PRS-350 Unbricking from boot loop?

Analogus · 05-21-2011, 11:30 AM

First: I don't have hope that someone can help. But hope should always be the last thing vanishing...

The question is:

Does anyone know a possibility to UNBRICK a Sony PRS 350?

Facts:
I flashed a non functional firmware (my mistake) on the 350
It sticks now in an boot loop
Restarting every 20 seconds
Black progress bar goes around 5mm to the right then rebooting again
No possibility to mound the reader as USB drive
No hard/soft reset possible

Thanks for advices or words of hope

porkupan · 05-21-2011, 04:31 PM

What happens when you plug it into the PC's USB port? Does it go into "USB Connected" mode, or does it keep restarting? Does the hard reset do you any good?

Poppaea · 05-21-2011, 04:52 PM

I'd wait until the battery is empty and then plug it into a wall charger and hard reset. Worked with mine when it was not answering to anything anymore.

Good luck!

Analogus · 05-21-2011, 05:32 PM

OK, I try to be very exact:

- the reader ist in boot loop

- after each restart the progress bar advances about 4mm - white - then restart

- today the battery emptied out - after connection to PC the boot loop started again --> so no chance (which was my hope)

- there is (nearly) no USB-device available on the PC: when the reader restarts, for approx. 3 seconds there are the 2 drives visible. But time is to short for managing something. And inbetween the 3 seconds, the 2 drives are only visible if you switch on the visibility for hidden files and folders in the optins of windows. No files or folder are visible in the two drives. I guess, the time is to short for the system to recognize the drives correctly. Boot loop advances.

- It is not psosible to interrupt the loop. I tried everything I could imagine:

1) Holding ANY possible combination of at least 2 buttons for at least one cycle
2) Try soft reset; try holding the soft reset "button" (hold a stick into the hole) for at least one boot sequence
3) Try hard reset (but that ist just one of the under point (1) mentioned combination of holding buttons a longer time
4) Tried holding any possible combination of one button and holding the soft reset "button" for at least one sequence
5) Tried holding soft reset "button" and switch off slider togeter for at least one seqence
6) Tried holding the off slider and any other button togeter for at least one cycle

For any combination (there are a lot of possibilities) in 99% the same reaction follows: nothing --> keeping cycling. Ah, I forgot: i've done this with and without USB-cable connected to the PC.

At one or the other combination the boot cycle interrupted for a couple of seconds - reader switches of (white) just for starting again cycling.

If the reader is connected to the PC the very short visibility (shall I call it a "flash") of the USB drives is independent of holding or pushing buttons.

I tried to flash the reader while cycling. Of course the reader could not be recognized.
Edit: flash files from BORODA

A.

Poppaea · 05-21-2011, 06:14 PM

This is why I suggested to let it run completely dry and then to plug it into the wall charger and not into the computer. Mine didn't answer anything but this. Just be ready to push the buttons instanteniously when the device is plugged in. I think you have to hit when the short gap is before it is going into its loop once again.

Analogus · 05-21-2011, 07:03 PM

Thanks for advice - but it doesn't work. Power was completely empty, plugged into wall charger, waited for waking up - pressed the two buttons --> cycling goes on.
Did it serveral times.

A.

elcreative · 05-21-2011, 07:18 PM

Think that you should press buttons immediately you plug in without waiting for wake up so reset precedes getting back into loop...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Analogus

Thanks for advice - but it doesn't work. Power was completely empty, plugged into wall charger, waited for waking up - pressed the two buttons --> cycling goes on.
Did it serveral times.

A.

Analogus · 05-21-2011, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcreative

Think that you should press buttons immediately you plug in without waiting for wake up so reset precedes getting back into loop...

Doesn't work either...

JSWolf · 05-21-2011, 08:02 PM

Call Sony. just tell them it's not booting and not what you did. they'll probably send you a refurbished unit and have you then send in yours.

bbriand · 05-24-2011, 01:58 PM

Are you able to turn it off? From the sounds of it you are not able to. But if you can turn it off and then plug it into a computer so it immediately goes to charge and hopefully give you access to internal memory.

You said sometimes you get a drive letter for just a few seconds? If so I'd try to time running the batch file from boroda's site that puts your reader back to stock firmware. In the batch file you may want to endless loop it so it keeps looking for the Reader and also remove the yes/no prompt to continue flashing your reader.

What do others think of this idea?

Analogus · 05-24-2011, 02:54 PM

Thank you for your advice. But I already tried this several times. I even tried to use a batchfile that tries in an endless loup to copy/delete one or two distinct files on(to) the reader. Problem's always the same. Time is to short for windows to recognize the drive correctly.

A.

Mark Nord · 05-24-2011, 05:04 PM

There should be a way, but it's a hard one, and I can just point the direction, you will have to search this forum or google for more information.

If I remember correct there is a serial port direct on the main-board. This port runs a serial-console while booting and thru this port it should be possible to upload a new bootblock, maybe a whole firmware.

Contacting the pins to access the serial-port was done with needles. I think it was igorsk who published this first, and I remember there was a blog/post/?? maybe over at the-ebook.org, explaining how to unbrick a PRS-600 in the early days.

Mark

Poppaea · 05-24-2011, 05:29 PM

Acupunture

It nearly makes taking it up with Sony Customer Service sound like an easy task...

kartu · 05-24-2011, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Analogus

Thank you for your advice. But I already tried this several times. I even tried to use a batchfile that tries in an endless loup to copy/delete one or two distinct files on(to) the reader. Problem's always the same. Time is to short for windows to recognize the drive correctly.

A.

Try with msh tools instead to set reader into recovery mode ("um recovery").

Analogus · 05-25-2011, 05:46 AM

ms tools:

Did make hope in the beginning - but the reader could not be recognized by the tool. Time's too short I guess "Device is not connected to PC". Tried it of course veeery often...

Concerning "acupuncture": have to find more information. But that should be the last option to open the reader and messing around on the motherboard.

A.

05-21-2011, 11:30 AM	#1
Analogus Fanatic Posts: 568 Karma: 2170348 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: 2x Sony PRS-350; PRS-300 (†), Paperwhite (†), Voyage	Unbricking from boot loop? First: I don't have hope that someone can help. But hope should always be the last thing vanishing... The question is: Does anyone know a possibility to UNBRICK a Sony PRS 350? Facts: I flashed a non functional firmware (my mistake) on the 350 It sticks now in an boot loop Restarting every 20 seconds Black progress bar goes around 5mm to the right then rebooting again No possibility to mound the reader as USB drive No hard/soft reset possible Thanks for advices or words of hope

05-21-2011, 05:32 PM	#4
Analogus Fanatic Posts: 568 Karma: 2170348 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: 2x Sony PRS-350; PRS-300 (†), Paperwhite (†), Voyage	OK, I try to be very exact: - the reader ist in boot loop - after each restart the progress bar advances about 4mm - white - then restart - today the battery emptied out - after connection to PC the boot loop started again --> so no chance (which was my hope) - there is (nearly) no USB-device available on the PC: when the reader restarts, for approx. 3 seconds there are the 2 drives visible. But time is to short for managing something. And inbetween the 3 seconds, the 2 drives are only visible if you switch on the visibility for hidden files and folders in the optins of windows. No files or folder are visible in the two drives. I guess, the time is to short for the system to recognize the drives correctly. Boot loop advances. - It is not psosible to interrupt the loop. I tried everything I could imagine: 1) Holding ANY possible combination of at least 2 buttons for at least one cycle 2) Try soft reset; try holding the soft reset "button" (hold a stick into the hole) for at least one boot sequence 3) Try hard reset (but that ist just one of the under point (1) mentioned combination of holding buttons a longer time 4) Tried holding any possible combination of one button and holding the soft reset "button" for at least one sequence 5) Tried holding soft reset "button" and switch off slider togeter for at least one seqence 6) Tried holding the off slider and any other button togeter for at least one cycle For any combination (there are a lot of possibilities) in 99% the same reaction follows: nothing --> keeping cycling. Ah, I forgot: i've done this with and without USB-cable connected to the PC. At one or the other combination the boot cycle interrupted for a couple of seconds - reader switches of (white) just for starting again cycling. If the reader is connected to the PC the very short visibility (shall I call it a "flash") of the USB drives is independent of holding or pushing buttons. I tried to flash the reader while cycling. Of course the reader could not be recognized. Edit: flash files from BORODA A. Last edited by Analogus; 05-21-2011 at 05:44 PM.

05-21-2011, 07:03 PM	#6
Analogus Fanatic Posts: 568 Karma: 2170348 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: 2x Sony PRS-350; PRS-300 (†), Paperwhite (†), Voyage	Thanks for advice - but it doesn't work. Power was completely empty, plugged into wall charger, waited for waking up - pressed the two buttons --> cycling goes on. Did it serveral times. A. Last edited by Analogus; 05-21-2011 at 07:06 PM.

05-24-2011, 01:58 PM	#10
bbriand Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony PRS-650	Are you able to turn it off? From the sounds of it you are not able to. But if you can turn it off and then plug it into a computer so it immediately goes to charge and hopefully give you access to internal memory. You said sometimes you get a drive letter for just a few seconds? If so I'd try to time running the batch file from boroda's site that puts your reader back to stock firmware. In the batch file you may want to endless loop it so it keeps looking for the Reader and also remove the yes/no prompt to continue flashing your reader. What do others think of this idea? Last edited by bbriand; 05-24-2011 at 01:59 PM. Reason: clarifying a point

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05-21-2011, 04:31 PM	#2
porkupan Fanatic Posts: 556 Karma: 1057213 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Eastern U.S. Device: Sony Reader	What happens when you plug it into the PC's USB port? Does it go into "USB Connected" mode, or does it keep restarting? Does the hard reset do you any good?

05-21-2011, 04:52 PM	#3
Poppaea Lucifer's Bat Posts: 2,536 Karma: 19491715 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Earth/Berlin Device: Kobo Libra 2	I'd wait until the battery is empty and then plug it into a wall charger and hard reset. Worked with mine when it was not answering to anything anymore. Good luck!

05-21-2011, 06:14 PM	#5
Poppaea Lucifer's Bat Posts: 2,536 Karma: 19491715 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Earth/Berlin Device: Kobo Libra 2	This is why I suggested to let it run completely dry and then to plug it into the wall charger and not into the computer. Mine didn't answer anything but this. Just be ready to push the buttons instanteniously when the device is plugged in. I think you have to hit when the short gap is before it is going into its loop once again.

05-21-2011, 08:02 PM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 76,446 Karma: 136564696 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Call Sony. just tell them it's not booting and not what you did. they'll probably send you a refurbished unit and have you then send in yours.

05-24-2011, 02:54 PM	#11
Analogus Fanatic Posts: 568 Karma: 2170348 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: 2x Sony PRS-350; PRS-300 (†), Paperwhite (†), Voyage	Thank you for your advice. But I already tried this several times. I even tried to use a batchfile that tries in an endless loup to copy/delete one or two distinct files on(to) the reader. Problem's always the same. Time is to short for windows to recognize the drive correctly. A.

05-24-2011, 05:04 PM	#12
Mark Nord 2B \|\| !2B Posts: 852 Karma: 194010 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Austria Device: Sony PRS505/650/T1/tolino vision 5	There should be a way, but it's a hard one, and I can just point the direction, you will have to search this forum or google for more information. If I remember correct there is a serial port direct on the main-board. This port runs a serial-console while booting and thru this port it should be possible to upload a new bootblock, maybe a whole firmware. Contacting the pins to access the serial-port was done with needles. I think it was igorsk who published this first, and I remember there was a blog/post/?? maybe over at the-ebook.org, explaining how to unbrick a PRS-600 in the early days. Mark

05-24-2011, 05:29 PM	#13
Poppaea Lucifer's Bat Posts: 2,536 Karma: 19491715 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Earth/Berlin Device: Kobo Libra 2	Acupunture It nearly makes taking it up with Sony Customer Service sound like an easy task...

05-25-2011, 05:46 AM	#15
Analogus Fanatic Posts: 568 Karma: 2170348 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: 2x Sony PRS-350; PRS-300 (†), Paperwhite (†), Voyage	ms tools: Did make hope in the beginning - but the reader could not be recognized by the tool. Time's too short I guess "Device is not connected to PC". Tried it of course veeery often... Concerning "acupuncture": have to find more information. But that should be the last option to open the reader and messing around on the motherboard. A.

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