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#1
(In the spirit of the Mythbusters)
I downloaded FIASCO-image.
Unpacked it with 0xffff. (./0xFFFF -M RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin -u)
Selected xloader corresponding my hwrevision (not 2nd. not secondary.)
Made one byte modification (inside version string by guess).
-trying to not break code logic
-definitely break any checksum and/or signature
Flashed with 0xffff.

-> Instant brick.
Device can't be powered on.
When attached to the computer, dmesg doesn't show anything. (expected: http://wiki.maemo.org/User:Joerg_rw/...og_of_USB_enum)

Seems to me that consumer using usb can only cold flash secondary (which means nolo). So is this the border of brickability and unbrickability? (between xloader and nolo) Or is there still something to do without special equipments?

------------EDIT------------
First: Pali, Freemangordon and Joerg were correct all the time: N900 is non-brickable (via system and/or usb). I just could not read what they wrote: 1) Remove battery. 2) Attach USB. 3) Insert battery.
Second: dmesg is the king. And the 'new' -w flag (http://karelzak.blogspot.fi/2012/09/util-linux-222.html since kernel 3.5.0) specially.


So startup your Terminal (in Linux PC) and fire
Code:
dmesg -w
It shows kernel log and keeps printing them in realtime.

A)
Shutdown working N900, attach it to the PC with USB-cable and you will see:
Code:
[ 1641.214675] usb 3-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0421, idProduct=0106
[ 1641.214691] usb 3-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=34, Product=38, SerialNumber=0
[ 1641.214695] usb 3-2: Product: Nokia USB ROM
[ 1641.214698] usb 3-2: Manufacturer: Nokia
[ 1641.515422] usb 3-2: USB disconnect, device number 3
[ 1642.381098] usb 3-2: new high-speed USB device number 4 using xhci_hcd
[ 1642.651190] usb 3-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0421, idProduct=0105
[ 1642.651198] usb 3-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=5
[ 1642.651202] usb 3-2: Product: Nokia N900 (Update mode)
[ 1642.651205] usb 3-2: Manufacturer: Nokia
[ 1642.651208] usb 3-2: SerialNumber: 4D554D343430373238
[ 1642.827155] NET: Registered protocol family 35
[ 1642.844717] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_phonet
[ 1644.082315] usb 3-2: USB disconnect, device number 4
[ 1650.777427] usb 3-2: new high-speed USB device number 5 using xhci_hcd
[ 1650.906621] usb 3-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0421, idProduct=01c7
[ 1650.906638] usb 3-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 1650.906642] usb 3-2: Product: N900 (Storage Mode)
[ 1650.906645] usb 3-2: Manufacturer: Nokia
[ 1650.906647] usb 3-2: SerialNumber: 372041756775
[ 1650.907614] usb-storage 3-2:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[ 1650.907881] scsi host7: usb-storage 3-2:1.0
[ 1651.906622] scsi 7:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Nokia    N900              031 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
[ 1651.907261] scsi 7:0:0:1: Direct-Access     Nokia    N900              031 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
[ 1651.908069] sd 7:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
[ 1651.908476] sd 7:0:0:1: Attached scsi generic sg4 type 0
[ 1651.910036] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI removable disk
[ 1651.911979] sd 7:0:0:1: [sdd] Attached SCSI removable disk
This is described by Joerg very well.

B) Wipe/destroy/mess xloader of your N900. Shut it down. It can't be booted anymore. Attach via USB, and dmesg is totally silent. This WAS my point of this thread. Because kernel can't see my N900, any flasher can't do anything with it.

B2) N900 without working bootloader.
Remove battery. Start new terminal (1st terminal is running dmesg -w). Start flasher with cold flash flag: example:
Code:
flasher-3.5 -h RX-51:2101 -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin -c -S usb
Attach USB cable.
Insert battery to the N900, and dmesg shows:
Code:
[10446.008076] usb 2-1.3: new high-speed USB device number 9 using ehci-pci
[10446.101264] usb 2-1.3: unable to get BOS descriptor
[10446.102639] usb 2-1.3: New USB device found, idVendor=0421, idProduct=0106
[10446.102644] usb 2-1.3: New USB device strings: Mfr=34, Product=38, SerialNumber=0
[10446.102647] usb 2-1.3: Product: Nokia USB ROM
[10446.102650] usb 2-1.3: Manufacturer: Nokia
[10446.576654] usb 2-1.3: USB disconnect, device number 9
And flasher will say:
Code:
Suitable USB device not found, waiting.
USB device found found at bus 002, device address 026.
Waiting for ASIC id...
usb_bulk_read: No such device
Or
Code:
Suitable USB device not found, waiting.
USB device found found at bus 002, device address 027.
Waiting for ASIC id...
usb_bulk_read: Resource temporarily unavailable

Or
Code:
Using serial port usb
Suitable USB device not found, waiting.
USB device found found at bus 002, device address 028.
Error claiming USB interface: Bad file descriptor
Remove battery. Start flasher again. Insert battery back. Repeat until success. There are only 0.3-0.7 seconds for flasher to react. In my case it took seven tries and then it worked:
Code:
Suitable USB device not found, waiting.
USB device found found at bus 005, device address 004.
Waiting for ASIC id...
Got 69 bytes.
ASIC ID:
05 01 05 01 34 30 07 57  13 02 01 00 12 15 01 3f
8f 41 14 07 41 48 49 d9  b5 94 4b 98 89 00 fb df
40 a2 89 14 15 01 87 3b  4d cd ca f5 44 4d 24 ec
b2 ac 95 53 88 41 4f ab  cd 66 15 09 01 f7 48 8f
28 a0 27 e5 b3
Sending 2nd image (14720 bytes)... done.
Sending ping... timeout!
failed.
Sending ping... pong.
Sending secondary (109440 bytes)... done.

Last edited by AapoRantalainen; 2017-09-15 at 18:59.
 

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Posts: 592 | Thanked: 1,603 times | Joined on Apr 2010 @ Berlin / Germany
#2
Flashing with F-Bus/Mbus Cable (Contacts under the battery) and UFS/HWK Flasher-Box should go.
I can do it, but i'm in Berlin/Germany

Or try to find xxxed Nokia Phoenix Service Software.
This has especially an option "Dead USB Flashing"
 

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#3
Hi! X-Loader & Nolo compose one nand partition and are flashed at same time to N900.

If you accidentely flash something unbootable to N900, do not worry.

You can cold-flash via *usb* 2nd & Nolo image into N900 even if N900 has broken X-Loader/NOLO.

Make sure that your battery is charger and use 0xFFFF or flasher-3.5 in cold flash mode. After you get working NOLO, do normal flash and thats all.
 

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#4
Originally Posted by pali View Post
You can cold-flash via *usb* 2nd & Nolo image into N900 even if N900 has broken X-Loader/NOLO.
I just test with another spare device that I can cold flash:

Code:
./flasher-3.5 -h RX-51:2101 -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin -c -S usb
http://wiki.maemo.org/Updating_the_f.../Cold_Flashing

My issue is not broken nolo, but broken xloader (I know terminology is little bit fuzzy, but I mean file named 'xloader' which comes inside fiasco). Cold flashing will not ever start because my computer is not seeing N900 (nothing comes in kernel log).
 

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#5
Originally Posted by AapoRantalainen View Post
I just test with another spare device that I can cold flash:

Code:
./flasher-3.5 -h RX-51:2101 -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin -c -S usb
http://wiki.maemo.org/Updating_the_f.../Cold_Flashing

My issue is not broken nolo, but broken xloader (I know terminology is little bit fuzzy, but I mean file named 'xloader' which comes inside fiasco). Cold flashing will not ever start because my computer is not seeing N900 (nothing comes in kernel log).
Does not matter what is broken (if nolo or x-loader). Cold flashing is started *before* booting x-loader and is started by omap rom.

Above command for cold flashing should be OK. If you are not seeing usb device it is because of power supply.

Make sure you have fully charged battery. If needed use external charger. N900 with broken bootloader cannot charge your batttery.
 

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#6
Originally Posted by pali View Post
Does not matter what is broken (if nolo or x-loader). Cold flashing is started *before* booting x-loader and is started by omap rom.

If you are not seeing usb device it is because of power supply.
I fully charged battery with my working N900 and put it to the 'bricked' one. Then used same cable and same USB-port of computer than with working N900. But no, computer is not even noticing something were attached.

Connecting 'bricked' N900 to the computer.
When I use 100% full battery, nothing visually happens in N900.
When battery is below 100% (let say 95%) then there are orange led shining (continuous, not blinking).
(Any use of this information)
 
Posts: 2,153 | Thanked: 8,462 times | Joined on May 2010
#7
Originally Posted by AapoRantalainen View Post
I fully charged battery with my working N900 and put it to the 'bricked' one. Then used same cable and same USB-port of computer than with working N900. But no, computer is not even noticing something were attached.
This looks like broken usb :-(

Anyway, try another computer with usb 2.0 bus (not 3.0!). Maybe your computer or operating system has slow usb enumeration and so cannot detect it.

Also you can try to use your working N900 if it can enter into cold flash mode. Turn it off, start 0xFFFF -I and then connect usb cable.

0xFFFF in -I mode just do identification, nothing more! And if it see Nokia N900 device in cold flash mode, it just tell N900 to start NOLO and it wrote message about it. So you will see if your computer/OS can detect device in cold flash mode.
 

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#8
My experience is that its pretty hard to brick a N900 by flashing stuff to it...
 

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#9
Originally Posted by jonwil View Post
My experience is that its pretty hard to brick a N900 by flashing stuff to it...
I'd say it is impossible.
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720p video support on N900,SmartReflex on N900,Keyboard and mouse support on N900
Nothing is impossible - Stable thumb2 on n900

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#10
Originally Posted by jonwil View Post
My experience is that its pretty hard to brick a N900 by flashing stuff to it...
I also thought so.

I had two working N900. I flashed them couple of times (also nolo-part). Always with the same cable and with the same computer. Then I (intentionally) flashed modified xloader (signed part). N900 instantly went black. After shutdown with battery removal it feels bricked. It can't be powered on. It will not show any more in kernel logs. I use working N900 for reference (cold flashing, kernel logs) and to charge batteries.
 

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