OK< if You try to "catch on words", it's not ONLY one included in N900, and not the one I'm referring to. That's why I told You to "check N900 schematics", not chip schematics... you probably already know - stubborn one - that I'm mentioning circuit *before* chip - that one is bypassed completely, when using pins beneath battery as 5V+, ground, and DATA pins (aka additional USB). That ones - beneath battery - bypasses circuits, so they're dangerous to use "out-of-lab", i.e. without proper filtered cable, reliable peripheral devices etc. Pins beneath battery connect directly to the chip

On the other side, after USB port (but before chip) You got plenty of non-software-controlled protection elements...

*That* explanation is clear enough?...

sorry i still haven't managed to get time to do flashing. Hopefully tonight (10hrs time)

how would i get framebuffer output to txt file?
and my limited understanding leads me to think it is watchdogs not seeing something that they want to see that is causing reboots.
^this is from the glimpses i could see when i had framebuffer kernel installed, which i wrote about earlier in thread. BUT, i couldn't even really tell you what a watchdog is, so value of my input is limited.

I do have slight hope for flashing pr1.2 first, as suggested by karem, but catch .22 i would like to upload framebuffer output if possible for others here to look at, cant do if by freak chance i fix device...

Watchdog is quite possible cause - try first flashing framebuffer in R&D mode on, it disables watchdogs.

Also, maybe it's good idea of make video - N900 screen while booting with framebuffer? Ho ever, I'll ask around, about output to file.

THINK I FIXED IT.

enabled rd mode (dont know if this helped or not) installed latest version pc suite and drivers and nokia software updater. Chose to update device, but phone would never manage a stable connection because of turning itself off, when blurb came up asking me to reconnect phone in pc-suite mode i just kept hitting retry until connection was made for long enough, chose reinstall firmware... but before download of software had even started the phone booted with the login chime.

dunno what to do now, the phone is working but still have to wait 10min for NSU to download image...

i'm a bit overwhelemed, really. Nothing makes sense.

edit: it can reboot sensibly now...
edit 2: it seems all i did was enable rd mode, now device boots, works

Strange. But I think it may be R&D mode that helped, if You've used no lifeguards option via flasher.

anyway, You can check it by disabling R&D mode (fvia flasher), if it will end in reboot loop, you know what have helped

Still, even thought working in R&D mode doesn't have any drawbacks (you can even turn of that keyboards led blinking), it's good to know what is screwed so badly that it can't work outside R&D. you know, what watchdogs are complaining about.

// Edit

And don't use cheap car chargers

sorry, i put in an edit 12hrs ago but it didnt update thread, it said yeah, i've confirmed that all i did was enable rd mode to fix, phone will not boot in normal mode.

Also, i updated again firmware again with nokia software updater and now parts of the keyboard wont work, if i go into
settings -> text input -> nokia keyboard layout the best option is English, Nederlands,

But for now i'm pretty happy to have a phone that works, i'll play around with settings and hopefully get a framebuffer output of failing boot in this thread later.

NSU updated phone to 20.2010.36-2.207, but i can't find what this image is.

Just to update you all.

My phone couldn't be repaired and I've been given an N8 as a replacement (it's brand new). I argued for over an hour that at the very least I wanted an E7 as a replacement. I was told there was a £100 price difference between the 2 phones and that I would have to pay this excess. I offered to pay half, this was rejected. They tried to argue the N8 was a like for like replacement, I pointed out the different operating systems, lack of keyboard etc... but was told on numerous occasions, "the computers telling me it's a like for like replacement" At this point, I told them they sounded like a character from Little Britain, they wouldn't budge. When I asked what would happen if I didnt except the N8 they re-iterated my phone couldn't be repaired and that this was there best offer. Vodafone (UK) have the N8 on their books at £350 and the E7 at £450. They offered me any other phone up to the value of £350, again I pointed out there is nothing on the market like the N900.

I'm tempted to buy a second hand N900, but as I've had two replacements already in 20 months and they can't be repaired for a lack of spare parts, I'm not going to.

Guess I'll hold tight and see what comes to market, I only have 1 month to go before I can renew my contract.

A sad day indeed

I would try a secondhand N900. I could just be bad luck that you had with your N900.

I have two N900 devices. The first one is my primary phone, use it on a daily basis and is almost 2 years old, the second one I use for development and is younger (16 months). Both work fine, no problems.

ziggadebo, I would also just buy a second-hand N900. If You look around for a while, You can buy one in perfect condition for ~150$ easily (and for 200$ without looking too much ), so after selling Your brand new N8, You'll end with quite high amount of money left after trade