Rockbox Technical Forums
Installation / Removal => Manual Installation => Sandisk - Installation/Removal => Topic started by: ryokio on March 03, 2010, 06:47:25 PM
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I bought a refurbished Sansa e280 v2 from NewEgg with the intention of running RockBox on it, as it is now listed as stable.
I initially turned it on and had some fun listening to the default music. It seemed to be working just fine. I noted that according to the software, the firmware was V3.x, confirming that it is a v2 model.
I downloaded the RockBox Utility this morning and tried to install it from Windows XP. It wouldn't detect it. I looked into the firmware to change the USB mode, but it wasn't there. I found somewhere on the forums here that if you turn on the Lock switch and hold down the left arrow while plugging it in, you will enable the right USB mode. Sure enough, it worked. I was able to see the files on the Sansa.
I ran the Rockbox Utility. It was not able to autodetect the Sansa, so I assigned it as a "Sandisk Sansa e200v2 series" with the right drive letter and told it to do a complete installation. During the install, it asked me for a firmware image. As indicated by the instructions, I downloaded a copy from here (http://forums.sandisk.com/sansa/board/message?board.id=e200&thread.id=13548) and proceeded with the installation. Everything succeeded.
When I disconnected the Sansa from my PC, it popped up a message "Updating Firmware". I waited. It said the update was complete and it turned off.
When I pressed the power button, it came up with the Rockbox logo and somethign alogn the bottom saying "Bootloader v1.c" or something. It goes by too fast to see. Then the screen went totally white and stayed that way. Uh oh.
If I hold the power button down, it will turn off after a few seconds. But when I turn it back on, it shows the same Rockbox screen, followed by the white screen of death.
I turned it off and plugged it into the PC again. It brings up the Sandisk Sansa logo and stays there forever. After a minute or three, Windows reports "USB Device not recognized" and "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems."
I tried to reboot holding down the RECORD button. Rockbox would display the boot screen, then flick to another page implying that it was re-writing some files (goes by too fast to see) then goes back to the White Screen of Death.
I removed the back and removed the battery. I've been fighting with it, plugging it into a Windows 7 x64 system and pressing different buttons in an effort to get it back, but it generally goes back to the Sansa screen indefinitely.
I finally managed to get it to boot the Sansa flash. It seems that if I detach the battary, turn on the LOCK switch, hold the left arrow, plug int he USB and get VERY lucky, it will sometimes go into the Sansa screen. It's realyl iffy, so I haven't figured it out.
From this Sansa firmware, I have tried to:
- Format the disk. Makes Rockbox report there is no firmware to load. Otherwise, the same.
- Restore the original Sansa flash as instructed here (http://forums.sandisk.com/sansa/board/message?board.id=e200&thread.id=13548). I downloaded the flash and placed it in the root directory. Then I disconnected. It reported "Updating Flash" then "Flash Updated" but it would still come up with the Sansa logo and freeze.
- Re-install Rockbox and the bootloader. Succeeded, but still has the same bootloader problems.
I am suspecting that the firmware I got from Sandisk is not right. Ir maybe I somehow have some funky hardware. I'm pretty much stuck.
What do you think, sirs?
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You can find older versions of e200v2 firmware here (http://daniel.haxx.se/sansa/amsfw.html) (the letter doesn't matter, only the version number.
If the OF (Original Firmware) doesn't work fine then I would say it's likely faulty hardware which causes random behaviour (with different effects in rockbox and OF).
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Thanks for the information.
The version of the firmware I was using appears to be 3.01.16a. (The filename is e200v203.01.16a.zip.)
I followed the link and downloaded the oldest one available for my model, SansaE200_plusA3_01_11.7z. After some fiddling, I managed to get it to mount on the Win7 computer and dumped the firmware in the root directory. After disconnecting, it reported that it was updating the firmware, and that it was a success, then turned off.
On power up, I was greeted with the Sansa menu. It worked! I rebooted the Sansa about a dozen times and it came up every time.
I went back to the Rockbox Utility and did a complete installation again, but supplied it with the older firmware. It performed the update as usual.
On startup, I saw the Rockbox boot screen and some quick status messages on the screen, then it went to the White Screen of Death again. From there, it stays locked up until I power it off.
If I turn it off and plug in the USB port, it connects to the PC. That's a good thing. There is some progress. And if I turn on LOCK and hold down Left Arrow while plugging in the USB, I can get the file folder view. (I don't remember what that mode is called.)
Do you know what version of the Sansa firmware you like to use? I'm tempted to try more of them, but would like to avoid the problem I had before.
Thank you,
Ryokio
PS: Just tried the SansaE200_plusA3_01_14.7z firmware. It does the same thing as e200v203.01.16a.zip. It scrogs the USB port so I can't talk to it. Back to fighting with it to see if I can put the SansaE200_plusA3_01_11.7z back on.
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Do you know what version of the Sansa firmware you like to use?
I don't have an e200v2, on my sansas all the firmware versions worked fine, I still think there is something wrong with your hardware.
If you can find the release notes between 1.11 and 1.14 perhaps it can give a hint on which part is failing?
When you get it working again, it might be a good idea to format the player and see if it behaves better
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I think it is a hardware fault. Here's why:
I managed to remove Rockbox entirely and load the A3_01_11.7z flash. It works properly. We already know that.
Then I pretended to be a stupid Windows user. I plugged it into my Win7 box and installed the official Sansa Updater. It said I needed an update. I allowed it to install the latest version. I think it was 3_01_16.7. It flashed properly, but when I rebooted, it went back to the Sansa screen and hung, like I was seeing before.
That was enough evidence for me to believe that the USB port is damaged just slight, so it won't work right with any other firmware. I logged into NewEgg and got an RMA. Hopefully they can send me a new one that works better.
Thanks for the help. Hopefully my troubles will help someone else who happens to see this on the forums.
-- Ryokio