iriver H10 20 Gig - need MAJOR help

[montgoja]

I just got the 20G H10 for Christmas and I was using the included case (little crappy rubber sleeve with a belt clip) until very recently.  The case ripped and was of no use, and now my iriver keeps falling.  Well, this last fall was the final fall, apparently, because now Rockbox doesn't even start to boot up and I get a box that pops up and says:

System Files Missing
----------------------------------
To restore the system files, connect H10 to recovery tool.
(www.iriveramerica.com)

The player turns off after about 30 seconds or so, and when I push reset/turn it back on, I get the same message.

I tried downloading the firmware updater from iriver's support site (very crappy on support- if it's not a new product, there isn't much support for it.  The user's manual doesn't even say anything about a recovery tool, and there's nothing on their support page about it).  Neither Windows or Linux will recognize the player as a storage device when I kick in the emergency connect mode, either.  Therefore, the firmware updater can't replace/fix anything since you have to put it in UMS mode to do that, and I can't just re-install all the Rockbox stuff, either, since Linux doesn't recognize my player.

So my question is: am I stuck with an iriver welcome screen to send back to the company?  What can I do on my side, if anything, to fix this issue?  Is there a recovery tool that I've missed out there that I can connect my player to, like it's telling me to do?  The good news is, iriver probably wouldn't know that Rockbox was installed, so that wouldn't be a big issue... I hope.

Please help!

Thanks,
Joel Montgomery

[keenerd]

Sounds like you are pretty screwed.  I know this question is silly, but why did you keep on using the case after it fell the first time?

Just going off of generic knowledge about electronics, the best case scenario is a loose cable.  Worst case is a completely ruined hard drive / logic board.  If it is just a loose cable, opening the case and making sure everything is snug would fix it.  Would also void the warranty.  But if it is just a loose cable (and the hard drive is fine), then iRiver will know you installed Rockbox if you send it in.

Not much help, I know.  

H10 20Gb

[montgoja]

I stopped using the case, actually, which was why the player kept falling.  I've also emailed iriver support, so hopefully they will be able to help as far as the recovery tool thing.  But thanks!

[weirdal]

once u use rockbox it probably screws your warrenty

[montgoja]

I called their tech support, waited for like, two hours on hold, finally got hold of a guy, and went through the whole process of sending it in for repairs.  He told me that the message I got always signals one of two things:  Either 1) There is an issue where files have been deleted accidentally by the user and need replaced (here is where the firmware updater works -- it is actually the recovery tool as well, he said) or 2) The hard disk is damaged and won't read/spin/something.  Luckily for me, my hard drive was indeed bricked.  I sent it in, waited like a month, then got it back working the way it should.  Now, if only I could do something to get my boot time down better... I'm working that out on a different post, tho.