hard bricked P1, all I get is "PiPO interactive media 4.4.2"

[oreophilus]

Successfully updated my friend's Pipo P1 to RileyROM v1.6 in October, but lately the stability wasn't there (the android "programs running" button would flash the page in a fraction of a second and disappear, and USB keyboard would work under some applications, then not work in other applications), so decided to upgrade to RileyROM v1.8 just a few days ago. The RileyROM v1.8 loaded with an OK, but I missed to check-mark the resource image file. In the RileyRom Flashing instructions for first time users rev 10 documentation, it says to use ROM_Flash_Tool_137.exe, nowhere to be found in the ROM kit zip file, so I searched the net and downloaded a copy of ROM_Flash_Tool_137.exe, worked for v1.6, but didn't work for v1.8 because of the missing resource image file entry I guess. Now looking at page 6 of the documentation, the flash tool has "AndroidTool v2.2" at the top, and I see that that program is included in the ROM kit zip file, but nowhere in the documentation is it mentioned, so I used what was mentioned in the doc for v1.8 since it worked for v1.6. Now my friend's Pipo P1 is hard bricked, don't know if it's because I used the downloaded a copy of ROM_Flash_Tool_137.exe, only gets to Pipo interactive media 4.4.2 and sits there, no USB, even seen an Android on it's back a few times with a lid open and a red exclamation mark, and saw a different kind of USB connection in Device Manager (some 3 letter kind of connection), but now no USB at all. Tested the laptop USB port and cable on an android phone and got an entry in Other devices in Device Manager.


So after reading some threads, it seems like I'm at the "shorting pins on the NAND chip" stage, so I opened the tablet to prepare, and lo and behold, it's all miniature surface mount, and where most of the chips are located, there's a metal cover which I opened to reveal lots of heat sink paste. So what would you suggest? Don't look anything like the circuit found on a YouTube video showing how to unbrick a RK3188, so haven't a clue what pins to short, or how to get that USB to awaken (or is the USB jack damaged?)

So newbie seeks help (with that brick in my stomach feeling, and running out of excuses why my friend hasn't got his tablet back yet).

[rrileypm]

The initial symptoms you are describing sounds like some kind of hardware malfunction...but since you are able to boot to recovery or the boot screen sometimes...It's possible to recover from this problem without having to short any pins.

I'm apologize for the mistyped instructions. RK3288's require the newer flash tool. The fact that there is a Flash_Tool.exe in the root folder of the ROM kit I thought would be sufficiently obvious.

The typical cause of a flash failure is the USB connection.

Make sure you are using a USB 2.0 port...not a USB 3.0. Some laptops have a combination of each...so check to see if there is an alternate port that is USB 2.0 you can use.

Next, make sure you are using the actual cable that came with the tablet. Pipo sends out a special micro USB cable with a little bit longer connector so it will reach into the tablet port better.

With the tablet turned off, hold the esc button (top right single button) connect the USB and press power (the single button on the right side...if you have the tablet positioned in landscape). The flash tool should see the tablet in loader mode.

Make sure you have everything checked. I configure all items to be checked by default.

Erase NAND

Flash ROM

Watch to see if you get any errors. Those errors will be caused by one of two reasons...a bad USB connection or a hardware failure. The typical hardware problem that prevents flashing is a bad NAND chip. There's no way to fix that yourself...the only option is to send the tablet back to Pipo for repairs.

[oreophilus]

The initial symptoms you are describing sounds like some kind of hardware malfunction...but since you are able to boot to recovery or the boot screen sometimes...It's possible to recover from this problem without having to short any pins.

I'm apologize for the mistyped instructions. RK3288's require the newer flash tool. The fact that there is a Flash_Tool.exe in the root folder of the ROM kit I thought would be sufficiently obvious.

The typical cause of a flash failure is the USB connection.

Make sure you are using a USB 2.0 port...not a USB 3.0. Some laptops have a combination of each...so check to see if there is an alternate port that is USB 2.0 you can use.

Next, make sure you are using the actual cable that came with the tablet. Pipo sends out a special micro USB cable with a little bit longer connector so it will reach into the tablet port better.

With the tablet turned off, hold the esc button (top right single button) connect the USB and press power (the single button on the right side...if you have the tablet positioned in landscape). The flash tool should see the tablet in loader mode.

Make sure you have everything checked. I configure all items to be checked by default.

Erase NAND

Flash ROM

Watch to see if you get any errors. Those errors will be caused by one of two reasons...a bad USB connection or a hardware failure. The typical hardware problem that prevents flashing is a bad NAND chip. There's no way to fix that yourself...the only option is to send the tablet back to Pipo for repairs.

Thanks for the reply.

Using W7 on an old Dell Inspiron 6400 (Inspiron e1505), only USB 2.0, no hub. Cable direct from Pipo for the P1.

From what you say, I suspect a faulty USB jack on the P1. The tablet is unseen now by the Device Manager when I try what you just suggested. The tablet did keel over from loss of suction from a "Universal 360-degree Rotating Adjustable Suction Cup Car Mount Stand Holder for Tablet PC purchased from Pipomall" onto the USB plug connected into the tablet two months ago, bending the plug (and not healthy for the jack), purchased a new cable from Pipo, has been working since and that worked this time around enough to load the ROM, but after being stuck in recovery, and trying to reload the ROM, the USB connection to the laptop was intermittent, lasting only a few seconds, then re-establishing, repeatedly, allowing enough time to load the other images but not the system image, and when lifting the tablet while connected by USB, there seemed to be an immediate connection loss that hasn't re-established since. Not being familiar with this whole lot, it's difficult to assess properly, but I suspect that be the case.

They should imbed the USB and HDMI jacks deeper into the unit and have the rubber/plastic on the plugs take the tension, not the metal and pins of the plug. (small gripe)

Looking at the ICs in the tablet, most are BGA, and besides the main processor, there's 4x H5TC4G63AFR DDR3 SRRAM chips, and one 32G BWAMGTB41A32G NAND BGA chip with pins accessible on each side. The latter would be where I would short pins 7 and 8 if I had to do that? Just want to know for future reference while the device was dismantled.

Anyway, I suspect what I have to do now is contact Pipo for a USB jack repair estimate and a Stock ROM reload. Yes/no?

[rrileypm]

I agree. Contacting Pipo is the best choice right now.