reflashing s4000 using porter ?

[miro]

@ColdAsIce:
I would like ask for a help. I tried to upgrade firmware on my s4000DPVR to 1.11.30 version. Upgrade failed with 0x71 error. I am trying to recover via serial port and port express, which is bit of pain for me, as has no PC running Windows and cannot find any instruction for any other OS (Linux/MAC), So I have managed to install a Windows, Port Express, and:
-Run Port Express
-Select file (tried 1.10.32 and 1.11.30)
-Click downed
-Powered Sat receiver
-Port Express is not doing anything at all
I am not sure what is the right serial cable (NUL, or straight) or what I am doing wrong. I have tried to connect my terminal to SatReceiver (115200) but cannot see any output at all. Can you please advise?

[echelon]

you should be using a null modem cable and a pc running windows xp that has a built in serial com port

it actually tells you most of this in his sticky thread here

https://www.satpimps.co.uk/showthread.php?144965-Porter-Express

it most definitely mentions a null modem cable and not using usb adapters

no amount of faffing about with the wrong tools and wrong leads is going to help you so dont bother trying, find an old xp pc on gumtree or freecycle and use that along with a null modem cable

you also did not mention if your loader was 1.54 or an older one, but that could have been your trouble if it was the older version

[miro]

@echelon
Thank you for the answer. I am running Win 2000 server, but will reinstall to XP. I've got a PC with proper serial port, so this shouldn't be an issue. Cable is the right one an loader 1.21. What I am worried is that when I power up the receiver, there is no output on RS-232 at all (watching putty serial session).

[echelon]

win 2k server may allow you to do this from a fifo com port , or you could swap the hdd temporarily and use one with xp instead, then swap hdd back afterwards

you should not have loaded the latest firmware using loader 1.21 , that is the point, as you should have updated to 1.54 before using new firmware

maybe you just need to update the loader (dont know)

so your course of action should have been to update the loader to 1.54 before updating the firmware and is probably why you failed

same applies if you use the octagon firmware if following my sticky thread at the top of the forum

[miro]

In that case, may I ask? How do I upgrade Loader?

[miro]

It seems that I am having a different issue... Cable seems to be OK. But I am not getting any response from receiver...

[echelon]

In that case, may I ask? How do I upgrade Loader?

by reading the forum where the info was provided quite some time ago and you have had 2.5 years here to read through
the whole point of having this forum is to provide help and advice that others like yourself can study and read and follow, something I think you have failed to do and so caused your predicament, not reading the sticky threads and the tools and similar forums has brought you to this point, and I am sure that the loader upgrade was mentioned by coldasice in the firmware notes he added in the firmware section and in his posts

I also added details and links in the last post of this sticky thread you havent read here

https://www.satpimps.co.uk/showthread.php?121122-S4000HDPVR-How-To

if you read the post containing the bootloader 1.54 take a note of the date ( it was posted 2 years ago! )

it even tells you how to do it too, so I cant see why you cannot just read the forum and especially read sticky threads and the posts containing the tools and plugins too

[miro]

@echelon
I found the the loader info and sorry for asking quite obvious thing. However I am quite desperate to make my receiver working. I didn't experiment with it, or didn't do anything out of what's described as a standard upgrade procedure. I was able to find all the references about "how to upgrade" however not sure if they are detailed enough as you need several things to get it right.
-Working Null model DB9 serial cable (can be tested with different device)
-Port Express (believe that it's working as described)
-PC running Win XP with serial port (quite difficult to find, but achievable)
-Correct Loader (not sure where to get the matrix of which loader goes with what level of firmware)
-Working RS-232 (so far I was not able to find, or get any info about what is expected output during the receiver boot, as I don't get any at all)
I've got quite some experiences with upgrading/downgrading FW using RS-232 and hyper terminal/putty/etc, or a designated software, but it's quite difficult to understand what is going wrong when don't know what to expect...
It's bit worrying that a failed FW upgrade can put quite expensive device to a state where you need a forum to recover it.

[echelon]

I understand about your expertise in this field when you mentioned putty and hyperterminal etc

but in my opinion there is no excuse for not reading the forum in the last 2.5 years and not updating the loader from 1.21 to 1.54 two years ago
some of your questions are answered in the sticky threads and in the posts containing the files so yes sometimes you are asking the "obvious"

the correct pc tool is "porter express" , not "port express" , the correct lead is a null modem cable , the ideal pc or laptop is one running xp and has a built in rs232 port and these are not rare at all and its always been a requirement to use one of these pc,s for this task over the last 15 years or so meaning that win98 or millenium or win2k should allow you to flash the machine, but xp is ideal (possibly vista may work too)

this happens to be the main method to flash most machines including spiderboxes, dreamboxes , technomate , black panther and so is very common. even many routers rely on this rs232 flashing procedure and I remember doing this with my samsung 9500 viaci about 12 years ago and my technomate 1500 about 8 years ago and my netgear router about 5 years ago so new it isnt !

when your icecrypt was working you could have used a usb stick to change the loader, instead of porter express
the stickies also mention flash cleaner as well and there are several posts on here about reflashing the icecrypt too

the correct time to have asked was before attempting the firmware upgrade, which you attempted without changing the loader first, which is what I believe caused your problems. it would have been easier to point you in the right direction from a working machine, but you didnt ask and so now is the time "we are closing the stable door AFTER the horse has bolted" and hence my frustration at you not asking first and not reading the forum thoroughly either , not before, and certainly not after !

if you are unhappy with the info provided here then you are welcome to join in and improve this forum by adding your own tutorials and advice, something you seem to have failed to do in the preceding 2.5 years here. a forum is only as good as its members and if more members and owners actually did provide tutorials and feedback then you would get better advice and help. I know I have done exactly this and did so recently in the posts about using octasoft firmware for instance. so its not me showing apathy here (you currently have 10 posts here in 2.5 years and most are in the current month of may 2013, previous to that your last post was november 2010 when you bought the box) and in any case if you have problems with it then surely the correct course of action is to contact icecrypt themselves, same as you would contact bosch about a faulty bosch dishwasher or ford about a faulty focus ? a forum is an additional source of info, not a substitute for the main dealer or manufacturer

I hope you do fix your problems but still believe your lack of research holds you back, that and complaining about the tools you have or have not instead of making sure you have the correct tools to do the job like I have (null modem cable , hp/compaq laptop running xp , hp/compaq desktop running xp , generic pc tower running xp) and using them in order to fix the problem in front of you. flashing via rs232 port is something I have regularly reported on here on satpimps in various forums and on various boxes and routers. other members too I might add have done the same thing. the point about a forum is its a place to exchange ideas and info and the more that do so the better the place becomes but most members dont bother until they have a major problem like you, then they selfishly disappear again once their problem is fixed (apathy)

[blakmumba]

members dont bother until they have a major problem like you, then they selfishly disappear again once their problem is fixed (apathy)
Totally agree with the above. Well said.

@Miro.. Why make things complicated?

Equipment needed...

* Null Modem Cable,
* Pc or Laptop running xp, win7, win8 etc (win7,win8 run program as administrator- I use win7 but have tried in win8 also),
* Software, firmware, loader etc.

Simple steps...

1 - Switch off ice,
2 - Connect ice to pc/laptop using null modem cable,
3 - Run Porter Express downloadable within this forum or Icecrypt website,
4 - Choose software in drop down box and select flash cleaner,
5 - Hit download and then switch on receiver,
6 - Follow same process for loader and firmware or follow fatboy's usb method..simples!

Sent from my iPhone

[fatboy7]

Here, here !.

If you feel you have stuffed it up completely, read up on how to use AAF Recovery guide and the recovery image, as it replaces bootloader and F/W.

Warning - Read the guide twice, then read all the post's there's been on it as there are some good points and tips, on 'How to' and what to do when you have a working box back.

Try all other options first, this one's not for the faint hearted.