APACHE Flash trouble - wrong bootloader version - now dead!

[shendren]

Now I've done it! I built a new ROM but I didn't set the right bootloader version in the Kitchen tool before I built & loaded the new ROM image. Now my PPC 6700 Apache won't work and won't talk to the PC. No backlight, but if you tilt it right towards the desk lamp you can see the display says "Serial" at the top of the screen and "v2.02" at the bottom. Can't make this go away no matter what - reset, power, etc. (of course, removing the battery makes it go away!).

HELP - Can I re-flash using the SD card? Kitchen help only talks about this for the Vogue and Titan. I tried copying my nk.nbf file to the SD card and renaming it APACIMG.nbf (trying to mimic the instructions for the vogue) - no luck. I tried pressing every key combination that i could think of during reboot.

[DJx79x]

you are stuck in bootloader try to reflash but pick the right bootloader. there is nothing wrong with your phone connect it to your computer using usb and flash

[PDAPhoneJunkie]

Hard reset 3-4 times. Reflash with proper REV. Turn off USB connections if on Vista.

[shendren]

Thanks guys. I've tried reflashing a number of times. I get a ERROR 101: Connection Error.

I am running Vista -- what do you mean "Turn off the USB connection"?

I noticed when I first made the bad load that Vista seemed to reinstall the PPC driver before it finally bombed out (I didn't catch what it said but I recognized it as such). I've been pursuing this for that past hour or two. I tried reinstalling the driver in the Device Manager. I tried doing a System Restore (I made a retore point this morning just in case). Nothing. This is a relatively new PC and I just got the phone to sync up to it earlier today, before I got bold and tried to upgrade the OS. At one point I know that the Device Manager had a PocketPC Smartphone driver listed under Other. Now it has a Microsoft USB Sync driver listed under Mobile Devices. Do you know which is correct?

I can hear Windows recognize the USB device and connect when I plug the Apache in it's cradle, except now it only makes the bu-bump sound once where it used to do it a 2nd time about 10 seconds later. Windows itself doesn't bring up that "Open w/ Media Player, open in files manager, etc." option window anymore. Neither Windows Device Center nor Sync Center acknowledge it as connected.

Best guess -- do you think it's the phone, or is it a problem with the drivers on my PC?

Thanks again for your help.

Steve

[shendren]

Oh yeah, I also have rebooted both the PC and the PPC several times. I tried rebooting (hold both soft key w/ reset, clicked Y and hit spacebar) 4 times in a row before the last attempt.

S

[shendren]

Just tried it on my old PC that I've used to sync for the past 2 years. It changes the driver from PocketPC Smartphone to Microsoft USB Sync as soon as I connect the PPC. It will not connect in Windows Mobile Device Center anymore. It appears as if the PPC is presenting itself as a different type of device now (USB Sync device) so it installs a different driver for it automatically?

I have NOT tried installing PPC Kitchen on my old computer yet so I don't know if it can find it or not. But I'm not optimpistic. I'll try that next and call it a night.

Thanks agian for any and all help!

[PDAPhoneJunkie]

You have to have WIndows Mobile Device Center, and have it's USB connections Off. And don't use a cradle. Just use the USB cable.

[shendren]

THANKS - It WORKS!

I didn't get what you meant at first so let me see if I can clarify it for other novices out there. With Vista (don't know about XP), it isn't enough to close Sync Center and Mobile Device Center. You have to go to Mobile Device Center (can get there by clicking on the device in Sync Center) and click Mobile Device Settings > Connection Settings and then disable the USB (I went ahead and disabled USB, BT, and Auto Device Authentication). Everything worked like a champ from there. Note: You have to re-enable these to get Sync to work again after the update.

As usual, the solution is simple it's finding it that can be such a bugger!

Reminds me of the old joke... Bob, the plant manager for 35 years, finally decides to retire. 9 months later the plant comes to a grinding halt - low yields, funny noises, smoke coming from places it didn't used to. So they convince Bob to come back in as a consultant. He walks around, listens, sniffs, tastes (?)... for about 20 minutes. Then he picks up a hammer - WHAP! Everything comes back up and just hums!

He sent in a bill a week late for $10K. The new manager rejects it and says he'll have to itemize the bill to justify the prce. The new bill reads:

1 hr. conultation $250
knowing where to hit $9,750

I know, you've probably heard it and may even tell it better. But I always think of it at these times! It's almost as much a parable as a joke!