How to chage ROM Language all x3i

danosimo · 04-27-04, 04:25 PM

Ok, so I had to learn the hard way, but I have been successfull
doing this. Even further, for all of you thinking about flashing the BT ROM on a non-BT x3i, you now can.
Before you read on, just to say that what you do with your unit is YOUR responsability and not mine. This steps DO work, but Murphy may be lurcking arround your place and you know...

As we all know, the rom update utility for flasing over the USB will NOT allow to load an image file of different language than the units has. Equally, you may not load an image tied to a different axim x3 model (like the european BT x3i). Well we CAN get arround this and load what we want. Later on I will tell you how to "fool" the dell update program.
You may be thinking what would happen if the unit does not come up again after flashing, and how will we get the rom image back in there? Forcing it manually should work fine. As long as the boot loader is still there, and it should. By manually loading I mean to copy the image file into the SD card and booting the loader.

This is done by holding the reset+contacts+scroll wheel pushed. Then just let go of reset and keep holding the other two for 3 or 4 secs. and you will hear the boot loader come up. You can see on the screen how it looks on the SD for the .img file.

A note here, if you would like to run DIAGNOSTICS built in, just do the same without a SD card in, and it will run all the factory hardware tests. Notice the reminder before starting diagnostics as it will clear all user data!
So now you can force a different languge and model image ROM in your unit (as long as it does not write over the boot part)

An important note (this is where I screwed up) the backup image file created by the flash program for PC (like the R74809.exe), CANNOT be loaded manually (at least it did not work for me), only using the PC program again, which meant that the Axim MUST be operating.
Anyway, this was my predicament, I forced a different languge manually, only to find out it did not suppor BT and used a different wifi card (US model, x3), so now the update utility from dell refused to restore my original image because of being different languge (spanish), and this is where it got tough. It would kill my unit every time I forced my backup image file and would not even turn on (except the boot loader by pressing the key combo).

Before I got any further, I called Dell to see if they would be kind enough to sent me the original ROM, and YOU guessed, they declined. In fact they stated that they would NOT even repair it paying, so it would be a "throw away" or a "fancy paper weight". I don't blame them for that, and I have to say they did not have me on hold for very long, so my thumbs up for that)

So now I needed to "fool" the update program about the language, and why not the model check before flashing. After all it must be stated in the rom image file itself. So here is the scary part (it turned out to be real easy), get youself a hex editor (my choice HDD Hex Editor, its free) and open the .img file or the .ris file from backup.
The language properties are found in the first 3 lines (from add. x00 to x20 included) then some empty spaces and the next set is the MODEL properties, line 5 and 6 (x50,x60) and line seven (x70) is rom version. So by copy and paste these 6 lines we can make it think the the image file is actually what the unit says it is, language, model and ROM version and continue with the flash. This does NOT change the actual WM2003 image as it is the code below all this.
And it works, double checked.
Sorry it was long and may be confusing but I needed to share it in case someone makes the same mistake. Hope it helps someone in trouble like i was.

Still have not found a kind soul to send me an ENGLISH backup of the x3i+BT. I have A00C-02020400SP. Anyone pretty please?

06-02-04, 08:14 PM

hey, you can dump the rom from their self executable from dell support's download page, but i am not sure if you can find the right version... :)

hopper64 · 06-03-04, 10:18 PM

What's the point of flashing a non BT device with tthe BT ROM? Am I missing something here?

danosimo · 06-04-04, 04:45 AM

Hi,

Some people had said in this forum that maybe the x3i NON BT would have the hardware disabled inside (Think NOT), I just mentioned that so they could try it on their unit ;-). Clearly the mini add on board for BT and Wifi is different from the Wifi only. In fact the chipset used for wifi is different. Mainly happened between the EU unit and the US unit. Anyway just a silly thought,
BR

2xMcK · 06-05-04, 11:27 AM

Hello danosimo, I should say first, good hack :)
I did know that we can flash every image we want, even a different language one with the SD trick. I'm writing this from an english rom and a spanish axim. I would like to point out some things:
-The .img rom from dell _does_ have a new bootloader. So it will overwrite your actual one. It is a little more risky than you thought.
-Did you rename the .ris to .img when you copied it to SD Card? I think it should work this way. I haven't tested it yet.
-If that doesnt work there is even another way to reflash your backup: by removing the first 0x200 bytes of the .ris file (just all the header) and renaming it to .nb0 This hasn't been tested and I'm not 100% sure about it to work. The .nb0 is just a raw file that will be flashed onto Rom 0x0 address (I think), no language check, no checksum, nothing. And it will overwrite actual bootloader. If you want to try this please let me know and will give you more information so you can evaluate the risk.
-x3i uses a Sychip wifi chip. The same one as Sandisk SDIO wifi cards. There is also a Sychip combo wifi+bt chip. They are different so it isn't a software matter. We don't have nothing to do.
-I'm interested in all you could guess about x3 roms, expecially about .img headers.
-Do you like linux? We are working on linux port to x3, you could help us if you want, you'll be welcome. A lot of hardware investigation like this is needed, you know, a lot of fun. ;)

danosimo · 06-06-04, 02:22 PM

Hi,

Ok, I got that. I have not tried an image from dell as I have not found one for the x3i EU model, (i wish they posted one). I was able to restore my original backup, that being in Spanish of course, so I still havent found a kind soul to send me an EU X3i image backup. I suspect you do from the post, you mentioned the change from spanish to english, can I talk you into sending me the english rom file?, as for the contribution to the proyect, I wish I was better about linux, latelly mostly working with Debian and knopix. I you can think of a task I could help the group with, i'll be glad to give it a crack ;-). I am hoping dell releases the PPC2k3SE to catch an english rom file sometime. I just about gave up begging for one in this forum :-(. Anyway I think this unit is worthwhile all arround, particularlly since dell gave it to me for free!! (corporate candy they call it), BR,
Daniel

2xMcK · 06-06-04, 03:05 PM

Hi, I dont understand you very well, Do you have a spanish axim and want an english rom? I downloaded last patch file from dell website, which is a whole english rom (r77205.exe) . It is US, and my axim doesn't have bluetooth. I suposse you are searching a UK english rom which supports bt, so I think I can't help you. Good luck.
Now Im busy with my exams, I will ask you a few questions about .img headers soon. I would like to know where is the checksum to make linux .img files ;) as it maybe safer than raw nb0. I think it is a CRC32 checksum....

danosimo · 06-07-04, 09:16 AM

Ok, I was affraid that would be the case, you got a X3 non BT and have flashed the US rom. Sorry about that. Yes, I need a UK (or ireland) rom file (or backup) for X3i with BT, Anyone? I'll look into the checksum address. Certainlly it will be better to avoid working with NB0, and I agree I bet it is just a simple CRC. BR,
PS> I bet is hot as hell down there in Valladolid these days!!
DanO

as77 · 06-17-04, 12:34 PM

So I don't understand. Is it necessary to edit the image with a hex editor to change the language even if one uses the SD card ROM flash method? Why? I thought it would just flash the ROM with whatever image is on the SD card. I thought the image editing was only necessary if you want to use the PC upgrade program. Am I missing something?

2xMcK · 06-17-04, 01:10 PM

as77, no, you are right. Dell flash utility is able to backup the rom you have in your axim, creating a .ris file (like a .img)

danosimo flashed his axim with an .img in another language, so dell flash utility didnt let him restore his backup as they were in a different language. So that's why he needed the hack. He could have flahed any .img he want from SD card, but not a ris.

I think it should be possible to restore a .ris from SD card just by renaming it to .img. Danosimo, did you try this? I think I asked you but didnt get an anwer.

hehe, danosimo you are right, winters are very cold and summers are really hot here. how do you know that? ;)

as77 · 06-17-04, 01:46 PM

thanks, 2xMcK. What I didn't understand why danosimo bothered with editing the img file once he knew that he could just use the sd card method to flash. Once you know the sd card method you can forget about the hex editing part.

06-18-04, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by as77
So I don't understand. Is it necessary to edit the image with a hex editor to change the language even if one uses the SD card ROM flash method? Why? I thought it would just flash the ROM with whatever image is on the SD card. I thought the image editing was only necessary if you want to use the PC upgrade program. Am I missing something?

actually, you do need to edit your rom to fool the boot loader that you are loading the correct rom language (from spanish to spnish, etc)

if you don't do so your device will just hang right after the rom check (invalid rom file, system halt or something similar)

and, a ris IS an IMG, i have just tested it. if you wish you can look at the post in my site, http://matrix.senecac.on.ca/~wkng/

06-18-04, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by danosimo
Ok, I was affraid that would be the case, you got a X3 non BT and have flashed the US rom. Sorry about that. Yes, I need a UK (or ireland) rom file (or backup) for X3i with BT, Anyone? I'll look into the checksum address. Certainlly it will be better to avoid working with NB0, and I agree I bet it is just a simple CRC. BR,
PS> I bet is hot as hell down there in Valladolid these days!!
DanO

by the way danosimo, the rom image contains information for all x3 series, including x3 basic, x3 advance and x3i (wifi+bluetooth) ; if you skim through the rom file using a hex editor you should be able to see the details.

as77 · 06-18-04, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kazuni
actually, you do need to edit your rom to fool the boot loader that you are loading the correct rom language (from spanish to spnish, etc)

if you don't do so your device will just hang right after the rom check (invalid rom file, system halt or something similar)

Now that's great, two people say just the opposite of each other. So which one of you guys should I believe?

Frankly, the idea that the bootloader checks the new ROM image and compares the language setting with the existing ROM is hard to believe for me.

So at this time I suspect that you are wrong.

2xMcK · 06-18-04, 05:00 PM

Yes kazuni, could you explain more about that? What did you try? What images? What values of the header did you change? Loading it directly from SD or with dell utility?

I would like you to exec some scripts on your x30. Im gonna make them and will send you. I want to get some values from x30 to try to guess how similar are x3 and x30. If they just changed the processor maybe our linux stuff would work out of the box. Thanks.