Notices

Hello my friends! I'm here with my N900 partially "dead".

before the problem: normal use. I have kernel-power and all work fine. I have multiboot but with one only option to boot, but I never had problems. today, I did a kernel update and when I restarted the phone...

the problem: the multiboot says "can't flash kernel, required files not found Guru Meditation #bla". I pressed "0" and "s" and doesn't work (the same thing). ok, I did a search and did

a) kernel flashing: I have tried to restore the kernel, so I downloaded kernel-power.2.6.28-10power49_armel.deb, unpacked it and unpacked data.tar.gz and:

flaser-3.5 -k zImage-2.6.28.10-power49 -l

but I get the same thing.

b) kernel flashing with boot parameters: somewhere in this forum, I saw some boot parameters and tried it

flasher-3.5 -k zImage-2.6.28.10-power49 -l --boot="init=/sbin/preinit_orig ubi.mtd=rootfs root=ubi0:rootfs rootfstype=ubifs rootflags=bulk_read,no_chk_data_crc rw console=ttyMTD,log console=tty0 snd-soc-rx51.hp_lim=42 snd-soc-tlv320aic3x.hp_dac_lim=6"

Now, I don't get the same error, but the white light never shutdown, and the multiboot stops in the "initfs:" step, and restart over an over the n900.

c) stock kernel flashing: trying to solve this, I tried to return to the fonts...

flasher-3.5 -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin --flash-only=kernel -f -R

the same error that I got in the first step.

d) stock kernel flashing with options:

flasher-3.5 -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin --flash-only=kernel --boot="init=/sbin/preinit_orig ubi.mtd=rootfs root=ubi0:rootfs rootfstype=ubifs rootflags=bulk_read,no_chk_data_crc rw console=ttyMTD,log console=tty0 snd-soc-rx51.hp_lim=42 snd-soc-tlv320aic3x.hp_dac_lim=6" -f -R

The same error, and I have the little suspect that the --boot command was not taken by the flasher...

e) I installed uboot fiasco

flasher-3.5 -f -F uboot-and-zImage-2.6.28-20103103+0m5.fiasco

Now, I see the penguin in the screen, but if I type "run noloboot", the multiboots appears (with the same error, obviously). I didn't tried with runmmc because I don't have an SO in the microSD.

current situation: the wall charger works.... at least. I want to keep my programs, I tought that the best thing is make a rootfs reinstall, but at least, if I cannot recover my situation, I want to access to the rootfs, backup some configuration data and then flash a new rootfs.

I'm trying to install meego in the meantime in the microSD... I hope that uboot let me starts meego and meego can access to rootfs.

I appreciate your ideas Regards!!!!

Two more things

I have tried changing boot parameter to boot=/sbin/init but I had the same thing.

I finished dd'ing meego image on the microSD but when I try to "run mmcboot" the uboot says "wrong image format for bootm command", "error: can't get kernel image". and a few seconds after the n900 is shutdown. I will read more about this error.... bye!

The kernel update probably didn't update the Multiboot .item file.

What is your old kernel, and what is your new kernel?
Is your /home EXT4?
Do you still have the Nokia Kernel modules installed?

Hello Hurrian, thanks for your response.

My old kernel is kernel-power49, my new kernel (I don't remember EXACTLY but I think that it is kernel-power50, I just only did the upgrade and then never start again)

I don't know if it is ext4, it has the stock rootfs. I think it is ext3.

Yes, I have the modules installed, because I never uninstalled them. If the upgrader uninstall it, I can't check that.

Regards!!!

Flash the PR1.3 kernel to the rootfs (the one with --flash-only=kernel), then start normally. This will remove uboot and leave you with regular multiboot to Maemo.

Remove multiboot. It does not properly flash kernels, and switching kernels can leave you bricked out of nowhere.