Can I fix System Files Missing just by installing Rockbox?

[OranAvraham]

Title

Thanks..

[Jonno12345]

Yes, 'system files missing' refers to official firmware system files. As rockbox doesn't use these, sure, you can. But without fixing that problem first (Easy enough, just reinstall the original firmware) you can't dual boot.

[OranAvraham]

OK, I know it's the original firmware issue, but can't it be a bootloader problem so I can't go to USB mode?

I want to buy a 'System Files Missing' H10 from eBay

[Jonno12345]

Here's the basics behind the H10

Rockbox has three parts to it, the OF has two.

Rockbox consists of the OF Bootloader, the Rockbox Bootloader, and the Rockbox firmware. OF consists of the OF Bootloader and the OF.

The OF Bootloader is not a file. It is stored in flash memory, and can only be modified by the OF when you update it (It creates a .rom file in the root of the drive, and you then go to an option in the OF labelled 'Update Firmware', which rewrites the current flash firmware with the contents of this .rom). If this wasn't working, the H10 is INOPERABLE. You can't even get as far as a 'System Files Missing' warning.

When booting the OF, the flash bootloader tells the H10 to load H10.mi4. For the OF, this is pretty much all of the firmware, however there are other files it looks for. If it can't find the other files it needs, it returns 'System Files Missing'.

When booting Rockbox, the flash bootloader still loads H10.mi4, however in this case, H10.mi4 is the Rockbox bootloader, which goes on to boot into Rockbox.H10 in the root folder. This is the main firmware.

In order to get a 'System Files Missing' problem, the problem would literally have to be some missing system files, the flash bootloader would still be intact or it wouldn't even start up. As Rockbox uses it's own system files, it will boot into Rockbox fine. Hope that helps.

[druidfire217]

The other issue might be that System Files missing means the harddrive has been FUBARed, as it has been an issue before. At that point, it can't read the.rom file.

[Jonno12345]

Ah yes, true, if the hard disk is broken then you will have the same problem, and Rockbox won't be installable, sorry, forgot about that.

[barrywardell]

"System Files Missing" usually means that the H10.mi4 file can't be found or is invalid. This can happen for a two reasons that I know of:

1. The hard disk is broken. Even Rockbox won't save it in this case.
2. The H10.mi4 file is corrupt or invalid. It should be possible to fix this by putting the correct H10.mi4 file on the device.

A good way to tell the difference between the two situations is to try to connect the H10 to a computer in UMS mode (a feature of the bootloader). If the computer detects it and shows it as a drive you can access, then it's most likely reason 2. If the computer has trouble showing it as a drive, or if reading to/writing from the drive causes errors, then it's probably reason 1.

[druidfire217]

You forgot a corrupted OF database (if the problem happens before putting RB on).

[Jonno12345]

A corrupted database just prevents you from accessing the Music category does it not? I suppose it depends on whether the player is UMS or MTP, as MTP commonly gave me error messages of 'Connect to iRiver plus'

[druidfire217]

No, a lack of database will prevent you from accessing the Music files. This will give a continually spinning clock, or Ssytem files missing (forget which).