Firmware Upgrade Compatible Cards And Faq

[Gadget]

I think the clue might be in the fact that grgry used his camera to format the card first? I can't think how this would make a difference when the image utility writes over the format structure though =/

There could be a genuine incompatibilty with certain cards, but there must be a reason. I wondered if it was to do with the number of bytes per sector or something? Also, I believe there is 'inaccessible' area of SD cards much like the Memory Stick from Sony. An area that can easily be read by certain hardware but not read using normal reader / writers.

It seems strange that these cards all adhere to the SD standard and work fine in thousands of other devices. Alternatively it could be a timing issue with the GP2X itself? I wonder if there is some time critical code that isn't written to handle the vast range of timing / tolerance differences between cards.

I might be able to shed some more light on this when mine arrives.

 

[andyB911]

Gadget,

You are a genius!!! The wipe script worked where a reformat failed.

I have now successfully upgraded to 2.0

I would be very interested to know if those who have had problems upgrading firmware using certain cards, are able to after wiping and re-writing with your app.

Can s/one else please try to confirm my findings that this has completely solved the problem.

Andy

 

[grgry]

great it worked for you aswell, andy.

want to say thanks to gadget again, i mean he doesn't even have his gp2x yet, but still he has been more than helpful . THANKS.

i thought maybe the tool should be posted to the archive. the risk is still on those who use it, but i think it has proven to be useful and those who don't follow this thread should know about it. i do not see a chance of bricking your unit or even damaging your sd card here if you follow the rules.

if you don't have the time to submit it to the archive i would do it, if you are ok with that. if you don't want it posted there, also fine.

 

[andyB911]

I echo the thanks and the suggestion to add to the archive - Rob's 1.4 installer is there, and this is inherently safe* as it simply reformats the card and sticks the standard files to the SD card, just in a different way to normal.

* Disclaimer. I may be wrong :huh:

PS If you can solve this problem w/o a gp2x, I look forward to the software your company will produce once you have one!!

 

[Greenman_UK]

I've tried updating using an Integral 1GB card that I got with my GP2X from gp2x.co.uk last November.
I've been unable to get it to work. I've tried every permutation and combination of
formatting, wiping etc etc, but no luck.
It's the card. I've wiped it and formatted it on 3 different platforms. It makes no difference.

I'm going back to my PSP...

 

[andyB911]

Just before you give up - did you use gadget's application to wipe the card and reload the required files?

I too had exactly the same problem with the same Integral card, and no amount of wiping/formating/copying on a variety of card readers worked.

But the app allows you to wipe and install the firmware (as long as your configure the card reader to G: drive) in a few mins, and worked for me.

Andy

 

[nubie]

I've tried updating using an Integral 1GB card that I got with my GP2X from gp2x.co.uk last November.
I've been unable to get it to work. I've tried every permutation and combination of
formatting, wiping etc etc, but no luck.
It's the card. I've wiped it and formatted it on 3 different platforms. It makes no difference.

I'm going back to my PSP...

Why? If you got one that won't update send it back to the Distributor, they will get you straightened out.

I had to boot a Linux Live distro and use the partition manager in that to fix my SD card just fine before this tool came out. I think that even that was easier (for sure cheaper) than having to run the damn hack on the PSP.

Face it, GP2X is getting better for homebrew and emulators with every firmware upgrade. The PSP is getting worse and worse.

Edit: did you do what andyB911 said in the post above, bare minimum try that.

256mb SD are about $10 in the States, approximately £5 in UK, you will lose much more money than that using a PSP.

 

[Gadget]

Just before you give up - did you use gadget's application to wipe the card and reload the required files?

I too had exactly the same problem with the same Integral card, and no amount of wiping/formating/copying on a variety of card readers worked.

But the app allows you to wipe and install the firmware (as long as your configure the card reader to G: drive) in a few mins, and worked for me.

Andy

I think he did as he stated he's formated and wiped in various orders!

I believe there is another factor here as well as completely blanking the card. grgry had to use his camera to format the card, before using the utility to put the image on it, then it worked. I think there is something else going on with a camera format.

It's probably the firmware related to the SD card update routine. I still think there could be a timing issue or something to do with the device translation of sectors / clusters / tracks etc.

I have seen embeded devices hit these kinds of problems before, normally because the firmware update code (already on the device before you boot (uboot?) is written in such a way to handle specific parts of FAT32, and any difference between what it's expecting and what is actually there cannot be dealt with.

Should get my GP2X on Friday now =/

Incidentally the image I produced is based on a 512 Byte sector size. I wonder if the cards that worked match this? (format a card and check its info using the utility). Maybe Greenman_UK's card isn't 512 bytes per sector? I am certainly not an expert with this, I only started looking at it a few weeks back.

 

[Greenman_UK]

I formatted the cards under WinXP, Win2000, Linux (Debian and Fedora) and
on a Mac. Then wiped them, then wrote the image. It won't work.
I've tried everything. After that I realised I have to wrestle with this kind
of cr*p enough during my working day so decided to do something
more worthwhile. Like go for a beer or surf for porn. :-D

I forgot to say thanks to Gadget... well done.

If anyone else wants to try this they should note that the easiest way of changing the
drive letters in Windows is to use the Drive manager. Don't go messing around
in your registry unless you know what you're doing. You could screw you PC up
quite easily.
Open explorer, right click on My Computer, select Manage, and then in the window that pops
up, open Disk Mangement. You can change the letter very easily in there via the GUI.
I or someone else can put more detailed info on that if someone asks.

Gamepark's flashing software is poor. They're probably doing something that
doesn't conform to the SD standard. Whoever was responsible for changing
the flash method and forgot that software should be tested thoroughly
before being released needs to be spanked.

Sorry if I sound bitter, but being a commerical developer for these kinds
of devices myself, this kind of thing drives me nuts. It just shouldnt happen.
Standards are there for a reason. The number of people/companies that
ignore them just staggers me. As does their level of testing.

Re the PSP thing. You can't compare the PSP to the GP2X. The PSP is a polished
product that behaves and works flawlessly (its not meant for homebrew).
It plays commercial games and a very well stated set of media types. It
provides a user experience greater than any other handheld thats ever been
manufactured. The GP2X is a temporamental hobbyist's gadget, and I now
want to put it on the floor and stamp on it repeatedly.
Better start another thread to flame me. lmao.

 

[nubie]

I tried the Integral and a mini-SD lexar card in an SD-card adapter.
Wiped them both using the utility first and then wrote the image to the card.

I formatted both cards under WinXP, Win2000, Linux (Debian and Fedora) and
on a Mac. Then wiped them, then wrote the image. It won't work.
I've tried everything.

Gamepark's flashing software is poor. They're probably doing something that
doesn't conform to the SD standard. Whoever was responsible for changing
the flash method and forgot that software should be tested thoroughly
before being released needs to be spanked.

Let Gbax know, the uboot before 1.4.1 was completely non-compliant, they will likely fix it for you.

Dignsys was doing the firmwares before 2.0 and they all sucked. I am sure the distributor you got it from will update you to 2.0 and you shouldn't have a problem.

Yes, Dignsys is crap, you could let them know, but I think they are Korean and wouldn't care.

Edit: I don't mean to compare them that way, my experience with the PS2 was pure crap for homebrew, I had the slim and I would have had to buy expensive modchips or bootdisks just to get free programs to run, not to mention the Linux kit was incompatible.

The PSP and GP2X both fit in my hands, I compare them in that way.

I am on the other side of broke, I will not buy crappy Sony remake games for my handheld, I want TV-Out and Divx support.

You are correct, you cannot compare the two . I have no money and I want an open console, PS I am a hobbyist, I love tempermental gadgets when the end comes with USB Host and Gamepads on my TV that can fit in my pocket and cost less than one PSP and 3 games for 2GB of emus and movies.

 

[nubie]

On the PSP subject, they beta test all their products on the Japanese market.

When we get it, it is already polished.

Did you follow the PS2 launch 6 years ago? The version we got was version 3.

The very first version we get in the US is usually 2 or 3 hardware (who knows how many firmware) revisions in.

You cannot compare that either. Um, I Win .

 

[Gadget]

Posted a newer version (1.2) with selectable drive / image file options. Nothing else has changed yet.

http://www.c5hosting.co.uk/Gadget/SDImageUtility.zip

 

[andyB911]

Something to remember is that if you use this utility with a card bigger than 256, then you will need to reformat once all done.

I forgot last night, and for a moment wondered why the disk had run out of space when reverting the card to its previous space... it was because only had 256 of available space. A reformat reverted to 1gb.

 

[Greenman_UK]

I've finally managed to upgrade my GP2X. Not the firmware mind
(I'm still on 1.4), just the outer case. It now has a nice semi-circle
of teeth mark indentations next to the Gp2X logo, where I've put it
in my mouth and bitten down on it hard out of pure frustration.
If it wasnt for the superior PSP lying close by to calm me down I'd
still be bouncing off the walls.

 

[grgry]

i was just as frustrated as you are, believe me.

did you try formating with a (borrowed) digicam over usb as i did, since you did not mention trying that? and is one of your cards supposed to be compatible for updating? if yes, you might try it with that one, since my 2gb sandisk was often mentioned to work, but alas it didn't for me, until i used the digicam and the gadget-tool.

if your fed up with it, you might put that thing somewhere where you don't have to look at it for a week or two, that's what i used to do before it came over me and i had to try again. not the greatest idea, i know, but at least it helped me not to hurt anything including myself.

 

[Gadget]

Something to remember is that if you use this utility with a card bigger than 256, then you will need to reformat once all done.

I forgot last night, and for a moment wondered why the disk had run out of space when reverting the card to its previous space... it was because only had 256 of available space. A reformat reverted to 1gb.

Yes, and another point... I realised last night that it's only 'Wiping' 128Mb!!! This could explain why it works for some and not for others. I am updating it later today.

 

[Gadget]

Version 1.3 is up. It should now Wipe a card to its correct size instead of just the first 128Mb. It will also Read 8 times faster (if you want to backup your own cards) and read the full card instead of the first 128Mb.

Let me know if this makes any difference at all.

http://www.c5hosting.co.uk/Gadget/SDImageUtility.zip

 

[Greenman_UK]

Hi,

I just tried using v1.3 of your app.

Using an Integral 1GB card (as sold by gp2x.co.uk with the consoles back in November),
I wiped the card clean first, then wrote the image to the card. Still no luck.

I'm going to have to wait until I can get hold of another card. I have access to loads,
but they're all smaller than 128MB. Thanks for the update though.

GM

 

[DaveC]

I've finally managed to upgrade my GP2X. Not the firmware mind
(I'm still on 1.4), just the outer case. It now has a nice semi-circle
of teeth mark indentations next to the Gp2X logo, where I've put it
in my mouth and bitten down on it hard out of pure frustration.
If it wasnt for the superior PSP lying close by to calm me down I'd
still be bouncing off the walls.

You shouldn't have done that

Now when you flogg it off on ebay you won't get as much for it.

 

[andyB911]

I've finally managed to upgrade my GP2X. Not the firmware mind
(I'm still on 1.4), just the outer case. It now has a nice semi-circle
of teeth mark indentations next to the Gp2X logo, where I've put it
in my mouth and bitten down on it hard out of pure frustration.
If it wasnt for the superior PSP lying close by to calm me down I'd
still be bouncing off the walls.

I was very close to upgrading it with a hammer myself, until I remembered that my 2 yr old son uses it to watch Thomas the Tank Engine and wouldn't forgive me if it didn't work.

I think we need to set up a 'support group'. Perhaps Firmware Un-upgraded Consolation Klub?