DEAD: BO-15005 TFT70023 v9.1.52 - IQ SOUND SC-4920 - 4GB

[Loader Clown]

I need help about fixing my mp4 3rd. generation ipod-like, i tried to upgrade firmware and.... yes, I killed it.... Without firmw backup available, I started searching the web to find one that suits my gadget.

What I know about my MP4:

BRAND: IQ SOUND SC-4920 - 4GB

FLASH MEMORY: HYNIX HY27UV08BG5M TPCB 825A

BOARD: BO-15005
**2007*09*24*
REV:B**

SCREEN: JK1.915MJD-TGS19136P


INFO OF FIRMWARE VERSION I GOT FROM MP4 BEFORE THE DISASTER:

LG MP3 PLAYER
B0-15005
TFT70023
2007/10/29
ACT_v9.1.52


There's a firmware file very similar on the internet, only the date is different; it worked the first time I tried it, but screen was oriented horizontally, so I decided to change it again, with no good results.


What I have learned 'til now:
1) There´s few information about mp4's of 3rd. generation.

2) Difference between 2nd. and 3rd. gen. devices is the screen orientation, 2nd. gen. screen has vertical orientation (height is larger than width); 3rd. gen screen is horizontal (width is larger than height), So, lots of firmwares available out there are 2nd. generation firmw's ( I read this in a south American website of pc technicians in spanish (www.yoreparo.com) ).

3) Many firmwares I found doesn't have FM radio functionality enabled.

4) Many firmw's have games enabled, mine didn't.

5) I suggest all those generous souls that provide the net with their own firmw backups, to include a couple of pics of "welcome", "goodbye" and "menu" screens, it would save a lot of time to know screen orientation, and maybe, we could find the exact firmw we need. If you don´t have a digital camera, you can use your flatbed scanner to take the pics, it works fine.

6) 'Til now, i haven't found a software tool which can ask the gadget for its own hardware like in pc's, you know, there's software which can identify the hardware config of many devices, like Everest, Belarc, Sandra, or even a good piece of software called "Unknown Devices", etc.

7) Does someone know What the hell is the meaning of ADFU???

8. Is there any tool you know about that can make low format to mp4's?

9) For those who have backups of firmware from mp4's version 9 (9.0.51, 9.1.51, 9.1.52...); How did you make the backup???? I ask 'cause the authors of S1FWX claim this tool can´t extract or upgrade firmwares of this version.

10) Where did you get .FW versions of firmwares??? I ask 'cause i understand that S1FWX only produces .BIN files.

11) I disassembled the mp4, but I can´t see the controller chip, so i disassembled more an I saw there's another chip on the other side of the board, but I couldn't see the numbers on it 'cause everything is glued to the screen, which is also glued to the chassis of mp4.

12) Windows XP SP3 has problems with MP3 Production Tool v5.12; the software can't detect USB devices even if they are in ADFU mode. Problem solved using Windows XP SP2 or Windows 98 SE. Now, my new problem is Production Tool always reports that firmware files are invalid, even a couple that upgraded fine at the beginning of this "adventure", but they used screen in a different orientation than my mp4. This is an example of what I get from LOG, using a different firmware file each time:

01-11-2009,15:13:07, the program starts running
01-11-2009,15:14:48 EID=3,BFLAG=TRUE,INDEX=0 Invalid upgrade firmware file!01-11-2009,15:14:48, 1 MP3 Player were connected, 0 Mp3 players passed
01-11-2009,15:15:03 EID=3,BFLAG=TRUE,INDEX=0 Invalid upgrade firmware file!01-11-2009,15:15:03, 1 MP3 Player were connected, 0 Mp3 players passed
01-11-2009,15:15:44 EID=3,BFLAG=TRUE,INDEX=0 Invalid upgrade firmware file!01-11-2009,15:15:44, 1 MP3 Player were connected, 0 Mp3 players passed


13) Is there any method or tool to do a "deep reset" to the mp4, something similar to resetting a PC BIOS?


I wrote all this stuff for you to see i've been searching how to solve this; so, if someone can answer my questions or can provide with some fresh ideas, i will thank you very much. :shock: I will try to post a couple of pics of this mp4 soon...

[sndestroy]

try with this one:

http://www.onfirmware.com/plus/downl...aid=3760&cid=3

[lolita]

>There's a firmware file very similar on the internet, only the date is different; it worked the first time I tried it, but screen was oriented horizontally.

Please post it here for analysis.

With tool like s1res it is possible to change the picture etc.

7. Actions Device Firmware Up(date/grade)

8. Product Tools

9. Those are official manufacturer-supplied firmware. s1fwx currently not support 9.x firmware, but s1mp3.org project is working on it.

10. Different extension, same content. See s1mp3 wiki FIRMWARE FILE FORMAT article for detail.

11. BO-15005 uses ACU7515.

12. Use automatic translator.

13. Use different version of product utility. There are several different firmware file format version, some are encrypted and older version of product tool not support.

14. Explain what you mean more detail.

[Loader Clown]

Thanks sndestroy for your help, I will try the firmw and I'll let you know what happened.

Thanks lolita, great answer, i know i can write quite confusing sometimes, but I didn't want to do the same of many posts i've read about this, like "PLEASSEEEE; HELP MEEEE, MY MP3 IS DEAD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, OR WHAT TO TRY OR WHAT TO THINK...." :lol:

>There's a firmware file very similar on the internet, only the date is different; it worked the first time I tried it, but screen was oriented horizontally.
Please post it here for analysis.

This is the firmware that worked the first time, just the screen was rotated 90°:
Firmware v9.1.52 BO-15005 TFT70023 2007/10/31

My mp4 is identical to this one:
Mymxplayer - Gallery - 4GB 3rd. Gen Ipod clon

You claim Bo-15005 uses ACU7515, but the owner ot that mp4 says it uses AK1025, anyway, I truly believe you because the firmware that worked the first time was for ACU7515. I have uploaded a couple of pics of my mp4 (front and inside) to the site's gallery, only waiting for administrator's approval.

7. Actions Device Firmware Up(date/grade)

Thank you for ADFU meaning, now it seems obvious to me.

8. Product Tools

About low formatting with Product Tools, i have a new question; the first time I upgraded the firmware, I didn't have clear if this flash memory size (4GB) should be formatted with FAT or FAT32, in some sites i read the only option was FAT32, so I did it using Windows Formatting, but the free space reported after this was slightly different to the original I saw when started the player for the first time. Is correct to format with windows or must be done with Production Tools?

9. Those are official manufacturer-supplied firmware. s1fwx currently not support 9.x firmware, but s1mp3.org project is working on it.

I read your signature, so I understand you were related to Actions Semiconductor Co. Why do you think chinese manufacturers don´t provide the world with official websites to download original firmwares? I don´t know what happend with other brands, but here in Mexico IQ SOUND has been available for some years, I have 2 more mp3's from this brand, no problems.

13. Use different version of product utility. There are several different firmware file format version, some are encrypted and older version of product tool not support.

Now i'm using v5.12, but I've been looking for newer version, so I found v5.19, but file from S1fw.com is corrupt, Do you have any idea of the current version and where could I download it?

14. Explain what you mean more detail.

After reading some articles of S1mp3.de's wiki, I was thinking if is possible to reset the gadget by completely erasing flash, even de 2nd. boot stage they mention there; I suspect my problem could be some corrupt content there, so it doesn't let me upgrade even with firmware that prevoiusly worked. I was thinking when your hard drive fails, it can't boot, so you take it to a different pc, install as a slave and you can try to recover data or even fix the problems. What a bout a tool which can see mp4 in ADFU mode and report what is wrong exactly? ...sorry, just dreaming...

[lolita]

All Actions iPod-like player look the same, but there are many internal differences. The one with AK1025 is probably a BO-25xxx. Other examples that look the same are the Golzi G-18a, KxH2V2M, and many others.

If your screen orientation change but otherwise function normal, then continue using it like that for now.

FAT or FAT32 will work with the version 9.x firmware.

The manufacturing cost of these devices is very low. There is no official website since these manufacturers do not provide support for them. They are only contracted to do the manufacturing. The brand is not from manufacturer, but from distributor company. Sometimes they will have support site with firmware, most of the time not.

Search this site and Internet. I know that 10.00 exists.

ADFU code is in ROM, and although corruption of that is truly impossible to fix, it does not seem t be the case with your player. Content of flash is not important, during firmware upgrade it will get erased and rewritten with the new content anyway.

[Loader Clown]

Hi sndestroy, just to tell you I tried the firmware you told, but I still get something like this:
01-11-2009,15:15:57 EID=3,BFLAG=TRUE,INDEX=0 Invalid upgrade firmware file!
01-11-2009,15:15:57, 1 MP3 Player were connected, 0 Mp3 players passed

I think the problem is with device, that's why I was talking about software to make hardware diagnostics, to know where exactly the problem is.

lolita, now you can see my board -HERE-.

My mp4 is dead yet, it worked the first time I upgraded, but due to the 90° rotated screen, I thought I could get the firmw with adecuate screen orientation, so I downloaded 4 or 5 more; first, tried to install the firmw that was in mp4 cd (I supposed it was the originalfor my mp4), upgrade process worked but mp4 died; ok, it was time to upgrade again trying different firmwares; mp4 was immediately recognized as "USB Device" so I installed ADFU driver included with MP3 Player Prod. Tool 5.12, now windows reported "USB 2.0 (HS) ADFU Device". Everything seemed right and ready to go, but.... since that moment i've been getting error messages like the one i wrote before, even when using the firmware that worked the first time (the one that changed screen orientation). That's where i am yet...

I tried the flash-short-circuit-method on flash' pins 29, 30, 31, 32 or pins 41, 42, 43, 44 but nothing happened, i think this doesn't work due to my flash chip is a different brand and model; at S1mp3.org, they talk about a SAMSUNG chip, but I think this HYNIX has a different pin distribution.

I think one desperate measure would be to buy a new, identical mp4, then, using S1clone, create an image of the working device and install it to the dead one, but I still have the problem that windows just see the dead as ADFU device, so I think S1clone won't be able to write image to it. What do you think?

[sndestroy]

NAND-flash chips from Hynix, Samsung and even Toshiba & others (rare on MP4s anyway) all use the same pinout, so the dead recovery method works on all players. If you couldn't achieve it, try with another tool, a needle or something similar...

Software for HW diagnostic on S1 players does exist, search for s1giveio. But it's not for the average user and you need to have some "advanced" knowledge to use that, and may not even be what you look for, as I think that your problem is not HW related.


There was once a MP4 thingie that gived me that same error, it was not accepting any FW i tried. Solution was to search for a similar but different firmware that the player accepted, then again try to flash the right file. It acepted it ok and working fine since then.

[Loader Clown]

Hi sndestroy, do you know a good website to download v9.x firmwares? I tried some from S1FW.COM, but my mp4 is still dead.

About pinout, maybe i won't get anything doing the short circuit, right now my device is recognized as ADFU by windows, but no firmware is accepted; now i understand this is done to get to ADFU state, right?.

Would be a good idea to try firmwares for ACU7515, but for different boards?

What is the last version available of MP3 Player Production Tools that you know???

[lolita]

>Invalid upgrade firmware file!

Your device is already in ADFU mode, which means it is ready to accept firmware. But firmware upgrade tool seems to be the wrong version.

[Loader Clown]

ok lolita, now I know i was doing wrong, now searching for latest vaersion of MP3 Player Product Tools.

***UPDATE*** The most advanced versions I have found are:
- MP3 Player Product Tool v5.15 (just mentioned in some forums; no download link) anf v5.19, from MyDigit.cn, btw, Google's automatic translation from chinese to spanish is not as good as it could be; it didn't help so much to finish registration in chinese website for downloading... 8)
- Mp3 Player Utilities v5.09 (I have v4.00 but can't even see the device when is connected)

*** PLEASE LOLITA, WHERE COULD I GET MP3 PLAYER PRODUCT TOOL V10.00 YOU MENTIONED BEFORE??????*******



What's the difference between letters "(FS)" and "(HS)" in ADFU driver???

I wrote something before about using S1Clone to extract a firmware image from another mp4, same model and size that I´m thinking to buy, you think is a good idea??? I don´t know if s1clone can write to device while it is in ADFU mode.

Thanks again for your time --and patience--, both of you