flasing can be done, so it might take a couple of tries

And then repeat until success. For me it took seven tries.

Now I fully believe N900 is unbrickable (until I found method to brick it :D ).

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Great!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by AapoRantalainen (Post 1534450)

It makes no difference if those steps are done in 300ms time period :-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AapoRantalainen (Post 1534450)

And then repeat until success. For me it took seven tries.

Now I fully believe N900 is unbrickable (until I found method to brick it :D ).

Probably the only SW way how to brick N900 is to erase CAL partition... Erasing anything else can be fixed by cold-flashing. N900 is basically unbrickable if you have working USB port.

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by explit (Post 1530685)

Just let me know, if ican help you with flashing

Hi explit,
It has been a while since I logged in.
Actually, I'm planning to come to Berlin by mid-July this year. Can you please tell me if you'll be there ?
2 years after your response, I finally found a way to come all the way from France.
I'd like - as said in my previous post - to flash my N900 with F-Bus/Mbus Cable and UFS/HWK Flasher-Box.
After all those years, I'm still hoping to save my N900.

Re: Did I brick it? Flashed broken xloader.

There is one devoted ...determined.... OCD ...N900 owner.