Dead PRS-500?

lordvetinari2 · 10-21-2009, 04:32 AM

After switching on my PRS-500 from standby the other day, it said that the battery was empty when the previous day was at 2 lines out of 4. Anyway, after a few hours of recharging by plugging it to the mains, I switched it on again. It froze at "Starting Up..." screen.
I restarted it by simple pinhole resetting. Still frozen.
Then followed the instructions for "How to revert to factory settings" from the Wiki. No luck, there was no "Page" button lightning blue for me.
Next, I tried resetting ten times by simple pinhole resetting (not in the Wiki, but found it searching the forum). No luck either.
Then, I tried "Recovering From Catastrophic Failure (Unbricking)" from the Wiki. It would stay at "Updating Firmware" for a good fifteen minutes.
Then decided to let the battery drain slowly so it would shut down completely. After two days, I got fed up of waiting and gave it a good recharge through the night. The message changed to something like "Bad firmware upgrade, try again".
Just in case, I also tried the Universal Flasher 2.1 from igorsk. It would not even load, as it does not have anything to load from.

I have had my PRS-500 for three years (thanks to geekraver!), and I am still perfectly happy with its functionality. Does anyone have any ideas to recover it from the dead?

igorsk · 10-23-2009, 05:00 AM

Since you got into the firmware update mode, you now have to run the firmware updater.

lordvetinari2 · 10-23-2009, 05:10 AM

Thanks for your help, igorsk!

In fact, I already tried the firmware update as part of the "Recovering From Catastrophic Failure (Unbricking)" procedure from the Wiki.
The updater does not recognize the Reader even though it is fully charged and its drivers are installed (i.e. it is recognized by Windows). The Reader displays "Updating Firmware Now" as soon as it is plugged in the USB port, but stays there forever until I unplug it, when it says "Firmware update incomplete, try again".
I tried this on a Windows7 machine and on a Windows XP one, no luck.

Do2Do2 · 10-23-2009, 10:15 PM

Hi,

I'd a similar problem like you but I managed to sort it out. The way I done it is like that.
1- I connected the reader to another computer running win XP
2- First, the computer did not recognize the reader but after I installed the CONNECT which is included in the original CD, the computer was able to see the reader.
3- Run the PRS-500 Updater 1.0.03.07.170 and this should restore it back.

Good luck!
Essam

lordvetinari2 · 10-24-2009, 09:01 AM

Hello Do2Do2:

I tried that on a virtualised XP machine. Windows recognised the Reader as a device, Connect noticed that "something" was connected, but failed to recognise it as a Reader and named it "Error". The firmware update did not start.

I will try with a non-virtualised XP machine next week, see if that makes any difference.

Thanks for your help!

lordvetinari2 · 10-24-2009, 09:57 AM

Thanks Do2Do2!

I had tried with both the PRS-500 drivers inside Calibre and with the latest Connect version, but the FW Updater would not recognise my Reader. Now, I tried with the original Connect version that came with my PRS-500, and the FW Updater recognised and updated my Reader just fine. It's alive!!!

And now I have updated the Wiki with this information.

10-21-2009, 04:32 AM	#1
lordvetinari2 Zealot Posts: 137 Karma: 61 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gijón, Spain Device: Kindle 3G+WiFi & Galaxy Note	Dead PRS-500? After switching on my PRS-500 from standby the other day, it said that the battery was empty when the previous day was at 2 lines out of 4. Anyway, after a few hours of recharging by plugging it to the mains, I switched it on again. It froze at "Starting Up..." screen. I restarted it by simple pinhole resetting. Still frozen. Then followed the instructions for "How to revert to factory settings" from the Wiki. No luck, there was no "Page" button lightning blue for me. Next, I tried resetting ten times by simple pinhole resetting (not in the Wiki, but found it searching the forum). No luck either. Then, I tried "Recovering From Catastrophic Failure (Unbricking)" from the Wiki. It would stay at "Updating Firmware" for a good fifteen minutes. Then decided to let the battery drain slowly so it would shut down completely. After two days, I got fed up of waiting and gave it a good recharge through the night. The message changed to something like "Bad firmware upgrade, try again". Just in case, I also tried the Universal Flasher 2.1 from igorsk. It would not even load, as it does not have anything to load from. I have had my PRS-500 for three years (thanks to geekraver!), and I am still perfectly happy with its functionality. Does anyone have any ideas to recover it from the dead?

10-24-2009, 09:57 AM	#6
lordvetinari2 Zealot Posts: 137 Karma: 61 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gijón, Spain Device: Kindle 3G+WiFi & Galaxy Note	Thanks Do2Do2! I had tried with both the PRS-500 drivers inside Calibre and with the latest Connect version, but the FW Updater would not recognise my Reader. Now, I tried with the original Connect version that came with my PRS-500, and the FW Updater recognised and updated my Reader just fine. It's alive!!! And now I have updated the Wiki with this information. Last edited by lordvetinari2; 10-24-2009 at 10:05 AM. Reason: Update Wiki notice

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
The PRS-500 is dead, long live the PRS-600...	AprilHare	Lounge	18	05-11-2010 06:48 PM
Aktuelle Sony Reader (PRS-300/700/900) ‚besser‘ als PRS-500?	FraPe	Sony Reader	4	02-19-2010 01:34 AM
Port Search Function from PRS 700 to PRS 505 500	jessie102	Sony Reader Dev Corner	7	01-25-2010 11:11 AM
Buy Sony PRS-500/PRS-505/PRS-600	doctoroop	Flea Market	0	01-05-2010 06:51 AM
PRS-700 and PRS-505 Review and Comparison from a PRS-500 owner	geekmeetsworld	Sony Reader	5	03-01-2009 03:34 PM

10-23-2009, 05:00 AM	#2
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Since you got into the firmware update mode, you now have to run the firmware updater.

10-23-2009, 05:10 AM	#3
lordvetinari2 Zealot Posts: 137 Karma: 61 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gijón, Spain Device: Kindle 3G+WiFi & Galaxy Note	Thanks for your help, igorsk! In fact, I already tried the firmware update as part of the "Recovering From Catastrophic Failure (Unbricking)" procedure from the Wiki. The updater does not recognize the Reader even though it is fully charged and its drivers are installed (i.e. it is recognized by Windows). The Reader displays "Updating Firmware Now" as soon as it is plugged in the USB port, but stays there forever until I unplug it, when it says "Firmware update incomplete, try again". I tried this on a Windows7 machine and on a Windows XP one, no luck.

10-23-2009, 10:15 PM	#4
Do2Do2 Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 52 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: PRS-500	Hi, I'd a similar problem like you but I managed to sort it out. The way I done it is like that. 1- I connected the reader to another computer running win XP 2- First, the computer did not recognize the reader but after I installed the CONNECT which is included in the original CD, the computer was able to see the reader. 3- Run the PRS-500 Updater 1.0.03.07.170 and this should restore it back. Good luck! Essam

10-24-2009, 09:01 AM	#5
lordvetinari2 Zealot Posts: 137 Karma: 61 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gijón, Spain Device: Kindle 3G+WiFi & Galaxy Note	Hello Do2Do2: I tried that on a virtualised XP machine. Windows recognised the Reader as a device, Connect noticed that "something" was connected, but failed to recognise it as a Reader and named it "Error". The firmware update did not start. I will try with a non-virtualised XP machine next week, see if that makes any difference. Thanks for your help!

Advert

Advert