dreambox 500 gone kaput

i had my dm500 running pli for the last 6 months. everything was fine until i loaded a new image on, Eagle V5.2_CCcam 2.2.1 on friday last.

the image worked ok until i loaded a new skin on sunday, then the box would only boot to the loading screen and loop back through bootup again.

i got my usb to serial and null modem lead that i've used on a load of other boxes and went to repair the box with dreamup v 1.3.3.4

the box connected to dreamup, loaded the flash loader, and then was ready to flash so i went to flash the eagle image to it again. it got to about 75% when it returned an error and wouldn't respond.

i went through the process again but this time after it loads the flash loader it just says "dreamup upload completed waiting for acknowledge" and doesn't go any further.

i tried this again several times with the same result. i've changed com port settings and tried all the usb ports on 2 laptops using different compatibility (ie win xp, 98 etc). also tried an older version of dreamup.

i cannot get the box to connect through lan so its com port or jtag only. has anybody any ideas before i get the soldering iron out?

ps. its a clone and the image was from the dm500 clone images section of this forum, but i don't think it was the image as it worked ok for 2 days.

yea, i tried that the first time and it seemed to all go ok until the new flash got to about 75% when it crashed. i read elsewhere that for best results i should have loaded gemini and then try a new image, but, of course, i read all this after i'd done the damage.

i can't get access to the box at all now to erase anything so me thinks it will be a jtag. others have said to try an older computer with a proper 9 pin serial port but i threw them all out a while back so unless i go down to the corpo recycling center on saturday and rescue a pc i'm stumped.

i might invest in another box anyway but i' like to get this one going again if its possible.

i have a cas3 interface which has a dreambox jtag option so i wont give up until i try this, but i'll have to be in the humor to do it as i've done it before with a dragon cam and its a pain in the a**e.

thanks for the reply.

SkinBobUk, hi i did try dreamup 1.3.3.4 and 1.2.2.0 with the same results. i had a quick look around for other versions but hadn't got a lot of time as i had to go do some work. what version did you get to work can you remember?

"work the curse of the drinking man".

ok i will have a look for that version, probably the weekend before i get around to it.

the com port settings i have are: speed 115200, data bits 8, parity none, flow control none, and the buffers off in advanced settings (i also tried it with the buffers on).

i'm only going from memory so at the weekend i'll try it all again when i've more time.

thanks for the help.

just a quick update, i tried to flash it again a few min ago and it took the flash loader in real quick, got a reply and said it was ready to flash (this hadn't happened since the first time i tried dreamup).

i went to flash the pli image and it returned an error straight away and wouldn't flash anything.

i disconnected and tried again but this time it was back to the way it was before, loading the flash loader slowly and not getting an acknowledgement.

i went to pull out the usb to serial converter and it was fairly warm so i'm thinking maybe thats the problem. i'm going to put it in the fridge for a while and see if it makes a difference. maybe i'll put the whole lot in the fridge, this is head wrecking stuff but i'm not giving up now i know that the dm500 is still responding ok.

just tried it again and got as far as 30% flash before it crashed.

i had put the usb to serial adapter in the freezer for 45min and it has been the furthest i got yet.

when i took it out again it was warm again so i'm putting it down to that.

i have another usb to serial lead but i can't find it at the moment so i'll have to have a look again tomorrow.

at least i know the dreambox isn't totally knackered.

i've downloaded every version of dreamup i could find, 15 versions from 1.0.2.6 to 1.3.3.7

i think i cant use any version after 1.3.3.4 as my box is a clone.

final update.

i got it going again. it was the usb to serial that was the problem.

i found my old usb to serial lead and tried it but it didnt even register as being connected.

i also had a belkin usb to serial and i tried it, and it worked on the second attempt. it used the same driver as the first adapter which used to heat up.

i got open pli back onto it and its working fine so i'm leaving well enough alone.

thanks for the help.