[iConnect] Recovering bricked iConnect

[igorert]

If you followed the guide for setting iConnect's arcNumber and are not happy with the result (e.g., you cannot boot Arch and are no longer able to boot the stock Iomega kernel either), this is the guide for you. It may also be helpful if you screwed up your uBoot loader boot sequence.


Resetting arcNumber from an operational Arch kernel

If you can boot into Arch off your USB device and have a working fw_printenv/setenv, you can just issue the following command as root:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'fw_setenv arcNumber 1682')
You'll be able to run the Iomega stock kernel upon reboot.


Recovering arcNumber on a bricked iConnect

I built an image that makes use of iConnect's "emergency boot" mode so follow this section if you got your iConnect to the point where it can neither boot off your USB device nor boot the stock kernel. Following the procedure below will reset your arcNumber to the stock value of 1682 and will also update your boot sequence in case it got screwed up somehow.

$this->bbcode_list('1')

Download iConnect arcNumber recovery image

Unzip it onto a USB stick formatted as FAT32 (ext2 will not work)

IMPORTANT! Disconnect the iConnect from the network and disconnect all other USB drives before resetting the device.

Disconnect power from the iConnect.

Connect the prepared flash drive to the back USB port on the iConnect.

Reconnect power to the iConnect.

Within 10 seconds, use a straightened paper clip to push the reset button on the back of the iConnect and hold it until the LED changes from blinking blue to solid red. This can take up to 30 seconds. When the LED turns red you can release the reset button.

If everything works correctly, the power LED will turn solid blue and all other LEDs will be turned off in a few seconds.

If you're left with any blinking LEDs, something went wrong:

• blue power LED is blinking: USB filesystem could not be mounted;
  
• otb LED is blinking: the included runme.sh script could not be executed or returned an error;
  
• usb1 LED is blinking: fw_setenv is not operational;
  
• usb2 LED is blinking: arcNumber could not be changed.

If your iConnect is sufficiently screwed up that you still cannot run the stock kernel after this, try running Iomega's official recovery imager; this will reflash the iConnect to the factory state. Note that you won't be able to run that until the arcNumber is set to 1682.

Recovering with JTAG

If you managed to overwrite your entire uboot partition and can't even get the uboot prompt over serial, you can try JTAG recovery.