Firmware 2.0.0 Updater


R

Robster

Dodgy hardware mod maker
Joined
Jul 8, 2003
Messages
439
Location
New Zealand
Website
www.cobbleware.com
Hey all,

I've been asked to make an updater for kernel 2.0.0, for people whose SD cards aren't recognised by the old U-Boot. That's quite a big task, because the updater needs to install the new U-Boot, kernel, file system, and that little sound that gets played at boot-up.

However, everyone I've chatted with says that the new U-Boot is way better at recognising SD cards, and so chances are that just updating U-Boot, and allowing it to perform the rest of the update, will work for most if not all people.
[CUT]
So I've made an updater for just U-Boot. The link is below. Please leave feedback here about whether the instructions were clear enough, whether the update was successful, etc.

PLEASE read the readme.txt file!
PLEASE read the readme.txt file!
PLEASE read the readme.txt file!
PLEASE read the readme.txt file!

Download the updater from here.

PLEASE read the readme.txt file!
PLEASE read the readme.txt file!
PLEASE read the readme.txt file!
PLEASE read the readme.txt file![/CUT]
 
Many thanks for this - worked perfectly for me!

The only confusion I had was that the readme says to copy the official firmware files to the card, then the uboot200.* files, and then turn the GP2X on. What worried me was that turning the GP2X on would delete the *.img files as part of the normal start up process? Not sure if this was an issue or not, so I made sure that the *.img files were on the card before running the uboot200.gpe.

Cheers again!
 
You're welcome, glad it worked, thanks for the feedback :)

That's a good point about the .img files getting deleted... I hadn't thought of that. Perhaps a better way would be put the uboot200.* files on the SD card, run the updater, and then use a card reader to put the other files on there and run the GPH update.

I'll try to think of a better way to word it.
 
Worked fine for me, didn't find any problem with the instructions provided and the new U-Boot recognised my cheap SD card fine for the second stage of the upgrade.
 
When you run the .gpe, what happens? My GP2X just sort of froze up for me. I waited a few minutes, and nothing happened. Maybe I should've waited more, but I turned of my GP2X, reformated the card, and decided to try again. Only now, for some reason, my GP2X can't recognize my card (though I can see it from my computer).

Hopefully my dumb mistake hasn't messed up my 2x :\ I was willing to take the risk, but this could be inconvenient ^^. Any recommendations?
 
BenRoshi posted on Jun 15 2006 said:
When you run the .gpe, what happens? My GP2X just sort of froze up for me. I waited a few minutes, and nothing happened. Maybe I should've waited more, but I turned of my GP2X, reformated the card, and decided to try again. Only now, for some reason, my GP2X can't recognize my card (though I can see it from my computer).

Hopefully my dumb mistake hasn't messed up my 2x :\ I was willing to take the risk, but this could be inconvenient ^^. Any recommendations?
Click to expand...

I would say that if anything you have just messed up the format on your SD card.

I am guessing that you mean the GP2X is turning on and booting up and you can see the menu and use it, but not SD card?

I also guess you are using a proper SD card reader?

I don't think anyone can start to help you without knowing all of these things.

@Robster, I knew you would do it once I heard that Uboot was finally fixed :D, thanks a lot man.

Once we get the 2.0 Uboot on there properly we should hardly ever need a Jtag for self-bricked GP2X's right?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks for the reply nubie, let me give you the details. Yes, the GP2X is turning on, bottoing up fine, but when I go into the menu, it acts like I have no files on the SD card. I'm not using a proper SD card reader to do this.

Oh and formatting my card again doesn't fix it :( Need any other info?
 
BenRoshi posted on Jun 15 2006 said:
Thanks for the reply nubie, let me give you the details. Yes, the GP2X is turning on, bottoing up fine, but when I go into the menu, it acts like I have no files on the SD card. I'm not using a proper SD card reader to do this.
Click to expand...

So, let me get this straight:

1. you are using the GP2X as a card reader.
2. you ran Robster's .gpe *with* the uboot200.bin and uboot200.gpe to the *root directory* of your SD card
3. nothing happened, your uboot screen is still the old picture and no jingle.
4. now you boot and the PC can still use the GP2X as a card reader, but the GP2X refuses to see the files on the card.

I feel as though I am forgetting something important, but I will go ahead with recommendations anyway.

The SD can get corrupted and it is a bitch to get going again, read all the threads and use the recommended software to get it formatted, in a real card reader, you don't have to buy one, borrow a friend or relative's PC for a couple minutes, many Laptops and nearly all new PC's come with card readers now.

I would try a command line format first, in XP that is Start -> Run -> "cmd" and click run, then type in "format X: fs:Fat" Use your actual card reader drive letter, not X, it shouldn't hurt anything unless you have an X drive, but it won't do anything either :). It *might* be possible to do this with the GP2X as a card reader, but I have no way of knowing.

You should really get a quality SD reader (doesn't need to be expensive, mine cost $12, and reads all the memory types, CF SD MMC and Sony crap), actually GPH should have just bundled one, a SD reader from China would surely have been cheaper than the Mini-USB and the USB 2.0 chip they had to put in, I just think that readers should be bus-powered and passive though :).

@Robster, I notice your readme.txt is in Unix format, as far as I know most 'nix text readers are capable of reading DOS hard-returns, but not vice-versa, I have Cream/Vim and Notepad2 on my system so it didn't hurt me, but I think many users on XP or 98 will have difficulty reading it, maybe a DOS formatted Readme would be nice.

Also in this section it might be helpful for people such as BenRoshi above to know *exactly* what they will be seeing on the screen as your program does its magic, if nothing will be appearing on the screen tell them that and give them a time-frame to expect.
3) Update U-Boot

Copy uboot200.bin and uboot200.gpe to the *root directory* of your SD card,
turn the GP2X on, and then run uboot200.gpe from the "Game" menu. When this has
completed, turn the GP2X off, leave it for 15 seconds, and then turn it on
again.
Click to expand...
Please don't be offended by my suggestions, just my opinion after all :).
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hm... I did some searching on a corrupt card, and you're probably right that that is the problem. I've got a friend who lives down the street who probably has a card reader, I'll call him up when he gets home, try what you suggested, and report back :) Thanks for the help!
 
Fantastique Robster !
Another master tool !
I've used your UBOOT updater with my uncompatible PNY SD card!
Now my GP run under Fw2.0.0 :D

It was worked perfectly for me :)

You need a SuperGURU picture instead of GURU ;)

Thanks a lot!
 
robster

Thou Art Holier Than Beer !!!

(works great just read the readme will ya folks)
 
i used this method to update. i did everything as stated in the readme file and when it reaches the firmware upgrading screen it doesnt do anything. it just freezes. i left it for 20 minutes but nothing happened.

anyone have any solutions or ideas about to to finish the upgrade?
 
Hmm, I think you've probably got an SD card that is still incompatible with the new U-Boot. If you have a card reader, could you check that the GPH update files are still on the card? Also, try reformatting and then copying the files to it again.

If the updating screen comes up then at least you've got a working U-Boot, and it's just a case of getting an SD card that works. Could you buy another one (128MB cards are dirt cheap) or borrow one off a friend etc?
 
Hm... so I was messing around by putting my card in a camera, and that camera formatted it for me (without me even asking...), and now it works fine! Thanks for your help, I'm glad I didn't mess up my GP2X.
 
BenRoshi posted on Jun 15 2006 said:
Hm... so I was messing around by putting my card in a camera, and that camera formatted it for me (without me even asking...), and now it works fine! Thanks for your help, I'm glad I didn't mess up my GP2X.
Click to expand...
Everyone seems to be finding that the digicams are fixing the formats on SD cards :). Maybe firmware 3.0 will have an SD card fixer/formatter :D, that would be so cool.

Glad to see that you got it sorted out, I hate to see people in a jam like that.
 
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