Try another USB stick. Dash can be fussy about what kind of dongle you use.
BTW you did go back to former firmware? Chumdash works with 1526 fw not 1604.
Then you put in chumdash fix dongle then restart not going to special options.Just let chumdash do its thing.

Maybe give the details of the steps you are taking trying to get to 1526, step by step. Every step and detail is important.
Did you go to this page and read through everything?
http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=9843
You will need a clean copy of 1526:  https://anonfile.com/v0V2W6bbb3/Dash1.7.1526update.zip
It is possible you will need the extra fix Duane offered for some units that didn't cooperate.
http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=9752

Believe me. Somebody on this forum or together, we should be able to get your chumdash working if it was working before.

Sorry. I get frustrated with techie stuff but usually find I missed a vital step. I retrace and then it works. Stick around and someone will get you thru this.

To be clear, you are inserting dongle then plugging in dash as you hold down menu button? Is USB update lit up when in special options? If not lit, means it does not see dongle.

Has USB outlet worked before to play music or movie?

Hi again,
  Yes, I am doing all the steps.
  Yes, the USB button is NOT greyed out and I am able to choose it.
  But then after a minute or so, it starts to "update", but it turns out to be updating from the Sony website, because after
it is done updating, all I get is the clock.
  So, just to check I took out the USB one time, and did the update, same thing, I was able to choose the USB button (even though there was nothing inserted) and it updated from the website, because once again I got the clock.
So, no matter what I do, the USB is not being "seen".
Even after I used a Sony USB drive.
Also yes, because I get the option screen, I guess it is not "bricked", but I don't know how to continue.

Any thoughts?

The only thing I can think of that is left, is to turn off my internet and try updating again.

Hi,

Well, the steps are from this thread, I got the Dash 1.7.1526 update zip from the Anonfile link from the post.
I verified the MD5 sum from the free downloaded app called WinMD5free and it is 35f49ae0b19aee592189297039cccd9e,

I went through the steps before but they are:
  Inserted Sony USB thumb drive with the dash update on it. (Both ways, zipped and unzipped)
I plugged in the Dash as I held the snooze button.
The screen goes to options
I click on update
I click on update from USB
Then after a couple seconds it starts to update, but it only updates to the same clock version.

Like I said, the only thing I can think of to "override" the automatic update from the internet site is to turn off my
WiFi in my house and see if that forces the USB update.
But it is such a pain to turn off the wifi, I need to set aside some time to be offline to do this.

Hope this explains what I have been doing.

I called it update.
I tried it zipped. didn't work
So I also tried it unzipped, just to see if it would work.
Both ways didn't work.
I also tried to call it update.zip, didn't work either.
I have tried many different versions, because it didn't work the way that is posted.
I am open to anything

Yes, I did all that.
I JUST posted that.
You are stating the same thing over and over.

Thanks anyway

I had something similar happen to me. Windows did lie and it was labeling the file as update.zip.zip. I corrected that and boom, it worked. Every detail is important to the last letter and dot. That is why ehertz is questioning you this way. He is trying to make sure you have done everything perfectly. He can't be there where your Dash is to walk you thru this. It would be very rare to do everything perfect and it NOT to work. This has been tested on many, many units and it works.
It can be frustrating until you finally see what the snag is.

An example of my frustration: When I am putting in the very long Url addresses for internet radio feeds, I really believe am doing it perfectly. I recheck and recheck but no sound. Maybe the  stream is down. Maybe they have changed the link. I recheck one more time and find I have left out some very small thing. Correct that and it works fine.

ehertz is just trying (like Sherlock) to solve the mystery. There is some detail that must be addressed for it to work.

BTW: I used a 256mb thumb drive to change mine. Just enough space to load the file in the root.
AND using a Sony thumb drive is no guarantee it will work. Smaller is better. 256mb is the best imo.

Just as an idea:  There is a factory reset option in the Sony firmware.

When I was troubleshooting I went WAY back to the originally shipped internal firmware (special options / restore factory settings), THEN did the 1526 load, THEN loaded Chumdash firmware.

Troubleshooting can be frustrating.  You have my sympathy.  Keep at it, it will work!

Hi again everyone,
  Well I finally  got around to turning off my wifi and trying every way using the USB to "update" to the old firmware.

  All to no end. I couldn't find a smaller USB thumb drive than 1GB. I even partitioned a drive to look smaller. Still nothing.

Would anyone that got this to work be interested in mailing me the actual thumb drive that they used?

I would pay for shipping and all. Because I am at my wits end.

Please let me know if anyone can help me.

Thanks

Hi again,
  OK. What is the brand name of the USB thumb that worked for you?
  I have many different types (different brands) and none of them work.
  If you would be willing to send me the actual thumb drive with the files that worked for you on it, I will send you a 32GB
thumb drive in exchange.
My email is : BradEvideo@gmail.com
Lets talk.

Thanks

That's not necessary, since the dash doesn't boot off the USB.