How to unbrick the P2 with the looping updating screen using FWDN

[sotodefonk]

Originally Posted by iff2mastamatt

Here are the steps I did to try to recover my P2:
Steps 1-6 are done correctly. Then when the "New Hardware Found" icon pops up, it says "Can windows connect to Windows update to search for new software?". This gives me 3 options: "1). Yes, This time only. 2). Yes, this time and every time I connect a device. 3). No, not this time". I selected "No, not this time". I hit "next" and then the popup asked me "what do you want this wizard to do?". Beneath the question was 2 options: 1). Install the Software Automatically 2). Install from a list or specific location. I selected "select from a specific location". Then I hit "next" and it said if I wanted to choose the driver to install, or to search for the driver in a certain location. (By the way, I have the FWDN files copied to my Desktop). I selected to choose the driver. I selected "next" and it showed the compatible drivers which was "Telechips Firmware Download Driver". I selected the option and hit "next". The popup told me that the driver was not signed by microsoft, but I continued anyways. Then it asked me for vtcdrv file, and asked for me to browse for the location. I hit ok and the FWDN did its thing. Then I hit the "WRITE" button on the FWDN and then desconnected the P2 after it was done loading. I re-booted the P2 and it went through the continous update process again. I re-connected the P2 to my PC after the update, and it did the firmware update again, and then the P2's screen told me to "Disconnect the Cable". Now I'm back to where I started. Any suggestions? Did I do something wrong? Please reply.

If you already installed the correct driver, then just follow the steps again.

Check if the FWDN shows the next code on step 7:

Device Inserted

Device Removed

Device Inserted

-------- TARGET DEVICE INFORMATION ---------
Device Type : NAND Drive
Device Serial Number Type : SN_VALID_32
Device Serial Number : [ 00000000000000000000000]
Device Hidden Size : 202240 pages
Device SDRAM Configuration Value : 0x22E92010

If it not shows that, redo all the steps until you reach this status.

When it shows that, press the Write Button, then when it finishes, disconnect the P2, and turn it on, without connecting it to the PC, It will try to "update" again the FW but this time it will stop in some screen...

When it happens, connect it again and windows XP will detect it as an MTP player. Please take note that this will only work on windows XP, linux cannot handle MTP players, and for vista, there isnt any driver. If you dont have windows XP (I have winxp with 2nd service pack maybe it will be needed too), and If your SO cannot detect your player as an MTP player, try another computer with windows XP.

Please let me know if this helps you.

[CrowdAds]

[Itt]

iff2mastamatt,

Have you tried re-downloading the files, both the FWDN files and especially the firmware files you are trying to use? It is possible that one of the files you are using has become corrupted. Just a thought.

[iff2mastamatt]

I already re-downladed the FWDN files and saved them to my desktop. Still didn't make a difference. Thanks for the tip anyways, Itt.

[iff2mastamatt]

After I use the "write" on the FWDN, the...
Device Inserted

Device Removed

Device Inserted

-------- TARGET DEVICE INFORMATION ---------
Device Type : NAND Drive
Device Serial Number Type : SN_VALID_32
Device Serial Number : [ 00000000000000000000000]
Device Hidden Size : 202240 pages
Device SDRAM Configuration Value : 0x22E92010
...code appears. (Of coarse with a different serial #). However, I still get the same problem when I disconnect the player.....it updates. Then it is unrecognizable with my PC when I reconnect it, and the P2 had a message displayed on the screen saying "disconnect the cable".

[sotodefonk]

BTW, which version of Windows media Player do you have? Windows XP only support MTP if you have WMP 10 or above... try updating it to the newest WMP.

If you keep getting that result with your PC, I'll recomend you to try in in any other PC.

[iff2mastamatt]

Before I bought my P2, I used WMP 11, and still use it. I have windows XP also. However, I try this on a friends PC, because this is my only one. Thanks for the tip. WMP can't recongnize my P2 either.

[iff2mastamatt]

Media Monkey, SMS, Winamp, WMP 11, and windows explorer can't recongnize my P2 either. I guess I'm stumped.

[hardcase]

iff2mastamatt, I was getting the same thing you got (after trying to go from KR UMS back to KR MTP). It bricked while trying to go from firmware 1.15 to 1.20. What I did to correct it was instead of using the new firmware (1.20) in Step 2 like the instructions say, I used the old firmware (1.15) and was able to continue the rest of the steps after doing this. That might be worth a try for you as well.

[iff2mastamatt]

YES IT WORKED! Thanks for the tip hard case, I owe you a bunch. My P2 has been bricked since 4/17/08, and now it is saved! I just need to add the dictionary and the other files again. It has been a long month without my P2!!!!!

[Itt]

Congrats iffmastamatt! Glad to hear you finally got it working again!

[sotodefonk]

Im glad you finally got it iff2mastamatt

thanks for the info hardcase, added to the stickie for future bricks :P

[spammywammy]

ok, i bricked my p2 and went through your process - but i get stuck on finding the driver. i have the file - but vista won't let me select it. i.e. its probably only accepting files with a certain extension and .sys doesn't seem to be it.

Is there away to force it see the vtcdrv.sys file?

Note: the application never gave me any log message - no device inserted etc, nothing. (i'm running Vista x64)

EDIT: I worked it out - my suspicion about Vista proved correct. Luckily I had XP on a backup laptop and everything ran fine under that. Apparently this method doesn't work on Vista, only XP.

[sotodefonk]

yeah thats right, the driver doesnt work for windows vista...

[riahnna]

Originally Posted by sotodefonk

yeah thats right, the driver doesnt work for windows vista...

After long trying finally I got it to work~~whew
i was doing the samething, downgrading to 1.15 then upgrade to 1.20 with the .dat file (seems to be a big no no...), p2 bricked.

about the driver thing, i have vista, and the same "please install a driver" thing popped up when i was trying to connect my p2. I chosed "not to remind me anymore", then went to the device manager with p2 still connected, u'll see a conflicted storage hardware, then u can manually install the driver from directory.
After doing so, just follow the guide. Also i did use the 1.15 firmware instead of 1.20 on FWDN, 1.20 seemed not to work as it continued looping after i worte the files in.

this post saved my life ~~thx thx

[hardcase]

Glad it worked for you too iff2mastamatt

[boricua78]

it works great, yeah my p2 is back

[sqeezeee]

Hi there,

I did try everything I found in this forum. Nothing worked out...

I followed the guide to unbrick my device.But step 10 isn't working for me.
My P2 is not recognized.
Last message on its screen is three lines:

"Please update image
Please update STR File
Please update AUI File"

and then in turns off.
When Trying to connect to PC (XP) I cannot find it in Explorer, nor in WMP and also no sign of it in SMS.

I had it one night. Battery is fully loaded. I'v just used it 2hrs or so.
What could I probably do?
Thanks for any suggestions.

I almost forgott...
Last thing I did - using it on mac, released connection without trashing. Caused this DB 60MB Problem. Formatted. All was fine but had to recoppy games and UCIs. After this was done my P2 stopped after a few seconds booting and just showed the frozen start background.
So its never been on this upgrade looping thing - but nothing helped so I decided to reinstall the FW (tried 1.15, 1.2, 4.13).

It drives me mad. So please help me

[Misterkyu]

Originally Posted by hardcase

iff2mastamatt, I was getting the same thing you got (after trying to go from KR UMS back to KR MTP). It bricked while trying to go from firmware 1.15 to 1.20. What I did to correct it was instead of using the new firmware (1.20) in Step 2 like the instructions say, I used the old firmware (1.15) and was able to continue the rest of the steps after doing this. That might be worth a try for you as well.

This is exactly what happened to me. I didn't like the UMS system so I tried to do all the steps back again to make KR UMS to KR MTP... And the P2 got stuck between 1.15 and 1.2.

Right now I'm at school so I'm gonna try it at home.

[Misterkyu]

Well I got it to install, but it's keep saying player.rom is missing... Where can I get that?

[Misterkyu]

Okay, now it's working. But it formatted everything on the P2. Well it's a whole lot better than having a bricked one. Thanks for the help!