Hi all,
i hope this hasn't been asked before. I'd like applying my magician the bigstorage hack but i've not a USB SD card reader. I could buy one, sure, but i'd prefer to save my (sadly very few) bucks.
That's what i thought:
Solution A: is it possible to use the magician itself as a card reader using Softick Card Export II? Would ntrw work the same? Is there the possibility to damage the magician/sd card???
Solution B: is it possible to run a hexadecimal editor from the magician so to edit the rom image directly on the phone without the PC?
Solution B seems difficult to me since the magician should be able to handle a 64MB or more file, and i think its 64MB ram size wouldn't be enough.
Solution A, instead, seems practical but i have the concern to damage my beloved (the magician!). I'd like to know your opinion before trying.
Bye and thanks you all,
this forum rulez!
Isidoro Russo
PS: Last question: do the ntrw reading/writing process destroy my sd card??? I think i've read something about this in a thread but can't remember which one.
I don't think it's going to work, don't know that program called softick card export, but you need to be in bootloader while you're doing it and then you can't run any programs. And I did the the bigstorage rom (with card reader) and it didn't destroy my SD-Card...
risidoro said:
Hi all,
i hope this hasn't been asked before. I'd like applying my magician the bigstorage hack but i've not a USB SD card reader. I could buy one, sure, but i'd prefer to save my (sadly very few) bucks.
That's what i thought:
Solution A: is it possible to use the magician itself as a card reader using Softick Card Export II? Would ntrw work the same? Is there the possibility to damage the magician/sd card???
Solution B: is it possible to run a hexadecimal editor from the magician so to edit the rom image directly on the phone without the PC?
Solution B seems difficult to me since the magician should be able to handle a 64MB or more file, and i think its 64MB ram size wouldn't be enough.
Solution A, instead, seems practical but i have the concern to damage my beloved (the magician!). I'd like to know your opinion before trying.
Bye and thanks you all,
this forum rulez!
Isidoro Russo
PS: Last question: do the ntrw reading/writing process destroy my sd card??? I think i've read something about this in a thread but can't remember which one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both options are not feasable.
The first option is not possible since Softick Card Export II needs the OS to be running, and your device needs to be in the bootloader mode for the image to be flashed. The second option is not possible because your magician doesn't have enough RAM to load the file...
And using ntrw will not destroy your SD-card, but it will permanently delete the files on that card!
oh oh we zijn de melk vergeten.....
But what does ntrw itself do?
I just thought it was used to read out /write the romfiles.
I probably blundered upgrading my compact:
I read the page on a site where the whole procedure (which is the Word-file in the ftp's Backuptool folder) was explained. It stated that an SD card with at least 128 MB was needed for the whole procedure.
Since I had 132 mb left on mine I thought I could use that one, which was the one with my sprite backup file and games and sorts.
But the card remains unreadable for the Compact and XP. So must I really fotmat is or is the some workaround to retreive my stuff or delete whatever romupdate or ntrw did to my sd-card.
Sorry but i don't understand why solution A should not work.
I think it could go this way:
1) activate bootloader mode and run 'romupdate.exe' to create a copy of the installed rom in the sd card. The device's S.O. is still installed even if it's not usable while in bootloader mode.
2) soft reset the device. Now the phone should exit bootloader mode and be fully functional since we've only taken a copy of its ROM and not deleted it. The device will work as usual and we can run Card ExportII
3) use Card Export II on the device and ntrw on the pc to copy the dumped ROM from the card to the pc.
4) modify the rom on the PC
5) copy the modified ROM back to the sd card using ntrw and Card Export.
6) follow the final steps required for the phone to install the rom on the sd card. Card ExportII is no more needed so it's not a problem if the phone must go to bootloader mode.
Summarizing: I need to run Card ExportII when the phone is still operative and not while it's on bootloader mode. The only step i'm not sure about is the first: i don't know if the romupdate.exe process leave the ROM on the device intact or delete it. If it remains intact (as i suspect) then is possible to soft-reset the device after the ROM dumping to run Card ExportII and copy the dumped rom to the PC.
What do u think about it? PLS, Let me know.
In case you're wondering why i don't just try myself instead of asking you, i can say that i'll try as soon as i'll have a new sd card (the one i'm using now has only 32MB). I ordered a 512MB card on ebay last friday so i'd receive it this week. I'll keep you informed on this topic.
Bye bye,
Isidoro
IT WORKED !!
Well if I’m not the first I must be close.
I can confirm your theory works beautifully 100%.
I followed my same procedure as normal found here http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=29266 but used card export and the Magician's SD Drive
I dumped my ROM straight into the Magician SD card drive.
Read the ROM from the Magician’s SD drive onto my PC.
I then successfully wrote the ROM back into the Magician SD drive.
Now for what ever reason I couldn’t get the Magician to Flash, it would not come up with the “Press Power to Flash……”
Now this could be for many reasons one of which is I just tried to write my original ROM back to the PDA which should of worked.
All I know is you can use the Magician CD Drive as your card reader to read/write your ROM info
Equipment needed
1 x Magician (Great PDA)
1 x SD Card (128Mb or larger)
1 x Card Export II program (I used the trial)
Plus all the other normal software needed to do Big Storage
PS I'm going to"Big Storage" my wifes MAgician tonight using this method so I'll let you know
UPDATE
Issue one,
Since you don't have a card reader you have to format the card after you dump your ROM onto it, if you don't, card export doesn't see the SD card in your Magician. To format the card inside your Magician from your PC you have to un-tick the Magician setting "Protect MBR" (what ever that stands for, & NO i haven't read the instruction, who ever does).
Issue 2 (this is a general rule for big storage)
Knowing if the write function has worked, I have witten to the SD card (inside the Magician) many time and sometimes it comes up with no error other times if states "The parameter is incorrect". To prove you have a workable file on the SD card after the write fuction of NTRW, when you remove and replace the SD card into the Magician it should ask you to reformat, if it doesn't then you have no file on the card.
IT WORKS 100%
I have dumped and flashed the Magician without a Card Reader.
Thanks for the great idea.[/b]
sure it works.
0) backup
1) dump rom
2) install cs2, now you get one more diskdrive
3) use WinHEX to open drive (F9) and select your SD (_physical_drive_)
4) now you can find and replace (twice!):
02 00 00 80 00 20 20 00 00
02 00 00 b8 01 20 20 00 00
5) bootloader mode and apply modifiedrom
ampda said:
Issue one,
Since you don't have a card reader you have to format the card after you dump your ROM onto it, if you don't, card export doesn't see the SD card in your Magician. To format the card inside your Magician from your PC you have to un-tick the Magician setting "Protect MBR" (what ever that stands for, & NO i haven't read the instruction, who ever does).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ehem, can you pls explain better this point? When I have to format and where's the Protect MBR setting?
Anyway I'm happy my way worked!!! I won't have to buy a card reader!!!
Nitrogen said:
sure it works.
0) backup
1) dump rom
2) install cs2, now you get one more diskdrive
3) use WinHEX to open drive (F9) and select your SD (_physical_drive_)
4) now you can find and replace (twice!):
02 00 00 80 00 20 20 00 00
02 00 00 b8 01 20 20 00 00
5) bootloader mode and apply modifiedrom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, your method seems even better! You edit the rom directly on the card without using ntrw to read/write on the card. I guess CS2 (point 2) is card exportII?
Your method should work with card reader too in theory, so why so many people's still using ntrw? Does the file on the sd card (when romupdate ends) is the same of the one found on the pc after ntrw?
I hope that damn* sd card (i bought on ebay) won't take too much to arrive!!! :twisted:
Bye bye,
Isidoro
Even though I have no need for this solution, due to having a few card readers, I must applaud your ingenuity. Simple answers to complex problems is the sign of pure intelligence
IT WORKS!!! IT WORKS!!!
This morning I received the sd card i'd ordered on ebay, it's a 256MB SanDisk UltraII. BTW it's a lot slower than the 16MB MMC i was using before: 0,26 and 0,08 VS 0,72 and 0,43 of the MMC (numbers are the read and write speeds measured with pocket mechanic 1.60). Is there a reason for this? The bigger the card the slower? Or simply MMCs are speedier than SDs? What do u think about it?
Anyway lets talk about the bigstorage!
First i tried with my method (well i don't pretend to be the inventor, i say 'my' to avoid repeating all the steps).
All went as expected till the moment to ntrw write myrom.nb1 back to my sd card. I tried several times but without success. Everytime, after ten minutes, ntrw ended without any error but the sd card was empy and formatted (while there shouldn't have been any filesystem on it). Don't know how ampda did it but i gave up after 4 or 5 tries.
Then it was the moment to try out Nitrogen's way and, wow! it worked flawlessly!!!
Nitrogen's method not only does not require any sd card reader (that was my concern) but does not even require any ntrw operation!!!
This means that u can apply your bigstorage hack in less than 5 minutes (the time to romupdate the ROM on your sd card and edit it)!!! No card reader, no ntrw, no dos prompt, no delays, no risks to burn your card out.
It's absolutely great!!!
But it comes at a price, you need to buy WinHex (the demo version cannot save your changes). Card ExportII trial, on the contrary, can be used without problem (but i suggest to buy this wonderful program!).
Hey, now i'm a bigstorage owner too!
Bye bye
Well thats great news, glad it worked for you. I must admit it did take some doing to get the file on the SD card. I'll try the other method tonight on mine (I like to test things) and see how it goes. You shold of asked me about WinHEX before you bought it.
next step could be ppc program for patching thouse 4 bytes on SD without even connecting to standalone PC...
shamus said:
next step could be ppc program for patching thouse 4 bytes on SD without even connecting to standalone PC...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually i think it would be possible if a skilled ppc programmer made a program to change them! Who knows? Maybe in the future...
Bye bye,
Isidoro
Nitrogen
how can i read the nb1 file from sd if sd is no readable on windows???thanks
capellone85 said:
Nitrogen
how can i read the nb1 file from sd if sd is no readable on windows???thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope Nitrogen won't complain if i answer your question.
After the romupdate, the sd card won't contain any filesystem so, as u said, neither windows nor the magician will be able to read it.
Anyway, WinHex's F9 (and only it as far as i know) give you access to both logical drives (that is drives with a filesystem) and physical drive (direct access to the raw data even without filesystem).
You have to: connect your magician to windows with card export enabled, cancel Windows' request to format the removable unit (that's your sd card), open WinHex, press F9, select Removable Media under Physical_Drive tab. Et voilà! You'll have your nb1 rom backup available.
Just a drawback: the search function (to locate 02 00 00 80 00 20 20 etc hex string) will be very slow.
Summarizing: WinHex let you access raw data on an unformatted disk drive! Great!!!
Bye bye,
Isidoro
OMG..i got scared
Well i did it, and got scared, after the process had finished i got "Download Failed, Checksum Failed", ok i thougght, i will just reset and try again, so i reset and OUCH, it wouldn't load, just locked on the Qtek screen. then about 10-15 minutes later it loaded windows. I crapped myself. lol.
But i am now useing a BIGStorage, with 112, installed with NO SD Card! YAY
also if ya dont wanna buy WinHEX, then try FlexHex, its a 30 day trial and you can save without purchasing... Lots of goodness to be had by all.
Dahquim
@dahquim: All that happened to you because you're a lazy bastard too sluggard to read one of the thousands post carefully and thoroughly which mentions all your "findings" as being normal - some even give a decent explanation for them.
But whom am I telling this... you're not the one who's readings threads.
This method works perfectly with zero issues. The instructions were spot on - can't thank everyone enough. Funny that dahquim got so close but didn't even realize it. LOL.
guess i'll shut up then.....
dahquim
risidoro said:
capellone85 said:
Nitrogen
how can i read the nb1 file from sd if sd is no readable on windows???thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have to: connect your magician to windows with card export enabled, cancel Windows' request to format the removable unit (that's your sd card), open WinHex, press F9, select Removable Media under Physical_Drive tab. Et voilà! You'll have your nb1 rom backup available.
Just a drawback: the search function (to locate 02 00 00 80 00 20 20 etc hex string) will be very slow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dear Isidoro
okay I did all till the search and I didn't find the string in the file, (02 00 00 80 00 20 20) also I have one more question, what should I substitute instead of that string?
sorry I'm new to these things in Jam.
Thanks for replying
I'm running the latest Phiremod 7 test release on my Nook Color. Everything has worked pretty well since I flashed it, but several weeks in, my SD card seems to have died (I didn't notice until I tried to run Titanium backup).
Android can't mount the card. Also can't erase it.
I tried mounting it on my Linux system - no dice. Can't even look at it with fdisk. I even tried to dd an sd card image to it. Get an I/O error right away (var log messages excerpt below).
So, is the card destroyed? Can software do that? I'm not running the OS off of the card - it's just used for data (I've seen posts here that say too much writing can kill a flash drive).
Sep 5 10:52:58 localhost klogd: sd 8:0:0:0: [sdg] Result: hostbyte=DID_OK driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
Sep 5 10:52:58 localhost klogd: sd 8:0:0:0: [sdg] Sense Key : Illegal Request [current]
Sep 5 10:52:58 localhost klogd: sd 8:0:0:0: [sdg] Add. Sense: Logical block address out of range
Sep 5 10:52:58 localhost klogd: sd 8:0:0:0: [sdg] CDB: Read(10): 28 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 00
Sep 5 10:52:58 localhost klogd: end_request: I/O error, dev sdg, sector 0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
littlenoodles said:
I'm running the latest Phiremod 7 test release on my Nook Color. Everything has worked pretty well since I flashed it, but several weeks in, my SD card seems to have died (I didn't notice until I tried to run Titanium backup).
Android can't mount the card. Also can't erase it.
I tried mounting it on my Linux system - no dice. Can't even look at it with fdisk. I even tried to dd an sd card image to it. Get an I/O error right away (var log messages excerpt below).
So, is the card destroyed? Can software do that? I'm not running the OS off of the card - it's just used for data (I've seen posts here that say too much writing can kill a flash drive).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes software and writing excessively can do that to the card. Try putting the SD in another device or pc to see if you can format it. Also check if a different SD works in the Nook.
Yes software and writing excessively can do that to the card. Try putting the SD in another device or pc to see if you can format it. Also check if a different SD works in the Nook.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, but I don't think I've written excessively to the card. It's just functioning as a backup device AFAIK. I can't format it in the Nook or in a PC, so I think it's trashed at the hardware level. The card has a lifetime warranty, but should I feel guilty exercising it?
littlenoodles said:
Okay, but I don't think I've written excessively to the card. It's just functioning as a backup device AFAIK. I can't format it in the Nook or in a PC, so I think it's trashed at the hardware level. The card has a lifetime warranty, but should I feel guilty exercising it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know this will sound strange but do you have a digital camera you can put the SD card in? If so try putting it in there to erase all data. I had a similar issue and this worked for me. As far as the lifetime warranty if it is a smaller sized card like 2 or 4 GB then don't bother but if it is a 16 or 32 GB card then exercise your rights.
As far as the lifetime warranty if it is a smaller sized card like 2 or 4 GB then don't bother but if it is a 16 or 32 GB card then exercise your rights.
Reply With Quote
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's an 8GB card, so I guess I'm in some middle ground where my 'rights' might be worth exercising. But seriously, my real question is this. If I'm using CM7.1 in the normal way (flashed to the onboard ROM - not running off of the sd card), is there any way my sd card would be written to excessively?
If not, then it's a bad card, and I should request a replacement. If so, I want to learn how not to do this again.
littlenoodles said:
It's an 8GB card, so I guess I'm in some middle ground where my 'rights' might be worth exercising. But seriously, my real question is this. If I'm using CM7.1 in the normal way (flashed to the onboard ROM - not running off of the sd card), is there any way my sd card would be written to excessively?
If not, then it's a bad card, and I should request a replacement. If so, I want to learn how not to do this again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not an expert but I have rooted every android device I ever owned. I know when I first started rooting it took some time to make sure I had the process correct. So I would add and remove different things from the SD card just as part of the process. Also when formating the sd card I would move files from the sd card to my pc and then back when needed. So I think doing that over time causes the issue at hand. I think it also goes back to the quality of the product. Did you try the digital camera suggestion I mentioned?
I just had this happen to myself also,
After reading this thread, tried placing the microSD into a full size SD adapter and into my SLR camera, and the SLR gave me a 'memory card error' message.
I don't think there is any hope.
I had a very similar problem with the same hardware you describe.
I eventually manage to recover the card by finding it and properly formatting in Windows Disk Manager. I was actually impressed myself to recover it that way, as it would not format simply from right clicking on its icon when displayed under My Computer in Windows explorer. And I would have bet it was a hardware fault, since it was even causing the system to freeze at times, if I would not force remove it from the PC!
Hi guys I just bought FF IX, and I'm trying to move the OBB files with folder mount and with GL to SD, and some more programs even with ROOTED device, no way to make it work.
With folder mount it says "foldermount has detected an incompatible file system" but it does the job, and with the other ones nothing too. When I enter to the game is asking to download trough wifi the remaining files I hope you understand what I mean.
FF IX is 3gb so I'd like to have it in the SD.
ivan333 said:
Hi guys I just bought FF IX, and I'm trying to move the OBB files with folder mount and with GL to SD, and some more programs even with ROOTED device, no way to make it work.
With folder mount it says "foldermount has detected an incompatible file system" but it does the job, and with the other ones nothing too. When I enter to the game is asking to download trough wifi the remaining files I hope you understand what I mean.
FF IX is 3gb so I'd like to have it in the SD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for the quote... Any idea guys? I'm just trying to reflote the post sorry.