I am getting the dreaded. No Hard Disk Found...Contact Support.

I noticed the following line: Could not find CS4231A (version=80).

I looked at that chip and it looks like there are 2 connectors on this chip that have a solder bridge. I don't know if this is normal. I will try to take a picture but I don't think that it will come out right.

What should I do?

empeg-car bootstrap v1.02 20001106 (hugo@empeg.com)
If there is anyone present who wants to upgrade the flash, let them speak now,
or forever hold their peace...it seems not. Let fly the Penguins of Linux!

e000 v1.04
Copying kernel...
Calling linux kernel...
Uncompressing Linux..................................... done, booting the kerne
l.
Linux version 2.2.17-rmk5-np17-empeg52-hijack-v347 (root@ibbm) (gcc version 2.95
.3 20010315 (release)) #2 Sun Nov 23 12:29:03 EST 2003
Processor: Intel StrongARM-1100 revision 11
NetWinder Floating Point Emulator V0.94.1 (c) 1998 Corel Computer Corp.
empeg-car player (hardware revision 9, serial number 10101551)
Command line: mem=16m
Calibrating delay loop...207.67 BogoMIPS
Memory: 15016k/16M available (980k code, 20k reserved, 364k data, 4k init)
Dentry hash table entries: 2048 (order 2, 16k)
Buffer cache hash table entries: 16384 (order 4, 64k)
Page cache hash table entries: 4096 (order 2, 16k)
POSIX conformance testing by UNIFIX
Linux NET4.0 for Linux 2.2
Based upon Swansea University Computer Society NET3.039
NET4: Linux TCP/IP 1.0 for NET4.0
IP Protocols: ICMP, UDP, TCP
TCP: Hash tables configured (ehash 16384 bhash 16384)
IrDA (tm) Protocols for Linux-2.2 (Dag Brattli)
Starting kswapd v 1.5
SA1100 serial driver version 4.27 with no serial options enabled
ttyS00 at 0xf8010000 (irq = 15) is a SA1100 UART
ttyS01 at 0xf8050000 (irq = 17) is a SA1100 UART
ttyS02 at 0xf8030000 (irq = 16) is a SA1100 UART
Signature is 636f6972 'rioc'
Found custom animation at offset 0x9b790
IrDA (tm) Protocols for Linux-2.2 (Dag Brattli)
Starting kswapd v 1.5
SA1100 serial driver version 4.27 with no serial options enabled
ttyS00 at 0xf8010000 (irq = 15) is a SA1100 UART
ttyS01 at 0xf8050000 (irq = 17) is a SA1100 UART
ttyS02 at 0xf8030000 (irq = 16) is a SA1100 UART
Signature is 636f6972 'rioc'
Found custom animation at offset 0x9b790
Tuner: loopback=0, ID=-1
Scheduling custom logo.
empeg display initialised.
empeg dsp audio initialised
empeg dsp mixer initialised
empeg dsp initialised
Could not find CS4231A (version=80)
empeg remote control/panel button initialised.
empeg usb initialised, PDIUSBD12 id 1012
empeg state support initialised 0089/88c1 (save to d0004580).
empeg RDS driver initialised
empeg power-pic driver initialised (first boot)
RAM disk driver initialized: 16 RAM disks of 4096K size
empeg single channel IDE
Probing primary interface...
Tuner: loopback=0, ID=-1
Scheduling custom logo.
empeg display initialised.
empeg dsp audio initialised
empeg dsp mixer initialised
empeg dsp initialised
Could not find CS4231A (version=80)
empeg remote control/panel button initialised.
empeg usb initialised, PDIUSBD12 id 1012
empeg state support initialised 0089/88c1 (save to d0004500).
empeg RDS driver initialised
empeg power-pic driver initialised (first boot)
RAM disk driver initialized: 16 RAM disks of 4096K size
empeg single channel IDE
Probing primary interface...
Probing primary interface...
empeg-flash driver initialized
smc chip id/revision 0x0049
smc_init couldn't find card
RAMDISK: ext2 filesystem found at block 0
RAMDISK: Loading 320 blocks [1 disk] into ram disk... done.
VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem).
empeg-pump v0.03 (19980601)
Press Ctrl-A to enter pump...

EDIT: Ignore the CS4231. Sod that.. this would be a problem also, but I dunno if it affects the IDE controller or not.

Check the hard disk cables -- make sure they are actually still connected. Listen for the drive: it should make clicking noises at startup, and you should also be able to clearly hear it spinning after power-on.

Next up is the infamous IDE header on the main board: they used surface mount rather than through-hole pins, and the result is that they tend to come off the pads after a while and may require resoldering.

Cheers

I noticed the following line: Could not find CS4231A (version=80).

This is a known problem that happens with some players. Unfortunately, the only solution is a chip replacement.

If the player worked before, and has only started failing now, then the thing you think is a "solder bridge" between the pins is very unlikely to be the problem. It's probably supposed to be that way, or at least it doesn't hurt anything to have it that way.

I can hear the hard drive powering on with clicking noises and it continues to spin even after the "no hard disk found" message.

I am removing the hard drive now to check the cable and the header on the board.

The cable looks fine and the solder joints look fine on the IDE Header.

How would i get a new CS4231A-KQ Chip? It is SMT and has quite a few things to solder. I am pretty good at soldering, but not that good.

You can have support do the repair when he re-opens. Alternatively, see if Stu can do it for you.

Hugo was supposed to send us some, but they never turned up so I don't know if he sent them or not. I'll have to ask him and see. We did have some on order, but cancelled it.

As for the bridges, if I remember correctly, that is present on all players and not a cause for alarm.

Stu

YIKES. my empeg player started showing the hard disk not found about 1.5 years ago. I emailed support and they said it was the cable and sent me a new one. I finally got around to putting it in last week and when I went to start up the player it would not power up. I have found if I remove the HD the player will start up, therefore it would seem the player is fine. Is there something I missed when putting the player back together?

When I remove the HD from mine, it still won't start up. I would look at your solder connection on the IDE header to see if they are good and check the cable to make sure it is fully crimped.

Is there something I missed when putting the player back together?


Yes.

It is highly likely that when you plugged the cable into the disk drive you were off by one pin.

This is amazingly easy to do, because (at least with the IBM drives) when the cable is mis-aligned it actually looks "better" than when it is on correctly.

You are certainly not the only one to have done this (if indeed this is the problem) and the good news is that this will not harm the disk drive nor the electronics in the player.

tanstaafl.

False Alarm! I talked nice to it, and pulled the cable and reseated it. I will let you know if this cable resolves my initial harddrive boot problem. It seems to have the most problems during the winter months.

thanks for your help

The CS4231 shares a power line with the IDE controller (or something, I'm starting to forget everything I learned) which means if it fails, it can cause IDE problems.
There may be another problem, but replacing the chip is likely to be necessary.

Mmm.. I wonder if maybe it's just the power line that's dead, causing both the sound chip and the IDE controller to not function?

I found a place that sells them. I have found someone at work that is willing to replace the chip for me (that's what they do).

I just want to make sure that this chip will work for me before buying it.

The minimum order is 5.90. I only need one. Is there another place to buy them or do you want to do a group buy? I am wiling to front the money. I am even willing to sell them at $5 each just to get rid of them. The minimum I need to buy is 7 to meet there minimum.

http://store.americanmicrosemiconductor.com/americanmicrosemiconductor/cs4231a-kq.html

I'd be interested in a few if Hugo doesn't come through.

Stu

Alright...I am going to order the seven and then there will be 6 left.

I'll take one.

Hope you already ordered...there's only 3 in stock now.

I'll go ahead and commit to 3 if you can spare that many.

Stu

Luckily I ordered my seven already. I should have just ordered the 10 of them but oh well.

As soon as I get my player fixed, I will post the items up for sale in the For Sale section.

Okay, well Hugo and or Rob? sent us a bunch of the CS4231A-KQs and a lot of other repair parts. So we've got them now. Thanks Hugo and Rob!

Stu

Ok. I have replaced the CS4231A Chip. But it still is coming up with the No Hard Disk Found - Contact Support error.

It is now giving "Could not find CS4231A (version=c7)" instead.

What should I do?

Try this version of Hijack, and report back here:

http://rtr.ca/hijack.v361+.zImage

I tried updating with the Logo Editor and after it completed, the standby light would just blink. I unplugged it and plugged it back in and still didn't work.

I reflashed the kernel to 2.0final and it gave "Error couldn't find pump occurred at stage 0x20" and now it just stays at the boot logo and never gets past it. Doesn't even come up with the No Hard Disk Found...Contact Support error.

Here is the output from HyperTerminal.

empeg-car bootstrap v1.02 20001106 (hugo@empeg.com)
If there is anyone present who wants to upgrade the flash, let them speak now,
or forever hold their peace...it seems not. Let fly the Penguins of Linux!

e000 v1.04
Copying kernel...
Calling linux kernel...
Uncompressing Linux..................................... done, booting the kerne
l.
Linux version 2.2.14-rmk5-np17-empeg52 (rob@aphex) (gcc version 2.95.3 20010315
(release)) #12 Tue Apr 1 18:51:41 BST 2003
Processor: Intel StrongARM-1100 revision 11
NetWinder Floating Point Emulator V0.94.1 (c) 1998 Corel Co
empeg-car player (hardware revision 9, serial number 10101551)
Command line: mem=16m
Calibrating delay loop... 207.67 BogoMIPS
Memory: 15024k/16M available (964k code, 20k reserved, 372k data, 4k init)
Dentry hash table entries: 2048 (order 2, 16k)
Buffer cache hash table entries: 16384 (order 4, 64k)
Page cache hash table entries: 4096 (order 2, 16k)
POSIX conformance testing by UNIFIX
Linux NET4.0 for Linux 2.2
Based upon Swansea University Computer Society NET3.039
NET4: Linux TCP/IP 1.0 for NET4.0
IP Protocols: ICMP, UDP, TCP
TCP: Hash tables configured (ehash 16384 bhash 16384)
IrDA (tm) Protocols for Linux-2.2 (Dag Brattli)
Linux-IrDA: IrCOMM protocol ( revision:Tue May 18 03:11:39 1999 )
ircomm_tty: virtual tty driver for IrCOMM ( revision:Wed May 26 00:49:11 1999 )
Starting kswapd v 1.5
SA1100 serial driver version 4.27 with no serial options enabled
ttyS00 at 0xf8010000 (irq = 15) is a SA1100 UART
ttyS01 at 0xf8050000 (irq = 17) is a SA1100 UART
ttyS02 at 0xf8030000 (irq = 16) is a SA1100 UART
Signature is 636f6972 'rioc'
Scheduling custom logo.
empeg display initialised.
empeg dsp audio initialised
empeg dsp mixer initialised
empeg dsp initialised
Could not find CS4231A (version=c7)
empeg remote control/panel button initialised.
empeg usb initialised, PDIUSBD12 id dfdf

What is the output from hyperterminal with the version of Hijack that he just supplied to you?

If there is anyone present who wants to upgrade the flash, let them speak now,
or forever hold their peace...it seems not. Let fly the Penguins of Linux!

e000 v1.04
Copying kernel...
Calling linux kernel...
(data abort vector)

Looks like your downloaded copy of that kernel that Mark supplied was corrupted. Try grabbing it again with a download manager program.

Mark, are you sure that kernel was good?

I used the one from his website and am getting the same results as reflashing the kernel with 2.0 final. It stays at the boot logo screen.

I'm not talking about the one from his website. I'm talking about the one he linked above.

Look, lemme be absolutely clear on what's going on:

- You replaced the chip.

- The regular kernel (whether it's Mark's or Empeg's kernel) doesn't like the chip's version number. None of the normal kernels will work at this point, there's no sense in even trying.

- Mark made you a special custom kernel that he linked above which should (in theory) be happy with that chip's version number. He asked you to try it.

- You tried it but it doesn't work. From the serial output you displayed, it seems that there is something wrong with the file itself, for example, a bad download.

- Until you can get Mark's special custom-made-just-for-you kernel properly downloaded and installed so that it works with that particular chip, we won't know if Mark's fix worked or not. We need to get that particular kernel running properly on your player before we go any farther in the diagnostic process.

Get it?

AHHHH!!! It all makes sense now!!! I was a little confused, but luckily you guys are patient and MOST HELPFUL!!!

You guys are the greatest!!!

Strange... A version of C7 means that it's not a CS4231 or CS4231A. What does it say exactly on the top of the chip?

It says CS4231A-KQ
CTAZFP9819

That's really odd to say the least. A CS4231A should have read as revision A0. If they upgraded the chip then they'd change the chip model number. In theory they should anyway, some companies have been remarkably lacking in this.

Gotta ask, you sure you soldered it in properly?

If you want to try again, we have a bunch of CS4231A-KQs apparently left over from Empeg production. The player should be happy with those.

Stu

If MLord's fix works, then I don't see a need to change the chip; unless you do?

It might be the last HiJack update you get for a while.

If MLord's fix works, then I don't see a need to change the chip; unless you do?

Yeah, so what's the deal with Mlord's fix? Did you get a proper download of the file so that it no longer exception faults when you install it? How are you downloading it?

As long as I can listen to music and stuff... I will be happy.

Maybe I should get one of those chips and then replace it at a later date. I guess the other chips I bought are basically useless.

No problems here, I was just implying that if you didn't have any success with the modified Hijack kernel you could try a different lot of chips.

Stu

I tried downloading it again, but it still didn't work. Do you recommend anything to help with that?

Sounds good...I will have to wait for Mark Lord.

I tried GetRight download manager but it didn't help. Maybe the file is corrupted and needs to be reuploaded or something?

Mmm... I seem to have goofed typing (finger splint gets in the way).

Okay, grab the kernel from here now:

http://rtr.ca/hijack.v361+.zImage (486688 bytes)

Cheers

That worked but the RIO is still stalling at the boot logo.

Here is the output from HyperTerminal:

empeg-car bootstrap v1.02 20001106 (hugo@empeg.com)
TCP: Hash tables configured (ehash 16384
If there is anyone present who wants to upgrade the flash, let them speak now,tocols for Linux-2.2 (Dag Brattli)
or forever hold their peace...it seems not. Let fly the Penguins of Linux!
ircomm_tty: vi

e000 v1.04iver for I
Copying kernel...ed May 26 00:49:1
Calling linux kernel...
Uncompressing Linux.....................................v 1.5

ttyS01 at 0xf8050000 (irq = 17) is a SA1100 UART
Processor: Intel StrongARM-1100 revision 11
ttyS02 at 0xf8030000 (irq = 16) is a S
NetWinder Floating Point Emulator V0.94.1 (c) 1998 Corel Computer Corp.636f6972 'rioc'
Scheduling custom logo.
empeg-car player (hardware revision 9, serial number 10101551)
empeg dsp audio initialised
Command line: mem=16mtialised
Calibrating delay loop... 207.67 BogoMIPS
Linux NET4.0 for Linux 2.2
Based upon Swansea University Computer Society NET3.039
NET4: Linux TCP/IP 1.0 for NET4.0
IP Protocols: ICMP, UDP, TCP
TCP: Hash tables configured (ehash 16384 bhash 16384)
IrDA (tm) Protocols for Linux-2.2 (Dag Brattli)
Starting kswapd v 1.5
SA1100 serial driver version 4.27 with no serial options enabled
ttyS00 at 0xf8010000 (irq = 15) is a SA1100 UART
ttyS01 at 0xf8050000 (irq = 17) is a SA1100 UART
ttyS02 at 0xf8030000 (irq = 16) is a SA1100 UART
Signature is 636f6972 'rioc'
Found custom animation at offset 0x9b790
Tuner: loopback=0, ID=-1
Scheduling custom logo.
empeg display initialised.
empeg dsp audio initialised
empeg dsp mixer initialised
empeg dsp initialised
Could not find CS4231A (version=c7)
empeg audio-in initialised, CS4231A revision c7
empeg remote control/panel button initialised.
empeg usb initialised, PDIUSBD12 id dfdf

Mmm... okay, so it's not just a version difference.

How about you and Stu compare chip labeling -- what exactly is written on the top of the chip you installed? Stu, does that match yours?

The kernel does this: version = (version & 0xe7)
so the "c7" could really be "d7", for whatever that's worth.

But with it affecting the hard drive controller still.. Can you locate the power pins for the chip and measure the operating voltage on them?

Cheers

The middle two bits are marked as reserved and aren't part of the normal identification.

It's not a good sign that it still can't boot up. A possibility is that the CS4231A driver is hanging for some reason and that's what's causing it to fail?

This is what is written on the top of some of the chips(different lot numbers are in here) in the bunch:

Crystal
CS4231A-KQ
CTAEDP0007

The bottom of the same bunch of chips reads:
Taiwan
T000717

My guess is that these chips are much newer than mvigneau's chip.

Stu

Ok...I feel like the dumbest man on the forum!!!

I plugged the IDE Cable into only have of the pins. Well, I have fixed that and it is fully seated now. But, I am getting the No hard disk found...contact support error again. I have flashed it with Hijack 361 (not the customized one) because it was giving that error.

It is still giving that error even after the reflash.

Here is the hyperterminal output:

empeg dsp audio initialised
empeg dsp mixer initialised
empeg dsp initialised
Could not find CS4231A (version=c7)
empeg audio-in initialised, CS4231A revision c7
empeg remote control/panel button initialised.
empeg usb initialised, PDIUSBD12 id dfdf

empeg-car bootstrap v1.02 20001106 (hugo@empeg.com)
If there is anyone present who wants to upgrade the flash, let them sp
or forever hold their peace...it seems not. Let fly the Penguins of Linux!

e000 v1.04
Copying kernel...
Calling linux kernel...
Uncompressing Linux..................................... done, booting the kerne
l.
Linux version 2.2.17-rmk5-np17-empeg52-hijack-v361 (root@ibbm) (gcc version 2.95
.3 20010315 (release)) #2 Sun Jan 25 22:34:59 EST 2004
Processor: Intel StrongARM-1100 revision 11
NetWinder Floating Point Emulator V0.94.1 (c) 1998 Corel Computer Corp.
empeg-car player (hardware revision 9, serial number
Command line: mem=16m
Calibrating delay loop... 207.67 BogoMIPS
Memory: 15016k/16M available (980k code, 20k reserved, 364k data, 4k init)
Dentry hash table entries: 2048 (order 2, 16k)
Buffer cache hash table entries: 16384 (order 4, 64k)
Page cache hash table entries: 4096 (order 2, 16k)
POSIX conformance testing by UNIFIX
Linux NET4.0 for Linux 2.2
Based upon Swansea University Computer Society NET3.039
NET4: Linux TCP/IP 1.0 for NET4.0
IP Protocols: ICMP, UDP, TCP
TCP: Hash tables configured (ehash 16384 bhas
IrDA (tm) Protocols for Linux-2.2 (Dag Brattli)
Starting kswapd v 1.5
SA1100 serial driver version 4.27 with no serial options enabled
ttyS00 at 0xf8010000 (irq = 15) is a SA1100 UART
ttyS01 at 0xf8050000 (irq = 17) is a SA1100 UART
ttyS02 at 0xf8030000 (irq = 16) is a SA1100 UART
Signature is 636f6972 'rioc'
Found custom animation at offset 0x9b790
Tuner: loopback=0, ID=-1
Scheduling custom logo.
empeg display initialised.
empeg dsp audio initialised
empeg dsp mixer initialised
empeg dsp initialised
Could not find CS4231A (version=80)
empeg remote control/panel button initialised.
empeg usb initialised, PDIUSBD12 id 1012
empeg state support initialised 0089/88c1 (save to d0004800).
empeg RDS driver initialised
empeg power-pic driver initialised (first boot)
RAM disk driver initialized: 16 RAM disks of 4096K size
empeg single channel IDE
Probing primary interface...
Probing primary interface...
empeg-flash driver initialized
smc chip id/revision 0x0049
smc_init couldn't find card
RAMDISK: ext2 filesystem found at block 0
RAMDISK: Loading 320 blocks [1 disk] into ram disk... done.
VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem).
empeg-pump v0.03 (19980601)
Press Ctrl-A to enter pump...

(1) Re-try the customized Hijack for us. It won't work, but we gotta know!!

Check the fuses. When the hard drive cable is misplugged, or the display cable misplugged (forgot which), sometime it blows fuses near the display cable header. But usually music still plays, just the display ends up buggered. So that's not likely the case here. The fuses are the three identical looking two-pin items mounted around the display header; two on the rear left (nearer the docking connector), and one on the front left. Measure them with an ohm meter, and they should all read zero ohms.

But still looks like a bad sound chip, or maybe just mis-soldered. Check the +5v and GND pins on the sound chip that was replaced.

Cheers

Do you know what pins those are?

Also, does anybody have a picture of how the chip is oriented on the board. Such as where pin 1 goes because we marked it but maybe it was placed wrong.

Photo of chip in positiion is attached. To find +5V and GND, you'll have to do a search for the chip's pinout online.

Cheers

My chip is oriented the same way as in the picture.

There are 4 voltage points on the Chip. I tested VD1 and VD2 and used the case as ground and got 5VDC. I tested VD3 and VD4 and wasn't seeing 5VDC.

I have included the pinout diagram for the chip.

I have also tested the 3 fuses. With the power off, I was getting 0 Ohm and with the power on, I was getting 0 ohm.

So do you have the datasheet for that chip? We've got it if you need a copy.

Stu

I am using the one I found while doing a Google Search.

True! With the extreem cold here in NJ i have been getting the dreaded NHDF-CS...pull the player out of the sled, slam it bak in..and it works!!!!

I retried the custom Hijack and am getting the same thing "No Hard Disk Found...Contact Support". I am also seeing the same output in Hyperterminal as the non-customized Hijack.