Looking for firmware for M8S+ (M8+20160126-V13) *Pics inside*

[morty421]

Can someone help me find firmware for this m8s+?

EDIT: If the images appear too small, please view the images from my shared Google Drive folder: https://drive.google.com/folderview?...XYtdVdfWHB5Qms

[redliquid]

Can someone help me find firmware for this m8s+?

EDIT: If the images appear too small, please view the images from my shared Google Drive folder: https://drive.google.com/folderview?...XYtdVdfWHB5Qms

How to unbrick this device (and firmware also) (Dia's method):

1. Download this u-boot https://mega.nz/#!nkYEyawZ!D8vrZgrFf...Rj9y9IqCU7qUbw
2. Download this firmware https://mega.nz/#!NcxQzAxZ!eiWD0Ic2H...NkZ_KG944k_ipc
3. Extract zip file and replace the u-boot.bin with the one from mega.nz
4. Format sd card with the u-boot.bin
5. Copy all files (factory_update_param.aml , M8S+-ota-20151216.zip, recovery.img and u-boot.bin) onto the sd card
6. Use the toothpick method

Greetings from Poland.

[redliquid]

Can someone help me find firmware for this m8s+?

EDIT: If the images appear too small, please view the images from my shared Google Drive folder: https://drive.google.com/folderview?...XYtdVdfWHB5Qms

I think, that You should read this topic:
http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-...81-bricked-m8s

There are a lot useful informations about Your hardware.

[morty421]

I think, that You should read this topic:
http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-...81-bricked-m8s

There are a lot useful informations about Your hardware.

Hi redliquid,

It seems ethernet is not working on the firmware from that thread. But I am still going to test with it.

I already recovered my bricked m8s+. But now I am trying to find a firmware that makes ethernet work! I would also like to get the remote to work but that is less important since it can be worked-around by using any RF remote with a dongle.

So I guess I should be more specific... Anyone have a firmware for my m8s+ with working ethernet?

[morty421]

How to unbrick this device (and firmware also) (Dia's method):

1. Download this u-boot https://mega.nz/#!nkYEyawZ!D8vrZgrFf...Rj9y9IqCU7qUbw
2. Download this firmware https://mega.nz/#!NcxQzAxZ!eiWD0Ic2H...NkZ_KG944k_ipc
3. Extract zip file and replace the u-boot.bin with the one from mega.nz
4. Format sd card with the u-boot.bin
5. Copy all files (factory_update_param.aml , M8S+-ota-20151216.zip, recovery.img and u-boot.bin) onto the sd card
6. Use the toothpick method

Greetings from Poland.

I tried these files again again, replacing u-boot.bin and using BootCard Maker to format the SDCARD.

The m8s+ will start the upgrade process, but when its finished it does not reboot and the tv screen goes black (no signal). The blue light stays on. Then, if I unplug the power, and plug it back on, the box does not turn on and no light. Bricked.

[redliquid]

Hi redliquid,

It seems ethernet is not working on the firmware from that thread. But I am still going to test with it.

I already recovered my bricked m8s+. But now I am trying to find a firmware that makes ethernet work! I would also like to get the remote to work but that is less important since it can be worked-around by using any RF remote with a dongle.

So I guess I should be more specific... Anyone have a firmware for my m8s+ with working ethernet?

1. With this firmware: https://mega.nz/#F!y4ZmQZaI!0G8hPIwHmyul4DvCWdkIrA ethernet doesn't work?
2. Have You tried to clear the cache after flashing process?

[morty421]

REDLIQUID, thank you so much for taking time to reply to my messags. I really do appreciate the kind work(support) done by people like you on this forum. THanks!!

1. With this firmware: https://mega.nz/#F!y4ZmQZaI!0G8hPIwHmyul4DvCWdkIrA ethernet doesn't work?

I never bothered to test that firmware since the name of the file indicates its for an M8S and not M8S+. However, I still went ahead and tried it right now.

I am using a 1GB Kingston SDCard.
I used Bootcard Maker to format the drive, and selected the u-boot.bin file from the above zip archive.

First attempt I only copied the 3 files from the above zip (amlogic_sdc_burn.ini, aml_upgrade_package.img, and u-boot.bin). However the m8s+ will not boot from the SDCard (I get message Cannot load volume /misc!)

Second attempt I copied a recovery.img file (this recovery.img is found in many firmware zip archives for m8s+... I used md5 checker to verify its the same file in multiple firmwares). Even with this recovery.img file, I still cannot get it to boot from the SDCard recovery method. Same error: Cannot load volume /misc!

2. Have You tried to clear the cache after flashing process?

I have not. Which cache do you refer to... and where is it located? In the recovery console I see an option to delete my cache partition but I did not do that (nor do I think I should).

[redliquid]

[...] I have not. Which cache do you refer to... and where is it located? In the recovery console I see an option to delete my cache partition but I did not do that (nor do I think I should).

1. In recovery menu You should have something like "wipe data/factory reset" or/and "wipe cache partition". You should check both options before flashing once more. Maybe this would work.
2. How USB Burning Tool behaves with aml_upgrade_package.img file from https://mega.nz/#F!y4ZmQZaI!0G8hPIwHmyul4DvCWdkIrA ?

[acemaxtec]

http://www.acemax.net.cn/downloading-center/acemax-products-sw-downloading-center-14.html

[Rofl Harris]

OP - I have the exact same box as you, i'm very stuck also.... I bricked mine but managed to get a firmware reinstalled but the new firmware is an older one and wifi and ethernet doesn't work and i can't get into recovery now anymore either, this has been wrecking my head for days! i've tried many img files through the usb tool and none of them get past 2% (apart from the one i have installed)

I asked the suppliers for a stock firmware for the box but it's in the SD format so is pretty useless to me (no recovery as i said)

Is there a way of converting firmware for the SD card method into an IMG file for the USB flashing method? that could work maybe? dunno though, i'm no expert.

[morty421]

I have other properly working M8S+ units. Today I used TWRP to create a backup of a working M8S+ and I successfully applied it to my broken M8S+. I really thought I fixed it.

BUT... ETHERNET still not working (but the remote is finally working properly again). Ethernet ALWAYS shows "Not Connected". When I plug the ethernet cable into the box, I do see the led light from inside the RJ45 port on the tvbox. I have verified the ethernet cable is working (it works fine on my other M8S+ boxes).

So now the question....

How in the hell does ethernet just stop working on a box like this? Is this likely a hardware issue now? Seems very strange since this all happened from a bad firmware flash.

I like to understand all the steps I do on these boxes, and not just follow instructions blindly. Can someone tell me if deleting cache partitions at this point is useful to try? Or are there other things I might want to try to get ethernet working again?

[Rofl Harris]

I have other properly working M8S+ units. Today I used TWRP to create a backup of a working M8S+ and I successfully applied it to my broken M8S+. I really thought I fixed it.

Any chance you could upload your backup so i can try it on mine? i'm stuck with no wifi or ethernet on my current FW.... Pretty useless at the moment.

Is it 4.4 or 5.1?

Cheers.

[morty421]

So I went into recovery console again, cleared cache, and used factory restore option. Box booted back up just like from factory. But STILL Ethernet not connected

I do see the MAC address. I have not tested STATIC IPs because I know my DHCP is working properly (I tested this same network cable on other M8S+ boxes which connect fine). I am going to check my router logs to see if I can see any indication of network activity from this box. I will continuely update this until I solve or give up

[morty421]

Any chance you could upload your backup so i can try it on mine? i'm stuck with no wifi or ethernet on my current FW.... Pretty useless at the moment.

Is it 4.4 or 5.1?

Cheers.

Rofl Harris, Its Android 5.1.

Heres is how I CREATED my backup image:

You do not need to do these steps. I am posting this for informational purposes for others.

-Downloaded TWRP_M8S.img from http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-...mlogic-devices (NOTE: there does not appear to be any image name with M8S+ in it... so I picked the M8S image and it worked fine on my tv box)
-Renamed TWRP_M8S.img to recovery.img and copied it to a 4GB SDCard. Now the SDCard has only 1 file on it named recovery.img.
-Put SDCard in a *WORKING* M8S+, use toothpick method to boot from the SDCard. TeamWinRecovery loaded!
-Used "Backup" option from menu to create a backup of all my partitions (except I did not include the cache partition to backup. It reported 0 bytes anyways). I had to change the DESTINATION of the backup to go to the SDCard instead of Internal Memory.

I now have a backup I can use on my broken M8S+ box!

How to RESTORE the backup image:

-Use your own backup image (or if you want to try mine see notes below)
-Place SDCard into BROKEN M8S+, and use toothpick to boot from SDCard
-Pick Restore, and follow the prompts

When completed, unit rebooted and my TV Box is now back up and running!

If you do not have another M8S+ box to create your own image, feel free to try mine. I only suggest you do this if your PCB looks like mine, and you are having the same problems as I described.

NOTES on using my backup image:

-Download my morty421-m8splus-personal-twrp-backuprecovery.zip image from https://drive.google.com/folderview?...HhiWlVIS1kxaVE

-Extract zip archive to SDCard. The zip archive is password protected and the password is "morty421". You should have a "TWRP" directory and "recovery.img" file on the root of your SDCard.
-This image has my own software/app configurations. If you do not like, you can factory reset your box the normal way AFTER applying my backup image.



FINAL NOTES:
-I have no idea why, but even after restoring my box original firmware using the instructions above, I still have the "Ethernet Disconnected" problem. My router port shows an LED link light to indicate a proper connection. The LED lights on my RJ45 port do light up. But my router logs do not show any indication of any DHCP requests from the unit. I will likely continue troubleshooting this issue some other day when I feel bored

[Rofl Harris]

Rofl Harris
-Download my morty421-m8splus-personal-twrp-backuprecovery.zip image from https://drive.google.com/folderview?...HhiWlVIS1kxaVE
-Extract zip archive to SDCard. You should have a "TWRP" directory and "recovery.img" file on the root of your SDCard.
-This image has my own software/app configurations. If you do not like, you can factory reset your box the normal way AFTER applying my backup image.

Brilliant, cheers! i'll try that out asap.