Unbricking Sansa Clip+

[RBUser]

Hi everyone.

After installing version 3.11.2 and using it for some time, my Sansa Clip+ bricked. At first it just froze on boot 4.0 logo, then it used to say "Not enough space for music DB" a couple of times. Then I was able to format the internal disk and install the latest original firmware. After resetting the player, it started working again, but with very slow navigation of microSD folders. I wasn't even able to open the desired track, because the player froze. I forced it off and plugged it into the PC. All I got then was the "Sansa" text, the flower logo, then blank screen and once again the flower logo and the player is stuck. Not detectable by Windows. This pattern repeated dozens of times when the player was either plugged into USB or switched on. So I decided to try the unbrick procedure. After shorting the two pins, the device appeared as an unnamed 30.6 MB (?) drive in Windows and as a /dev/sdb in Linux. Windows was unable to format it, and fdisk -l in Linux didn't work with it. Then I used the dd command in Linux to transfer the clppa.bin (OF) file to the player, but this produced no effect. Now the player is always dead, with no backlight, and always detected as the same 30.6 MB unformatted drive when plugged into the computer.
Does the magic number 30.6 MB mean anything, and what else can I do to unbrick my Sansa Clip+ 4GB? I tried to find the answer on other forums, but only found one or two posts with similar symptoms and no resolution.

Thanks!

[saratoga]

The pin shorting trick ultimately tries to do the same thing as a firmware upgrade.  If you were able to do a firmware upgrade, and it didn't help, its probably just a hardware failure. 

[RBUser]

I already ordered another player (same model), and I have a suggestion. Why not make a basic, ultra stable Rockbox branch, containing only well proven essential features? Like playing back, shuffling, no MIDI, no USB support, no games/extras, no hidden flash usage (like dumps & logs, this will help extend flash mem life), and able to switch off at any moment without damaging the file system. Sort of Rockbox UltraSafe or something like that. I doubt I will risk installing Rockbox in its current implementation onto my new player when it arrives. One example of bricking is enough for me.

[saratoga]

I doubt I will risk installing Rockbox in its current implementation onto my new player when it arrives. One example of bricking is enough for me.

To be clear, if reinstalling the OF (which completely removed everything rockbox related) doesn't fix it, its not rockbox related. 

Anyway, we don't have dumps or logs, and you are already able to switch off the player at any moment without damage.  So really you're asking for a build without games + USB.  I guess we could do this, but its probably easier for you to just not use them if you don't want them. 

[RBUser]

Thank you for answering, saratoga. My idea was something similar to Windows safe mode. Less features, less problems. Basically, many people need only multiformat support, gapless playback, better battery life and an EQ (and maybe Compressor). I am not implying that Rockbox bricked my player, but the less the firmware tampers with player functions, the better. Especially if it is created without all the documentation that the original manufacturer has. For example, RockBox may be designed very well, but there may be bugs in the original firmware or hardware, which only the manufacturer knows about, etc. Speaking about features, such things as Doom on Sansa Clip+ are ridiculous. Also I tried MIDI support and it didn't work well. Album art display is not the greatest idea on such a screen. And so on. Every additional module or feature takes up space, contains its own bugs, and introduces potential risks of crashing/freezing. Of course, I can avoid pressing the wrong buttons, or clicking the wrong menu items, but... A safe version of Rockbox would make that easier. Moreover some people are hesitant to install Rockbox because they are intimidated by all the complexity in it (including menu structure). Maybe a config parameter could be used to switch Rockbox between the full version and an essential (minimum) version, effectively turning off some features upon reboot.

[saratoga]

Thank you for answering, saratoga. My idea was something similar to Windows safe mode. Less features, less problems.

We already operate at essentially the minimum possible level.  There is nothing less possible.

Speaking about features, such things as Doom on Sansa Clip+ are ridiculous. Also I tried MIDI support and it didn't work well. Album art display is not the greatest idea on such a screen. And so on.

And so on what?  If you don't want doom, don't run it.  If you don't want MIDI or album art, don't put midi files or album art on your player.  If you don't trust yourself to not download MIDI files, go and delete the midi plugin.  It won't make one bit of difference to stability or whatever, but you're welcome to do it.   

[RBUser]

Well, if Rockbox is minimum level, then what is Sansa's original firmware? Must be 'micro' or 'nano'. Why is backlight brightness some +8 levels deep in the Rockbox menu tree? Having many useful features, RockBox is not extremely well organized. My suggestion was about having a stable 'basic' version, not overloaded both internally and visually, with better and simpler menus, etc. Of course this is just my personal opinion (and I rarely change my opinions), and not a requirement. The community should decide, the developers should decide. So I just wish you good luck with whatever path you take in RockBox development