Topic: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

Some have reported that they are able to get into Special Options mode but are unable to press any of the buttons. I am in this situation, following unsuccessful attempts to update to FW: 1.7.1604 to enable clock/alarm functions only. Has anyone been stuck on 'Special options' (unable to select any options) and made it past this? If so, how?

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

We're looking into this situation, we'll know more sometime this coming weekend.

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

Thanks Duane.  FYI, the forced update failed, then two tries over via network failed. In all of these I was stuck at the Sony screen after booting. Next I tried a USB update which failed the same way. All attempts after that could get to the special options screen, but as stated, nothing could be selected.

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

And thanks from me, too, Duane -- one of my units is also in that "cannot select any options" state.  Hope you can figure something out!

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

Could there be a relation to "brick" vs. "non-brick" in that some of us updated back in May which shows the "ending support in July" message?

Maybe if you didn't update to include the message but do update to the latest it somehow bricks the dash?  Or vice-versa?

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

jhonryan wrote:

Could there be a relation to "brick" vs. "non-brick" in that some of us updated back in May which shows the "ending support in July" message?

Maybe if you didn't update to include the message but do update to the latest it somehow bricks the dash?  Or vice-versa?

I think it's unrelated - that update was just to the Control Panel, which is a Flash movie.  This looks a Linux kernel or middleware issue. The symptoms are consistent with a reboot loop.

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

Duane wrote:

I think it's unrelated - that update was just to the Control Panel, which is a Flash movie.  This looks a Linux kernel or middleware issue. The symptoms are consistent with a reboot loop.

Absolutely it looks like a reboot loop.  Just wondering if the underlying cause is with something pushed by the "July you will die" end of support update back in May.  Maybe something that horked the update process.  Or maybe the latest CLOCK ONLY update is EXPECTING something left behind from the May update -- and if it doesn't find it we have a bricked Dash...

These are really the only differences in the dashes out there -- those that received and installed the END OF LIFE message update back in May and those that didn't.  If it was a one-off hosed update we could chalk it up to something interrupted the process or something. 

But we have multiple stories of bricking.  There must be something in common with those that brick that separates them from those that "clock".

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

I'm in the same boot.

This morning I ran the OTA update on my Dash not knowing support was ending or anything. It rebooted, ran a update script, then got stuck on the SONY logo with the flashing Sony LED.

I was able to install 1523 by going to special options and updating from Install Updates. It booted. However I was entering info on the touch screen when the update prompt came up, and mistakenly hit it. It ran through the OTA.. AGAIN.. However this time when I boot back to the Special Options screen the touchscreen does not work. However, if I rotate the unit 180 degrees, the screen follows and rotates as well. So it's not locked up, just not receiving input.

I did not receive any updates back in May for my device.

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

My dash is also bricked -- it displays and flashes the Sony logo.  Mine bricked after upgrading from the version that displayed the July notice.   

I can get mine to the special options screen, but the touchscreen does not respond.   

Interestingly, if I attach a non-storage USB device (a keyboard) it hangs before the special options screen (black screen, nothing happens).  If I attach a USB flash drive, it continues to the special options screen (but the touch screen still doesn't work).  So the OS is starting, enumerating devices on the the USB bus, and apparently reacting differently if it sees something it doesn't like/understand...

10 (edited by WoodburyMan 2017-07-14 12:02:57)

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

dasher wrote:

My dash is also bricked -- it displays and flashes the Sony logo.  Mine bricked after upgrading from the version that displayed the July notice.   

I can get mine to the special options screen, but the touchscreen does not respond.   

Interestingly, if I attach a non-storage USB device (a keyboard) it hangs before the special options screen (black screen, nothing happens).  If I attach a USB flash drive, it continues to the special options screen (but the touch screen still doesn't work).  So the OS is starting, enumerating devices on the the USB bus, and apparently reacting differently if it sees something it doesn't like/understand...

I tried the same thing.. connecting a USB mouse with the hope that it might work to select Update USB screen since it seems linux based. Locked it up as well.

Does your screen rotate when in the Special Options menu when you tilt the clock upside down as well? Clearly it's not locked up.. just missing something. Maybe it's locking up when initiating the USB bus and cannot recognize the USB HID touchscreen?

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

Yes, the screen rotates.

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

Has anyone tried resetting to factory from the Special Options?

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

Well, I was able to roll back to a previous update.zip from a USB on ONE of my Dashs...and then just didnt let it connect to the internet. Came out to do it in another room, same USB, and no go. Touchscreen non-responsive. Tried a bunch of different USBs, nada. Irritating as hell! Sooo thankful someone here is looking at a future in another direction for our Dashs! Got another one at my office I will try to re-downgrade on Tuesday...UGH!

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

NeoMatrix wrote:

Has anyone tried resetting to factory from the Special Options?

If I could click it I would, but the touchscreen doesnt register anything.

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

My daughter has the Sony Dash and uses it as an alarm clock and to check the weather.

It delivered the must update message and not giving it any thought clicked on Update.

It turned her Dash into a clock/alarm clock with no other issues. No more checking the weather.

As far as I know she did the last good update a few months ago.

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

You are lucky jimt29! Most of ours all bricked when we got the mandatory update. Simply hung on the logo, with the Sony lit up on the bottom of the frame, flashing.

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

I flashed the firmware back twice to the 1526 version but it still asks for the update. I did see if you accept ok there is a message if you press volume + can cancel the update. But you have to do it fast.  I will try it once it asks me for update again.

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

NeoMatrix wrote:

I flashed the firmware back twice to the 1526 version but it still asks for the update. I did see if you accept ok there is a message if you press volume + can cancel the update. But you have to do it fast.  I will try it once it asks me for update again.

it will *always* ask for the update, because that's what it's programmed to do.

just turn the device off till we're ready with our chumbyfication workaround.

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

NeoMatrix wrote:

I flashed the firmware back twice to the 1526 version but it still asks for the update. I did see if you accept ok there is a message if you press volume + can cancel the update. But you have to do it fast.  I will try it once it asks me for update again.

Just dont connect to wifi. Hit "skip" and you wont have to worry about the update. I did that with my first one. 2nd still touchscreen wont cooperate.

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

Strange that each Dash does differently. I think I will let each do what wants until the fix comes out. One is now just a very limited alarm clock. Other is functioning as a Dash but I had to reflash to earlier fw. I wish I had saved my stream URLs. I'll be glad when we just get to the handoff to chumby servers.

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

NeoMatrix wrote:

Has anyone tried resetting to factory from the Special Options?

I tried that, with no luck. Unfortunately, on every boot after that the buttons on the Special Options screen would no longer respond.

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

The "UNBRICK YOUR DASH" instructions and download works! I was able to unbrick one of our Dashes that had the touchscreen stop working. Brilliant. Thanks, guys!!!

I am really looking forward to the Chumby software. Thank you for doing this!

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

I can also confirm that this UNBRICK fix will allow the 1604 firmware update to install again--which then promptly fails to work as usual, with the flashing SONY logo. So that update is a big mess. Anybody know why it fails on so many devices?

I then tried to reinstall the 1526 update and it failed the imaging the first time. Second try with the UNBRICK USB and 1526 update worked.

So now I have two unbricked devices! Four Dashes in total (two home, one work, one for father). Thanks for keeping these alive, guys!

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

joelsef wrote:

I can also confirm that this UNBRICK fix will allow the 1604 firmware update to install again--which then promptly fails to work as usual, with the flashing SONY logo. So that update is a big mess. Anybody know why it fails on so many devices?

We don't know why it fails, and why only on some devices, and at this point, I don't think we're not going to waste any effort investigating.  We did just enough research to create this unbricking hack, which was a unnecessary and unwelcome distraction from our larger project for support of the dash.

I've seen similar failures when creating an OTA update during development in the past, however, at least at Chumby, we'd never have released such an update without intensive testing. It's extremely unlikely we'd have released one in this condition.  If somehow we had, we would have pulled the update at the very first report of a failure the field, and sought to undo the damage.

Re: Sony Dash stuck at 'Special options' screen

Duane wrote:
joelsef wrote:

I can also confirm that this UNBRICK fix will allow the 1604 firmware update to install again--which then promptly fails to work as usual, with the flashing SONY logo. So that update is a big mess. Anybody know why it fails on so many devices?

We don't know why it fails, and why only on some devices, and at this point, I don't think we're not going to waste any effort investigating.  We did just enough research to create this unbricking hack, which was a unnecessary and unwelcome distraction from our larger project for support of the dash.

I've seen similar failures when creating an OTA update during development in the past, however, at least at Chumby, we'd never have released such an update without intensive testing. It's extremely unlikely we'd have released one in this condition.  If somehow we had, we would have pulled the update at the very first report of a failure the field, and sought to undo the damage.

It's likely Sony Dash devs had it in testing, and were forced to push it out the door their last day in the office before they shutdown or forced to push it by management so that users could get the bricking update before the servers shut down.