Topic: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

Hey,
  I have tried to "un-brick" my Sony Dash for the past 2 hours, but still nothing.

  I  woke up this morning with my Sony Dash updated to the 1.7.1604 version that transforms this great little device, into
a simple alarm clock.

I have been downloading all of the patches that you guys have provided here, (thank you) but still, whenever I get to the options
menu, there are three choices:
  1. Restore to Normal Operation ( the clock)
  2. Install updates
  3. Restore to Factory Default ( doesn't do that by the way)

  I obviously choose number 2 - Install updates, then it takes me to the next page that states:
  1. Install from Network
  2. Install from USB
  3. Cancel

I obviously choose Install from USB, and then nothing happens.
What am I doing wrong?

I have tried FAT, FAT32, zipped files, unzipped files , different program types of zipped files.
Also, just the un-brick on it's own, with the update , the update on it's own.
No change.
Please can someone help me?
Can someone upload the EXACT files so all I need to do was copy it all to a thumb drive and go?
Thanks for listening to my rant.

Brad

2 (edited by demarks51 2017-09-06 11:10:55)

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

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.

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

Yes, I tried 4 different brands and sizes of thumb drives.
That is what I'm trying to do. To go back to the previous firmware.
Like I said in my first post " I woke up to the new 1604 update and now I'm trying to go back to 1526."

I haven't even gotten to the Chumby software yet. 

Any other ideas?

4 (edited by demarks51 2017-09-06 13:52:42)

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

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.

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

Those 3 links that you posted are the very ones that I have been using all day.
No go.
I even found a Sony USB drive, but that was a bust also.
No matter what I do, the USB is simply not reading anything.
Maybe the USB drive in the Dash is just bad.
My head hurts.
I will dive back in later.
Thanks anyway.

6 (edited by demarks51 2017-09-06 17:04:56)

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

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?

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

Bradevideo wrote:

Any other ideas?

what, *exactly* are you doing?

Also, as I understand it, your dash isn't bricked, since you said you've got a clock, so I'm splitting this off into it's own thread, since you don't need the unbricker.

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

8 (edited by Bradevideo 2017-09-07 12:40:44)

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

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.

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

Bradevideo wrote:

Hi again,
  Yes, I am doing all the steps.

I'm sorry, when I ask what *exactly* you're doing, telling us that you're doing "all the steps" doesn't convey anything, because in pretty much every case when someone is doing "all the steps" .... they're missing something.

What's the MD5sum of the file you're using on the USB, and what is it called?

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

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.

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

Bradevideo wrote:

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)

The flashing instructions clearly state that the file needs to be zipped...

What *exactly* did you call it? right click and check the properties of the file.

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

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

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

The file has to be in the root of the usb stick, and it has to be called "update.zip" not 'update' not 'update.zip.zip'.

File manager in windows lies, check the file properties.

Check the md5sum of the file while it's on the USB.

Properly eject the USB from your computer.

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

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

Thanks anyway

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

When I was trying to change the firmware on my Dash, I found that it would not work with a significant number of flash drives. Finally, I found an old 256 MB drive laying around at the bottom on a drawer and tried that. It worked.

Bradevideo, I would suggest that you try to find an old flash drive. The smaller the better. I could not get the firmware update to work with any of my drives ranging in size from 1 GB to 32 GB. Of course, I am sure that others will have a different experience. I can only relate mine.

As others have noted, the Dash is very, very, very fussy about the flash drive it wants to see. My symptoms were exactly the same as what you report, i.e., nothing happening. Like you, I tried formatting the flash drives with FAT and FAT32, but it did not make any difference, until I found my very old, very small flash drive.

16 (edited by demarks51 2017-09-08 07:51:38)

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

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.

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

17 (edited by demarks51 2017-09-08 07:58:29)

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

What if it doesn't work?

If you do not see the "Welcome to chumby!" it means that something has prevented the device from reading the files on the dongle.  Given our experience with the "Unbrick" fix, the most common problems are:


•not following the instructions exactly


•using a dongle that the device does not recognize - please try another, and/or check the formatting


•not realizing that Windows will typically hide file extensions


•not having the files at the top level of the USB dongle.

Note: The larger, newer dongles are usually faster but older tech units like the Dash/Chumby can be stubborn to respond to them.

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

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!

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

zebraitis wrote:

Chumdash firmware.

Chumby for Dash is NOT firmware. It's a patch that sits atop the 1526 firmware.

(just a clarification).

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

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

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

It is not the size that counts. (did I just say that?!) I have been using an 8 gig drive I had lying around to flash the Dash. It has been noted that the Dash is finicky about what drive it likes to read. You need to try a different USB drive and see if that works better.

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

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

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

I am using a sandisk cruser 8 GB thumb drive.

I think the problem is that you need to make the thumb drive bootable. To do this, download the program Rufus located here; https://rufus.akeo.ie/.

Follow Duane's instructions to the letter and all should work.

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

infocastme wrote:

I am using a sandisk cruser 8 GB thumb drive.

I think the problem is that you need to make the thumb drive bootable. To do this, download the program Rufus located here; https://rufus.akeo.ie/.

Follow Duane's instructions to the letter and all should work.

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

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

Re: Trouble flashing back to working firmware.

diamaunt wrote:

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

Very interesting!