e260 boots into RockBox fine, but won't boot into original firmware

[oranges2]

I just purchased a Sansa e260 today, and went through the following steps:

1. Switched the device to MSC mode.

2. Downloaded the daily build (which I only did because build.rockbox.org was down at the time) and extracted the archive to the root of the drive.

3. Ran the sansapatcher.exe tool. The program said it was installed correctly, but the device continued to display "Writing", I wasn't sure if this was normal or not, so I waited a minute or so then just disconnected it.

4. Booted into RockBox. Everything seemed to be working fine.

5. Tried to boot into the original firmware by holding the <- (rewind) key. Some text was displayed (the topline being "Rockbox Boot Loader"), and the device froze and the screen proceeded to change colors (from white, to red, to black). Did this several times, receiving the same result each time.

6. Restored the firmware using the instructions in the Wiki.

7. Repeated steps 1-4 exactly the same (except this time I was using the Current Build since the site was back up, don't think this would affect my issue).

8. Now instead of the screen freezing and changing colors when I try to boot the original firmware, it just reboots.

Any help would be appreciative. here's a video of the first color changing issue (790kb, 40 seconds):

http://www.sendspace.com/file/hrrcho

I would also like to clarify that I do not have a Rhapsody model, this is just the e260.

[Bagder]

What version of the original firmware did you have, you know?

R model owners, is this looking like the same way it doesn't work for you?

[oranges2]

I don't know what version the player came with, but when I recovered it I used the 1.00.12 file from this site: http://daniel.haxx.se/sansa/mi4.html

[Bagder]

Eh, you used that? I don't see how that is covered by the sansapatcher instructions. Can you elaborate? Did you install the 1.00.12 first and then use sansapatcher?

[oranges2]

No, I used sansapatcher first (step 3), then when I couldn't boot to the original firmware (step 5), I recovered with that file (step 6).

After that I tried using sansapatcher again (step 7), and now I'm posting here.

[Bagder]

So you have no idea what version it used originally?

I'm thinking that if it was a somewhat newer firmware version (and thus bootloader), it uses a newer mi4 key and thus it can't boot/run older mi4 files. What speaks against that is that the bootloader usually says something about a bad image when there's a bad mi4 in there, it doesn't just reboot...

[oranges2]

Should I try flashing one of the older files from that site?

[Bagder]

Yeah, trying to put one of the older bl.rom files on your player is a good idea indeed.

[[cc]]

I am also having difficulty dual-booting my E260R (this one is a Rhapsody model).  I've followed the instructions at http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/SansaE200RInstallation precisely.  I can boot into Rockbox fine, and I can use recovery mode to revert to the Rhapsody firmware (http://daniel.haxx.se/sansa/e200/rhapsody/rhapsody-1.0.2.31.zip) without any trouble, but when I try to boot to that same firmware using the |<< back button, I get the oft-repeated white meltaway screen of death.

Transcribed boot loader message:

Code: [Select]

Rockbox boot loader
Version: r14725-070915
Sandisk Sansa e200
Partition 0: 0x0B 3814 MB
Partition 1: 0x04 20 MB
Loading original firmware...
Trying firmware partition
BL mi4 size: EC00
Can't load from partition
Invalid file format
Trying /System/OF.mi4
mi4 size: 57B000
CRC32: 28EBB55C
Model id:
Binary type:
Calculated CRC32: 28EBB55C
Searching for key:
rhapsody...found
rhapsody key used

Original version.txt on the device before any toying:

Code: [Select]

Version Info: Product Rev.: PP5022AF-05.51-S301-01.01-S301.0.1.47-D
Base Code: 05.51-S301-01.01-S301.0.1.47-D
ODM Ver.: S301-01.01-S301.0.1.47-D
OEM Ver.: S301.0.1.47-D
Build Type: -D
Build Date: 2006.10.07
Build Number: (Build 169.31)

For reference, I am running Slackware 12.0.0 with linux kernel 2.6.22.6.

[Bagder]

when I try to boot to that same firmware using the |<< back button, I get the oft-repeated white meltaway screen of death.

I take it it looks exactly like oranges2's video shows then?

[[cc]]

I take it it looks exactly like oranges2's video shows then?

Just checked the video to be sure... yep, looks just like that.  The pixels wash across the screen in white (the text becomes inverted), then they gradually die away through various shades of red until ultimately it's all black.  Basically it just looks like someone stomped their heel down on the screen.

[open]

It seems that I have the same problem. RB works as promised but the player wouldn't load into the sandisk's shell. Instead I see the same sympthoms as described by oranges2.
I have sansa e260 (not R) with firmware upgraded to ver. 1.02.18A prior to installing RB and patching the loader. I've patched the loader using sansapatcher.exe.
Thanks you for your help.

UPD
1. Downgraded to the 1.02.15a version - nothing changed.
2. When I connect the USB cable to the player, it turns ON and tries to load with the sandisk's firmware. It seems that now I can't upload new files to the player.
3. To upload new files onto the player I had to  do a firmware reset.

[oranges2]

Yeah, trying to put one of the older bl.rom files on your player is a good idea indeed.

It turns out that 1.00.12 is the oldest firmware for my model.

[oranges2]

I've tried sansapatcher once again, and still receive the same rebooting problem.

[Dima]

I'm having the same problem (as in the video) with my e280...