Topic: iRiver H120 CF Mod Attempt - Success!

[EarlyMorningRain]

Will this work to do a CF mod?
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/cf-to-1-8-ide-hard-drive-adapter-18463

still looking for the proper adapter? I found these this past w/end, which are identical to the one in that picture. Certainly don't need 4 of these. If so let me know and I'll send one to ya

[jbell]

That's what I need!  I'll take one and send you back the adapter with a male end. 

Will this work to do a CF mod?
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/cf-to-1-8-ide-hard-drive-adapter-18463

still looking for the proper adapter? I found these this past w/end, which are identical to the one in that picture. Certainly don't need 4 of these. If so let me know and I'll send one to ya

[jbell]

I just replace the battery and did a cfmod to my h120!  When I start the h120 it gets a ATA 80 error. 

Edit:  Got it working thanks to Chuck for the help

[Humbug]

After a very big gap (one year), and the purchase of a CF card reader, a second CF card, and two more CF adaptors, I now have one duff 16GB CF card (for the bin) and a working iRiver H108. Success!

Now to test it records OK.

[florestanus]

Hi,

I have a CF-Mod iHP-120 with bootloader V7-pre4 and rockbox flashed to RAM and ROM (booting from ROM).
I'm not able to update successfully rockbox (actually 3.7.1 version) re-flashing both RAM and ROM, as obviously i can't boot directly from CF (I get ata-80 error)! It was to me impossible to execute correctly the flashing procedure. In fact, according with rockbox official IriverFlashing page, it seems that booting from disk is absolutely necessary, before updating a pre-flashed H1xx.
Are there any solutions to perform the upgrade (apart from reistalling the HD)?

Thanks in advance for any help

[sunjan]

If you still have a functional HD, it's the easiest way to make sure everything is set and updated to the latest version before you move on to the CF mod.
Also, check that your CF card is known to be compatible. There is an incomplete list on rockbox.org, but ideally you could have a few cards lying around and check multiple while modding.

[florestanus]

Hi, Thanks for your answer.
Yes, I have the previous HD, but I don't want to to disassembly the player again every time a new rockbox version is released!
My CF Mod iHP-120 with a 32GB Transcend 400x works flawless, yet It only can boot from RAM or ROM.

[EarlyMorningRain]

Yes, I have the previous HD, but I don't want to to disassembly the player again every time a new rockbox version is released!

you'll have to forgive me as it's been a while (so feel free to correct me if I am wrong), but once you are have a "rockboxed" iRiver and have the CF card mod done to it , there is no reason to disassemble the iriver each and every time a new version of the Rockbox software comes out. Well depends on what you are updating I guess, the firmware (pre-boot loader etc) or the rockbox software? Whenever I updated the software (ie Rockbox), you don't have to put the old (or any) hard drive back in, so no dis-assembly, or at least I didn't.....

[florestanus]

you'll have to forgive me as it's been a while (so feel free to correct me if I am wrong), but once you are have a "rockboxed" iRiver and have the CF card mod done to it , there is no reason to disassemble the iriver each and every time a new version of the Rockbox software comes out. Well depends on what you are updating I guess, the firmware (pre-boot loader etc) or the rockbox software? Whenever I updated the software (ie Rockbox), you don't have to put the old (or any) hard drive back in, so no dis-assembly, or at least I didn't.....

I need to update nothing but rockbox, not the boatloader (V7-pre4 is the last available). As the Cf Mod iRiver will only boot from RAM or ROM (setting the boot sequence), I cannot simply copy the new Rockbox firmware in the CF.
I should have to re-flash both RAM and ROM also. I have already tried this with no success. It looks like this procedure doesn't work before booting the player from disk (I get the "notorious" ata-80 error with the boot sequence setted to disk). 

[sunjan]

My CF Mod iHP-120 with a 32GB Transcend 400x works flawless, yet It only can boot from RAM or ROM.

Either I'm confused or you're contradicting yourself here. You have a CF modded iriver that "works flawless", yet you seem to have some booting problems and sometimes get the ATA-80 error. That doesn't sound flawless to me. 

After a successful CF mod, you should be able to boot it normally by just pressing the play button once, and it starts up, loads Rockbox and is fully operational.
Can you tell us exactly how your modded iriver behaves when doing a normal boot up?

if you have issues, put back your HD, ensure you have the latest bootloader and install the latest Rockbox version.
Follow these instruction, and read the note about ATA-80 error and how to get rid of it here:
http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/CFModGuide#Current_bootloader_install_procedure_for_iRiver_H120

Once you've done that, you never have to open your iriver again. If there is any new Rockbox version released, you can just overwrite the previous, and CF functionality will remain.

[florestanus]

Sorry for my bad english. Pherhaps I haven't made myself understood very well, but I don't think I'm contradicting myself!

I already know the CFModGuide, and I performed exactly the explained procedure when I modded the player.

The "ata error: -80" when trying to boot on CF is a known issue with at least many CF cards, also reported in the link you posted:

"Turn the iriver on with HOLD enabled to enter the bootloader configuration, and proceed to boot the RAM or ROM image. (If you boot the ROM image, you again get ATA -80, of course). You can also make booting the RAM image default. (For me (DavidAJohnston) both RAM and ROM booting work -- booting from disk is the only one that produces ata -80. Since this doesn't seem to be consistent, my best suggestion would be to use whichever one (RAM or ROM) works for you) "

 I have the last bootloader (V7-pre4) neverthless the player only can boot the RAM or ROM image. Setting the boot to disk, i get the the following error:

ata error -80
insert USB cable and press a button

and successively

no partition found

In evidence the Trascend Premium 400x isn't fully compatible.

A part this issue the player works very well, booting to ROM image is very fast, and until this time I thought there wasn't any problem, as I never tried to upgrade rockbox before!

[jbell]

With Transcend cards you have to boot from Ram or Rom!!  What I'm not understanding is why that is a problem.  As long as it boots to Rockbox without the error you will be in good shape.

[florestanus]

With Transcend cards you have to boot from Ram or Rom!!  What I'm not understanding is why that is a problem.  As long as it boots to Rockbox without the error you will be in good shape.

The only problem is that I'm not able to upgrade rockbox! I should have to re-fresh both Ram and Rom and, before performing successfully this operation, I need to boot the player from CF...
Otherwise it is impossible to over-write the Rom image through iriver_flash!

[jbell]

^  I never had this problem and I booted mine from Rom or Ram can't remember know.  I was still able to upgrade.  If you have a stable version of Rockbox there really isn't a need to upgrade anyway.  I would just plug it in to the usb and delete the old RB folder and drag and drop the new one.  Work flawlessly for me. 

[Cheesecadet]

I have a qesion maybe someone can answer.  I was able to successfully do the CF Mod a few months back.  Everything works great except for one thing.

After i have transferred the filed to my computer via USB...I try to unmount the iriver.  My computer says it is safe to remove hardware at which pooint I remove the USB pluf from my computer.  When i do this my player say partition not found and I am not able to turn the unit off by holding the off button.

I have to actually use a paperclip in the reset button on the unit.  Once I do that everything works fine again. 

It's not a huge deal but it is kinda a pain since I have an iSkin on the player that I need to peel off it every time I have to do this.

Has anyone else ever had this issue?

Is there a way to remedy this?

Thanks