Is there anyone who owns a Olympus m:robe MR-100 5gb player? Please help

[manojla]

Hello, I would like to ask for some help please, if anyone owns a Olympus m:robe MR-100 5gb player. I bought this player a couple of days ago... and it was working fine, but when I tried to sync it with the m:robe software and transfer my own music, something got messed up and now it only displays "invalid/missing file" and the player can't turn on, it's just recognised as a storage drive in windows. I tried to format it in FAT and sync it again, but nothing. Seems like now I lost his factory boot system files. Can someone with a working MR-100 please make a copy of all root system files and send me as a zipped file, so I can try to run it, since I can't find any firmware nor any support files for this player, they are all expired and gone. I'm stuck. I tried to install Rockbox, but nothing can be done without his system files (pp5020.mi4 also missing)

[bluebrother]

If you want to use Rockbox there's no need to zip up anything. Just do the following steps:

• connect the player to the PC, then reset it. It will then show up as USB drive.
• Create a folder named System in the root of the drive.
• Download the Rockbox bootloader file from https://download.rockbox.org/bootloader/olympus/mrobe100/pp5020.mi4 and place the file in the created System folder.
• Get Rockbox from https://download.rockbox.org/release/3.15/rockbox-mrobe100-3.15.zip and unzip the file to the root of the player. The zip contains a folder ".rockbox", this needs to end up in the root of the player. You can also use Rockbox Utility for this step, just make sure to install Rockbox but not the Bootloader.
• Safely eject, then unplug the player.

You now have the player running Rockbox. If you want to use the OF you need the pp5020.mi4. If you only want to use Rockbox you don't need that at all (Rockbox replaces it with its own one.) I should have the OF file somewhere but I need to search for it first -- never needed it

[cereal_killer]

Just in case you need the OF: https://web.archive.org/web/20060507093433/http://www.olympusamerica.com:80/cpg_section/cpg_support_downloads.asp?id=1145&os=w

If you extract the .exe file you'll find the .mi4 file.

[manojla]

Wow thanks guys, you really saved me. I apprieciate your help very much, I don't know how to thank you... 

Just in case you need the OF: https://web.archive.org/web/20060507093433/http://www.olympusamerica.com:80/cpg_section/cpg_support_downloads.asp?id=1145&os=w

If you extract the .exe file you'll find the .mi4 file.

I downloaded all the official installation files that were listed, wanted to try them out, but not much luck. When I click the installation icon, it loads the installations screen for a second, and then it dissapears, and then after a while it shows this. I tried it on Win10 and Win7 systems... I also use WinXP but didn't try it there... this happens with all the firmware related setup files...

If you want to use Rockbox there's no need to zip up anything. Just do the following steps:

• connect the player to the PC, then reset it. It will then show up as USB drive.
• Create a folder named System in the root of the drive.
• Download the Rockbox bootloader file from https://download.rockbox.org/bootloader/olympus/mrobe100/pp5020.mi4 and place the file in the created System folder.
• Get Rockbox from https://download.rockbox.org/release/3.15/rockbox-mrobe100-3.15.zip and unzip the file to the root of the player. The zip contains a folder ".rockbox", this needs to end up in the root of the player. You can also use Rockbox Utility for this step, just make sure to install Rockbox but not the Bootloader.
• Safely eject, then unplug the player.

You now have the player running Rockbox. If you want to use the OF you need the pp5020.mi4. If you only want to use Rockbox you don't need that at all (Rockbox replaces it with its own one.) I should have the OF file somewhere but I need to search for it first -- never needed it

I followed your instructions and I finally managed to put my m:robe back to life! It's not freezed and stuck anymore. I managed to start Rockbox. It shows some errors while loading, I don't know what it is, I took a couple of photos so you can see and tell me what that's all about, but it works. Now to figure out how to transfer the music...   

[manojla]

The zip contains a folder ".rockbox", this needs to end up in the root of the player. You can also use Rockbox Utility for this step, just make sure to install Rockbox but not the Bootloader.[/li][/list]

Yes, I overlooked that, at first I was trying to install the Rockbox with the bootloader box checked, and it showed me some error... Now I unchecked the bootloader box, started the installation in the Rockbox Utility, and it went fine... but still gives me the "no .rockbox directory" and "installation incomplete" error notifications when I start the player.

[manojla]

Hooray, finally, no error notifications!  I made a mistake with the root directory folder "rockbox", and I only realized it now, so I corrected it, started the installation from scratch, and everything went smoothly. "No .rockbox directory" and "Installation incomplete" errors are gone. Everything loads up fine. I even added some themes to try out. So, now... how to transfer mp3 music from my PC?  I suppose via the Rockbox Utility, or... ?

[bluebrother]

I downloaded all the official installation files that were listed, wanted to try them out, but not much luck. When I click the installation icon, it loads the installations screen for a second, and then it dissapears, and then after a while it shows this. I tried it on Win10 and Win7 systems... I also use WinXP but didn't try it there... this happens with all the firmware related setup files...

Don't install the exe file. Use 7zip to extract it. It contains a folder "SYSTEM", which is the system folder on the player. You can simply copy it to the player and have the original firmware install back.

Since you figured it in between just a note on your 4th picture: The Rockbox bootloader can load the original firmware, which is renamed to OF.mi4 when installing with Rockbox Utility. You triggered loading the Original Firmware, but since that file doesn't exist it fails. You're holding the Power button for too long on power up: https://download.rockbox.org/daily/manual/rockbox-mrobe100/rockbox-buildch3.html#x5-270003.1.3

See also the manual: https://download.rockbox.org/daily/manual/rockbox-mrobe100/rockbox-build.html
Transferring music is not done with Rockbox Utility -- that's purely for installation and managing the installation. Use any tool you like to sync your files: Windows Explorer, Media Monkey, or whatever tool you're using to manage your music. The player is simply an external drive, so you can put them on it any way you like.

Edit: There seems to be an issue with the current HTML manual (it's broken off at some point), but you can look at the pdf for the 3.15 release instead: https://download.rockbox.org/release/3.15/rockbox-mrobe100-3.15.pdf

[manojla]

I made it!  Your instructions cleared everything up for me. I managed to install the firmware, I didn't know that the file had to be extracted. Rockbox is installed and everything works great. I transferred the music via Windows Explorer, just as I transfer the material to a USB storage drive. Thank you once again, without you I would not have been able to do anything, you helped me to solve a situation that I thought was hopeless, now I will use this excellent player and enjoy it. Cheers!