Creative ZEN

[pamaury]

Here is a modified rockbox with another init sequence: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xa246g1zk1lyoag/rockbox.zip
Can you try it and tell me if it's better ?

[MRJOE8010]

Chris, the Creative and black screens display normally (no dots), the dots first appear on the "Boot..." screen, screenshot below.  The WPS screen has consistently only displayed the default layout.

pamaury, I installed the updated Rockbox 131130 there is no change on the display, I tried to get a dump of the WPS screen but multiple attempts on different boot ups and different screens inserting/removing USB but only captured the menu screen.  USB did not reliably connect from menu screen, not a problem from off state.  Thanks for your continued work.

[pamaury]

Just to clarify the situation: the problems in the boot screen are normal and expected since you didn't change the bootloader. So at the moment, the discussion only applies to everything else: menu, WPS, ...
Do I understand correctly that the build I provided you still have a problem in those screens ?

[MRJOE8010]

Yes, there is still no change to the theme on the WPS screen across any of the builds I have tried including the lates 131130 build.  I have not been able to capture the WPS on a screen dump switching through the screens and inserting/removing USB.

[pamaury]

I still don't have a solution to the LCD problem but at least I have implemented charging, so it should now work on all stmp3700 targets. Obviously the bootloader won't charge until the next bootloader release, so you need to boot into rockbox to charge.

[chrisjj]

Chris, the Creative and black screens display normally (no dots), the dots first appear on the "Boot..." screen, screenshot below.

Thanks Joe. I take that to mean the cause is absent from the Creative code, and present in the bootloader and Rockbox code.

The WPS screen has consistently only displayed the default layout.

The WPS you showed here?? Then I'm surprised. My default WPS looks like this. Does it change if you reset using Settings, Manage Settings, Reset Settings?

I have not been able to capture the WPS on a screen dump switching through the screens and inserting/removing USB.

That too is strange. Here the Screendump facility captures WPS fine.

I still don't have a solution to the LCD problem but at least I have implemented charging, so it should now work on all stmp3700 targets.

Great! Thanks. I'll test it.

EDIT: It works. Previously the device would charge in the bootloader but not in RB - now it charges in both. Thanks again pamaury for the great work.
FTR, the change is here, the build is here, the version is 3f55f01-131201. Note: there's disagreement between dates in filename and version.

Obviously the bootloader won't charge until the next bootloader release

I find different. The current bootloader (V1Beta2_fb8faa1) charges fine, and IIRC the very first one did too.

[pamaury]

New try at LCD fix:

• Gerrit task: http://gerrit.rockbox.org/r/#/c/688
• Corresponding build: https://www.dropbox.com/s/scx4ya1jj1hgvq1/rockbox-zen-lcd-fix.zip

[chrisjj]

New try at LCD fix

I've tested this through a few hundred boot cycles. No change. I.e.

Procedure: Press and hold Power button.

Observed:

* most boots succeed (RB logo appears and since Power is held, device reboots)
* some fail upon RB start (immediately after "Executing..."), showing black screen, no response to buttons, and (with play Resume) no sound
* none fail upon bootloader start (immediately after CREATIVE logo)

After fail and reset, the boot often immediately fails again. Here, fail frequency is higher than upon boot on Power button above.

Conditions: ZEN 4Gb "J"; Bootloader version V1Beta3_3f555f01; RB version rockbox-zen-lcd-fix.zip 9ff1819-131202; default settings.

[MRJOE8010]

I have also tested 131201, 131202 and 131203 builds with similar results to chrisjj's... 131203 seems most stable, with most bootssuccessful and playback normally, some still hang after RB logo or crash after begining boot sequence.  I have noticed an increased problem with crashing after disconnecting usb both booting directly to usb or connecting usb after successful boot.

Chris, you mentioned "Bootloader version V1Beta3_3f555f01", the latest from the download link is version: V1Beta2_fb8faa1 is this a new bootloader? I would like to try this version to see if it affects the screen issues I have been experiencing.

[chrisjj]

131203 ... some still hang after RB logo or crash after begining boot sequence.

I get neither. What I get is hang after the bootloader text, but before the RB logo.

I have noticed an increased problem with crashing after disconnecting usb both booting directly to usb or connecting usb after successful boot.

I too get hangs there, though I don't know if the frequency has increased. I also get them on RoLo, if I answer Yes. Probably one in five times.

Chris, you mentioned "Bootloader version V1Beta3_3f555f01", the latest from the download link is version: V1Beta2_fb8faa1 is this a new bootloader?

Yes:

http://www.rockbox.org/irc/log-20131202#16:39:00 .
16:39   pamaury   chrisjj: could you do me a favor and try a new bootloader: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lylxog0szynnxtm/firmware-zen-v3.nk

I would like to try this version to see if it affects the screen issues I have been experiencing.

Worth a try I think, even though:

http://www.rockbox.org/irc/log-20131202#16:49:13
16:49   chrisjj   No change so far - BSoD remains. Conditions: ZEN 4Gb "J"; Bootloader version V1Beta3_3f555f01; RB version rockbox-zen-lcd-fix.zip 9ff1819-131202; default settings.

[MRJOE8010]

I tried the Bootloader version V1Beta3_3f555f0 with RB ...131203, there is no change in performance.  Still have the same display issues, vertical dots after Creative screen, no theme on WPS screen.  I get fairly consistent crashing after USB removal. I am still not able to open any file type other than .mp3, all files are visible and the RockBox background displays on all screens except WPS but no other image or theme will display or load.

[saratoga]

Which audio formats don't play?

[chrisjj]

no theme on WPS screen.

That's really strange. Your screenshot shows what looks like rockbox_failsafe, so I wonder if you've got a left-over config file of some sort. Could you try deleting all the files and then copying .rockbox directly from a distribution .ZIP?

all files are visible and the RockBox background displays on all screens except WPS but no other image or theme will display or load.

Does the start screen's Rockbox logo appear?

[pamaury]

I think this discussion is going nowhere, MRJOE8010 please continue the discussion on those bug reports and/or create new ones for new problems:

• LCD: http://www.rockbox.org/tracker/task/12917
• USB: http://www.rockbox.org/tracker/task/12918

Also, are you sure the File System is formatted properly ?

[chrisjj]

Also, are you sure the File System is formatted properly ?

How may one verify the file system is formatted properly?

It would be particularly valuable for me, because the here official format procedure has never succeeded in formatting a device without an error. I've tried four units, 4 and 8Gb and all bootloader versions up to V1Beta3.