Guide: Flash and Backup an Image via Telnet

[ronaldlye]

I screwed up big time here. Went too quickly in my excitement to get the dm500c working I copied Devilfish instruction, actually thot i was do a backup !

cd /tmp && eraseall /dev/mtd/3 && cp backup.img /dev/mtd/3 && reboot

But I did not copy the backup.img to the tmp folder. The commnad prompt showed the erase complete. I am afraid I am left w a paperweight :< unless someone can help.

The box has green pilot on and that's about it. I see nothing on the tv and even when I run dreamup - the connect connect the dreambox.

Any inputs or suggestion to salvage my baby. Can i just copy the backup.img to the proper place?

thanks for your kind patience and understanding w a noobie like me. HELP HELP

ron

I did not mention that i cannot telnet the dreambox anymore, i cant telnet to the ip address. I basically have lost all my menus and services.

ron

[waqasahmed]

Have you tried hooking it up to a RS232 port using a null modem cable, and reflashed it that way?

I've rarely had "black screens", so I've had to use Dreamup to flash the receiver, as opposed to flashing by network

[ronaldlye]

Have you tried hooking it up to a RS232 port using a null modem cable, and reflashed it that way?

I've rarely had "black screens", so I've had to use Dreamup to flash the receiver, as opposed to flashing by network

Managed to unbrick it by reflashing - none the usb to serial, x cable, nothing thing worked. thought abt vuying express card but hear win7 is not good. too many ifs and buts conditions, it was quite daunting whether to throw so more good money at ""bad"" technology

last resort was to blow off the dust of an old p3 box which has not been used and sitting in the storeroom. Dont even know why i kept it in the first place???.

Viola - dreamup began talking to the dead dm500. Amazing !! sincerely think dmboxes need to be upgraded in this respect of null modem and serial port connectivity. How many of us actually have a good working p3 or pp4 sets?

Anyway i am happy now. Thx for the input.

[ALMAKDISI]

hi m8
the port in my laptop is 15pin (blue coulor) and the port in my box is 9pin.i still can use the null modem cable?some one told me this blue port is not for flashing and i can use usb/9pin port cable is that correct?

[nifty1a]

hi m8
the port in my laptop is 15pin (blue coulor) and the port in my box is 9pin.i still can use the null modem cable?some one told me this blue port is not for flashing and i can use usb/9pin port cable is that correct?

I think you'll find that the 15pin port is a VGA output mate... Is it a socket? and does it have 3 rows of holes?

[bshaik]

good post i really liked it.

[kiv]

Any expert can guilde me to download the image file? Still searching for the null cable thou, was wondering is there a adapter from 9 pin to usb?
Also, if the card expired, is flashing still useful? Really new and on my learning path, appreciate any help here.

[Jerry98]

yeh lob it in the bin m8, the 500c no
good any way against nag3

I have the same situation, I used the command

cd /tmp && eraseall /dev/mtd/3 && cp backup.img /dev/mtd/3 && reboot

and my page blank out. I think i need some null cable using a netbook without rs 232 outlet only with USB port.

In SG, any place to buy any kind of cables to connect using usb? Really need help, now my 500c cannot connect via lan cable. Blank, any expert, please advise and help please.

[vienn07]

root@dm800:/tmp# cd /tmp && eraseall /dev/mtd/3 && cp mybackup.img /dev/mtd/3 &&
reboot
-sh: eraseall: not found
I'm having this error. I have already change the file name to mybackup.img via flashfxp and place the file in the tmp folder. Anyone can help me out here?

[chlim]

Going to try Waqasahmed suggestion using DREAMUP and serial cable to clone one Dreambox500S to another Dreambox500S. Does it mean I have to first connect to one Dreambox(source) to copy its image, disconnect it and then connect the second Dreambox(target) to upload the copied image? Sorry if I am looking for step by step procedures for the sequence of connecting the serial cable as I am a newborn.
Many thanks to the useful posts in this Forum that has increased my understanding of the Dreambox.
Help appreciated.

[Logger]

Hi all,

Is this cable can be use for flashing the image for DM500C?

[rick19011]

did this and now I only have a green light on my box, THANKS A LOT OP YOUR A STAR!
D$CKHEAD.

[cgscott]

did this and now I only have a green light on my box, THANKS A LOT OP YOUR A STAR!
D$CKHEAD.

Why you so angry?

Do you know how simple these boxes are?

[rick19011]

Why you so angry?

Do you know how simple these boxes are?

I love you.

[tuxpower]

To backup an image using Telnet

• Telnet to the box and paste the following command:

cat /dev/mtd/3 > /tmp/backup.img

• FTP to the box and navigate to the /tmp
• Here you will find the backup.img file.

I've got a DM800C HD PVR. Trying to backup the image that comes with the box so I can reflash it later if something should go wrong. I've managed to telnet to it and realised that there is no such directory /dev/mtd/3 in it. I can only find /dev/mtd3 in /dev:

root@dm800:~# ls -l /dev/mtd*
crw-rw----    1 root     root      90,   0 Jan  1 08:00 /dev/mtd0
crw-rw----    1 root     root      90,   1 Jan  1 08:00 /dev/mtd0ro
crw-rw----    1 root     root      90,   2 Jan  1 08:00 /dev/mtd1
crw-rw----    1 root     root      90,   3 Jan  1 08:00 /dev/mtd1ro
crw-rw----    1 root     root      90,   4 Jan  1 08:00 /dev/mtd2
crw-rw----    1 root     root      90,   5 Jan  1 08:00 /dev/mtd2ro
crw-rw----    1 root     root      90,   6 Jan  1 08:00 /dev/mtd3
crw-rw----    1 root     root      90,   7 Jan  1 08:00 /dev/mtd3ro
brw-r-----    1 root     disk      31,   0 Jan  1 08:00 /dev/mtdblock0
brw-r-----    1 root     disk      31,   1 Jan  1 08:00 /dev/mtdblock1
brw-r-----    1 root     disk      31,   2 Jan  1 08:00 /dev/mtdblock2
brw-r-----    1 root     disk      31,   3 Jan  1 08:00 /dev/mtdblock3

/dev/mtdblock:
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           12 Jan  1 08:00 0 -> ../mtdblock0
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           12 Jan  1 08:00 1 -> ../mtdblock1
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           12 Jan  1 08:00 2 -> ../mtdblock2
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           12 Jan  1 08:00 3 -> ../mtdblock3

So, how should I backup this box's image?

cat /dev/mtd3 > /tmp/backup.nfi

Will the above command work?

Thanks