HELP please i just got sansa c240 and i cant get bootloader to work for rockbox

[alinasept]

I extract the files to the player in mtp mode but when i try to run the bootloader i get amessage saying no e200 or c200 series found.
help please.

[advcomp2019]

Put your c200 series in MSC mode.

[alinasept]

i did that too.
i have vista so i tried it on windows in msc mode and neither works.

[alinasept]

for some reason the bootloader does not recognize the c240 under devices, even though it appears as a drive in 'my computer'

[lowlight]

I assume that by bootloader you really mean sansapatcher?
If so, you need to be logged in with administrative privileges when you run sansapatcher.

[alinasept]

how do i do that on vista?
usually i right click and run as administrator but since its a link...i cant do that.

[alinasept]

actually i just saved it then ran as adminstrator and it still says no c200s or e200s detected

[Oyo]

Do you have a Micro SD card in the c250's reader? My PC wont recognize my player until I pop that puppy out. Once USB detects the c250, I can plug the card back in and Windows is happy with it. Worth a try, anyway.

[alinasept]

no i dont have a card in the reader.
there is no reason why it shouldnt recognize it because my computer recognizes it.

[lerklompen]

try turning "user account control" off (control panel - user accounts). remember to turn it back on again after you are done...

[noble_rogue]

Hi alinasept (and others),

Did you ever find a solution?

I am having the same challenge.

Today I purchased a Sansa c250, knowing that I could put the Rockbox firmware on it.
However... for some reason I cannot get the bootloader to see the device.

I have Vista Home Premium and have done the following...

After following the manual (and I think maybe the manual could be clearer about how to put in MSC mode, and if needing to change file to FAT32)...

-- Set the c250 in MSC mode (UMS mode) by:
1)turning off the c250
2)turning it on
3)putting the hold button into lock
4)pressing on the Previous/Rewind button WHILE plugging in the USB cable
(the USB cable already plugged into the computer's USB port)
as indicated in these two links
http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21421
http://forums.sandisk.com/sansa/board/message?board.id=view&message.id=288&query.id=10213

-- I also read that recognition of the c250 depends on the disk layout
http://91.191.140.131/irc/rockbox-20070921.txt

then found a thread that spoke of making sure the sansa disk layout was formatted in FAT32
so I did that...
http://forums.rockbox.org/index.php?topic=12800.15

-- Also, I have turned off  “User Account Control”.

-- No cards in the reader.

-- Have run Rockbox Utililty and all other downloaded files can now be found on the sansa.

EDIT

-- Also found this thread that spoke of checking the partitions on the c250
http://forums.rockbox.org/index.php?topic=12239.15

and, after searching found the TestDisk program,
which seemed to indicate there was but one partition on the c250
so maybe my problem is that I do NOT have the needed hidden partition
and now need help creating it?

END EDIT

2nd EDIT

After reformatting to FAT32, the disk manager showed FAT32 format on the c250
Yet, when looking at it just now, it doesn't show up in the top screen of
Vista's Computer (right click) > Manage > Storage > Disk Management window.
I can drag and drop music files to the device... so it works in some fashion...
I'd better stop before I do something really silly.

END 2nd EDIT

... and yet I get the same error messages when running
either the sansapatcher.exe  or the Rockbox Utility for sansa.

sansapatcher v0.6 Error Messages:

sansapatcher v0.6 with v4.0 bootloaders - Dave Chapman 2006-2007
this is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO
waranty; note even for MERCHATABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

[INFO] Scanning disk drives...
[ERR]  No E200s or C200s found, aborting
[ERR]  Please connect your sansa and ensure it is in UMS mode
[ERR]  Please refer to the Rockbox manual if you continue to have problems.

Press ENTER to exit sansapatcher :

“

Rockbox Utility Error Messages:

It seems your Bootloader is already up to date.
Do really want to install it?
(I choose “OK”)
In a Progress Window...
Starting bootloader installation
Searching for sansas
No Sansa found

Ideas of what I could do next?
Thank you.

[pixelma]

-- Set the c250 in MSC mode (UMS mode) by:
1)turning off the c250
2)turning it on
3)putting the hold button into lock
4)pressing on the Previous/Rewind button WHILE plugging in the USB cable
(the USB cable already plugged into the computer's USB port)
as indicated in these two links

This is not "MSC" mode (that's how Sandisk calls their mass storage mode) but recovery mode!

If you read your links thoroughly, they describe things on the Sansa View and I wouldn't trust in things being exactly the same just because it's a Sansa too - and on c200/e200 this recovery mode gives you access to a 16MB hidden partition which you don't have to touch during a normal installation.

To get it into MSC mode, you need to change the "USB" settings in the settings menu of the original firmware to "MSC" - so this is something you would need to find in the original firmware('s manual)! If it is not there, check the "system info" in the very same menu. If it's either version 1.00.05 or 1.00.06 you would need to upgrade your original firmware version because Sandisk disabled MSC mode in these two. I would think that the firmware upgrade still works and should be described on Sandisk's site, but didn't have to and never was interested to do a firmware upgrade myself.

Please be more careful with the information you find, read thoroughly and only try things if you know what you do (e.g. I don't know what your formatting already did, it wasn't necessary for me).

Edit: I'll see what I can do to make the manual clearer.

[noble_rogue]

Hi,

I just got off the phone with a Sansa tech
(after not finding a USB option in the SETTINGS menu, and seeing that the manual says
"Sansa MP3 player will automatically detect and connect to MTP or MSC mode with is supported by your PC.")

I have installed the newest firmware - v03.02.05A
... which, I was told, *eliminates* the option of selecting MSC via the firmware SETTINGS menu.
( and no way to go back to older firmware.)
But...
I was told that with this newest version of the firmware...
 to get to MSC mode -  turn on the device while HOLD is on, then press and hold 'rewind' while attaching the cable.
And recovery mode (made sure to ask) - turn on while HOLD is on, then press and hold 'record' while attaching the cable.)

At this point I continue to get the same two error messages as noted at the end of my previous post when I try to install the bootloader, either with the Rockbox Utility or manually using sansapatch.exe
And, if I ignore the bootloader piece... the rest of the Quick Start > Complete Installation seems to work quite well.

[skaos]

noble_rogue, from the firmware it looks like you have the V2 version (http://www.sandisk.com/Retail/Default.aspx?CatID=1376) and from another thread it looks like V2 is not supported so far by Rockbox: http://forums.rockbox.org/index.php?topic=12995.0

Maybe you could use the following instructions to disassemble your player, take some photos of the chips and pass them on to the Rockbox developers so that they can see if Rockbox can be ported:
http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/2006/11/sandisk-sansa-c200-disassembled.php

Another thing is that the Rockbox web-pages and documentation should mention that the V2 version is not (yet) supported.

[noble_rogue]

skaos

Yes.  You are right.  Thank you.
I took my c250 apart per the directions.  Unfortunately, my camera was unable to focus well, but the layout of the electronics is significantly different than show on the disassembly link of the v1 c250.

So, I would encourage folks here to add a big asterisk to the c250... I gather it's become like the ipod with a second generation and rockbox won't work with the 2nd generation yet.  I strongly second your recommendation to have this information in the manual and on the 'what rockbox works with' page, because that is why I chose the c250... with the goal of having rockbox.


While the pictures were useless, I made some notes...
(for folks to pass on to the developers).
I hope this helps, or encourages someone to take the pictures so that before too long your "not (yet)" can be changed, one way or the other.

writing that I could make out on various components--
on one side:

SanDisk
S72818301
SDTNKLAHSM-1024
CP0062712
TAIWAN
----
(on the coppery colored element}
ALPS
176F

and on the other side...

ESMT
M12A16161A-      10T
LZY1P60EZ         0714
----
SanDisk
20-99-00112-2
S703-691060
SDC1
TAIWAN
----
SanDisk
S72818301
SDTNKLAHSM-1024
CP0062942
TAIWAN
----
0216
B0XP
721
----
Fn7K1
----
J226
----
N201
----
(on the circuit board itself)
2B 94V-0
0719

and along the sides of the circuit board

TM13280AKFWGB-7 A R0HS 0719
----
H07 04 1160 03 05 070518 B HB