Clarification required on features of a flashed Iriver H120

[bascule]

I've successfully flashed my H120 (to ROM) and I'm really impressed with the boot time now, but I am still struggling to decipher the IriverFlashing Wiki page in places.

If you are sure you don't need the original iriver firmware, you can replace it with Rockbox. Flashing Rockbox over the original firmware has several advantages:

Ability to use EEPROM memory for firmware settings

1. Does this happen automatically? I can't find a setting for it anywhere.

Dircache & database hibernation (saves battery at startup)

2. Again, does this happen automatically?

3. What is the benefit of flashing to RAM (presumably this is non-volatile RAM (nvram)?
Is it that it leaves the OF intact (although that does not seem to be the case according to the Wiki)? It seems pointless to me to use RAM when you could flash to ROM (presumably EEPROM) and gain the extra RAM buffer benefit.

4. If you flash to both RAM and ROM, is it then possible to remove the RAM image in order to free up that buffer space?

NOTE: Prior to installing a new build in a pre-flashed player, change the default boot sequence to Disk, then Re-flash, and then restore the boot sequence to your preference

5. I don't understand; why is this required?

[roolku]

1) It is not implemented. Currently it is only used to store the hibernate info.
2) yes
3) The binary is still flashed to ROM, but copied to RAM on boot up. Execution from RAM is slightly faster than from ROM.
4) It would only gain you ROM space, which isn't usable otherwise (although there was at some point a discussion of moving the plugins there)
5) Because you would update the code you are currently executing.  Also there might be compatibility problems with the old firmware and the new flash plugin.
You can however speed up that process by rolo-ing the disk firmware just before running the plugin.

[bascule]

Thanks very much for the comprehensive answers. I think I've got it, now.

[bascule]

OK, so I've been playing around a bit. I now have three separate firmware versions on my player, one on disk, one flashed to RAM and one flashed to ROM.

I can run them all separately, using the bootloader menu functionality although, as expected, some things do not work due to version incompatibilities (codec failure, missing settings files etc.)

1. So are they there permanently now? No way of freeing up any of that space? (I didn't fully follow your answer to my previous Q4, how would removing the RAM copy free up ROM space?)

2. Can I use this functionality to keep maybe a known good firmware version in ROM, whilst regularly using and updating the RAM version?

3. I still think the Wiki is perhaps over-cautious when describing how to do a regular update. Am I correct in thinking that provided the updated disk copy of the firmware (ie current build downloaded from the Rockbox site) is run/loaded somehow (either RoLo or booting from disk) then it will be active and can be safely flashed?

[roolku]

1. So are they there permanently now? No way of freeing up any of that space? (I didn't fully follow your answer to my previous Q4, how would removing the RAM copy free up ROM space?)

"RAM" is a little misleading, the FW is stored in ROM then copied to RAM and executed.

corresponding:

"DISK": the FW is stored on DISK then copied to RAM and executed.
"ROM": the FW is stored in ROM _not_ copied anywhere, but executed in ROM.

So "DISK" and "RAM" will use RAM memory (smaller playback buffer)
So "ROM" and "RAM" will use ROM memory not usable otherwise anyway
So "ROM" and "RAM" will boot fast (no disk access)
So "ROM" executes slightly slower, but I haven't noticed any negative impact (codecs & plugins still run from RAM)

Take your pick

2. Can I use this functionality to keep maybe a known good firmware version in ROM, whilst regularly using and updating the RAM version?

Sure. I do it the other way round. Backup copy for file management in RAM. Up-to-date in ROM. Default boot to ROM. Test versions on DISK.

3. I still think the Wiki is perhaps over-cautious when describing how to do a regular update. Am I correct in thinking that provided the updated disk copy of the firmware (ie current build downloaded from the Rockbox site) is run/loaded somehow (either RoLo or booting from disk) then it will be active and can be safely flashed?

- copy new .rockbox folder to player
- rolo rockbox.iriver
- flash *box.iriver
- reboot

[bascule]

Excellent. I really do understand it now. Thanks roolku.