iHP-140 bootloader won't boot rockbox

[si]

Hi,

I've got an old iHP-140 that I've replaced the hard drive in with a 60GB model following the demise of the OEM drive. I have followed the automated installer route to put rockbox in. After the install the machine boots fine into the original iriver firmware (and all then works well) with the rec / play button trick but when started with 'play' it displays the rockbox boot loader version 6 message with the battery voltage, there is a brief burst from the red hard disk activity light, followed by an indefinite total hang that requires a reset to resolve.

I know the firmware upgrade worked as the version has incremented fro 1.65 to 1.66 and from the fact that I am getting into the boot loader. The installer reported success installing the firmware proper and I can't see any issue with the install (as you can see from the below the .rockbox directory has been created - I've also attached the rbutil.log file which I *think* looks OK). Does anyone have any thoughts please ? I'd really appreciate any suggestions.

sm@beatrice /cygdrive/i
$ ls -1 -a
.
..
.rockbox
Music
RECORD
Recycled
System Volume Information
ihp_120.hex

sm@beatrice /cygdrive/i
$ cd .rockbox/

sm@beatrice /cygdrive/i/.rockbox
$ ls -1 -a
.
..
backdrops
codecs
codepages
database.ignore
docs
eqs
fonts
icons
langs
rbutil.log
recpresets
rockbox-info.txt
rockbox.iriver
rocks
rombox.iriver
tagnavi.config
themes
viewers.config
wps

Cheers,
Simon.

[Domonoky]

is there any error output from the bootloader ?  (press left while booting to get more info)

greets

[bluebrother]

when started with 'play' it displays the rockbox boot loader version 6 message with the battery voltage, there is a brief burst from the red hard disk activity light, followed by an indefinite total hang that requires a reset to resolve.

Does it display any error message, like "ATA error -1" or something? Also, did you try installing with the old hard disc? Does it work with that attached?

[si]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies.

There is no error output at all I don't think. By press left you mean hold the joystick to the left - i.e. towards skip back a track ? Is that correct ?

That is what I have done and I just see:

Rockbox boot loader
Version 6
Batt: 3.86 V

... or similar depending on the level of charge. I then get a blip of hard drive light and then the thing stalls completely. The backlight stays on and nothing at all happens until I get out a pin and reset, which prompts the original Iriver firmware to boot.

I'm afraid using the previous drive is a no go. It died - hence the replacement. I had a previous rockbox install in the old drive that used to boot but didn't work (i.e. playback etc) - it was *very* old. Circa 2004 I think (could have been older) although the bootloader (that remained after the hard drive fail obviously) said it was version 6 also, which I think is current. I replaced this by flashing a new patched firmware as per the installer utility just to be sure after the new drive install (see previous post). I had 1.65 (I think K) firmware reported and it now displays 1.66 K.

The current behaviour matches what happened after fitting the new drive with the 'original' (i.e. still reported version 6) bootloader (i.e. when there was no firmware, or anything, available on the empty drive). This seems at odds with what the wiki / manual says should happen - that the bootloader should fall back to booting the Iriver firmware if rockbox is not found on the drive.

Thanks again for reading and the help.

[si]

Just to clarify - the unit works perfectly when directed to boot into the original Iriver firmware with play / rec. UMS is A-OK - the drive reports full size and copying to and from the drive is fine. Playback and all other device functions are fine too.

The bootloader just seems to be laying an egg otherwise.

Cheers,
Si.

[nls]

Did you format the drive yourself? Maybe it's something about format / partition table that the bootloader doesn't like (It does have a bug where it hangs if no partition is found...) Try scanning the disk with chkdsk or a similar app and if that doesn't help reformat (and repartition maybe?)

[XavierGr]

If all else fails you could flash with a new bootloader (perhaps v7pre4) but I don't think that it is possible to flash the new bootloader without loading Rockbox first. (there isn't a prepatched OF firmware with v7pre4)

Of course you could compile your own bootloader and then patch the OF with it, using the branch from the v7pre4 commit but I wouldn't suggest that, because there is a slight risk of bricking your unit.

Some info if you want to play around with bootloaders:
http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/IriverBoot?topic=IriverFlashing
http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/IriverFlashing?topic=IriverBoot

If you are going to try anything be EXTRA careful and ask around first.

[si]

The partitioning was the issue. I can't remember if I formatted it or not when I got it but it was an unholy mess in there. The music and firmware were in an extended partition flanked by two miniscule primary partitions containing unallocated space. The Iriver firmware must be incredibly forgiving. One reformat and a lot of copying later and everything's aces ! Many thanks to all for your help. Si.

[petur]

aha, it was an ipod drive...

[si]

It could well be. I'm not 100% sure what it was - it was new / boxed/ sealed etc.. and just billed as "Toshiba 60GB (MK6006GAH) 4200rpm 2MB Notebook Hard Drive (1.8 inch)"

I had to have it shipped across from the states from www.allpcdeals.com. It was about the last compatible unused one I could find anywhere. It ended up costing me about 200 USD including shipping (don't laugh). Luckily the exchange rate was pretty good at the time. It was worth it to have it back up and running again - I've got a lot of sentimental attachment to the little fella.

Getting rockbox working has given it an additional lease of life too. I'm sure everyone says this, but 24 hours later I'm already kicking myself for not sorting it out years ago. I've got a friend with another surviving '140 of about the same vintage and we're going to do his tomorrow.

Update: Just one other thing, I noticed whilst reading up before the install - in http://download.rockbox.org/manual/rockbox-h100/rockbox-build.html in the section '2.3.2 manual installation instructions' it says: "Download a supported version of the Iriver firmware for your Iriver iHP100, iHP115, iHP120, iHP140, H120 and H140 from the Iriver website or from ManualRockboxInstall." ManualRockBoxInsatll links to http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/ManualRockboxInstall which is an out of date page which refers you back to the manual home page.

[petur]

Update: Just one other thing, I noticed whilst reading up before the install - in http://download.rockbox.org/manual/rockbox-h100/rockbox-build.html in the section '2.3.2 manual installation instructions' it says: "Download a supported version of the Iriver firmware for your Iriver iHP100, iHP115, iHP120, iHP140, H120 and H140 from the Iriver website or from ManualRockboxInstall." ManualRockBoxInsatll links to http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/ManualRockboxInstall which is an out of date page which refers you back to the manual home page.

fixed...