LinuxQuestions.org
Share your knowledge at the LQ Wiki.
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Mobile
User Name
Password
Linux - Mobile This forum is for the discussion of all topics relating to Mobile Linux. This includes Android, Tizen, Sailfish OS, Replicant, Ubuntu Touch, webOS, and other similar projects and products.

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 03-26-2011, 05:55 PM   #31
justboo2u
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2011
Distribution: Ubuntu, Debian(ARM),XP,W7,CP/M
Posts: 126

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 20
If at 1st U dont suckseed...


... pull the chip off anyway!

Using the JTAG portion of this programmer is apparently going to take more time than I want
to expend on this endeavor... not that I havent already!
I supposedly got it wired up right (and wrong!) last nite but it steadfastly refused to say anything
useful.

I need a break.

I will wait for the chip adapter to arrive and go 'straight to the horse's.... chip' instead of fighting
this JTAG setup.... at least for now.
Since I already have the 'hard brick' chip loose, I can work with it and do a 'substitution' when I find that
it is properly progged.....

Not a good week in general. This makes it 'Evun beddah'...

 
Old 03-28-2011, 02:10 AM   #32
Joe of Loath
Member
 
Registered: Dec 2009
Location: Bristol, UK
Distribution: Ubuntu, Debian, Arch.
Posts: 152

Rep: Reputation: 28
You mention a couple of posts back that the display stopped working on one of your netbooks, mine too! I can log in, connect to wifi etc, but can't see anything on the screen. How did you fix it, exactly? Because if I can fix mine, it will be much more useful
 
Old 03-28-2011, 08:09 PM   #33
justboo2u
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2011
Distribution: Ubuntu, Debian(ARM),XP,W7,CP/M
Posts: 126

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe of Loath View Post
You mention a couple of posts back that the display stopped working on one of your netbooks, mine too! I can log in, connect to wifi etc, but can't see anything on the screen. How did you fix it, exactly? Because if I can fix mine, it will be much more useful
Oh sorry... I thought I had done that, but looking backward, I see I hadnt.

Apparently the LCDINIT command had been deleted from the environment variable LOGOCMD. The memory area holding the LOGO bitmap was also affected, tho I believe I understand how THAT happened...

As I have 'serial port' access to the device, I 'got in' and confirmed the above, reset and resaved the variable, reinserted the LOGO into NVRAM and it was happy from that point.

If you cant do that...

You could go with the SD-card /script routine to resave a good logocmd... Hopefully you are able to modify/make_scriptcmds so that you need only change the one variable...

This is all pre-supposing that you dont have an ACTUAL HARDWARE problem in the display... which is what I thought initially.

The serial-port access has been a curse AND a lifesaver on multiple occasions now... (reference the 'soft brick')

If it isnt against the rules I will provide the ebay source I got the USB-based connector from.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=200493892594

I do NOT have the site for the instructions I followed... sorry for that, but Im sure google can help there!
EDIT:
Okay, found it!
http://buffalo.nas-central.org/wiki/...M9_Linkstation

Thru Linux it is SO EASY with something like picocom (/dev/ttyUSB0 --noinit) and not that much harder with Hyperterminal/windows...

Good luck with your 'sight'!


Last edited by justboo2u; 03-28-2011 at 08:48 PM.
 
Old 03-31-2011, 06:42 PM   #34
justboo2u
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2011
Distribution: Ubuntu, Debian(ARM),XP,W7,CP/M
Posts: 126

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 20
More musings...

(STILL waiting for the chip adapter to arrive... tho it may be already waiting in the mailbox! )

Because of the 'kernel panic' when hwclock attempts to write the date/time, I had disabled it...
Unfortunately this also prevents the clock from changing when the previous version forced 1-1-2000 into it.
(It DOES read the time... but the WRITE blows up BAAAAAD!)
...and DATE changes only the kernel clock, not the hardware clock...

So, this 'weekend' I reloaded (most of) winCE and set the time there... then went to reinstalling Debian/ARM again...

So, what does this mean?
I am beginning to 'get a feel' for a procedure to initialize a similarly-configured machine with a working system...
1) That would NOT require risking the w-load/U-Boot...
2) Would not necessarily modify the logo...and, in doing so, would put it in the same place the old one was...
3) Would be able to discern whether it was installing on a
...USB/nand configuration or the mtdblock9/nand arrangement,
...and adjust accordingly.

I can forsee only a few impediments to this:
1) Whether or not a script has 'automatic' access to the environment variables... this would make proper placement of a new logo far easier...
2) Scripting for the U-Boot command sequence(s) does not (seem) to have any provision for IF/THEN/ELSE...
...making decisions based upon env vars could make upgrade/installation more painless too...
3) Being able to determine results of, for example, 'nand erase all'... right now (or when working...),
...the USB-based NAND may not work correctly with the NAND functions... especially since Im trying to uprgade
...it to 4Gb

... and Im-a-just hangin' around!

Last edited by justboo2u; 03-31-2011 at 06:51 PM.
 
Old 04-01-2011, 04:47 PM   #35
justboo2u
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2011
Distribution: Ubuntu, Debian(ARM),XP,W7,CP/M
Posts: 126

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 20
Angry I just CANNOT BELIEVE this...

After ALL this, fighting/waiting/etc,

The chip holder is TOO BIG for these SPIs... it wont hold them so it wont program them!

I simply cannot believe how 'contrary' this effort has become. Sure, some of it has been 'my own doing'...
OK... MOST of it.

But GEEEZUZ!! 1st the JTAG doesnt (seem) to work, NOW the chip adapter/holder is the wrong size.
(Apparently these are the 150mm chips, not the 200mm... 'just enuf' difference)

I am SORELY TEMPTED to

Use a couple of CHEAP, CHINESE NETBOOKS....


as


house-slippers/flip-flops....



In an attempt to 'keep things going'... I have ORDERED some 4Mbit and 16Mbit 'wide-bodies'... I KNOW the pads are wide enuf to take them... I hope, I hope!

Last edited by justboo2u; 04-01-2011 at 04:49 PM.
 
Old 04-07-2011, 06:54 PM   #36
justboo2u
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2011
Distribution: Ubuntu, Debian(ARM),XP,W7,CP/M
Posts: 126

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 20
This is actually starting to get FUNNY!!!

The new chips (16Mbit W25Q16BVs AND 4Mbit SST 25VF040Bs)...

The SPI software recognizes the W25s...
and
NOT the 25VFs!

CANNOT win for losing, I suppose!

Well, long story short, I contacted the guy/company who sent it...
They supposedly can configure the unrecognized chip in for me...

Guess they will email the change or whatever.

Looking forward to 'unbricking' the 'hard brick'!

UPDATE:
Got the 'update' but it is in RAR... gotta find somehting to open it!

Last edited by justboo2u; 04-08-2011 at 05:20 PM.
 
Old 04-10-2011, 09:24 PM   #37
justboo2u
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2011
Distribution: Ubuntu, Debian(ARM),XP,W7,CP/M
Posts: 126

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 20
Fed up and ready to rumble!

Have been fighting with the 4Mbit SST SPIs I bought for days now... they apparently have some 'funky-weird' multi-byte programming arrangement.
The guy I got the programmer from has been MORE THAN HELPFUL... getting it to recognize a 'new device', working with me to get it to accept programming... more than 1-byte-at-a-time, that is...

But Im beginning to realize that, if it is THAT 'strange', the u-boot erase/write routine(s) may not work with it.... without reprogramming u-boot!

... and the original chip is too small for the holder... I'd have to solder wires onto it and wire-wrap them onto the programmer. NOT the way I wanna do it, AT ALL!

I think Im gonna try putting the 16Mbit chip in its place... it is already recognized and programs 'normally', so all I need to is build a script to put the data in the right spot, or a BIN file of the right size...
(I already have a 4Mbit 'blank' file that can be used to 'pad' the beginning...)

THEN it should work rite. AND have extra room to put in the kernel PLUS some!

... not giving up completely on using the original tho... wire-wrap wire MAY be 'just right' to try...

EDIT:
I realize that 16Mbit is 4x the 4Mbit... however, the 'soft brick' (USB-NAND version) is running the 16Mbit (supposedly) and shows the EXACT SAME chip as the 'hard brick'. Admittedly I do not know the reported size of the 'hard brick' flash... it may in fact BE a 16... or an 8.... or a 4... or....
Perhaps tonite I will reopen the Sylvania (reporting 8Mbit) and remind myself what chip it claims to have...

Last edited by justboo2u; 04-10-2011 at 09:46 PM.
 
Old 04-13-2011, 02:49 AM   #38
justboo2u
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2011
Distribution: Ubuntu, Debian(ARM),XP,W7,CP/M
Posts: 126

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 20
Finally!!!

I can report 'partial' success on the 'hard brick' tonite!

I inserted a programmed 4Mbit SPI and it responded with unexpected glee (on MY part!)

Unfortunately it MUST have a 128Mbit (16 MB) device to work correctly... and the original device is too 'small' (150mil) to fit in the programmer... and it seems that the 4s are 'rather unusual' in its programming tactics... and uncertain that U-Boot can erase it...

SO... I'll have to buy some 128s...
Now, I have 4s(2types), 16s, and now need 128s...

Time to open a shop, I think!

EDIT:
The 'new' 4s have arrived and I will attempt them soon (if they dont have to be 'setup' by the 'programmer-guy').
Attempts to 'saveenv' never happened... tho I THINK that, even tho this device is 32x smaller than what it expects, IF IT had a compatible 'write/erase cycle' it would be able to 'update' anyway...
While waiting for 128s, I will try to prove this...

Last edited by justboo2u; 04-14-2011 at 08:43 PM.
 
Old 04-16-2011, 07:21 PM   #39
justboo2u
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2011
Distribution: Ubuntu, Debian(ARM),XP,W7,CP/M
Posts: 126

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 20
A risky proposition...

I am having trouble finding 128Mbit devices that are SOIC-8 (200mil) format.
(the size that fits the programmer)
So...

I THINK Im gonna try something 'risky'...

1) Unsolder the 4Mbit device I connected (& BOOTED) from,
2) TAPE/HOLD the chip in place and try to boot from it that way,
3) IF it does,
3a)CAREFULLY take the 'temp' off the pads, and
3b)CAREFULLY place the original device onto the pads, and

4) ATTEMPT a write of the w-load and U-Boot onto the device.

Why?
Well, the 'substitute', as Ive said before, does not seem to erase/update the config data properly (likely due to its unusual write method(s)), and it is not the correct size anyway... It only boots because the multiple of the boot location happens to fall in the proper place...
for w-load...
0000 0111 0000 0000 0000 0000 (07 0000 - 07 FFFF) for the 4Mbit, and
1111 1111 0000 0000 0000 0000 (FF 0000 - FF FFFF) for the 128Mbit...

I DO have some different 4Mbitters now, and would consider leaving one of THEM on there if I find that it will erase/update properly... but would much rather have the 'right' device where it belongs...

Time for a 'smoke-test' perhaps?


EDIT:
PRESUMING this works:
I may attempt to 'piggyback' a 4Mbitter on top of the 'soft brick''s chip, bypass IT and get to a prompt... THEN renable the chip and 'clean up my mistake'...

No real loss at this point, I fear!

Last edited by justboo2u; 04-16-2011 at 07:31 PM.
 
Old 04-16-2011, 09:46 PM   #40
justboo2u
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2011
Distribution: Ubuntu, Debian(ARM),XP,W7,CP/M
Posts: 126

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 20
Lightbulb Bright ideas, Inc!

EDIT:
PRESUMING this works:
I may attempt to 'piggyback' a 4Mbitter on top of the 'soft brick''s chip, bypass IT and get to a prompt... THEN renable the chip and 'clean up my mistake'...

No real loss at this point, I fear!


Actually, THIS sounds like the better idea...

Reinstall the 'hard brick' 'original' chip, piggyback the 4Mbitter, and 'jumpstart' it that way.

I so SMAAAAAAAARRRRRTTTT!

Uh huh.
 
Old 04-21-2011, 07:05 PM   #41
justboo2u
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2011
Distribution: Ubuntu, Debian(ARM),XP,W7,CP/M
Posts: 126

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 20
And the wrecking ball goes to...

Well, the offical dead count is as follows:

'Hard Brick'........ 2 lost pads... considered unsalvageable unless I can find where SI pin goes to...
'Soft Brick'........ Damaged SPI, 1 lost pad... MIGHT be salvageable IF I can get the JTAG to work...

Sylvania............ 'brain dead'... mis-written U-BOOT stops after w-load... no JTAG...
Only possible option is attempted chip removal and re-program.

My 'success' with these devices mirrors the overall quality of my last 2 weeks...

Otherwise...

Got lotsa-spare-parts to play with...

Not
At all...
 
Old 04-23-2011, 05:59 PM   #42
justboo2u
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2011
Distribution: Ubuntu, Debian(ARM),XP,W7,CP/M
Posts: 126

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 20
'Salvage' ideas...

Well, Im already thinking about how to recover from the
!!WEEK OF DISASTER!!

1) 'Hard Brick' - finding a connection point for lead 5- SI
...Since the Sylvania is not physically damaged, I can trace the pin/pad to determine where I can attach the lead on the 'hard brick'... The other missing pad is ground... I think I can find that one.

2) 'Soft Brick' - connect ground pad + program
...The original SPI was damaged (lost a 'leg'). I ended up putting the 'hard brick' chip on it... so there is NO wload/uboot on the device right now... A jumper of the ground lead will be the EASY part... Either I must come up with a good 'piggyback' method or force myself to figure out the JTAG device and how to use it.

3) Sylvania - what 2 do?
...From day one (working with Linux) it has shown ALOT of NAND errors. I am sorely tempted to use it for parts... and return the display BACK to the 'Hard Brick'... its design-similar sibling.

FOCUS of remaining exercise...

The highest priority is the 'Soft Brick'. It 1) has the JTAG which I must eventually learn to use, and it is the only 1 of the 3 that uses the internal 'usb card'. I have already setup a 4GB 'drive' for it to use, and the original 2GB is still intact. It is the origin of this thread.

Next-in-line is the 'Hard Brick'. It is the 1st of this 'breed' that I have and, as such, while it sustained the worst damage and may NOT be recoverable, deserves the attempt. (Unless, of course, the 'Soft Brick' is fixed first! )

I do not feel comfortable attempting to replace the NAND of the Sylvania... it is simply TOO SMALL for me to handle properly. Or SEE, for that matter. This may change if/when the other two (or one of them) is working again. It has an 8.5Mbit (1.5MB) SPI which would only be useful on another such unit.

So this is the 'new' plan. I intend to take a brief hiatus from these things before I start again.

Come Hell or High Water (or outright lying! ) I WILL PREVAIL!!!

Last edited by justboo2u; 04-23-2011 at 06:01 PM.
 
Old 05-01-2011, 08:53 PM   #43
justboo2u
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2011
Distribution: Ubuntu, Debian(ARM),XP,W7,CP/M
Posts: 126

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 20
The 'weekend' is here!!!

(Well, Monday starts my weekend...)
... And with it, a new month full of promise (that, or BS ) and ambition!

Yeah... right!

However, although I have motorcycle and transmissions to work on/with, I intend to resume my previously-discussed plans.

1st - open up the Sylvania and trace out the SI line (pin 5)...
2nd - repair ground line (pin 4) on the 'soft brick' and determine overall condition.
....- MAY attempt installation of a 4Mbit device to test ability to erase it... if THAT works it might STAY!

Oh... yes. Also water plants, clean pool, etc.
 
Old 06-18-2011, 09:15 PM   #44
justboo2u
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2011
Distribution: Ubuntu, Debian(ARM),XP,W7,CP/M
Posts: 126

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 20
For those with even-a-minor-interest...


Have been preoccupied with vehicle problems... motorcycle AND car are 'questionable' and have received the lion's share of my attentions these days.
I fear the bike needs a starter...
I REALLY fear the car needs a tranny-rebuild!

WILL proceed with the above consternations once SOMETHING gets fixed...

 
Old 06-19-2011, 10:23 AM   #45
Daehtop
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Jun 2009
Location: southeast Missouri
Distribution: Slackware 12.2
Posts: 4

Rep: Reputation: 1
So I've read all this post very interested as my niece just got one of those x6-7a paperweights. I managed to erase the flash and get running with absolute's debian image on my sd, thinking of messing around with http://www.armedslack.org

if i've read correctly u haven't fig out how to flash the nand @ mtdblock? , and whats /dev/sda for i noticed it once on a failed install (a while after i managed to erase nand) i got stuck in init terminal and was snooping around but couldn't do anything with it (3 partitions 2G each)?

very interested in your progess, i will continue to do what i do.
 
  


Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
LXer: Lenovo's Smartbook: The Company Can Still Back Linux LXer Syndicated Linux News 0 11-14-2009 03:20 PM
LXer: My Journey to Linux LXer Syndicated Linux News 0 03-11-2007 11:31 PM
Enter Linux : My journey begins! >>BLACKHOLE<< LinuxQuestions.org Member Intro 3 06-29-2006 04:04 PM
The journey of a packet through the linux 2.6 network stack kskkumar Linux - Networking 3 10-27-2005 03:19 AM
Beginning of a long, arduous, Linux journey sdnewbie Linux - Newbie 2 10-04-2004 11:41 PM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Mobile

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:41 AM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration