Bricked prs-505 during update

UnderSeven · 07-29-2008, 03:28 PM

Hi, I've read many of the other threads, here is the problem. During the sony update on a non-hacked prs-505 the unit wouldn't finish restarting and bricked. I called support. Soft reset will make it go back to the starting up screen, but the device will not start. The yellow light starts solid then starts flashing. Hard reset just does nothing. The computer will recognize a flash drive when I connect it and it is on, but I can not do anything to said flash drive (delete or copy stuff to it). The updating software from sony or the flashing tricks will not recognize the device is connected. The ten time restart doesn't work because if I have the usb cable connected it won't turn on at all.

Any help would be great.

Sony of course insists this is all the fault of the device and therefore needs to be replaced at cost to me. I will never buy sony again, but I love my ebook reader and I can't afford to replace it, which is my only option if I can't unbrick.

igorsk · 07-29-2008, 05:11 PM

Do get a "Firmware update not finished" screen? Do you get drive letters for the cards or just one drive for internal storage?

UnderSeven · 07-29-2008, 05:19 PM

I do not get the firmware update not finished screen. I only get a drive letter for the internal storage and it only has one 0 kb file on it, I can't copy to, delete from or format the storage either, also it seems to be only 64 kb big, which is all sorts of messed up.

igorsk · 07-29-2008, 05:25 PM

The file is called "protected" or something like that? Then you are in firmware update mode and the updater should see the unit. However, it's weird that you don't get the corresponding screen, so maybe Sony is right about the unit being defect...

UnderSeven · 07-29-2008, 05:27 PM

Yeah, the file says protected. Well defective or not it's a paperweight now, I'm willing to do just about anything messing with it.

igorsk · 07-29-2008, 05:47 PM

What does the updater say when you start it with Reader connected?

UnderSeven · 07-29-2008, 05:54 PM

Utterly fails to acknowledge the existance of said reader. I can get to the screen where it has an update botton and it says "connect prs-505 to update"

At this point I can have the file that is protected in view. The sony ebook library will recognize something is there and it is probably an ebook reader (as in it shows the ebook reader icon) and labels it as 'error'

igorsk · 07-29-2008, 06:24 PM

Well, it does sound like the OS itself has booted but the updater program didn't (possibly because of faulty flash). At this point the only way to recover is probably the serial console... but that's pretty advanced hardware hacking.

UnderSeven · 07-29-2008, 06:33 PM

The reader is a paper weight and to get a new one I have to buy from scratch. No help from Sony. I might as well have fun with this one and even if it results in failure as it likely will.

So if it is possible, threads that describe this process and such that I can read up on? Otherwise I'll probably just do searches on the concept. I mean the thing is dead so. I'm willing to try anything I can.

I'd appreciate any direction I could be pointed in, thanks

seajewel · 07-29-2008, 07:31 PM

I had the endless restarting, but the stock updater would indeed recognize the device if i connected it for around 2 minutes. You've probably tried waiting around, but just in case you haven't, please try waiting longer with your device connected and the updater running.

UnderSeven · 07-29-2008, 07:34 PM

I have indeed tried that with no luck. Thanks though

UnderSeven · 07-29-2008, 07:49 PM

So if I have the right idea here.. To do this via serial console I would need make the connection from the reader myself. I see where the complex hardware hacking part comes in.

igorsk · 07-29-2008, 07:56 PM

Yes, to access the console you need to get a TTL converter cable and then connect it like this.

UnderSeven · 07-29-2008, 08:43 PM

Okay so the TTL is to usb and the cable has 8 wires on the end that goes in the reader? And is that the bottom of a nand gate?

anlor · 07-29-2008, 09:15 PM

This might not help at all but I read somewhere else that somebody tried running the updater (stand alone download not thru the Connect software) on a diferent computer and it completed the update with no problems after just hanging on the original PC. Hope this helps you

07-29-2008, 03:28 PM	#1
UnderSeven Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: prs-505	Bricked prs-505 during update Hi, I've read many of the other threads, here is the problem. During the sony update on a non-hacked prs-505 the unit wouldn't finish restarting and bricked. I called support. Soft reset will make it go back to the starting up screen, but the device will not start. The yellow light starts solid then starts flashing. Hard reset just does nothing. The computer will recognize a flash drive when I connect it and it is on, but I can not do anything to said flash drive (delete or copy stuff to it). The updating software from sony or the flashing tricks will not recognize the device is connected. The ten time restart doesn't work because if I have the usb cable connected it won't turn on at all. Any help would be great. Sony of course insists this is all the fault of the device and therefore needs to be replaced at cost to me. I will never buy sony again, but I love my ebook reader and I can't afford to replace it, which is my only option if I can't unbrick.

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07-29-2008, 05:11 PM	#2
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Do get a "Firmware update not finished" screen? Do you get drive letters for the cards or just one drive for internal storage?

07-29-2008, 05:19 PM	#3
UnderSeven Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: prs-505	I do not get the firmware update not finished screen. I only get a drive letter for the internal storage and it only has one 0 kb file on it, I can't copy to, delete from or format the storage either, also it seems to be only 64 kb big, which is all sorts of messed up.

07-29-2008, 05:25 PM	#4
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	The file is called "protected" or something like that? Then you are in firmware update mode and the updater should see the unit. However, it's weird that you don't get the corresponding screen, so maybe Sony is right about the unit being defect...

07-29-2008, 05:27 PM	#5
UnderSeven Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: prs-505	Yeah, the file says protected. Well defective or not it's a paperweight now, I'm willing to do just about anything messing with it.

07-29-2008, 05:47 PM	#6
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	What does the updater say when you start it with Reader connected?

07-29-2008, 05:54 PM	#7
UnderSeven Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: prs-505	Utterly fails to acknowledge the existance of said reader. I can get to the screen where it has an update botton and it says "connect prs-505 to update" At this point I can have the file that is protected in view. The sony ebook library will recognize something is there and it is probably an ebook reader (as in it shows the ebook reader icon) and labels it as 'error'

07-29-2008, 06:24 PM	#8
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Well, it does sound like the OS itself has booted but the updater program didn't (possibly because of faulty flash). At this point the only way to recover is probably the serial console... but that's pretty advanced hardware hacking.

07-29-2008, 06:33 PM	#9
UnderSeven Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: prs-505	The reader is a paper weight and to get a new one I have to buy from scratch. No help from Sony. I might as well have fun with this one and even if it results in failure as it likely will. So if it is possible, threads that describe this process and such that I can read up on? Otherwise I'll probably just do searches on the concept. I mean the thing is dead so. I'm willing to try anything I can. I'd appreciate any direction I could be pointed in, thanks

07-29-2008, 07:31 PM	#10
seajewel Fanatic Posts: 589 Karma: 1451235 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, Sony PRS-950	I had the endless restarting, but the stock updater would indeed recognize the device if i connected it for around 2 minutes. You've probably tried waiting around, but just in case you haven't, please try waiting longer with your device connected and the updater running.

07-29-2008, 07:34 PM	#11
UnderSeven Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: prs-505	I have indeed tried that with no luck. Thanks though

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07-29-2008, 07:49 PM	#12
UnderSeven Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: prs-505	So if I have the right idea here.. To do this via serial console I would need make the connection from the reader myself. I see where the complex hardware hacking part comes in.

07-29-2008, 07:56 PM	#13
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Yes, to access the console you need to get a TTL converter cable and then connect it like this.

07-29-2008, 08:43 PM	#14
UnderSeven Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: prs-505	Okay so the TTL is to usb and the cable has 8 wires on the end that goes in the reader? And is that the bottom of a nand gate?

07-29-2008, 09:15 PM	#15
anlor Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: prs-505	This might not help at all but I read somewhere else that somebody tried running the updater (stand alone download not thru the Connect software) on a diferent computer and it completed the update with no problems after just hanging on the original PC. Hope this helps you