strange bootloader issue on 8525

[jamiefiedler]

well, i can't figure out quite what has happened.

i was attempting to install hard SPL v7 prior to upgrading to the latest LVSW 0423 ROM.

activesync was connected, i ran RUUWrapper.exe and it dropped the 8525 into bootloader mode as it usually does. for some reason, the RUU app was unable to verify the info on the phone, so upgrade failed and it quit. i reset the 8525, and it booted normally.

well...now USB appears to be dead. forcing the device into bootloader shows
HERM100
IPL-1.01

HERM100
SPL-1.30.Olipro

Serial

connecting the USB cable does nothing - the bootloader continues to show "Serial". i can reboot and all is fine, radio works...nothing else is wrong except there is no comm via USB. the device charges via USB just fine, whether the 8525 is powered on or off.

nothing in the hermes bricked wiki page matched up, as i have a working OS and a working radio...but i saw in another post that being stuck with "Serial" is evidence of a corrupt bootloader.

ideas? thanks!

[stukes]

Try running the RUU again. If it is still dead then try flashing via SD card.

well, i can't figure out quite what has happened.

i was attempting to install hard SPL v7 prior to upgrading to the latest LVSW 0423 ROM.

activesync was connected, i ran RUUWrapper.exe and it dropped the 8525 into bootloader mode as it usually does. for some reason, the RUU app was unable to verify the info on the phone, so upgrade failed and it quit. i reset the 8525, and it booted normally.

well...now USB appears to be dead. forcing the device into bootloader shows
HERM100
IPL-1.01

HERM100
SPL-1.30.Olipro

Serial

connecting the USB cable does nothing - the bootloader continues to show "Serial". i can reboot and all is fine, radio works...nothing else is wrong except there is no comm via USB. the device charges via USB just fine, whether the 8525 is powered on or off.

nothing in the hermes bricked wiki page matched up, as i have a working OS and a working radio...but i saw in another post that being stuck with "Serial" is evidence of a corrupt bootloader.

ideas? thanks!

[pof]

change your usb cable

[jamiefiedler]

Try running the RUU again. If it is still dead then try flashing via SD card.

i tried running the RUU again, but since hard SPL v7 (and most of the other RUU updates) seem to require a working activesync connection - which i can't get withoutout USB - i've had no luck.

flashing via SD card is a great idea - didn't even think of that, thank you. i'm not entirely sure which nbh would be appropriate to flash in this situation though - a complete OS/radio/BL package or attempt just the hard SPL nbh file again?

[jamiefiedler]

change your usb cable

sorry...should have mentioned i tried another cable. both cables i tried are verified good with another device, and both cables are able to charge the 8525 when connected.

[jamiefiedler]

one more thing...if this is in fact a screwed up bootloader, is there anything valuable i can check/monitor/log while attempting to fix this to benefit anyone on the site?

[stukes]

Its up to you. I would try only the Bootloader because it will be superquick. Maybe you should check out the Flashing from SD Card Thread.

[jamiefiedler]

Its up to you. I would try only the Bootloader because it will be superquick. Maybe you should check out the Flashing from SD Card Thread.
ok, i'll give the straight bootloader a shot.

i was gonna follow the sd card flash instructions (http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=Hermes_SDCardFlashing) on the wiki...seemed simple enough. are you thinking of another thread i should check first?

thanks for your help, greatly appreciated. i'll post results of course.

[pof]

flashing via SD card is a great idea - didn't even think of that, thank you. i'm not entirely sure which nbh would be appropriate to flash in this situation though - a complete OS/radio/BL package or attempt just the hard SPL nbh file again?
Flash HardSPL latest version first, otherwise you'll overwrite it because you have an old version which does not have SPL protection.

sorry...should have mentioned i tried another cable. both cables i tried are verified good with another device, and both cables are able to charge the 8525 when connected.
Try another usb port on computer then... or better, another computer and another usb cable.

one more thing...if this is in fact a screwed up bootloader, is there anything valuable i can check/monitor/log while attempting to fix this to benefit anyone on the site?
either your hermes usb connector is broken (which i doubt cos is able to charge) or you're using a bad cable, a bad usb port on computer, or an operating system without proper usb driver installation. For sure is not a problem of the SPL.

[stukes]

ok, i'll give the straight bootloader a shot.

i was gonna follow the sd card flash instructions (http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=Hermes_SDCardFlashing) on the wiki...seemed simple enough. are you thinking of another thread i should check first?

thanks for your help, greatly appreciated. i'll post results of course.

The WIKI is great. Pof gave you a nice sum'd up list.

[jamiefiedler]

ok...flashed hard SPL v7 successfully - now have SPL-2.10.Olipro but still no USB - pof was right (surprise surprise), it wasn't the bootloader.

i've now tried this using 3 different usb cables with 2 different USB ports on each of 2 different XP boxes. activesync is unresponsive on both (i've used activesync 4.5 successfully on both in the past) and when watching in bootloader mode then 8525 continues to show "Serial" in all cases.

maybe just one of the data pins of the mini-USB jack is damaged? intact power pins would still allow it to charge even if a data pin was bad.

unless anyone has another suggestion, i'm going to assume it needs to be rolled back to the cingular ROM and sent off to HTC for (attempted) warranty repair...hopefully nobody will notice anything SPL/CID related. :)

[stukes]

Bummer man. Try yanking the battery out while it is on and let it sit with it out for a while. Then roll back to your original ROM. Sucks if it where a bad pin.:confused:

[peezy]

This is a stretch, but anytime I have hardware connection issues (hard drive, flash drives, etc) I put them in the freezer for 10 mins. If it works, at least you know its the hardware.

[stukes]

This is a stretch, but anytime I have hardware connection issues (hard drive, flash drives, etc) I put them in the freezer for 10 mins. If it works, at least you know its the hardware.

LOL. I saw this somewhere before. Now for the more serious thought effects of extreme cold.

Moisture
Metals Expand and Contract

[jamiefiedler]

i popped the back off the 8525 and took a close look at the mini USB jack's pins, expecting to see evidence of a damaged pin (or more than one). well, no damaged pins - but i did find what looked to be a tiny sliver of metal that had worked it's way down (or in from outside) and was lodged between a couple of the pins. i used an x-acto knife to gently scrape between the pins as they traveled down to the main board, making sure not to damage any of the pins. went through all of them just in case, then closed it back up.

USB = working. problem solved.

thanks guys, as always i really appreciate your help.

[stukes]

Outstanding!!!:D

[peezy]

Very Nice!

btw stukes I put my dead sd card in the freezer last night, and what do you know? It Works! I know its a bit of a black art but I have used it successfully more than once.