Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

SOFT Rockchip Dead Player Recovery.(Please try this first)

Important Note: Both the following 2 procedures are only really useful to you if you have a known working firmware for your player, I was lucky I had already managed to find one before I tried this.
Before you open your player PLEASE try the SOFT Dead player recovery procedure below, it could save you a lot of hassle opening up your player:-

All you do is this,

1) Switch the player OFF using the main on/off switch.

2) Hold down the "MENU" or the "PLAY" button and keep it held down.(try the other buttons if these dont work)

3) Connect the usb to the player.

4) Wait for about 10 seconds before releasing the menu key.

5) You are now in "RockUSB" upgrade mode!

6) Then just Start ConsumerUpdate and upload a working firmware and try it!

ConsumerUpdate should also REBOOT the player before starting the upgrade.

HARDWARE Rockchip Dead Player Recovery.(Last resort)

Whilst experimenting with firmware I blanked out the screen on my Rockchip player.
No problem I thought I can still navigate the menu “blind” and restore it to a firmware I know that works ok (I’d done this about half a dozen times before already)

But this firmware was different I just couldn’t find the Upgrade option, after about 30 attempts and three hours later I realised it’s time to try a full HARDWARE dead player recovery (something I’d been dreading)

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...tola/dead3.jpg

Armed with my mini screwdriver set I started opening my player, 8 screws to take the case off and another 3 to lift the pcb up.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...tola/dead2.jpg

I noticed right under the display there is a big chip with 1 row of legs showing so I got a pair of tweezers and connected the USB to my PC

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...tola/dead8.jpg

I didn't need to lift the display up to get the tweezers in but here's a picture showing the chip in case yours is different.

With the USB connected I ran the ConsumerUpdate program and loaded a known working firmware

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...tola/dead4.jpg

Now for the next bit make sure your PC speakers are switched on.

All you need to do is simply run your tweezers across the chip legs on just that 1 side and wait for “Clink Clunk” sound of a USB connected notification from your PC, I’m not kidding it took no more than 5 goes with the tweezers to get it to connect.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...tola/dead1.jpg

So all I did then was quickly click the Update button

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...tola/dead5.jpg

and ConsumerUpdate rebooted the player and started the update, It was that simple, I got my player back.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...tola/dead6.jpg

I’d say that the whole operation took no more than 15 minutes including opening the case and putting it back together again.


The only difficult part is you must have a firmware which works with your player and until we find a way to extract and backup our firmware that will always be a big problem.

Here is a link to some firmwares, tools and player documentation that I have recently found (not all are Rockchip some are Actions based).
D-Chord player range firmwares
DEC Player Pix
DEC Firmwares
ONDA downloads

Massive unbranded firmware search engine:-
http://www.s1fw.com/

PLEASE only use these firmwares for DEAD player recovery. From my own experience there is probably a 90% chance they will white screen your player - you have been warned!

edit
You may find it easier on your player to try shorting the following 2 pins:-

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...ola/dead11.jpg
These are the actual pins (posted on a Chinese website) which have also been found to need shorting to get into RockUSB mode

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...ola/dead12.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...ola/dead30.jpg

knob thanks for the recovery guide. It's very informative, but unfortunately, it didn't work for me. I tried shorting the pins and everything but even when I heard the connect sound and clicked "Update," Consumer Update didn't detect a RockUSB device. Ah well. Lesson learned. Don''t upgrade a rockchip player.

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

I actually killed my player again yesterday messing around testing firmware (silly me!), so I had to open it up and do this again and it worked fine and I got my player back again, so I can confirm it does work.
I noticed that I needed to touch somewhere near the middle of the row of chip legs, although I guess my tweezers are just the right size to fit the pin spacing!

princessanne1026, Did your player actually do a reboot?, I noticed on my player the backlight went out when it did a reboot, just as if you had switched the player off and on again.

knob, it's not that. I finally managed to get my computer to recognize it as a RockUSB device by navigating the menu blind, but unfortunately it can't update because the memory chip is corrupt and it says "Too many bad blocks" when I load a firmware and try to upgrade. So now all I basically have is a cardreader for my minisd. Sucks, but hey I only have myself to blame. I will NEVER upgrade a rockchip player again. I'm glad you were fortunate enough to fix yours though, and your guide is very good. It'll help others with dead rockchip players.

princessanne1026

i had the same problem with the bad block after trying a totally random firmware!!!

The player could see the menus but went white screen when going into browser mode, i tried blindly navigating to the upgrade screen but every time i did this the computer recognized the player as normal so could not get it to upgrade mode.

But i did manage to recover the player again, this is what i did:

1. connect the player as normal to comp and let windows recognize as removable drive.

2. went to the tool bar and selected to 'safely remove disk drive' from the pop up list and let it disappear from windows. but left the player connected.

3 the i did hardware reboot by shorting the pins, took a few attempts but eventually windows saw it as rock usb device.

4 the i loaded the NAND tool available in the downloads section and (not knowing exactly what i was doing) selected to 'erase flash' and the to 'test block'.

5 when done, closed NAND tools and opened consumer update and selected known working firmware.

And it worked!!!

the player re-booted and all was back to normal, so i went in and tested the memory and it asked to format - success, formated the drive and all was ok

this is my experience, what have you got to lose, give it a go and see what happens

makd

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

makd511,

That is amazing, I glad the Nand tool worked, I couldn't get it to do anything on my player!
Just goes to show with these Rockchip players, even if they look exactly the same they all act differently.

makd511 - if this works, you'll be a lifesaver! Could you please tell me the steps you took to use the Nand tool to erase and test block? I can't make any sense of the thing. Thank you so much for giving me hope though! My player has been practically dead for months.

agh. I've been playing around with ConsumerUpdate and Nandtools for hours and haven't broken through yet. I think I'll take a break until tomorrow.

this is the player i recovered - just for reference
it is a 1GB 2.4" SD card slot player.

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/a...er_2_4_TFT.jpg

hi princessanne1026

sorry to hear your having no success.

i used the NAND tool out of desperation and, to be honest, had no idea what to do with it. All i did was, once the player was in update mode in windows, i.e. recognized as a rock usb device, i just started up NAND and hit all the buttons in turn.

this seemed to work for me and my player, i do know that knob, who uploaded the tool, also had no luck with the NAND tool on his player so it may only work with certain hardware.
the player i have is a rockchip 2606, for the larger screen type, maybe that it the difference.

Are you actually at the stage where your player is recognized as a rock usb device in windows and not a removable drive as NAND, like consumer update, wont see the player otherwise.

keep trying is all i can say right now and let us know the result.
if all fails the it may be time for a new player, i have bought this one from
www.dealextreme.com

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/a...sku_5657_1.jpg
it was only $50 and is 2.4", 1GB with mini SD slot and free delivery.

good luck and let me know how it goes

makd

makd511
I think you are right about the screen size, I have the smaller screen size and it started to recognise the player but then always failed, the tool was intended for the Onda VX979 which is the bigger 2.4" screen like yours, so it probably will work with most of the bigger screen Rockchip players.

If I manage to find a NAND tool for the 2" screen I will upload it , I could do with it myself as I have the 2" screen.

Interestingly I noticed the NAND tool has a Save as option, I was hoping you could extract the firmware with this, but of course was unable to test it

knob

never occurred that save as could mean that - i will have a go at some point and let you know what happens.

just a quick nod of the head to you my friend, i have used many of your uploads and threads re rockchip stuff, well done for all you work, it is much appreciated

cheers and thanks again
makd511

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

Hello guys!

I am looking for this frimware : Ebuyer_rockchip_00.00.0001. A can`t find it. Link doesn`t work. Please upolad for some server. PLZ. Thanks in advance

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

what device is this for and have you got the original CD that came with the player, if so have a look on the disk and see if it is there, also it is recommended that you only use the consumer update program that came with your player or else this may cause problems, my advice is that if this is your only player then DO NOT upgrade the firmware as this is a risky business at the best of times and does NOT add any new functionality.

makd

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

Unfortunatelly I don`t have any firmware on my cd`s ;(. I try many firmware, I want to check this firmware :) I don`t matter what happend ;) I want to try ;) Plz upload if u have this firmware ;) btw sorry for my bad english ;)

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

have a look in the firmware downloads section of this web site and find a download for '9 firmwares', in there is a file called 'rockchip_00.00.0001_by_17.01.2007.rfw', this is a version but without the ebuyer bit on, ebuyer are a store maybe ask them!!

makd511

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

Dzien Dobry doxer!

makd511 is right.

The Ebuyer firmware is the same one as this:-
http://www.mympxplayer.org/rockchip-...276-df612.html
It is just a modded version of it, so I made the name up so I could tell the difference.

It is risky to try a different firmware, but if you really want the risk is yours.

Oh, by the way, if you or anyone reading this did actually buy a player from Ebuyer and it looks like mine, then there is a good chance that the firmware will work otherwise it will probably kill your screen.

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

Hell, I've just found a really easy way to reboot a Rockchip player and get it into upgrade mode.

All you do is this,

1) Switch the player OFF using the main on/off switch.

2) Hold down the menu key and keep it held down.(may be a different key for you but there are only 5 to try anyway)

3) Connect the usb to the player.

4) Wait for about 10 seconds before releasing the menu key.

5) You are now in upgrade mode!

6) Then just start ConsumerUpdate and upload a working firmware and try it!

It also REBOOTS the player!, So this is SOFT Dead Player recovery.


I bet this will work on EVERY Rockchip player!

Hmm, I'll just have to wait until I kill my player again to try it out...

this is why i love messing with these things, finding out things like this is such a buzz, i could almost hear your shouts of eureka accross the land knob

YES it works, tried it and it was excellent, if this does work on a dead player then lets go for it!!!

BTW tried nand tools save functions and it has just crashed the nand program, it appears to save some kind of BIN file, but no success

will try again later

cheers and well done for a great breakthrough

makd

thanks guys for all your support and knob for the excellent way to enter rockUSB mode. However, I still haven't had much success. My computer recognizes that the player is in rockusb mode but again, when I try to upgrade, ConsumerUpdate says "Too many bad blocks." I think, as knob said, that your particular version of Nand Tools is for the 2.4" version of rockchip, while my player is the 2" version. I'll try and search for a 2" version of NandTools though. Keep up the great work guys. These are the first breakthroughs I've seen in awhile for rockchip players.

knob

just out of interest, where on earth do you find all your .lst files for RKlogo, i can create them, but its a farce, is there a magic way to generate them automatically or a site that you have found

cheers
makd

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

princessanne1026
The bad news for us is that when appears "there are too many bad blocks" means that the flash "hard disk" was damaged.
This seems to happen when a user tries to upgrade several times unsuccessfully without reformatting the flash.
At least this is what happens to my rockchip machine.
To use the Nand tool is a very lucky situation cause seems that this tool only requires appropriate chip, which is not the one I have in my device.
I think that I will try to push my device to a really dead recovery, as I haven't been able to find a tool to format a Rockchip flash.
geez
:o

DaremoS
What you have just said is very interesting.
The message that appears in consumerUpdate (On the last line of the "Update Info" box) is different when you do a hardware recovery, problem is it is in Chinese!.
Could it be saying formatting the flash memory? If so then it could skip the bad blocks like the Nand tool does and cure the problem.
Have a look at the last line of the screen dump here and you will see what I mean.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...tola/dead6.jpg

That last line doesn't appear when doing a "normal" update.

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

Concerning the terrible message "there are too many bad blocks" at the end I was able to recover my device.
To do that I started to load firmwares trying to use those with small modules, the module of my device is about 10 mb. size, so I loaded of up to 9.5 mb size.
Almost all gave me the annoying "too many bad blocks" until I load a Zarva MF740 of about 8 mb. size with its corresponding Customer Update that run the whole process without the damn message, giving me at the end the sweet "firmware upgraded successfully".
Of course my device didn't gave me the its right screen, still showing me still a white scree, but at least was back again to allow me continue trying other firmwares.
As a lesson "there are too many bad blocks" message is not in anyway terminal, it just a module that have occupied not proper memory address. In my case was some Renyfm firmware that I try to install.
Rockchip is very consistent loading firmware, what fails is the screen, but its internal functions works as usual, but "blinded", you can even listen music if you key properly the buttons.
One last thing never forget to format the USB drive in the PC after each successful upgrading, despite if the device has white screen.

thanks for the interesting information and the helpful PMs you sent to me. I'll try the Zarva firmware, but I have some questions first. What kind of rockchip player do you have? 2" or 2.4"? The thing is, there are so many different types of players that something that works on one might not necessarily work on another. I'm still holding out hope though. Cross your fingers!

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

princessanne1026,
I have a 2.2" and now a 2.4" :) ... beside my Meizu M3, which is my audio device.
About what works in one and not in another:
This is the most annoying point of rockchip stuff, things depend on firmware (fw) and customer Update (CU). Try to not get depressed with what follows:
For you to have an idea, gs1960 (member here) has the same device as mine same model (LD-696) maybe the same maker (mine is LDX or LIDAXUN, his maybe is PROWELL), he saves his device with walker.fwr and a specific CU, I try them and they doesn't work for my device.
I did receive the fw from the manufacturer (LDX) and it didn't work for my device either, because mine need a different version of the one they send.
I have counted at least 4 CU all completely different, some of them accept a specific fw, some not, some are call NoDog others simply Firmware Refresh, Zarvas have no name.
So the problem is very stressing but anyway it's a interesting activity.
Maybe is could be better I send you that Zarva package as contains a very special CU (just give me a e-mail address (via PM) capable for handling a file of 1.5 mb.)
My recommendation for the buyers simply is:
DO NOT BUY A ROCKCHIP DEVICE IF IT DOESN'T COME WITH A FIRMWARE AND CU IN THE ACCOMPANYING CD.

Men! i cant download your application
 

hey knob can you help me.. can you give me a alternative site to download "ConsumerUpdate"... thanx!!!

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

My ConsumerUpdate and firmware is already uploaded to this site here:-

My ConsumerUpdate and Firmware

Please only use it if your player is DEAD, it probably will not work on your player, and if you can't find another working firmware you will have a DEAD player with no hope to recover it.

DaremoS - thanks. Will PM you my e-mail address shortly. The thing is - I upgraded my player with firmware from the accompanying CD, so I assumed that it would work! So much for trusting what they send to you! When I first upgraded, CU appeared to have completed successfully, but all the menu screens on the player were either blank or not completely visible thereafter. So I tried a different firmware, only to get the horrendous message - "too many bad blocks." And so far, I haven't been able to do anything else.

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

can some help me with this... Nand_Tools cant fit my screen i cant use it... and i got this message on my ConsumerUpdate.exe...

"Manufacturer of NAND Flash not be Supported."

Prince, you will break your players firmware, if you use nand tool. first find your player's firmware. then use nand tool! Chinese players looks similar, but differences inside! take care!!! goodluck. i have some firmwares but i can not upload them, caus of my network have a loose connection. and very slow.

rock recovery mode same as ATJ players. You can short pins on nand memory. That will be safe. remember that *** TAKE OFF THE BATTERY ***

HI
i m satish from india , i have FOUR (TWO is dead another TWO is working) same mp4 player rockchip 2606a, with same board nos.
plz help me to recover my dead player,
1- i dont have firmware( I try some f/w but they r not compatible with the players I face problem - button configuration changed)
2- i have 1 working player but i dont have firmware extractor tool for rockchip
3- if u find something like a firmware or the extractor tool plz send me,

DETAILS FOR FRIST MP4-

Board no. JS820B_V3.0_061219

Controller= rockchip RK2606A
FM controller= PHILLIPS- TEA 5767
Memory= SAMSUNG / K9G8G08U0M = 1 GB
TFT=2.0 INCH TFT( SC2020PXG-22T/LG-00440)
Features= SD CARD SLOT/ /FM/GAME/

DETAILS FOR SECOND MP4 PLAYER=

Board no-T-CHIP , TR093V31 / DATE 2006.09.30

Controller= rockchip RK2606A
FM controller= SPT – SP3767
Memory= SAMSUNG / K9G8G08U0M = 1 GB
TFT=2.0 INCH TFT
Features= SD CARD SLOT/ /FM/GAME/
- photo of my mp4 player –is same like ur web page – rockchip dead recovery guide = = http://www.mympxplayer.org/rockchip-...de-vt6686.html
my email id is = S9810133173@YAHOO.COM
GAMX_SATISH@HOTMAIL.COM

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

hi satish
If your player is dead and it looks like mine then did you try this firmware.
here:-My firmware and consumerUpdate
It is the only firmware I have found that will work with my player.
It you didn't already try it then it is worth a try if your player is already dead.
I hope this works for you

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

Anyone knows which chip should I short to get it into upgrade mode? I have 3 chips on my board:
-Rockchip CPU
-Memory Chip (probably ROM)
-Memory Chip (RAM)

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

I posted a picture at the top of this thread which chip I used. It was the flash memory chip, the oblong one.
You can often get a player into update mode without opening up the player,
doing this:=

1) Switch the player OFF using the main on/off switch.

2) Hold down the "MENU" or the "PLAY" button and keep it held down.(try the other buttons if these dont work)

3) Connect the usb to the player.

4) Wait for about 10 seconds before releasing the button.

5) You are now in "ROCK USB" upgrade mode!

6) Then just start ConsumerUpdate and upload a working firmware and try it.

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

Knob the only button that still works on my player is the 'power on' button (and the on/off button). All the 5 other ones don't work :( I'll try the flash chip sometime later today.... Still waiting for my Teclast babies but it seems it takes the customs quite some time... It's already stuck there for a week :(

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

The play/pause button works for some players, but I guess you have already tried it?

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

I tried all of them already I don't know how many times ;) So I guess I'll borrow my g/f's tweezers to short the flash :)

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

It seems like I might have killed it for good now :( I tried quite some combinations, however none of them seemed to work.... Now when I connect the USB, the player turns off right away...

I guess this one is dead now :cry:

Re: Rockchip DEAD Player Recovery Guide
 

Sorry to hear that herrie.
The hardware recovery has worked twice for me, but I suppose there are no guarantees.
You made a good choice with the Teclast players, at least you can get the right firmware and they are still getting updates.

I think my next player will be a teclast or at least one that will run teclast firmware.