Bootloader Installation (sans sansapatcher)

[e280ruser]

I have been experimenting with the source lately, and I would like to apply 1 patch which requires the re-compilation of the source and the bootloader.  To practice, I have recompiled the bootloader of the unpatched SVN, dated yesterday.  I put the PP5022.mi4 (which was the output of compiling the bootloader) file to the root of my sansa e280, (not the R as my name suggests, long story), and let it reinstall the bootloader.  Upon reboot, it went straight to the rockbox firmware, which was great, however, when I rebooted and tryed to get into the OF, but unfortunately, it couldn't find the OF.bin in the system folder.  I put my baby into recovery mode, and reinstalled the 1.00.12 mi4 file from this website:
http://daniel.haxx.se/sansa/mi4.html
This erased the bootloader which loaded rockbox, however, it made the OF load perfectly.  I then decided to use sansapatcher to install the bootloader and found that it doesn't install a decrypted OF.bin in the system folder.  So, I got a hold of the mi4code tool from this website:
http://daniel.haxx.se/sansa/mi4code.html
I ran the command
./mi4code decrypt PP5022.mi4 OF.bin sansa
where PP5022.mi4 is the name of the 1.00.12 mi4 file which I attained from the previously mentioned website.  It gave me an OF.bin file which I placed in the system folder, and I also placed the PP5022.mi4 from my compiled bootloader (I've confused myself now, too many PP5022.mi4's ) in the root directory of the sansa.  However this boots the rockbox firmware, but when booting the OF, it locks up at 'loading OF.bin'.  I think that I have messed up the decryption of the OF's mi4, but I am not sure how, and can not seem to find an answer.  But  then also, I can not find any information of the installation of the bootloader sans sansapatcher, so it might be a problem of my method od installing the bootloader.  Now I am totally lost, and would appreciate some help from this excellent community, as I would love to start developing, but cannot do so without understanding this project's most basic of operations.  

As a side note, has anyone found it odd that the posting area feels that rockbox is not a word?

[Llorean]

Why do you need an OF.bin? The official bootloader doesn't require one. As well, this forum is for questions relating to the official installation process.

And, I have no clue what you mean by "has anyone found it odd that the posting area feels that rockbox is not a word." If you mean it gets a red underline, this is your browser, not the forums.

[linuxstb]

The Sansa bootloader (as the source indicates) looks for the original firmware in various locations (in the following order):

1) In the firmware partition (the OF only exists in the firmware partition if you install the bootloader with sansapatcher).

2) In /System/OF.mi4 (the original, encrypted MI4, renamed to OF.mi4).

3) In /System/OF.bin (unencrypted version of the original MI4).

[e280ruser]

Wow, ya'll respond so fast!

Why do you need an OF.bin? The official bootloader doesn't require one. As well, this forum is for questions relating to the official installation process.

Well, it turns out that I didn't, see below.  I must have misread something.  Sorry for posting here, I thought that this was the relevant place to post in.  I guess I should read the usage rules more carefully.

And, I have no clue what you mean by "has anyone found it odd that the posting area feels that rockbox is not a word." If you mean it gets a red underline, this is your browser, not the forums.

That's embarrassing.  It is my browser.  The thing is, I have only ever typed rockbox while posting here, so I have never seen it somehwere else, and as such assumed that it was a website wide thing, rather than a browser thing.

2) In /System/OF.mi4 (the original, encrypted MI4, renamed to OF.mi4).

Thank you, I didn't know that I could use an unencrypted mi4.  So, is there some kind of a version of mi4tool in the rockbox bootloader?
 *edit* Oh, yes there is.  I love answering my own questions.  Good way to learn stuff
I must delve deeper into the source...
Anywho, placing an unencrypted mi4 renamed OF.mi4 worked for me, thank you.  Now I must do some research and put my knowledge of C to work.  
 *edit #2* while looking at the output of the loading of the OF, it looks on the firmware partition, but the file is an invalid format.  That seems kind of disturbing.  Is this normal behavior, and if not should it be something to worry about?