GREAT NEWS I have fixed the update for dead 410/420 loox [Archive]

lordao

24-04-05, 07:42 PM

Hi Guys

GREAT NEWS.......

I have found a way to install the updates on a dead loox.

First take the file called OS_117u.nbf out of the loox directory. put it some where else.

Run the flashtool, click next through the errors. this will update the bootloader version from 1.00 to 1.04

However this now makes your loox have no language attached to it.
Get an editor i used xvi32.
load the OS_117U file into it. look for your language ENG for english FRA for french. highlight the first letter and and hit the space bar same for the second and 3rd letters.

Save the file as OS_117U.nbf1

copy the file into the loox update directory then rename to OS_117U.nbf

run the update. You will see that the update info looks wierd with lots of ???????? in it, don't worry

Wait 15 mins and voila it works...

The update to the pda takes longer than the screen tells you. Ignore the screen on the computer and wait till the PDA resets...

MY LOOX 410 IS BACK...

Good luck guys

Ian

Neil

24-04-05, 07:46 PM

I am glad to hear that it's now working- and all before any useful comments from Mobile2Day / FSC... Congratulations, Ian :)

Welcome back, LOOX!

lordao

24-04-05, 08:33 PM

Thanks Neil

I hope it works for all the others as well..

Ian

mr_Ray

24-04-05, 10:18 PM

That's great news. I guess for anyone with a dead 4xx it's worth a try.

Duncan

24-04-05, 11:54 PM

Well done Lordao! I never cease to be amazed at the ingenuity of members of this community... :)

Andrey

25-04-05, 07:04 AM

Thanks from Russia!

My Pocket loox is live! ( model 420 - English )
it's work!
nearest servise-center more than 500 km and not answer for this problem (Moskow)

Andrey

lordao

25-04-05, 09:22 AM

Andrey

Really glad it worked for you, i hope it works for everyone else as well.

Lordao

UndCon

25-04-05, 09:32 AM

thats an interresting approach of solving the problem :)

"never mind the errors" - i mean how did u come up with the idea to solve it like this ??

anyway - great news for 4XX owners

lordao

25-04-05, 09:37 AM

hi

well i noticed that the bootloader was not updating, so there was where problem seemed to be. so i just left the bootloader in, tok the rom out and it updated it. I then ran the update as normal but it stopped at the language, so i took the language check out with the editor and it worked.

So basically for some reason the bootloader was not updating wich is why the full rom install was failing. it was looking for bootloader 1.04 but was stopping because the bootloader was still at 1.00

the rest is probably pure blind luck. But 24 hrs of trying many things finally paid off.

Lordao

mr_Ray

25-04-05, 09:56 AM

Great to have confirmation from another 4xx owner that it gets things working again. :)

(P.S. - to anyone else who knows what I'm thinking, best not mention it. To everyone else, forget you ever read this P.S.)

Neil

25-04-05, 10:03 AM

to anyone else who knows what I'm thinking, best not mention it
My lips were sealed from my very first post...

Chacha

25-04-05, 11:01 AM

Amazing!!!
I guess your Loox have no default language now but who cares?
Just as long as it is working!

I had no trouble with updating the rom, my question is :
Why the hell did some udates fail?

pitshanger

25-04-05, 01:20 PM

Lordao - you are a star ! :cool:

... Wait a minute, the last time I praised someone's ingenuity here ... :rolleyes:

lordao

26-04-05, 12:50 PM

I was just glad it works, maybe i should charge FS for doing there tech support for them. hahahahaha

So far we have 3 working 4xx. Hopefully there are others who are now back up and running.

Lordao

Skippy

26-04-05, 04:39 PM

Lordao - many thanks! You are a genius!

My 420 is back to life too!

Ironically, I had a followup email back from PocketLoox-Choice - they want me to contact FSC to get my Loox fixed. No mention of whether it will be done under warranty though!!

lordao

26-04-05, 08:06 PM

hey skippy

great news, glad it seems to be working for everyone. I was so mad when it happened. even my wife told me to give it up as a lost cause. She thought i had lost my marbles when i started dancing round the living room...

Lordao

buranik

02-05-05, 12:37 PM

Hey, i've got some problems..
i have dead LOOX410
i tried to follow lordao's intruction's, but i managed only to update bootloader...
ActiveSync doesn't detect pda => flash tool doesn't "see" pda and i cannot uprade flash...
re-installing ActiveSync doesn't help...
sorry for my weak english, i'm from Russia :)

Skippy

02-05-05, 04:18 PM

Hi buranik,

After the bootloader has completed you should see that the version on your Loox should go from 1.00 to 1.04. If this is not the case, then the bootloader has not completed yet.

From what I can remember, ActiveSync will NOT see the Loox at this stage, and the Flash update will say that it can't communicate. You just click NEXT on the update program and it will ask you to Hard-Reset the loox. Do this and reattach the Loox to the cradle (or Sync cable). Click NEXT and it should go into 'Recovery Mode' and start updating. It takes ages to finish so walk away and come back later rather than watch and worry about it!

Good luck and hope this helps.

buranik

02-05-05, 06:50 PM

heh....
when i run FlashUpgradeTool ActiveSync tries to detect pda, but it fails. i click always next, then i do a hard-reset, after 'recovery mode' FlashUpgradeTool crashes )-:
i think it's time to visit service-center.... ))-:

Xplod

17-05-05, 02:17 PM

Geben Sie bitte die Verbannung auf korrekt ROM und flasher ist mein LOOX tot :o

sokook

17-06-05, 06:10 PM

i have problem during upgrade process!!! now my activesync inactive and i cold reset my loox 420 it keep showing 2 dolphins with 1.00 on the top... pls help to solve my problem... urgentttttttttttttttttttttttt

sokook

17-06-05, 08:18 PM

i fixed it finally ... tks bro

frankske

06-10-05, 06:41 PM

I seem to have a dead Loox420. I upgraded, but am now stuck with on the "dolphin's page", but without any version info on top. Activesync can't see the device, the flashupdate can't. I tried the "recovery" method, but it stops with the following error:

Communication to the device has failed. It is therefor not possible to carry out the update...

HELP :)

Neil

07-10-05, 07:00 PM

Did the method in the first post in the thread not work, or could you not get far enough to try it?

dreossi

01-11-05, 02:41 AM

hi all,
I would like to ask how can i upload bootloader 1.04?
I still have 1.0 and W2003 not SE
Do yuo suggest me to upgrade?
Is it dangerous?
thanks
Davide

frankske

09-11-05, 07:23 PM

Did the method in the first post in the thread not work, or could you not get far enough to try it?

I don't get far enough :( I don't get past the "Dophins" bootup screen. Just the dolphins and the FSC logo, not even the V1.00 or V1.04 or V1.whatever screen. The leds won't go on when charging, the flasher can't even find the device, nothing :(

I tried every way I know to reset the device, including letting the battery drain for two weeks (so the backup battery is empty as well).

Is there any hope or should I just buy a new one :(

GregB

09-11-05, 11:52 PM

I have a "blind" flasher utility, that "may" help in a situation where the regular FS installer doesn't work.. I have never tried it on a 420, and if the Loox is dead, then this may not work either, but if you like to try it, just grab a copy from ftp://gregb.dynu.com/loox600/flasher.zip

All you need is to locate the main flash file, from within the Loox 420 installer, and so through basically the same steps to get the 420 into flasher mode, and then run this utility, pointing to the 420's ROM image.

Worst case scenario, is that it won't work at all.. which won't make your Loox any worse..

Note: I'm just giving you another option, should you wish to try it. If you try it on a working Loox, and it stuffs things up, I'm not taking any responsibility. In theory, because its a blind installer, you could install a 600 image onto a 420 (which would really bugger things up!)

Good luck!

Regards
GregB

frankske

15-11-05, 10:05 AM

Greg,

Thanks for the suggestion, but that doesn't seem to work. How is it supposed to work? I loaded the application, pointed to the .NBF file (do I need the bootloader or the real OS?) but then? What is supposed to happen then? I don't get a "Start" or "Flash" button or anything like that.

Frank

GregB

16-11-05, 12:26 AM

As far as I can remember, you set the Loox into Flash mode, start the EXE, select the ROM file, and it just starts flashing.

But as I said, I could not guaranty this works on the 420, but may be of assistance. If not, then no harm, but it was worth a try, to restore a dead device. All I can say, is that it works fine on a functional 600.

I've seen several people download the ZIP, so not sure if any of them had any success, or not. You're the first to comment.

Sorry I can't be of more assistance..

Regards
GregB

fallen

04-12-05, 12:43 PM

GregB

04-12-05, 09:59 PM

Fallen,

As per your private message (and my response), the file is still there, so you should be able to pick it up.

Good luck!

Regards
GregB

Dmytro

11-04-06, 02:15 AM

Hello all,

I've tried the method posted here to no avail :( However I already had version 1.04 when Flash process failed. The damn thing is that I was flashing my loox 420 when suddenly PC has rebooted. As I have UPS it is not power issue - it was some kind of a conflict :(

When I did the method - I have the following:

"Error

Communication to the device has failed.
It is therefore not possible to carry out the update.

Possible causes:
- Missing program components
- Image file missing or is not valid for this device model
=>Please contact our Help Desk (see Help Desk list)

-Device "hangs"
=>Carry out a cold boot of the Pocket LOOX and try again."[/I][/I]

PLEASE help!

Alva

16-04-06, 11:42 AM

I can't understand what do you mean saying @dead loox@. Should bootloader be alive or dead. If the bootloader alive there is a possibility to flash it via card. If you ask I'll tell how to flash via card and where the rom-image can be downloaded

chius

16-04-06, 10:03 PM

This was my question, I tried to flash my loox but it gives me an error trying to connect with the active sync during the flash. How can I flash the rom from the sd card?

thanks a lot for your help.

Chius (nacho337 (at) hotmail.com)

Alva

17-04-06, 10:51 AM

1)At first you are to download one of the following files:
[link deleted] rom-image with win ce 4.20
[link deleted] rom-image with win ce4.21 (win2003 se)
It would be better to install win 2003 se.

2)you will need some hex editor (I used winhex). Winhex should be registered.
You will need sd card. Remove all your files because writing rom-image on card will destroy all the information and put it in the card-reader. Unpack the archive you downloaded. Then run winhex and open the file you unpacked with winhex. Press ctrl+a (select all), right click, choose edit-->copy block-->hex values. Then press F9 and choose removeable media in the physical media group. Put the shunt of the mouse in the very beginning and press ctrl+b and say o.k. Then close winhex and you will be asked if to save changes. Click o.k. several times and wait for writing. When it finished safely remove the card.
3) put the card in the pda. Connect ac power. To enter bootloader press power+record button+reset. After 2-3 seconds release reset button and don't release power+record 2-3 seconds more. Then you should see rom version and boot version with the dolphins at background. Then you will see: if you want to flash press some button (I don't remember which one, but you will see). Press the button and flashing will begin. After it completes make hard reset or remove battery and put it back. That's all
4) put your card in the pc and format it

[Note from Duncan: Sorry - but we can't have links to download copyrighted material in the forums]

Neil

17-04-06, 06:09 PM

Hmm... not sure Duncan would be wanting the links to the ROM images here, really.

chius

17-04-06, 09:56 PM

Thanks a lot for your information.....I really apreciate it.

I will try next weekend and I will report here..... Thanks one more time.

Greetings

Alva

18-04-06, 10:30 AM

Hope, Chius read it at time.
I understand you. Unfortunately, some rules of MS can't give an opportunity for their customers to solve the problem themselves. People must wait for monthes, the sellers loose their money

P8RSON

18-04-06, 12:14 PM

Indeed, it is a no win situation for everyone.
The customer ~ for not being able to obtain the update.
The seller ~ for not being able to increase their profits.
FirstLoox ~ for not being able to assist it's members fully

... and microsoft ~ for having their heads buried in the sand......... again!

chius

21-04-06, 08:56 PM

Alva.... works!!!! It is great loox 420 is alive again..... I will keep your information and help another people from another forums in spanish.

Thanks a lot!!!!

Dmytro

24-04-06, 12:50 AM

Alva,

Your instructions look very good. I had the same situation - bootloader was OK, but OS was dead. I saw a picture w/ dolphins and versions of bootloader 1.04 and OS 1.10. I guess your instructions would work for me. However I have taken my 420 to service center. The tech told me that he had a lot of hell w/ it, and couldn't flash it. He told me that eventually he has tried to flash it via SD card and it worked, so I guess I could do that at home too. Now too late - I've paid 20$ for service, not much money... however I could try them myself. Don't wanna do w/ my PDA nothing now :) But I have a request.

Could you please email me those links to dmytro.klymenko + @ + gmail.com - I will post this instuctions on russian and ukrainian forums, as many people do struggle w/ their PDAs "partially dead" after uncomplete flash.

Alva

24-04-06, 02:25 PM

Dmytro, you can visit pdateam.ru There the process was written in russian

Oakenfold

01-06-06, 09:25 PM

I'm just another lucky guy who could make it in the early morning at 3 am, thanks to lordao! I was only trying to update my 410 to WM2k3SE. Besides that FSC resp. mobile2day charged me €15 the update failed and my PPC went dead for good.

So again, thanks alot lordao, you did help many lonesome ppc users, although I'm still wondering how you could figure out...

Oakenfold

ps. so far, the WM2k3 SE is working fine