problems when updating sansa Clip+ to Rockbox 3.15

[new_kata]

hello,

I've been using Rockbox 3.13 on my Sansa Clip+ for several years without problem. Had encountered some playback issues lately (track playback would suddenly end and skip to next track). Did some reading, seemed to be a potential microsd problem so ordered new one (128 gb, previous one was 64gb and completely full anyway).

Anyway, while checking I saw that v 3.15 was available, so tried to upgrade. When connecting the Clip+ via USB, things are very slow in Windows while on rockbox. Disconnected, booted Sansa firmware, connected, no issues. To upgrade, I used rockbox uility and simply installed new version.  Then tried to boot and... "No partition found, plug USB cable". Did some reading, decided to try to uninstall rockbox using utility. (again, booted to Sansa firware to connect it via USB). After uninstall, started Clip+, bootloader was still active, so it said "File not found". Which is expected.

Booted to Sansa firmware again to plug USB. ran chkdsk on it and it fixed some problem. Tried to reinstall v3.15 from Utility... and back to "No partition found, plug USB cable".

the .rockbox folder is there, just in case.

What can I try to do now? Are the track playback issues and chkdsk any indication of a filesystem problem?

[Bilgus]

sounds like the dreaded flash dying issue
I'd try to get the multiboot bootloader on there ASAP and run from the sd card with the latest dev version
multiboot http://forums.rockbox.org/index.php/topic,51844.0.html

[new_kata]

thanks. so I did this:

1. update bootloader through rockbox utility.
2. downloaded ClipPlus_multibootFW_rockbox-full_10_24_2019.zip from http://www.mediafire.com/folder/x9hvpqrmfx76n/Multiboot_Firmware (url from other post) and unzip to sd card root
3. created empty rockbox_main.clip+ in sd card root (new txt file in Windows explorer)

--> booted. seems to work except I get "Scanning disk..." then "No .rockbox directory" then "Installation incomplete"

However, afterwards, rockbox seems to work...

whats wrong still? Should I empty the content of the internal player drive/delete the old .rockbox installation?

(also, I tried to boot without sd card, and still older error "No partition found, plug USB cable", so I guess the sd rockbox version is working..?

[Bilgus]

Actually the latest dev version will work from the sdcard http://build.rockbox.org/
rather than using the older FW referenced in the post...

I personally wouldn't touch anything on the internal drive but if you really want to try then rename the
current .rockbox folder to .rockbox_old and copy a new version to the internal drive either through the utility or manually

What this will accomplish is leaving the  possibly bad sectors filled up and the new .rockbox folder to occupy a new set of sectors on the drive

Do be aware if you boot from the internal drive it WILL eventually go read-only but since you have the multiboot bootloader
you still have a chance that it'll boot from the sd card

On my players I just always boot from the sd card and leave an install on the internal drive just in case
I don't have any other files on the internal drive..

Also stay out of the Sansa Original Firmware it does a lot of reading and writing to update its database

One other note, never use windows to do any formatting of the sansa internal drive, Drive Check has been ok in my experience
but formatting the disk should be left to the OF

[new_kata]

thanks! can I configure the bootloader to always try to boot on the SD card first instead of the internal drive?

[Bilgus]

if the sd is inserted and the redirect file is on the root of the sd card it will try the .rockbox folder on the sd card first

[new_kata]

Oh ok, but why does it say "No .rockbox directory" and "Installation incomplete" then? I thought it was because it couldn't find the install on the internal drive first and tried the sd card afterwards...

[Bilgus]

No it tries the sd card first then tries the internal drive did you copy the whole .rockbox folder to the sd card?
you also need the file rockbox_main.clip+ containing a single / on the root of the sd card as well
finally in the debug menu (System>Debug (keep out)) once rockbox boots you should see the entry [Boot data]
select it and it should tell you the boot volume <0 or 1> and 'CRC ok'

[new_kata]

sorry for the lack of reply, I didn't have much time to check last week. yes, .rockbox dir is there and rockbox_main.clip+ with single / char as well.

so in the Boot Data Menu I see:

Boot Volume: <1>
Root:
/<0>

Bootdata RAW:
Length: 4
CRC: 1b9847cc
CRC: OK!
00: 01 00 00 00

so <1> is the SD card?

[Bilgus]

no in the dev version <1> is the internal drive once the firmware is running it just swaps them
your device is running from the sd card according to that output

CRC: 1b9847cc
CRC: OK!
00: 01 00 00 00

the sd card was <1> at boot but its been set as <0> by the firmware

as for the error I'd try re-copying the rockbox folder directly from the zip on to the SD card again

[new_kata]

alright, I downloaded latest dev build and replaced the SD card .rockbox folder with it. Looking good now! No more error and this is Boot Data:

Boot Volume: <1>

Bootdata RAW:
Length: 4
CRC: 1b6947cc
CRC: OK!
00: 01 00 00 00

no more "Root"

Will give it a listening try tomorrow!