Hello,
So I have a bricked KGL MTCD unit. During the update process with Malaysk's most recent FUSE 5.1 ROM, the ignition was turned on, causing the screen to briefly go black, then back to the Android robot with the update status bar, and a second later the unit died.
I read in another thread that I started regarding this that it is possible to debrick an Android headunit using drivers and the RK Batch Tool. I downloaded everything from the Rockchip.nl site.
When the unit is hooked up to power only the button lights light up and that's it. No response whatsoever.
I tried hooking it up with a male-male USB cord to my Lenovo T410 laptop but there is no response from Windows regarding recognizing a USB device.
I have tried every USB port. I've tried both ports on the device and still nothing.
I have tried USB only and external power too. Nothing works.
I have also tried connecting a different, 100% working KGL unit. I hooked it up to power, then tried both USB ports and the computer doesn't recognize any.
Can anybody please tell me how to restore this thing?
Do I need to install the drivers into Windows first? I thought my PC would surely recognize the device and THEN ask for drivers. How do I go about installing them?
Thanks in advance
EDIT!!!!!!!!!!
DEBIRCKED THE UNIT WITH MALAYSK'S METHOD FROM THIS POST http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=67184851&postcount=50
Unbricking MTCD GS
My MTCD GS RK3188 800x1024 Android 5.1.1 radio in my W220 Benz is also bricked.
It came with ROM v. 1.34 I think. So I flashed the most recent OEM ROM I could find (I think v. 1.73) through Settings/About/System Upgrade, hoping to be able to root the radio so I could use Titanium Backup.
Everything went swimmingly and all was good with the world.
Except I still couldn't root through recovery. So I tried to flash Malaysk's most recent GS pre-rooted ROM.
About half way through the process, the screen unceremoniously went black.
Now the radio is bricked. Only the button lights illuminate.
I tried several methods of rebooting into recovery, but nothing happened.
I read the HuiFei page, searched the XDA forums and the Internets generally and still could not find a solution.
I connect the radio to my computer via USB and tried to use the RKTools program, and still no luck.
I hope I missed something somewhere in my searching, so I beg of you: If anyone out there knows how to unbrick this unit, please, PLEASE share your knowledge with me.
Thanks in advance.
I just tried to update my Xtrons unit from a firmware on their site. Update finished 100% and upon reboot the screen was just black!!! There has to be a way to unbrick these. No way am i tossing out a $400 unit! I have a PF73AA4A which i believe is a RK3188 quad core 16g. Please help!
Solved! Mtcd unbricked!
@NaviPR, @shawndak and anyone else suffering the same fate:
I quite accidentally figured it out! Here's what I did (sorry, I tend to over-include information)
It started when I found a link on the Android TV Box forum about debricking RK3188 TV boxes. There was a process where the NAND was reset and then set to Mask Mode by shorting pins and pressing buttons; then the firmware was flashed with RK Batch Tool.
So I loaded RK Batch Tool and driver onto my Windows 10 computer, brought the head unit in and removed the bezel to expose the SoM.
Sadly, this SoM used a different NAND chip that did not have visible pins. So I started messing around.
At first, I couldn't get the PC to recognize the HU after trying the standard recovery process. Finally, out of frustration and without expecting any results, I tried one last thing. These are the steps:
1. Download Rockchip DriverAssistan v.4.4 and RockChip Batch Tool 1.4 zip files.
2. Extract files from each into separate directories.
3. Run Driverinstall.exe.
4. When done, run RKBatchTool.exe
5. Load your desired firmware into RK Batch Tool by pressing the dots button after the "FW Path" field.
6. Power the HU by connecting the 12V (yellow), ACC (Red) and ILL (orange) wires with 12 volts with a benchtop power supply. (Orange isn't really necessary, but it made me feel better to see the lights on.)
7. Connect the HU to the computer with a USB cable.
8. Press and release reset and wait 10 seconds.
9. Press and hold the power button for 10-15 seconds as if you were turning it off normally.
10. Release the power button and within 1 or 2 seconds press and hold it again for another 10-15 seconds until you hear your PC indicate it's loading a driver. At this point RK Batch Tool should show a connected device and the number 1 will light up blue.
11. Press the "Restore" button on RK Batch Tool. The number 1 will flash yellow while it uploads the firmware.
12. When done, repeat steps 8 and 9. The splash screen and logo screen should show up after a short while.
13. After unsuccessfully waiting a long time for it start the launcher, press reset.
14. Wait for HU to boot up and go into whatever flavor launcher you are using.
Two things to note:
1. It was helpful using a power supply with a current meter so you can actually see the current drop that indicates it's ok to release the power button and press it again.
2. When the firmwareI sideloading completed, RK Batch Tool showed a red error message "<Layer 2-6> Download Firmware Fail." Do not worry. Disregard the error message and continue with the steps.
I hope this works as well for you as it did for me.
Let me know and feel free to contact me if you're having trouble. Good luck! :laugh: :laugh:
@ibdegen
Thanks for the help, I followed your guide to the letter but unfortunately it didn't work.
Here's what I did:
- laptop runnin' Windows 7
- tried both USB ports in the unit - 3G and USB
- installed the drivers, installer said everything went fine
- I'm using a tabletop power supply which is working fine
Here's what happens:
I power UP the HU, doesn't matter if I plug in USB or 3G.
This unit is totally bricked. Only the lights in the buttons work.
I press Reset and RELEASE IT right away. When pressed the lights go off, upon depressing they turn back on.
I wait 10 seconds, I press hard on the power button, the lights go off but come back on around 10 seconds later.
I depress it, lights go off, I press hard again within a second or two, lights go on, and then nothing.
I've done this many times and nothing works.
I started frantically pressing the Power button out of frustration and I think I heard the standard "new USB device connected" sound of Windows 7 ONCE, but nothing really happened.
Wife has the car at work right now so cannot try this until later. My unit is a MTCB. Do you think your method will still work? I saw the RK3188 Android TV Mask mode as well but didn't want to risk it since the person i bought it from is willing to attempt a repair/replacement. I found the proper MCU GS file and will flash that with a 5.1.1 Fused Rom so i can use the full internal space! Will report back if all goes well. Thank you
Also noticed i cannot flash a MCU alone with the batch tool. update_5_1_1_FUSE_1024X600_RK3188_04_MAL_06_09_2016_MTCB This is the closest firmware I can find that may work for my MTCB GS unit. Will it work?
Possible Extra Steps
NaviPR said:
@ibdegen
Thanks for the help, I followed your guide to the letter but unfortunately it didn't work.
Here's what I did:
- laptop runnin' Windows 7
- tried both USB ports in the unit - 3G and USB
- installed the drivers, installer said everything went fine
- I'm using a tabletop power supply which is working fine
Here's what happens:
I power UP the HU, doesn't matter if I plug in USB or 3G.
This unit is totally bricked. Only the lights in the buttons work.
I press Reset and RELEASE IT right away. When pressed the lights go off, upon depressing they turn back on.
I wait 10 seconds, I press hard on the power button, the lights go off but come back on around 10 seconds later.
I depress it, lights go off, I press hard again within a second or two, lights go on, and then nothing.
I've done this many times and nothing works.
I started frantically pressing the Power button out of frustration and I think I heard the standard "new USB device connected" sound of Windows 7 ONCE, but nothing really happened.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@NaviPR
Sorry it didn't work. I'm encouraged if in fact the computer chimed.
First try the same thing, but hold the buttons longer, e.g. reset 10 secs, power 20 secs. after reset release.
Also, I did 2 other things before the hard off/on process but didn't think they were related. Maybe they are:
A. Try to get into recovery by:
1. Turning 12V on while holding the power and reset buttons.
2. After 5-10 seconds, release the reset button and keep pressing the power button for another 10-15 seconds
3. Release the power button; within 2 seconds press it again and hold another 10-15 seconds; release
4. If no boot logo shows up after a minute or so, try the hard off/on procedure.
B. Reset the NAND chip (I found nothing to confirm this is how it's done. I just assumed.)
1. Remove the front bezel to expose front of SoM board. Be careful not to damage the ribbon cables.
2. There are 2 pairs of silver test-point looking dots on each side of the NAND chip (see picture)
3. With power disconnected, short each pair individually.
4. Do A again. Then do my hard off/on procedure, holding the buttons longer.
Again, the key is to get the PC to chime and RK Batch Tool to show a connected device.
I don't know if the difference between Windows 7 and Windows 10 had anything to do with it, but you may want to consider it. Maybe try an older RK Batch Tool version with Win7. Also, try a different USB cable.
Hope this helps.
MTCB vs MTCD
shawndak said:
Wife has the car at work right now so cannot try this until later. My unit is a MTCB. Do you think your method will still work? I saw the RK3188 Android TV Mask mode as well but didn't want to risk it since the person i bought it from is willing to attempt a repair/replacement. I found the proper MCU GS file and will flash that with a 5.1.1 Fused Rom so i can use the full internal space! Will report back if all goes well. Thank you
Also noticed i cannot flash a MCU alone with the batch tool. update_5_1_1_FUSE_1024X600_RK3188_04_MAL_06_09_2016_MTCB This is the closest firmware I can find that may work for my MTCB GS unit. Will it work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@shawndak-
I'm sure the MTCB HU uses a different SoM board. With any luck, it's the board that has a NAND with exposed pins like the one in the RK3188 TV Box unbrick thread. If so, try the following procedure:
-Reset NAND by shorting pins 5&6.(See picture)
-Open RKBatchTool.
-Press and hold Reset / Short pins 7&8 / Plug in USB cable at same time (requires 2 hands or contortionist LOL)
-Release Reset after device appears in RK Tool.
According to the thread I borrowed this procedure from, the HU should only be powered through the USB cable. However, if it doesn't work that way, try connecting it to a separate power supply and turn it on after plugging in USB cable.
Good luck!
PS. Sorry, I don't know if the FUSE firmware will work on the MTCB. @Malaysk has separate sections for MTCB/MTCC firmware and MTCD firmware, so you may want to confirm that you sourced the firmware from the correct section.
PPS. I want to credit the author of the TV Box thread, but I can't find it again.
UNBRICKED!!!! I hooked up the laptop with the drivers installed and batch tool open. Loaded the firmware. Then i did this exactly,
1. Turning 12V on while holding the power and reset buttons.
2. After 5-10 seconds, release the reset button and keep pressing the power button for another 10-15 seconds
3. Release the power button
Boom computer recognized the device. I pressed restore and it flashed the unit in about 5 minutes. Then it booted up!!!! Feeling invincible I loaded the 5.1.1 rom over the 4.4.4. Everything worked! I have Android 5.1.1 on a PF73AA4A MTCB GS MCU!!! So when are we getting Marshmallow? lol Nougat? The Fused rom is amazing, so much room for activites!!! Thanks everybody!
@shawndak Tried your method, doesn't work.
Try a different computer. You said a male to male cord, are you using a usb to usb B (mini) and plugging it into the front of the unit?
Make sure you have the most updated tools as well https://androidmtk.com/download-rockchip-factory-tool. You have to install the drivers!!!! They are located at the bottom of that page!
@shawndak The unit doesn't have a front USB, only back USBs.
NaviPR said:
@shawndak The unit doesn't have a front USB, only back USBs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whats the model? Can you send a link or a picture?
@shawndak It's just a KGL model for a pre-lifting W203 Mercedes-Benz without a front USB.
I've already unbricked that one + two other units using @Malaysk's other method http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=67184851&postcount=50
It worked 100%, although I had to use a USB drive.
All you have to do is create a recovery card using the program from the post, get a USB drive, load some factory firmware onto it, then insert the card into the GPS slot and the pendrive to the USB. Then, if the card initializes recovery but gives you an error message, remove it - it will go into regular recovery mode - and update from the USB.
NaviPR said:
@shawndak It's just a KGL model for a pre-lifting W203 Mercedes-Benz without a front USB.
I've already unbricked that one + two other units using @Malaysk's other method http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=67184851&postcount=50
It worked 100%, although I had to use a USB drive.
All you have to do is create a recovery card using the program from the post, get a USB drive, load some factory firmware onto it, then insert the card into the GPS slot and the pendrive to the USB. Then, if the card initializes recovery but gives you an error message, remove it - it will go into regular recovery mode - and update from the USB.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very interesting. Perhaps slow format those cards and attempt it again. If not try a warranty claim with whomever you bought it through. Good luck!
@shawndak I don't think the card is at fault here.
Anyway, read Malaysk's guide and follow it to the letter. In case your unit gives you an error message saying that you have to remove the card, do it and you will be dumped into regular recovery mode with the USB stick still plugged in. Just load the firmware from there.
Like I said, I've unbricked 3 KGL units using this method.
@NaviPR
Did you try both of my alternative methods?
It shouldn't matter that the USB port is not on front other than having to remove the HU to access the rear ports.
Admittedly, I also have a W203 so I know it's not as easy as removing the HU from a W220.
However, it sounds like @Malaysk's method is better because you don't have to remove the HU, etc. Is that right?
Wish it popped up during my search. Would have saved me a lot of time if it worked.
Nevertheless, since @ShawndaC and I were successful with my solution(s), maybe yours bricked under different circumstances.
using malaysk technique I can fix 60% of bricked devices I get
another 40% need the hardware repair and parts.
I repair many head units daily
shawndak said:
UNBRICKED!!!! I hooked up the laptop with the drivers installed and batch tool open. Loaded the firmware. Then i did this exactly,
1. Turning 12V on while holding the power and reset buttons.
2. After 5-10 seconds, release the reset button and keep pressing the power button for another 10-15 seconds
3. Release the power button
Boom computer recognized the device. I pressed restore and it flashed the unit in about 5 minutes. Then it booted up!!!! Feeling invincible I loaded the 5.1.1 rom over the 4.4.4. Everything worked! I have Android 5.1.1 on a PF73AA4A MTCB GS MCU!!! So when are we getting Marshmallow? lol Nougat? The Fused rom is amazing, so much room for activites!!! Thanks everybody!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
5.1 working normaly or lil bit lagY?
I've tweaked it a bit so it's running pretty dang good. I'd wait for the update that's coming out soon!
Do you know how can I enter recovery / reinstall firmware on a Winston PX3 without any buttons? just reset.
The unit is made of Opel Insignia and uses the car button. The power power button only switches the screen on / off and nothing more.
Is stuck at the lollipop logo without anything else.
I tried all the method here... reset, keyboard without any luck
RK tools not working since is not seen by the laptop
Bootable SD, same... no luck.
Thanks in advance
I also want to know that, never find solutions at this time.
I have same car with same head unit, do you have a good radio reception?
Read here and tell us if it works ... on my witson px3 android 5.1.1 works this procedure to enter in recovery... good lock
bcostea said:
Do you know how can I enter recovery / reinstall firmware on a Winston PX3 without any buttons? just reset.
The unit is made of Opel Insignia and uses the car button. The power power button only switches the screen on / off and nothing more.
Is stuck at the lollipop logo without anything else.
I tried all the method here... reset, keyboard without any luck
RK tools not working since is not seen by the laptop
Bootable SD, same... no luck.
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Solved after taking out the unit.
The trick with power button does not work since on Insignia access to the power radio buttons is via canbus interface. Power button only switches screen on and off when not in Android... nothing more.
So solution:
Is easier if the unit is not mounted in the car, I have not tried to enter recovery after a reset, but maybe I will try sometime.
1. Disconnected all power from the unit... ACC & BAT disconnected
2. Prepared 12V power supply with on negative and two positive connectors
3. Connected negative to GND & one positive to BAT
4. Connected USB keyboard
5. Press right ALT (ALT GR on some keyboards) and PrintScreen
6. Connected the other positive lead to ACC (unit does not work if both BAT and ACC are not connected)
6a. Start pressing repeatedly on E (not holding E pressed, but press...release... press... release..... rapidly)
7. The boot logo shows (Lollipop...etc) and after a few seconds the unit reboots itself
8. Release right CTRL & PrintScreen and continue to repeatedly press on E.
9. The Recovery shows on screen.
Sweet success at last.
I put a USB stick with Hal9k room and selected install from USB and clean... waited for 15-20 minutes and everything fine.
Mounted the unit in the car after switching to MicroG and configuring apps.
Hope this helps others who have problems getting into recovery.
fabro91 said:
I also want to know that, never find solutions at this time.
I have same car with same head unit, do you have a good radio reception?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
Found solution, described in the previous post.
Reception is good. I had also a power amplifier mounted but did not improve reception futher so got rid of it.
Hal9k ROM with MicroG is much faster than stock one.
Hi,
First of all, please excuse me if I have post on the wrong forum. I really searched a lot for a similar question but haven't found it. My unit's MCU versoin is MTCE_CZ_V3.10_2, so I don't know if it's really a "MTCE" head unit, but I don't see a MTCE specific sub-forum (by the way, what does the MTCD, MTCB and so on nomenclature mean?). I got this unit from AliExpress about a year and a half ago, it's a 4 GB, octa-core [email protected] version, with 64 GB internal memory and DVD, for Vauxhall/Opel Corsa, and this is the current (updated) product page for it:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32789005299.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dbyAN90
It currently displays a PX6 version; mine is the PX5 one.
Well, the problem with the unit happend a few weeks after I installed it on my car. Suddenly, one time, when I started my car's engine, I noticed the unit wouldn't turn on. No matter how times I attempted to reset it, it wouldn't do anything (although when doing so, through the small pin hole, colorful led light would cycle through the cover.
I contacted Wondefoo and they sent-me a an HTC-PX5--REV12(LPDDR-221), 20190515, board replacement, exactly like the original one. After replacing it, the unit started working again.
In january 2020 this happened again. Tried exchanging it again with the original MCU; nothing worked.
Nearly two months later I attempted the same procedura and this time it worked - the unit started working again.
My bet is that something is causing this unit to get stuck, and after enough time passes and the capacitors get emptied and the DRAM erases, it's able to "recover" somehow.
Maybe 6 months ago, this happened again. Out of frustration, in the middle of a drive, once I started pushing all the buttons randomly. Finally, I don't know by which combination, the unit turned on, displaying a recover menu. I don't know how, simple choosed to restart and it became working again.
Some weeks later, after getting unresponsive again and trying the "random button push" procedure, the menu showed up again. This time I attempted a factory reset and got the unit working for severl weeks.
Finally, my unit died for the last time about two months ago and I haven't been able to recover it by the "pushing buttons" method, neither by disconnecting it from the power source and reconnecting days later. I came back to the original radio player, which is a hassle as the CD player is also broken.
I'd like to try echanging the MCU with the spare one; I'm almost sure that it will work again, but before doing so I'd like to assure that I won't find myself in this situation again, as it's a waste of time. Maybe the problem is known and you can recommend me a software version / update that would prevent this from happen again. Maybe there is some sort of hardware mod that can be attempted by replacing some component. Maybe you know how to "hard reset" it from some motherboard pins, maybe where I could mount a switch to do so when the unit becomes dead, or maybe you can tell me the proper key combination for the recovery menu.
I've also found some firmware pages, namely https://yadi.sk/d/umCvHqCDzHccr, with a long list for several models. It looks more or less clear where to get the MCU firmware, but for the Android image it's a bit more complicated. If I enter the RockChip PX5 Android 9 folder, then HTC subfolder, there are several HTC4_XXXXXXXXXXX, HTC5_XXXXXXXXXXX and HTC_XXXXXXXXXXX options, and the same for RockChip PX5 Android 10 (assuming that there were an Android 10 update for my hardware; it came with Android 9 if I'm not wrong), so I don't know which one to attempt.
PS: the "reset" little hole never has really worked for me in this situation. It just will cycle to RGB leds if I push it with a paperclick and, while pushing, press the "on" button, and they will shut off when I release the button, but that's all.
Noone encountered a similar problem?