Bricked M8s [SOLVED] (w/o ethernet)

[charlesbronson]

I am new here so hopefully this is the right place to post for help with this.

I was having issues with my M8s constantly freezing so I tried to update to Openelec. Once the update finished, I waited for the box to reboot for a while and decided to manually reboot it (unplug power wait and plug back in). Now the blue light does not come on, it only flashes when power is plugged in or unplugged. The Ethernet leds are working and the hdmi is acknowledged on my tv though it provides no signal.

I have gone through Google like crazy, tried the SD method and the USB burn method. My computer recognizes the box, the wordcup drivers are installed, but no matter what package I try it always produces an error at 2% stating "[0x10105002]Romcode/Initialize DDR/Read initialize status/USB Control setup error".

I have added images of the front and back of my PCB, can anyone tell me if there is an image file that works?

Any help would be great. I have been reading success stories of getting the box working back to Android from the state mine seems to be in.

(Note: Board is a M9&M8_8bit_V1.1 2015/09/2)

[charlesbronson]

[*UPDATE*]

Just as I was about to give up for a while I found an image file that actually flashed via USB burner.
https://mega.nz/#!1Fw1Ta5a!0kpwpqjiY...Q-B09FRcGrsAHY (Originally posted by @redliquid)

It now has gotten me back my blue light, displays H.265 logo and plays the MBox logo. I waited a long time and a blue screen came up with the android mascot stating loading apps and so on. Box finally got going to the launcher but it is constantly freezing. I cannot get into fastboot/recovery to clear the cache or data.

So I guess now my question is does anyone know of the right firmware and ROM files to get things back to normal? I tried to contact the seller of the box 3 days ago and he has given no reply.

[redliquid]

You should check this: http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-...81-bricked-m8s

[charlesbronson]

You should check this

redliquid Thanks for the link, yes I did actually try that posts recommendations. I think at this time one of the big issues I am having is the bootloader/firmware (sorry I am more familiar with Android phones) is incorrect for me. When I hold the toothpick in the AV port the screen will go black instead of going into fastboot/recovery and for a split second you will see yellow text in the bottom left quickly flash stating "Rebooting..." then it goes back to the H.265 logo screen then goes into the OS (That is when it decides too) it freezes a lot at random points.

I tried making a bootable SD but to be honest I don't think it actually gets recognized, unless it is installing and I just don't have the visual on the screen to confirm it's doing anything.

[redliquid]

charlesbronson I had exactly the same problem as You have now - blinking "Rebooting..." message. I have tried a lot of u-boot.bin files for sd card with simmilar effect. If You trying to clear cache/data you can try that (works in my case): FAT formatted pendrive (or sd card) and put on them CORRUPTED openelec zip firmware, for example:
1. Download this: http://amlinux.ru/image/6.0.1/OpenEL...-M8S-6.0.1.zip
2. Decompress and save on sd card/pendrive files: factory_update_param.aml and recovery.img.
3. Decompress OpenELEC-Amlogic.arm-M8S-6.0.1-update.zip, change bootloader.img for different file (from different firmware pack). You can try to delete that file from zip archive, this should works also.
4. Compress data to OpenELEC-Amlogic.arm-M8S-6.0.1-update.zip archive and put it on sd card/pendrive.
5. Connect mouse into M8S USB port.
6. Put your sd card/pendrive into device and try to update it via toothpick method. Update screen should appear, but firmware integration check will fail (OpenELEC-Amlogic.arm-M8S-6.0.1-update.zip/bootloader.img will have different SHA1 that given in META-INF/CERT.SF file). Menu should pop-up. Use your mouse for navigation.

This kind of hack works for my device. Unfortunetly I have sold that device and can't help You more. You can try to put on fresh FAT formatted sd card/pendrive only factory_update_param.aml file with following content:

--wipe_cache
--wipe_data

This may also work, but as I mentioned I can't confirm that without M8S. By the way - i had different PCB layout, and probably different firmware also, but you should check all possibilities as long as USB Burning Tool is recognizing the device.

[charlesbronson]

redliquid Thanks for the details. I ended up getting a link from dia that I was able to use as a bootable SD and everything worked out perfect without a glitch. The box is back up and running I am able to access bootloader/recovery with the toothpick at start up. The version of Android is newer (I think version 5) than what was previously on the box which is no problem for me at all.

Only remaining issues I am having is getting my ethernet going (WiFi works) and trying to figure out how to turn the box off now since my remote doesn't work with it anymore.

[dia]

charlesbronson Try the remote patchers from here

http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-support/amlogic-based-tv-players/s802/eny-acemax-ott/firmware-roms-tools-af/18312-s802-multi-remote-patcher-zips?17689-Remote-Updator=

or

http://bit.do/wakemescottie

[charlesbronson]

charlesbronson Try the remote patchers from here

http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-support/amlogic-based-tv-players/s802/eny-acemax-ott/firmware-roms-tools-af/18312-s802-multi-remote-patcher-zips?17689-Remote-Updator=

or

http://bit.do/wakemescottie

Cannot thank you enough! The "M8S s812 remote" one did it! Everything seems to be mapped correctly. I hate to ask, but do you know if there is a patch for the ethernet? I get lights on the back when the plug is in, it just doesnt seem to want to enable it.

[dia]

charlesbronson. I have no idea about the ethernet issue. Actually I have never tried if mine works sI only you wifi.

[Jayrobles25]

dia Any way I can get the link that charlesbronson used for his m8s? I'm having problems with my wifi after an update. Trying to find a working rom. I also have the m9&m8_8bit_v1.1 board.

[dia]

Here it is my friend

https://mega.nz/#F!y4ZmQZaI!0G8hPIwHmyul4DvCWdkIrA

[slice_n_dyce]

[*UPDATE*]

Just as I was about to give up for a while I found an image file that actually flashed via USB burner.
https://mega.nz/#!1Fw1Ta5a!0kpwpqjiY...Q-B09FRcGrsAHY (Originally posted by @redliquid)

It now has gotten me back my blue light, displays H.265 logo and plays the MBox logo. I waited a long time and a blue screen came up with the android mascot stating loading apps and so on. Box finally got going to the launcher but it is constantly freezing. I cannot get into fastboot/recovery to clear the cache or data.

So I guess now my question is does anyone know of the right firmware and ROM files to get things back to normal? I tried to contact the seller of the box 3 days ago and he has given no reply.

This may be an almost two year old post, but I registered just to say thanks.

I have been trying to flash a bricked M8S for some time now. SD card method failed (including NAND short method). So I finally got a Male to Male USB and USB Burning Tool was failing at 2%.

This firmware you linked to was the only one that took me past 2%. I got as far as 94% (UBOOT/Low power/Send command/Error result) with this firmware. Still haven't recovered the box yet, but at least I know I'm close and it is in fact recoverable.

Thanks again!

[slice_n_dyce]

This may be an almost two year old post, but I registered just to say thanks.

I have been trying to flash a bricked M8S for some time now. SD card method failed (including NAND short method). So I finally got a Male to Male USB and USB Burning Tool was failing at 2%.

This firmware you linked to was the only one that took me past 2%. I got as far as 94% (UBOOT/Low power/Send command/Error result) with this firmware. Still haven't recovered the box yet, but at least I know I'm close and it is in fact recoverable.

Thanks again!

For the sake of completeness for any poor soul Googling how to unbrick their M8S, I am posting.
--
My box says M8 V8_9 20151031 on the board
--
Thought I could update my M8S from KitKat 4.4 to Lollipop 5.1.1 using this China Gadget firmware - http://www.chinagadgetsreviews.com/d...-tv-box-2.html. FAIL (firmware was rejected)! But determined to get Lollipop unto this box I tried another firmware http://www.chinagadgetsreviews.com/d...8s-tv-box.html. No failure message, android robot on screen, thought the firmware update was proceeding as normal. WRONG and EPIC FAIL! Screen went blank; box was unresponsive to the remote control, but the blue LED was still on. Unplug and plug back in: NOTHING. No signal, no LED. Soft bricked!

LESSON: DO NOT USE THE ABOVE TWO 5.1.1 FIRMWARES on this model M8S!!!
--
Tried to unbrick with an SD card using Boot Card Maker (u-boot.bin) and Burn Card Maker (.img file). But the box wouldn't start, not even into recovery, not with the AV reset nor by shorting pins on the NAND.

Eventually I got a USB male to male cable to try the USB Burning Tool. Installed the latest version (2.0.8). The PC would only detect the box when connected to the USB port closer to the corner of the box. Got the firmware… and failure at 2%. As per Google, tried different settings in USB Burning Tool (including changing Temperature Range) as well as different ways of starting the box (including shorting the NAND chip) but ultimately, I simply had the WRONG FIRMWARE. Google finally led me here and to the firmware linked by charlesbronson. THANKS A LOT, because it took me past 2% up to 94%. Then I hit another block. What the heck did "UBOOT/Low power/Send command/Error result" mean anyway?

According to USB Burning Tool's log, the repeated error was this - "failed:cpu temp control cmd NOT supported". OK. So just uncheck the "Temperature Range" setting. Nope! I had to use an OLDER version of USB Burning Tool which did NOT have this setting at all: version 2.0.2 - http://chinagadgetsreviews.blogspot....tool-v202.html - did the trick!

100%!!!

Blue LED comes on. Plug in the HDMI cable and see apps installing. The box has come back to life! Boot into Android AND… no WiFi! But I expected this. The firmware was for AP6330 and by now I know my box is BCM4335.
--
Okay. Hardest part done. Got a firmware which supports BCM4335 WiFi courtesy Entertainment Box - https://www.entertainmentbox.com/lat...ware-download/ (because I wasn't downloading firmware from China Gadget again). Followed instructions and copied the 3 files to an SD card. Just in case, installed TWRP (from Google Play) and flashed the recovery.img found in M8s_2017.zip (copy it from the SD unto the box's internal memory so TWRP can see it). Use reboot.apk to reboot to recovery AND… SUCCESS!!! The firmware in M8s_2017.zip installed and all is well with my M8S again.

Hopefully, Google points someone else to this success story and it helps them.

[waylotul]

I have an OTT M8S box with board M9&M8_8bit_v1.1. This has the 1GB Ram. The wifi chip is KM3213111 XJ-A. The sticker on back says M8S E 4335. IF you have this board you probably have bricked it at least one time trying to find a ROM.

I have tried many ROMs for this device. If you flash the wrong image, you could cause this device to NOT boot from SD card. Even if you have the correct U-bin, it will not boot from SD. Matricom image (and others) would corrupt the partition table and break SD booting. Only shorting the pins and using usb burning tool would recover it.

The only way I recovered this device was shorting the pins 17-18 on the nand, then flashing cyx_m8s_v8.6_bcm4335_8g2g_kodi_addons_160125_USB.i mg.

The box would not boot on that image but it corrected the partitions, I dont know how that all works.....and NO WIFI.

I then flashed M8S (WiFi Compatibility) This is Kit Kat and it works. But I need to get off kitkat since my STB Emulator would not run.

I finally found a 5.1.1 TWRP recovery hosted over at XDA. I got it from this thread
https://forum.xda-developers.com/android-stick--console-computers/amlogic/m8s-ap6330-lollipop-5-1-1-rom-t3585627/page4

On page 5, a member (Originally Posted by aiemassfiria)

posted a TWRP recovery of 5.1.1 based on a ghostware build and this TWRP works, WIFI and LAN.

I downloaded M8S_Standart5.1.1_ROM.zip – M8S 5.1.1 StandartROM and it flashed on the machine perfectly. I was then able to use TWRP to flash Gapps Pico install to get the play store on it. After the flash, I factory reset the device, Ran through setup wizard and play store updated and is working. After installing the Gapps you need to factory reset. Connected LAN and it will work. WIFI will work. Be patient use the setup wizard and be patient. It will finally go through and update google services. My problem was keyboard would NOT come up to enter WiFi key however, pressing a number button on the remote made the keyboard POP up and I entered the WiFi Key. a couple prompts at the begging about what app to open WiFi settings, I chose "settings" "always" after some going back to start of the wizard and proceed to wifi setup, if finally checked for updates and updated google services. Play store works fine.



I wish someone could direct me to a 5.1.1 image for USB burning tool but this TWRP works and has root and you will be impressed how well it runs on this old box.

So many variants of this box but this works when so many other fail or corrupt the partitions.