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Posts: 11 | Thanked: 0 times | Joined on Feb 2011
#31
thank u guys for helping me
i really appreciate that

i did what u said successfully

but guys could u tell me what these commands do?

mount -t ext3 /dev/mmcblk1p2 /mnt
cp -a /home/* /mnt
mkdir /mnt/opt
cp -a /opt /mnt

i didnt notice any difference in rootfs
how can i notice that

and thank u so much
 
Posts: 2,102 | Thanked: 1,937 times | Joined on Sep 2008 @ Berlin, Germany
#32
Well it is intended to leave no difference in rootfs, because you mount a fresh partition to an empty directory in the directory hierarchy: to /mnt. Both of the copy commands then go onto the freshly mounted partition.
You may check with
Code:
df
No change in rootfs, but quite some space occupied in /mnt.
 
Posts: 11 | Thanked: 0 times | Joined on Feb 2011
#33
guys u r geniues

im very gratefull

thank u michaaa62
thank u durango

at least im feel ok of my device

and pls guys if u have a new updates to solve this problem completely
pls let me know in this thread

thank u very very much
 
Posts: 28 | Thanked: 4 times | Joined on Mar 2011 @ Lebanon,Beirut
#34
Originally Posted by Durango View Post
ZIP CONTENTS UPDATED 2011.02.13 22:40 CET

I threw together a zip that should help those of us with this problem get back up and running quicker. I mainly threw it together so that I could experiment and if I had to reflash it wouldn't be such a pain in the *** lol. But it should be helpful. It's a work in progress, and I take no responsibility if you brick your device. That said, I've run it (as zipped) on my N900 with no ill side effects.

emmcworkaround.zip
2011.02.13 02:25 CET: updated documentation with corrections
2011.02.13 22:40 CET: added information about file system creation; improved readability

READ THE READMES!
if i do this i will be able to install new applications on my n900?
as i dont have any room for any application at the moment
the phone is working because i made swap on the sd card...
 
Posts: 42 | Thanked: 19 times | Joined on Dec 2007
#35
Yes, the zip basically has a few scripts that I wrote so I wouldn't have to keep typing everything in on the N900 keyboard every single time I had to reflash it.

Be aware that a few things still aren't quite right; for instance I can't connect the phone to my laptop via USB for file read/writing (to either internal or microSD storage). I know this is a problem in one of the files that I patched and it should be able to be corrected, I just haven't looked into fixing it yet because I've been busy and the phone's been functioning 'good enough.'

Few questions:
How big is your microSD card?

You've only made the linux 'swap' file so far correct? Can you describe or copy the code that you used to do that? Just to make sure you use the scripts in the download correctly.
 

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Posts: 147 | Thanked: 228 times | Joined on Feb 2010 @ Toronto, Canada
#36
Originally Posted by Durango View Post
I know it can be done, but the thought of putting the whole board in the oven doesn't sit well with me. Certain components would definitely have to be removed (camera, keyboard sticker thing, but that would probably have to be replaced anyway...), plus I'm worried about flow it might cause at the other solder joints.

If anything, the existing solder on the chip/board would need to be cleaned away and it would have to be reballed. But it would not be easy.
I have successfully reflowed the dreaded Nvidia video cards in three laptops, and they continued working for 2-6 months afterwards. I did not bake the motherboards. I covered them completely in tin foil, leaving only the video chip exposed. Then I used a heat gun to reflow them (there is a great video on youtube of a thinkpad being reflowed using this technique).

But the situation in your case is both better and worse at the same time. These laptops still had the video chips attached to the PCB, which made reflowing easy. However the original manufacturing defect was still present which is why the fix was only temporary.

If you manage to line up the chip with the PCB and then you reflow your N900, the chance is pretty decent it will work as new.
 
Posts: 28 | Thanked: 4 times | Joined on Mar 2011 @ Lebanon,Beirut
#37
Originally Posted by Durango View Post
Yes, the zip basically has a few scripts that I wrote so I wouldn't have to keep typing everything in on the N900 keyboard every single time I had to reflash it.

Be aware that a few things still aren't quite right; for instance I can't connect the phone to my laptop via USB for file read/writing (to either internal or microSD storage). I know this is a problem in one of the files that I patched and it should be able to be corrected, I just haven't looked into fixing it yet because I've been busy and the phone's been functioning 'good enough.'

Few questions:
How big is your microSD card?

You've only made the linux 'swap' file so far correct? Can you describe or copy the code that you used to do that? Just to make sure you use the scripts in the download correctly.
i have a 8gb sd card
i use this code to enable swap on sd card:

swapon /dev/mmcblk1p2

i have to type this code in the xterminal every time i boot the phone!
so what i understand from you is that i wont be able to transfer files from my computer to the n900 using the usb cable but i will have a full functional device(enough space for applications to run/install,contacts,...)?
 
Posts: 28 | Thanked: 4 times | Joined on Mar 2011 @ Lebanon,Beirut
#38
Originally Posted by cr0c0 View Post
I have successfully reflowed the dreaded Nvidia video cards in three laptops, and they continued working for 2-6 months afterwards. I did not bake the motherboards. I covered them completely in tin foil, leaving only the video chip exposed. Then I used a heat gun to reflow them (there is a great video on youtube of a thinkpad being reflowed using this technique).

But the situation in your case is both better and worse at the same time. These laptops still had the video chips attached to the PCB, which made reflowing easy. However the original manufacturing defect was still present which is why the fix was only temporary.

If you manage to line up the chip with the PCB and then you reflow your N900, the chance is pretty decent it will work as new.
yes but i am not an expert and i wouldnt dare to open my n900!
if nokia couldnt do it how can i :P?
i sent it to nokia care all that they did is reflashed the phone and told me it cant be repaired!
 
Posts: 79 | Thanked: 21 times | Joined on Sep 2007
#39
I reflowed my N900 after being dropped. The flash wasn't completely loose as in Durango's case.

If you ever think about it:

Peel off the keymat, store it on a CD jewel case. Can be reused.

Desolder the tiny button cell backup battery (double-layer capacitor). It will get fried by the preheater.

Remove the camera. This is the hardest part if you don't have the official tool.

It's very difficult to remove the border of the cage around the flash chip. I damaged some of its solder pads. Not crucial, though.

I needed four attempts until I was brave enough to apply enough heat for reflowing ;-) Don't push on the chip. Let it flow.

Take care of the tiny static discharge protection chips. They easily fly away or move. Then, you'll have shorts between USB pins and ground.

Now works again since a few months :-))

Last edited by tvogel; 2011-04-13 at 12:57. Reason: typo
 

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Posts: 147 | Thanked: 228 times | Joined on Feb 2010 @ Toronto, Canada
#40
Originally Posted by gng554 View Post
yes but i am not an expert and i wouldnt dare to open my n900!
if nokia couldnt do it how can i :P?
i sent it to nokia care all that they did is reflashed the phone and told me it cant be repaired!
Large companies usually do not repair individual components, as many people with the broken N900 USB ports found out. Most of them received brand new phones, or were left with their original broken ones. From talking to people in the industry, the way electronics are manufactured is as follows (correct me if I'm wrong, those I spoke with were building custom PCBs, not full devices):

- Company A designs a device (e.g. smartphone) in full detail.
- Specialized company B creates fully functioning prototypes, sometimes at a cost of thousands per unit based on the Company A design, since every single component has to be hand made
- Once testing is complete on the prototypes, Company A either contracts company C to fully manufacture the device (like Apple contracts Foxconn to manufacture the iPhone) OR issues several contracts for individual components to companies C-Z, and then assembles the components in-house.

So Nokia probably does not have a specialized lab with technicians dedicated to repairing individual N900 systemboards, at least not on a scale capable of dealing with thousands of broken phones a day across their entire range of devices.

Proper reflowing requires VERY expensive equipment if you want it done professionally with a low failure rate. I'll admit my suggested method has a high failure rate, but it does work most of the time. And since your phone is fubared anyway, it's worth the risk.

Last edited by cr0c0; 2011-04-15 at 01:36.
 
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