From: <idc-dragon_at_gmx.de>
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 22:45:30 +0200 (MEST)

> So I reflashed my box and it crashed, I heard that I can still program
> the flash via UART with some tweaks, how?

Yes you can. First I'm really interested in what you did to provoke this
situation.

> I'm an electrical engineer so have all the tools available and I know my
> way around a microcontroller system. I can also unsolder, program and
> resolder the flash.

That's one (brute force) option. Do you have a suitable narrow TSOP32
programming adapter? Then I'd like to "abuse" this ability later to program some
blanks I have, for other people with SST37 chip, such that they "only" need to
solder it in, without further mods.

However for you with the right flash in place I'd recommend the smarter way
using the UART boot mod. I've reflashed many times from all kinds of garbage
with that, including a blank chip. I'm a bit behind in documenting this, but
you can have a look at:
http://joerg.hohensohn.bei.t-online.de/archos/uart_boot
for some pictures now and maybe some text later. Basically, you need to cut
away the pullups from Vcc and instead connect them to a switch which gives
the choice of pulling to Vcc or Gnd.
When pulled to Gnd while powering up, the boot ROM code (within the CPU)
awaits a piece of code via UART, this is my entry point to the box.

You need the serial mod as well (including a level converter). This should
be documented somewhere else, I don't know about the FM.

> Both the F1 and F2 boots are hosed.

There is no F2 boot. I guess you mean "On" without additional keys, right?

I'm currently making the host application (the one downloading a monitor and
using it to flash plus other things) more user friendly, will publish that
soon.

Best wishes,
Jörg

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Received on 2003-08-22