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[HOW TO] Unbricking the Elf II

67K views 97 replies 46 participants last post by  Novohack 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I am creating this thread to gather the available information about "unbricking" the Elf II, in case one has flashed a wrong/corrupted image by accident.
The information below should apply to any Amlogic based tablet or device, by the way, but since I have an Elf II that's what I am going to focus on.

Please note that the information provided below is without any guarantee. It may or may not work. For example, if the Elf II hardware is damaged in any way, obviously it can't be "unbricked" by flashing the firmware.

Apparently the Elf II can be "unbricked" by booting from the microSD provided the microSD has the following:
1. Must be formatted FAT 32.
2. Has u-boot.bin file (approx. 250 kB). This is the standard ARM bootloader. Its function is to load the uImage_recovery file contents (kernel and initramfs).
3. Has uImage_recovery (approx. 3.8 MB). This I assume is a Linux kernel + initramfs that is booted into directly by u-boot.bin.
4. Has a script factory_update_param.aml that is run by uImage_recovery. The function of this script is to restore the Elf II to its factory settings (partitioning of the flash, etc) and flash the Elf II firmware file.
5. The Elf II firmware file itself.

To boot from the microSD: make sure the Elf II is completely turned OFF, then hold down "-volume" button and press "power" for 5 seconds. The Elf II will automatically perform the "unbricking" described above if a properly configured microSD card is present. Note that this will completely erase the Elf II flash, wiping any data and installed programs.

The 0615.rar firmware update file has all the files mentioned above and so can be used to "unbrick" an Elf II, in principle.

OK, that's the theory, correct me if I am wrong and please contribute your own experience/tests/hints.


EDIT:
To flash any firmware, please follow Ainol's step-by-step tutorial: https://s3.amazonaws.com/ainol/Tutorial+of+Ainol+Novo+7+Tornados%2C+Mars%2C+Aurora+II+and+Elf+II+Firmware+Update.pdf
 
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#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
Well, guys this time I give the forum members, the tools and how to unbrick yours ELF-II ONLY!!!

If you have the bad luck to flash a bad rom, a wrong rom´s version such as Aurora II or similar, well your tablet became a beautiful brick.-

OHHHH NOOO! My friend, you have the tools and detailed HOW TO .doc to unbrick and bring to life the tablet.-

After hours searching and reading (translate by google) chineese forum and the intructions, well this is it.-

Sd Card Retore.- (475 mb)

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Cheers....

EDIT: Sorry... I zipped the wrong file. HERE you have and english pdf how to.....
 
#18 ·
I am just wondering why this thread was pinned.

Sorry, but this is not a howto for unbricking the Elf II.

This is nothing more and nothing less than an unofficial pdf with instructions to install the (outdated) 0527 ROM, to which a smart@$$ has added at the end the phrase in bold and big characters: "Your Ainol Novo 7 Elf II is alive!!!"

Check my post http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/35629-unbricking-the-elf-ii/ which has the official Ainol guide to install any firmware update.
 
#19 ·
From the source on bbs forums it seems pretty much like an unbricker. I have bad translation with google chrome though but from what I can tell it is an unbricker for elf II have you checked the new files out.
 
#26 ·
I killed my ainol tablet, I think .... well I install a custom firmware and it appeared the screen writing firmware update green screen appears but after he turned off the screen and never again. nor even the sign of the power grip power and nothing . makes 4 days I've been with him so

already tried to install other customs firmware but not resolved.

please help me revive it. any tutorial or tablet ainol dead Brinck should help because it is the same brand.
 
#27 ·
Turn off the power completely (by holding the power button pressed for 10 seconds).
Now turn on your Elf II (by holding the power button pressed for 3 seconds).
Anything shows up on screen or not?
If you get the green Android, then proceed with the Ainol recovery procedure.
If you don't get anything, your Elf II is damaged, return it if within warranty.
 
#29 ·
How about mine, It stuck at boot sreen with android robot and stay there forever. I try to boot into recovery but it also got stuck at android robot.
 
#30 ·
I've spent some time with this the last couple of days..

andrews method works if you have a valid recovery on nand, the mutlipart version works if you don't.

but I found the windows image burner didn't work too well..

so I did it manually in linux with the dd command. that creates a non-readable fat partition that the elf-ii picked up
(you can use usb-imagewriter in most debian based distros to do the same thing)

the benefit of the multipart is that it scrubs nand first. that's got rid of the bad blocks!
 
#31 ·
Hi fards, you are right, it's best to use a tool that scrubs and repartitions the nand, just in case. One of us should probably take a good look at the AML tool released recently and prepare a complete step-by-step guide to unbricking the Elf II.
 
#35 ·
#39 · (Edited by Moderator)
i put cm10 back on couldnt make heads or tales to the recovery i followed the steps in the english pdf but i got more trouble than before. i could'nt see the elfs recovery options at all afterwards, so i could upgrade to 0926.

i really need to put on elf 2 firmware 0926 so fix heating prob and 100 battery any other way get it on?
can i entwine it with the recovery one? (link)

and how?

i tried this dont work well (seem it only installed g06ref-ota-eng.sandy.luo.zip)

factory_update_param.aml
Code:
<br />
--update_package=/sdcard/patch.zip<br />
--update_package=/sdcard/Novo7Elf-II.zip<br />
--update_package=/sdcard/g06ref-ota-eng.sandy.luo.zip<br />
--wipe_data<br />
--wipe_cache<br />
--wipe_media
am i doing it wrong?
 
#41 ·
I need an Urgent Help. My ELF 2 is not responding to Power Button or Power + Vol Down button. Is it completely dead or I can reflash it using this Unbrick method?

It had 100% battery last time it was run and it got hanged and i shut down it by long press power button. I am facing hang/freeze issue for last 2 days.
 
#44 ·
I ask for help, please, I tried to load successfully all firmware available for elf II via sdcard, but now the usb port works only to recharge the battery, no longer sees internet key, usb memory, nothing!
are an electronic technician, I checked the false contacts but that's okay
anyone has the wiring diagram?
 
#46 ·
So, does this only work for the Elf II? Or will an Original Elf work too?

I'm pretty sure Power+Home is the recovery combination, but I can't get the damn thing to flash.
I'm trying different versions of firmware for elf II, but I'm guessing that's the problem.

I can't find any Elf firmware that comes with what you described, but I've had a bit of trouble with Google Fu and my Elf.

Anything you can offer will be much appreciated.
 
#47 ·
did anyone get this message , [T 1][21:08:42]: write data to ram failed! , bricked my gadmei t863 v1.0 , and was trying amlogic tool , but when the script starts to run it has the following problem "[T 1][21:08:42]: write data to ram failed!" , which comes from first line in config.xml , <command sn="0" path="usb_spl.bin" address="0xd9000000" run="true">load spl</command> , i think it may be a problem with memory address or something !! can anyone help guys ?
 
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