Computer won't recognize h120 with flashed Rockbox

[jewman]

Hey guys. I'm having a problem with my new Rockbox-flashed h120. It seems as though none of my computers, mac or windows will recognize my h120. My player goes into usb mode, the hd spins up, but nothing. Disk Utility on my iBook will recognize it, but when I try to repair permissions, nothing. I hope you guys can help me out.

[Didgeridoohan]

Have you tried connecting it in every possible way? With the player turned off (bootloader USB), with rockbox running and in the original firmware? I know that on the H300 some people (including me) can't connect through the bootloader USB. It connects fine through rockbox though, so I just start it up before connecting it to the computer. I have no idea if this is the case with H100 as well (probably not), but if you haven't tried the different ways of connecting your player it might be worth a try.

[jewman]

I actually flashed Rockbox to my player, completely overwriting the original firmare and replacing it with Rockbox. I'm afraid I'm going to have to resort to an external enclosure.

[Llorean]

Is this Bootloader USB mode, or in-Rockbox USB mode?

[Slasher]

Try to access the bootloader usb mode. Power off the player, connect a usb cable and hold REC button while turning it on.

[jewman]

It won't show up in Bootloader USB mode or in-Rockbox usb mode. In Disk Utility, when I try to repair or even verify the drive, I get an error. I think somehow the flashing of Rockbox must have corrupted the file system or something, although I've never seen this in my life.

[Slasher]

Hmm, that sounds definately like a hardware failure. Flashing of Rockbox does not touch disk at all. Try with a different computer and different cables.

[jewman]

I've tried using 2 different usb cables, and I've tried using a mac and a pc. I have an Ubuntu system I've yet to try however. But my question is how could a hardware failure show up as a software failure.

[Slasher]

In Ubuntu Linux, try the following (as root) and copy/paste the results:
tail -f /var/log/kern.log
(now connect the player)
... wait a while and copy/paste the new lines on the console.

If you try "fdisk -l" while player is still connected, does it display the partition?

If so, the filesystem might be corrupt or disk going bad. You could try to format the player or check if you can access the hard disk directly (something like "hexedit /dev/sda").

But if player is not detected at all, there is probably something wrong with the USB-ATA -bridge inside the unit.

[jewman]

Thanks for all the help guys! I was able to boot my iBook from an Ubuntu live cd (get one they'll ship you 1-3 disks free) and get to my h120 from there. But that still leaves me asking why it won't get recognized by osx or xp. Oh well.  8-)

[jewman]

Okay. I tihnk it's the ata-usb bridge. I tried mounting the h120 under Ubuntu, and it mounts, and I can see the files, but I still can't transfer files to or from it. Is this the only possible problem? I was thinking of getting an h320. Could I just pop the h120 hd into the h320 and have it work?

[user]

Okay. I tihnk it's the ata-usb bridge. I tried mounting the h120 under Ubuntu, and it mounts, and I can see the files, but I still can't transfer files to or from it. Is this the only possible problem? I was thinking of getting an h320. Could I just pop the h120 hd into the h320 and have it work?

I might be wrong, but you may have better luck getting an 1.8in enclosure and see if that works out.
Otherwise, you will have to open up your h320 when you get one, which probably isn't worth the time + risk whether it works or not.

[jewman]

That's a great idea mystery helper!   I'm glad I thought of it.