[Solved] e280 troubles

[nirvana21]

Hello!

I have an e280 sansa MP3 player and long story short...I accidentally completely erased everything on the device while using Gparted. I want to use rockbox as a solution to my problem. I cannot access recovery mode and have unsuccessfully been able to access the manufacturing mode. I tried following a guide here: http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/SansaE200Unbrick

I may be doing something incorrectly because I do not understand how I am suppose to use the 1st file it suggests I download, the e200tool. I am using a live version of ubuntu, but I am not sure how to apply the file. I need some clarification of what's exactly suppose to happen and what I am suppose to do.

Any help is appreciated thanks!!

[saratoga]

I may be doing something incorrectly because I do not understand how I am suppose to use the 1st file it suggests I download, the e200tool. I am using a live version of ubuntu, but I am not sure how to apply the file. I need some clarification of what's exactly suppose to happen and what I am suppose to do.

You don't apply e200tool.  Its actually a program that you use to communicate and reprogram the e200 when recovery mode fails.

However, if all you did was erase your e200's partition while it was in MSC mode, you should still have access to recovery mode as far as I know.  I think you can format the entire MSC mode disk without losing recovery mode.

[nirvana21]

I cannot get recovery mode to work. I am not sure what mode my sansa was in before I reformatted it. So if I cannot get into recovery mode then I should be able to get into manufacturing mode correct?

Windows detects a device, but ubuntu does not detect a device at all.

[mmmmna]

I believe most Linux distros won't, by default, show all possible partitions to every user, so there may be partitions which aren't presented to the user because the user interface is configured to not present every possible partition.

[LambdaCalculus]

Windows detects a device, but ubuntu does not detect a device at all.

Type "dmesg" (without the quotes) in a terminal. This will show you if any hardware was detected when plugged in.

[nirvana21]

Using "dmesg" I have confirmed that ubuntu reads a usb device.

[  322.756000] usb 2-2: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 2
[  322.924000] usb 2-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice

I think my device is bricked. To enter any mode the first step is to power off and the only way I can power off is to let the battery die. Is there any hope?



...second thought...

Is there a way to create the two partitions and manually place the firmware on one? Would this be feasible or not? I am willing to put lots of time into fixing this, I just wish I had the knowledge. I have been reading quite a bit and thinking there may be hope. 

[Chronon]

Won't it turn off if you hold the power button for 15 seconds?

[nirvana21]

I have to let the battery die for it turn off. Holding the power/menu button for 15 seconds has no effect.

Does anyone know the type of paritions that are on the sansa? Would they be fat32, ext3, or something similar?

[LambdaCalculus]

Rockbox can only make use of FAT32 or FAT16.

[nirvana21]

So would it be possible to make a 16mb FAT32 partition and place rockbox on there if I cannot get anything else to work? Or is this probably something that would not work?

[saratoga]

I am not sure what mode my sansa was in before I reformatted it.

This is kind of important.  Try explaining exactly what you do remember doing.  Have you ever put the device in recovery mode?  How big was the disk when you reformated it?

I have to let the battery die for it turn off. Holding the power/menu button for 15 seconds has no effect.

Unless you've broken the power button, you're probably just not doing it correctly.

So would it be possible to make a 16mb FAT32 partition and place rockbox on there if I cannot get anything else to work? Or is this probably something that would not work?

You need to fix the original firmware before you can install rockbox, so this will not help.  Once you have fixed the original firmware, you can then install rockbox normally. 

[nirvana21]

I am not sure what mode my sansa was in before I reformatted it.

This is kind of important.  Try explaining exactly what you do remember doing.  Have you ever put the device in recovery mode?  How big was the disk when you reformated it?

I was attempting to reformat my usb drive, which is also 8GB, and I wasn't thinking and reformatted my sansa. I have never put the device in recovery mode. I cannot recall the exact size of the disk, and I cannot remember if it was multiple partitions.

I have to let the battery die for it turn off. Holding the power/menu button for 15 seconds has no effect.

Unless you've broken the power button, you're probably just not doing it correctly.

I don't think it is broken, but I hold it down for a long time (greater then 15seconds) and nothing happens. So I have to let the battery die.

So would it be possible to make a 16mb FAT32 partition and place rockbox on there if I cannot get anything else to work? Or is this probably something that would not work?

You need to fix the original firmware before you can install rockbox, so this will not help.  Once you have fixed the original firmware, you can then install rockbox normally. 

Well can I put the original firmware back on somehow then?



Thanks for the help!!

[saratoga]

I am not sure what mode my sansa was in before I reformatted it.

This is kind of important.  Try explaining exactly what you do remember doing.  Have you ever put the device in recovery mode?  How big was the disk when you reformated it?

I was attempting to reformat my usb drive, which is also 8GB, and I wasn't thinking and reformatted my sansa. I have never put the device in recovery mode.

Then you should still have access to recovery mode.  I don't think you can break that without first entering it.

I don't think it is broken, but I hold it down for a long time (greater then 15seconds) and nothing happens. So I have to let the battery die.

As far as I know its either broken or it works.  If you're certain you're doing it right, my guess is it means you've broken something.

[nirvana21]

Good News. Maybe I cannot count or maybe because I cleaned the inside of my sansa up, but I can get it to shut off. As a result I have been able to install firmware!

I feel really dumb about the entire power/menu button thing, but thanks for helping me! This is a really great project and so far I am really enjoying rockbox!