More flashing DM600 madness

DannyFS · 24-02-2009

Sorry guys,

I know DM600 flashing is covered in here billions of times.

I want to check that I'm not being a super mega total idiot before I go and buy a Nul Modem Cable.

My DM600 has (had?) PLiJade on.
Seemingly something has cocked up because it hung and will now not reboot.

I've tried to disconnect the power, hold the button in and plug back in.
It does not exist on it's old IP address when I try to open it in Firefox. Also, it's not getting an IP address from my DHCP server.

The lights go:
Red
Red-Green
Red
Red-Green
Red
Green
Red
Green
Red
Green
Red
Green
Red
Green
Red
Red-Green

And that's it. It just sits there. Thing is, I can't remember what the lights did when it used to work. I've read somewhere that PLiJade images prevent you from reflashing DM600s this way..

The lights do exactly the same thing whether I hold the power button or not...

Do I have to do something else or do I just go buy a Nul Modem cable?
Cheers

***compufunk*** · 24-02-2009

It sounds like flash memory has been erased.

Connect the dreambox to your router, make sure DHCP server is enabled in the router. Then power up the dreambox.

Depending on the router you use, you may be able to see the dreambox's IP address in the routers webinterface.

If not, download Angry IP scanner and let it scan your network for live hosts. _http://www.snapfiles.com/get/angryip.html

You should be able to figure out which IP address is the Dreambox's by a process of elimination.

Once you find it, follow steps 3 + 4 in post#1 here Flashing a DM-600 in 4 easy steps

If this doesn't work, use a null modem cable.

***tomthebomb1968*** · 24-02-2009

Is this only happening when you hold the power button in at start up or will the boox boot the Jade image?

If Jade boots go into netwok settings and turn on DHCP, make a note of the ip address, go into the software update menu and select update. It will ask if you are sure, select yes. The box will switch off and on and the red/green flashing will be visable. You should now be able to flash from your web browser with the ip address you notededed

I setup my sisters box and was trying out different images b4 giving it to her, seemed that Jade was the only one that behaved like this, all others flashed directly from holding the power button.

DannyFS · 24-02-2009

Originally Posted by compufunk

It sounds like flash memory has been erased.

Connect the dreambox to your router, make sure DHCP server is enabled in the router. Then power up the dreambox.

Depending on the router you use, you may be able to see the dreambox's IP address in the routers webinterface.

If not, download Angry IP scanner and let it scan your network for live hosts. _http://www.snapfiles.com/get/angryip.html

You should be able to figure out which IP address is the Dreambox's by a process of elimination.

Once you find it, follow steps 3 + 4 in post#1 here Flashing a DM-600 in 4 easy steps

If this doesn't work, use a null modem cable.

Thanks for your advice. Unfortunately, it's already connected to my network. I have a DHCP server and it's not picking up an IP from there. I've also used AngryIP to scan everything from 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.2.255 to check if it had given itself something else for whatever reason. It's a real pain it not having a display, like my 7025 which at least tells you what it's doing!

I guess you're telling me that those light sequences mean it has erased the flash. How odd that it won't connect to my network and try and pick up a DHCP. Oh well.

DannyFS · 24-02-2009

Originally Posted by tomthebomb1968

Is this only happening when you hold the power button in at start up or will the boox boot the Jade image?

If Jade boots go into netwok settings and turn on DHCP, make a note of the ip address, go into the software update menu and select update. It will ask if you are sure, select yes. The box will switch off and on and the red/green flashing will be visable. You should now be able to flash from your web browser with the ip address you notededed

I setup my sisters box and was trying out different images b4 giving it to her, seemed that Jade was the only one that behaved like this, all others flashed directly from holding the power button.

Thanks, but no.. as I said, it won't boot up.

Jade will NOT be going back on this!!!

DannyFS · 24-02-2009

Originally Posted by tomthebomb1968

Is this only happening when you hold the power button in at start up or will the boox boot the Jade image?

If Jade boots go into netwok settings and turn on DHCP, make a note of the ip address, go into the software update menu and select update. It will ask if you are sure, select yes. The box will switch off and on and the red/green flashing will be visable. You should now be able to flash from your web browser with the ip address you notededed

I setup my sisters box and was trying out different images b4 giving it to her, seemed that Jade was the only one that behaved like this, all others flashed directly from holding the power button.

Just noticed from your profile you have Blackhole on your 800... I've tried that on my 7025 but have gone back to GP2 as Blackhole would hang all the time. Especially if I wanted to use both tuners. How are you finding it?

***compufunk*** · 24-02-2009

Originally Posted by DannyFS

Thanks for your advice. Unfortunately, it's already connected to my network. I have a DHCP server and it's not picking up an IP from there.

How can you know that for sure?

Originally Posted by DannyFS

I've also used AngryIP to scan everything from 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.2.255

Its pointless scanning in that way.

Lets say the network you are on is 192.168.1.0, if the dreambox couldn't retrieve an IP address from the DHCP server and set itself to 192.168.2.2 (this is a different network 192.168.2.0).

Because this is a different network, you cant connect to it from your PC so, neither can those addresses be scanned in Angry IP, even if there were live hosts within that address range.

Being on different network ranges, they might as well be on different physical networks because they wont see each other.

Looks like you need to get yourself a null modem cable for this one.

DannyFS · 24-02-2009

Originally Posted by compufunk

How can you know that for sure?

Its pointless scanning in that way.

Lets say the network you are on is 192.168.1.0, if the dreambox couldn't retrieve an IP address from the DHCP server and set itself to 192.168.2.2 (this is a different network 192.168.2.0).

Because this is a different network, you cant connect to it from your PC so, neither can those addresses be scanned in Angry IP, even if there were live hosts within that address range.

Being on different network ranges, they might as well be on different physical networks because they wont see each other.

Looks like you need to get yourself a null modem cable for this one.

Sorry, I don't want to sound ungrateful, but without sounding smartarsey, I do understand how TCP/IP works and don't really need a lesson on it. I have a DHCP server on my LAN and a Cisco router. Not some cheap ISP jobby.

That's why I made it pretty clear in my first post that I had checked the previous "fixed IP" and also the DHCP range.
I also checked the varying "standard ranges", ie between 192.168.0.1-192.168.0.255 192.168.1.1-192.168.1.255 and 192.168.2.1-192.168.2.255 in case the machine had given itself a fixed IP within those ranges.

The reason I posted was that I don't know how the DM600 acts when it tries to pickup an IP address or if it gives itself a fixed IP address somewhere else!!

As I said, I don't mean to sound like an ungrateful tw@tl... I'm sure plenty of people come on here don't understand TCP/IP but I assure you, I do. What I don't get is why it's not trying to pick up an IP address or indeed giving a fixed one!!!

Cheers

**mhku** · 24-02-2009

If it's not booting surely no image is loaded and it won't have an IP address dhcp or static?

Anyway, a null modem cable is always handy to have for those times when nothing else seems to work and you need to reflash it.

DannyFS · 24-02-2009

Originally Posted by mhku

If it's not booting surely no image is loaded and it won't have an IP address dhcp or static?

Anyway, a null modem cable is always handy to have for those times when nothing else seems to work and you need to reflash it.

Gah, I didn't realise this was the case. I thought they had something built in to the hardware that meant you could always hold the "power" button on bootup to reflash.

I know I've never mucked up my 7025 so bad that it won't pick up an IP address for reflashing although you do have the luxury of it appearing ont he display with that model. Considering all I was doing was trying to install the Satankey downloader before this hung I'm amazed that it has screwed up so royally!

I bet a Nul Modem cable is going to cost me an arm and a leg out here!

Cheers guys

***tomthebomb1968*** · 24-02-2009

Originally Posted by DannyFS

Just noticed from your profile you have Blackhole on your 800... I've tried that on my 7025 but have gone back to GP2 as Blackhole would hang all the time. Especially if I wanted to use both tuners. How are you finding it?

Works absolutley perfect for me, have had nothing else on it since v0.3, now on v0.8. A new v09 image was released yesterday for 7025.

***compufunk*** · 24-02-2009

Originally Posted by DannyFS

Sorry, I don't want to sound ungrateful, but without sounding smartarsey, I do understand how TCP/IP works and don't really need a lesson on it. I have a DHCP server on my LAN and a Cisco router. Not some cheap ISP jobby.

If you didn't want to sound smartarsey then why bother making that comment?

Other people come along and read these threads long after you and I are done with them. So its worth having this info in it, even if you don't feel it applies to you. I had no way of knowing what your level of knowledge on the subject is.

Anyway, doing a sweeping scan of different networks achieves nothing, you can only ping whats within your own network address range on the lan.

If the flash has indeed been wiped and it was booting to the flash loader, the box will try to get an IP address using DHCP, if it cant do this then you are bugg3r3d.

It may be that the image is not completely wiped and is partially loading then getting stuck, hence no network comms.

Bottom line is that, if you cant connect to it over ethernet, you need a null modem cable. They are cheap. You can pick them up for less than a tenner.

Originally Posted by mhku

If it's not booting surely no image is loaded and it won't have an IP address dhcp or static?

On the DM600 and some of the other models (maybe all, I dont know), when an image in flash is erased, they will still boot to a point where you can connect over lan and load a new image using a browser.

**mhku** · 24-02-2009

Null modem cables are about £1 on fleabay- you could always ask if they'll post to Spain. e.g. 290298608132 (not a recommendation just one picked at random).

I could be wrong on the IP address but an analogy using a Windows PC would be that until Windows loads it only has the BIOS settings so has no IP address if the operating system doesn't load.

***compufunk*** · 24-02-2009

Originally Posted by mhku

I could be wrong on the IP address but an analogy using a Windows PC would be that until Windows loads it only has the BIOS settings so has no IP address if the operating system doesn't load.

There's low level software built into the dreambox that's independent of the image installed, similar to a BIOS. When image in flash is erased, this software still loads and gives some minimal functionality to allow you to load an image.

If you've ever used 'The Really Simple Flash Assistant' application. This is how it loads a fresh image over LAN.

Its similar to how some PC's allow you to load an operating system over the network.

DannyFS · 24-02-2009

Originally Posted by compufunk

Other people come along and read these threads long after you and I are done with them. So its worth having this info in it, even if you don't feel it applies to you. I had no way of knowing what your level of knowledge on the subject is.

Ok. Apologies. I thought I'd made it clear that the TCP/IP side of things was not a problem for me. Just wanted help on the Dreambox side rather than the TCP/IP networking side.

Originally Posted by compufunk

Anyway, doing a sweeping scan of different networks achieves nothing, you can only ping whats within your own network address range on the lan.

These are simply different class C IP ranges, not "different networks." With a class C subnet mask you should be able to access any of these IP addresses from the same network.

DannyFS · 24-02-2009

Originally Posted by mhku

Null modem cables are about £1 on fleabay- you could always ask if they'll post to Spain. e.g. 290298608132 (not a recommendation just one picked at random).

I could be wrong on the IP address but an analogy using a Windows PC would be that until Windows loads it only has the BIOS settings so has no IP address if the operating system doesn't load.

Bloody €10. But it's done now!!

***compufunk*** · 24-02-2009

Originally Posted by DannyFS

These are simply different class C IP ranges, not "different networks." With a class C subnet mask you should be able to access any of these IP addresses from the same network.

It seems you do need a lesson in TCP/IP.

None of what you have just stated is correct. Let me oblige.

In a class C network the first 3 octets define the network address, the last one defines the host on that network.

network host
192.168.1.2

192.168.1.0 is a different network to 192.168.2.0 Go ahead and change the 3rd portion of your IP address to a different number if you don't believe me e.g. 192.168.4.1 . You wont be able to access anything else on the network.

Class A+B networks are different. In a class A network, the first octet defines the network and the last three the host.

network host
10.2.3.2

So a machine with 10.2.5.8 can see a machine with 10.3.8.3

***sonic1*** · 24-02-2009

I am not sure if this can be done but I have set my DM800 and DM7020 with a fixed IP so your are not relying on a DCHP server.

Here is the info from Dream Multimedia on how to do it with the 800, it's same with my 7020 so test and report back.

Code:

http://www.dream-multimedia-tv.de/dm800/setup_eng.php

DannyFS · 24-02-2009

Originally Posted by compufunk

it seems you do need a lesson in tcp/ip. :d none of what you have just stated is correct. Let me oblige.

In a class c network the first 3 octets define the network address, the last one defines the host on that network.

network host
192.168.1.2

192.168.1.0 is a different network to 192.168.2.0 go ahead and change the 3rd portion of your ip address to a different number if you don't believe me e.g. 192.168.4.1 . You wont be able to access anything else on the network.

Class a+b networks are different. In a class a network, the first octet defines the network and the last three the host.

network host
10.2.3.2

so a machine with 10.2.5.8 can see a machine with 10.3.8.3

255.255.0.0

**mhku** · 24-02-2009

ll I was doing was trying to install the Satankey downloader

I missed that part. You've knackered the image and you'll need to reflash it.

Satan has a knack of doing this (I did it to my 7020 a few months back). Hacksat is more reliable and there's another one in the Hacksat vs. Satan thread.

And let's keep the thread on-topic and civil

DannyFS · 24-02-2009

Originally Posted by mhku

I missed that part. You've knackered the image and you'll need to reflash it.

Satan has a knack of doing this (I did it to my 7020 a few months back). Hacksat is more reliable and there's another one in the Hacksat vs. Satan thread.

And let's keep the thread on-topic and civil

Yeah.. All done now.. Got Darkstar on it with a null modem cable and it seems to be behaving.
Will have a look at that topic. I'm sure I'll be full of questions afterwards but I'm a trial and error learner!

Cheers!

**mhku** · 24-02-2009

A frustrating method of learning but that's pretty much what I did when I first had mine.

It's fairly hard to completely knacker a Dreambox (just stay away from Gemini if it's a clone); the more you play the more you'll become familiar with a null modem cable

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