\warn{Flashing Rockbox is optional. It is not required for using Rockbox on your
\playername. Please read the whole section thoroughly before flashing.
}
\subsection{Introduction}
Flashing in the sense used here and elsewhere in regard to Rockbox means
reprogramming the flash memory of the \playerman\ unit.
When you bought your \playerman, it came with the \playerman\ firmware flashed.
Now, you can add Rockbox to the built-in software.
\subsection{Terminology}
\begin{description}
\item[Firmware: ] The flash ROM content as a whole.
\item[Image: ] Means one operating software started from there
\end{description}
By reprogramming the firmware, we can boot much faster. \playerman\ has an
unnecessary slow boot loader, versus the boot time for Rockbox is much faster
than the disk spinup, in fact it has to wait for the disk. Your boot time will
be as quick as a disk spinup (e.g. 4 seconds from powerup until resuming
playback).
\subsection{Method}
The replaced firmware will host a bootloader and 2 images. This is possible by
compression. The first is the \emph{permanent} backup, not to be changed any
more.The second is the default one to be started, the first is only used when
you hold the \opt{recorder,recorderv2fm}{\ButtonFOne}\opt{ondio}{\ButtonLeft}\opt{player}{\ButtonLeft} -key during start. Like supplied here, the first image
is the original Archos firmware, the second is empty, left for you to program
and update. It can contain anything you like. If you prefer, you can program
the Archos firmware to there, too.
\note{For now, the binary contained in the brand new player flash package does
contain rockbox built from current cvs in the second image slot. This is to
lower the risk of flashing (at least one of the images will hopefully work) in
case you don't program a second image yourself in the first step. Of course the
second image can be replaced like with the other models.}
\item The first one is called \fname{firmware\_flash.rock} and is used to
program the whole flash with a new content. You can also use it to revert
back to the original firmware you've hopefully backup-ed. In the ideal case,
you'll need this tool only once. You can view this as "formatting" the flash
with the desired image structure.
\item The second one is called \fname{rockbox\_flash.rock} and is used to
reprogram only the second image. It won't touch any other byte, should be
safe to fool around with. If the programmed firmware is inoperational, you
can still use the \opt{recorder,recorderv2fm}{\ButtonFOne}\opt{ondio}{\ButtonLeft}\opt{player}{\ButtonLeft} start with the Archos firmware and Rockbox booted
There's one ultimate safety net to bring back boxes with even completely
garbled flash content: the \emph{UART} boot mod, which in turn requires the
serial mod. It can bring the dead back to life, with that it's possible to
reflash independently from the outside, even if the flash is completely erased.
It has been used that during development, else Rockbox in flash wouldn't have
been possible. Extensive development effort went into the exploitation of the
UART boot mod. Mechanically adept users with good soldering skills can easily
perform these mods. Others may feel uncomfortable using the first tool
(\fname{firmware\_flash.rock}) for reflashing the firmware.
To comfort you a bit again: If you are starting with a known-good image, you
are unlikely to experience problems. The flash tools have been stable for quite
a while. Several users have used them extensively, even flashing while playing!
Although it worked, it's not the recommended method.
About the safety of operation: Since we have dual boot, you're not giving up
the Archos firmware. It's still there when you hold
\opt{recorder,recorderv2fm}{\ButtonFOne}\opt{ondio}{\ButtonLeft}\opt{player}{\ButtonLeft} during startup. So even if Rockbox from flash is not 100\% stable for
everyone, you can still use the box, reflash the second image with an updated
Rockbox copy, etc.
The flash chip being used by Archos is specified for 100,000 cycles, so you don't need to worry about that wearing out.
\item The first is a \playername. Be sure you're using the correct package,
they are different!
\item Second, you need an in-circuit programmable flash. \opt{recorder,recorderv2fm,player}{The older chips are not flashable.}\opt{ondio}{This should always
be flashable on Ondios, because Archos does itself provide flash updates for
these.} You can find out via Rockbox (\setting{Info $\rightarrow$ Debug $\rightarrow$ Hardware Info}). If the flash info gives you question marks (Flash M=?? D=??),
you're out of luck. The only chance then is to solder in the right chip
(SST39VF020), at best with the firmware already in. If the chip is blank,
Short explanation: copy the \fname{firmware\_*.bin} files for your model from the
distribution to the root directory of your \dap, then run the
\fname{firmware\_flash.rock} plugin.
Long version, step by step procedure:
\begin{enumerate}
\item Completely install the Rockbox version you want to have in flash, from a
full \fname{.zip} distribution, including all the plugins, etc.
\item Back up the current firmware, using the first option of the debug menu
(\setting{Info $\rightarrow$ Debug $\rightarrow$ Dump ROM Contents}).
This creates 2 files in the root directory, which you may not immediately see
in the Rockbox browser. The 256kB-sized \fname{internal\_rom\_2000000-203FFFF.bin} one is your present firmware. Back both up to your PC. You will need them if
you want to restore the flash contents.
\item Download the correct package for you model. Copy one or two files of it to
your box: \fname{firmware\_*.bin} (name depends on your model) into the root
directory (the initial firmware for your model, with the bootloader and the
Archos image). There now is also a \_norom variant, copy both, the plugin will
decide which one is required for your box.
\item Enter the debug menu and select the hardware info screen. Check your flash
IDs (bottom line), and please make a note about your \opt{recorder,recorderv2fm,ondio}{hardware mask value}\opt{player}{ROM version}. The latter is just for our
curiosity, not needed for the flow. If the flash info shows question marks,
you can stop here, sorry.
\item Use the \opt{recorder,recorderv2fm}{\ButtonFTwo\ settings or }the menu (\setting{General settings $\rightarrow$ File view $\rightarrow$ Show files}) to
configure seeing all files within the browser.
\item Connect the charger and make sure your batteries are also in good shape.
That's just for security reasons, it's not that flashing needs more power.
\item Run the \fname{firmware\_flash.rock} plugin. It again tells you about your
flash and the file it's gonna program. After \opt{recorder,recorderv2fm}{\ButtonFOne}\opt{ondio}{\ButtonLeft}\opt{player}{\ButtonLeft} it checks the file. Your
hardware mask value will be kept, it won't overwrite it. Hitting \opt{recorder,recorderv2fm}{\ButtonFTwo}\opt{ondio}{\ButtonUp}\opt{player}{\ButtonOn} gives you
a big warning. If we still didn't manage to scare you off, you can hit\opt{recorder,recorderv2fm}{\ButtonFThree}\opt{ondio}{\ButtonRight}\opt{player}{\ButtonRight} to actually program and verify. The programming takes just a few seconds. If
the sanity check fails, you have the wrong kind of boot ROM and are out of luck
by now, sorry.
\item In the unlikely event that the programming should give you any error, don't
switch off the box! Otherwise you'll have seen it working for the last time.
While Rockbox is still in DRAM and operational, we could upgrade the plugin via
USB and try again. If you switch it off, it's gone.
\end{enumerate}
\nopt{player}{
Now the initial procedure is done. Since the second half of the flash is still
empty, there is ``just'' the Archos image starting when you reboot now. Not much
has changed yet. The Archos software starts a bit quicker than usual, then loads
Rockbox from disk. The fun really starts when you add Rockbox to the flash, as
described in the next section.
}
\note{You may delete the \fname{.bin} files now.}
\subsection{Bringing in a Rockbox build}
Short version: very easy, just play an \fname{.ucl} file like
The second image is the working copy, the \fname{rockbox\_flash.rock} plugin from
this package reprograms it. The plugins needs to be consistant with the Rockbox
plugin API version, otherwise it will detect mismatch and won't run.
It requires an exotic input, a UCL-compressed image, because that's the internal
format. UCL is a nice open-source compression library. The decompression is very
fast and less than a page of C-code. The efficiency is even better than Zip with
maximum compression, reduces file size to about 58\% of the original size. For
details on UCL, see \url{http://www.oberhumer.com/opensource/ucl/}.
Rockbox developers using Linux will have to download it from there and compile
it. For Win32 and Cygwin the executables are next to the packages. The sample
program from that download is called \fname{uclpack}. We'll use that to compress
\fname{rockbox.bin} which is the result of the compilation. This is a part of the
build process meanwhile. If you compile Rockbox yourself, you should copy
\fname{uclpack} to a directory which is in the path, we recommend placing it in
the same dir as SH compiler.
Here are the steps:
\begin{enumerate}
\item Normally, you'll simply download a \fname{.zip} distribution. Copy all the
content to the USB drive, replacing the old.
\item Force a disk boot by holding \opt{recorder,recorderv2fm}{\ButtonFOne}\opt{ondio}{\ButtonLeft}\opt{player}{\ButtonLeft} during power-up, or at least rolo into
the new Rockbox version by \emph{Playing} the \fname{ajbrec.ajz}/fname{archos.mod} file. This may not always be necessary, but it's better to first run the
version you're about to flash. It is required if you are currently running
RomBox.
\item Just \emph{play} the \fname{.ucl} file in the \fname{.rockbox} directory,
this will kick off the \fname{rockbox\_flash.rock} plugin. It's a bit similar
to the other one, but it's made different to make the user aware. It will check
the file, available size, etc. With \opt{recorder,recorderv2fm}{\ButtonFTwo}\opt{ondio}{\ButtonUp}\opt{player}{\ButtonOn} it's being programmed. No need for
warning this time. If it goes wrong, you'll still have the permanent image.
\item When done, you can restart the box and hopefully your new Rockbox image.
\end{enumerate}
You may find two \fname{.ucl} files in the \fname{.rockbox} folder. The
classical, compressed one is \fname{rockbox.ucl}. If your model has enough flash
space left, there may be an additional \fname{rombox.ucl}, which is uncompressed
and can run directly from flash ROM, saving some RAM. The second way is the newer
and now preferred one. Use this if available.
If you like or have to, you can also flash the Archos image as the second one.
E.g. in case Rockbox from flash doesn't work for you. This way you keep the dual
bootloader and you can easily try different later. The \fname{.ucl} of the Archos
firmware is included in the package.
\subsection{Restoring the original firmware}
If you'd like to revert to the original firmware, you can do like you did when
you flashed Rockbox for the first time. You simply use the backup files you saved
when flashing Rockbox for the first time and rename \fname{internal\_rom\_2000000-203FFFF.bin} to \fname{firmware\_*.bin} (name varies per model, use the filename that \fname{firmware\_flash.rock} asks for) and put it in the root.
\subsection{Known issues and limitations}
Rockbox has a charging screen, but it is not 100\% perfect. You'll get it when
the unit is off and you plug in the charger. The Rockbox charging algorithm is
first measuring the battery voltage for about 40 seconds, after that it only
starts charging when the capacity is below 85\%.
\opt{recorder,recorderv2fm}{You can use the Archos charging (which always tops off) by holding \ButtonFOne\ while plugging in.}\opt{recorderv2fm}{Some FM users reported charging problems even with \ButtonFOne, they had to revert to the original flash content.}
If the plugin API is changed, new builds may render the plugins incompatible.
When updating, make sure you grab those too, and ROLO or \opt{recorder,recorderv2fm}{\ButtonFOne}\opt{ondio}{\ButtonLeft}\opt{player}{\ButtonLeft} boot into the
new version before flashing it.
There are two variants of how the boxes starts, therefore the normal and the
\_norom firmware files. The vast majority of the \daps\ all have the same boot
ROM content, differentiation comes later by flash content. Rockbox identifies
this boot ROM with a CRC value of 0x222F in the hardware info screen. \opt{recorder,recorderv2fm}{Some recorders have the boot ROM disabled (it might be unprogrammed) and start directly from a flash mirror at address zero. They need the new
\_norom firmware that has a slightly different bootloader.}
Without a boot ROM there is no UART boot safety net. To compensate for that as
much as possible the MiniMon monitor is included, it starts with \opt{recorder,recorderv2fm}{\ButtonFThree+\ButtonOn}\opt{ondio}{\ButtonRight+\ButtonOff}\opt{player}{\ButtonRight+\ButtonOn}.
