RCM Loader Updater

[psun03]

I finally got my RCM Loader, but I have not been able to access the website (xkit) to get the RCM Launcher. Is there a reputable site where I can get the updater and updated firmware

 

[binkinator]

I finally got my RCM Loader, but I have not been able to access the website (xkit) to get the RCM Launcher. Is there a reputable site where I can get the updater and updated firmware

Might want to triple check that you didn’t buy a clone.

If it’s around 700k in size…it’s a clone and you cannot upgrade and if you try it will break your rcmloader.

Just use it as is with Hakat.5.9.0.bin ranamed to payload.bin in all directories.

https://github.com/CTCaer/hekate/releases/tag/v5.9.0

if you insist on trying you can get 2.0.2 here:

https://web.archive.org/web/20221007165642/http://www.xkit.xyz/rcmloader-firmware-v202-released/

 

[psun03]

Might want to triple check that you didn’t buy a clone.

If it’s around 700k in size…it’s a clone and you cannot upgrade and if you try it will break your rcmloader.

Just use it as is with Hakat.5.9.0.bin ranamed to payload.bin in all directories.


if you insist on trying you can get 2.0.2 here:

What is it’s around 700k in size to tell if its a clone?

 

[urherenow]

What is it’s around 700k in size to tell if its a clone?

when you plug it in to pc, it appears as a drive. Look at the drive properties for capacity.

 

[empithree]

This is a clone. about 700KB drive size.

I have plenty, usually works ok if only 1 payload in the Atmosphere/Hekate folder.

It will starts broke down when 2 or more payload in other folders. (2 sometimes work)

1 tell-tell sign is when you put more payload, trying to select payload doesn't change the blinking LED light.

Normal/Original RCM Loader should have approx 2MB drive size.

 

[binkinator]

This is a clone. about 700KB drive size.

I have plenty, usually works ok if only 1 payload in the Atmosphere/Hekate folder.

It will starts broke down when 2 or more payload in other folders. (2 sometimes work)

1 tell-tell sign is when you put more payload, trying to select payload doesn't change the blinking LED light.

Normal/Original RCM Loader should have approx 2MB drive size.

I would have posted my drive size…buuuuuut I tried to upgrade the firmware and that broke it!

 

[urherenow]

I would have posted my drive size…buuuuuut I tried to upgrade the firmware and that broke it!

Do you have more than 1? I'm not convinced it's an actual brick. I only have a legit one, but if someone else has a working one, I would really like to see them make an image of the drive with win32diskimager (Image Writer), and then have you write that image back to your dongle with win32diskimager. @emptihree can you supply that image? And @binkinator if you say yours is bricked, I'd assume you're willing to give it a shot?

 

[empithree]

Do you have more than 1? I'm not convinced it's an actual brick. I only have a legit one, but if someone else has a working one, I would really like to see them make an image of the drive with win32diskimager (Image Writer), and then have you write that image back to your dongle with win32diskimager. @emptihree can you supply that image? And @binkinator if you say yours is bricked, I'd assume you're willing to give it a shot?

Yeah i can do that, but it will take a while since i am at office rn.

I had a bricked one before but due to shorted battery or some sort. Windows doesn't even detect the thing anymore.

@binkinator sure it is the 700kb clone?

 

[binkinator]

Do you have more than 1? I'm not convinced it's an actual brick. I only have a legit one, but if someone else has a working one, I would really like to see them make an image of the drive with win32diskimager (Image Writer), and then have you write that image back to your dongle with win32diskimager. @emptihree can you supply that image? And @binkinator if you say yours is bricked, I'd assume you're willing to give it a shot?

yes, I have an OG one as well. I bought the new clone “for science” so I could figure out how to “fix” them for folks in the future.



I still have the ”bricked” one because I agree, it aint over until the smoke comes out!

I have another (what I assume will be a) clone one the way to try and grab an image of the sucker.

Post automatically merged: Feb 5, 2023

Yeah i can do that, but it will take a while since i am at office rn.

I had a bricked one before but due to shorted battery or some sort. Windows doesn't even detect the thing anymore.

@binkinator sure it is the 700kb clone?

100% certain. I confirmed it was 700k before I started working on it. I ordered it specifically hoping it was a clone!

(I installed a Trinket M0 in my Erista many months ago, so this is purely for the science)

 

[empithree]

yes, I have an OG one as well. I bought the new clone “for science” so I could figure out how to “fix” them for folks in the future.

View attachment 351201

I still have the ”bricked” one because I agree, it aint over until the smoke comes out!

I have another (what I assume will be a) clone one the way to try and grab an image of the sucker.

View attachment 351202

Post automatically merged: Feb 5, 2023

100% certain. I confirmed it was 700k before I started working on it. I ordered it specifically hoping it was a clone!

Ok, so you want to wait for your order to arrive, or need the image as suggested? I don't mind trying to get it from my unit. But seeing the one you ordered. I am pretty sure this is a clone as well.

Post automatically merged: Feb 5, 2023

yes, I have an OG one as well. I bought the new clone “for science” so I could figure out how to “fix” them for folks in the future.

View attachment 351201

I still have the ”bricked” one because I agree, it aint over until the smoke comes out!

I have another (what I assume will be a) clone one the way to try and grab an image of the sucker.

View attachment 351202

Post automatically merged: Feb 5, 2023

100% certain. I confirmed it was 700k before I started working on it. I ordered it specifically hoping it was a clone!

(I installed a Trinket M0 in my Erista many months ago, so this is purely for the science)

here you go

 

[binkinator]

Ok, so you want to wait for your order to arrive, or need the image as suggested? I don't mind trying to get it from my unit. But seeing the one you ordered. I am pretty sure this is a clone as well.

Post automatically merged: Feb 5, 2023

here you go

great idea @urherenow !

@emptihree, thanks for the up and a chance to recover early.

Let’s do it!

e: looks like a good dump btw

 

[urherenow]

The suspense is killing me here... should only take a couple of seconds to flash that...

'bout to head off to Yokohama for lunch, then Akihabara for some storage shopping (my new mid-tower can't hold all of my mechanical drives without sacrificing my desired fan setup, so I need a couple of SATA SSDs and M.2 SSDs...). And to see if there's any chance in hell that the AMD shop will let me pre-order a 7950X3D and ship it to me on release day...

 

[binkinator]

The suspense is killing me here... should only take a couple of seconds to flash that...

'bout to head off to Yokohama for lunch, then Akihabara for some storage shopping (my new mid-tower can't hold all of my mechanical drives without sacrificing my desired fan setup, so I need a couple of SATA SSDs and M.2 SSDs...). And to see if there's any chance in hell that the AMD shop will let me pre-order a 7950X3D and ship it to me on release day...

LOL...well, first try is a fast strike out..

I held the + button and plugged the rcmloader in and it's flashing blue/green like it's supposed to.

Unfortunately, Balena Etcher doesn't see any drives available. All I can see in minitoolPW is my main hard drive.



Go do your shopping. I've gotta think about this. Might try Ubuntu next...

e: had to make double sure:

No go...might have to find a way to trick the firmware updater...

 

[urherenow]

LOL...well, first try is a fast strike out..

I held the + button and plugged the rcmloader in and it's flashing blue/green like it's supposed to.

Unfortunately, Balena Etcher doesn't see any drives available. All I can see in minitoolPW is my main hard drive.

View attachment 351224

Go do your shopping. I've gotta think about this. Might try Ubuntu next...

Don't hold the button. That's supposed to put it in update (DFU?) mode. You should just plug it in, and it should be detected as a drive. If it's not even detected as a drive with no volume, then it really is a brick. If it shows up in disk management, but without a drive letter, just assign it a drive letter, and then use image writer.

I tested my own RCMLoader by imaging it, then writing the image back, just to make sure it would work (and without causing a brick). Nobody ever jumped in to that thread after I suggested this same thing, to test it on a bricked one. At least this time we got one step closer by someone posting an image of a working clone.

EDIT: but what's this Balena Etcher? Don't use that. Use win32diskimager. Or dd if you're going to try Linux. The Win32DiskImager includes the MBR and such, which is where I think the problem here occurs, as a few people suggested that messing around with formats fixed their hekate injection (while many others said that formatting didn't work for them)...

https://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/

 

[binkinator]

Don't hold the button. That's supposed to put it in update (DFU?) mode. You should just plug it in, and it should be detected as a drive. If it's not even detected as a drive with no volume, then it really is a brick. If it shows up in disk management, but without a drive letter, just assign it a drive letter, and then use image writer.

I tested my own RCMLoader by imaging it, then writing the image back, just to make sure it would work (and without causing a brick). Nobody ever jumped in to that thread after I suggested this same thing, to test it on a bricked one. At least this time we got one step closer by someone posting an image of a working clone.

EDIT: but what's this Balena Etcher? Don't use that. Use win32diskimager. Or dd if you're going to try Linux. The Win32DiskImager includes the MBR and such, which is where I think the problem here occurs, as a few people suggested that messing around with formats fixed their hekate injection (while many others said that formatting didn't work for them)...

https://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/

It seems to want to flash blue and green even if I don't hold the button.

Checked w/ disk/device manager and there's no sign of life. I'll keep looking but I think we're approaching 0.




Gotta be able to see it inorder to write...ungh

Ran the RCMLoader Update Tool and it sees it...



I think tricking this thing is going to be the only entry point. It was able to write to it before (and fuq it up...but still...it wrote to it.)

Attaching my log file (spanned two days of testing...wish I would have been more systematic now but I thought it was going to work first try...hubris in hindsight.)

Post automatically merged: Feb 5, 2023

Tried win32disimager as well. Nothing in the drop down.

 

[urherenow]

If the fw software sees it, it might be stuck in DFU mode. I wonder if it’s possible to open it up and disconnect the battery. Even if you can open it, it may require a soldering iron to disconnect the battery though

 

[binkinator]

If the fw software sees it, it might be stuck in DFU mode. I wonder if it’s possible to open it up and disconnect the battery. Even if you can open it, it may require a soldering iron to disconnect the battery though

Yeah that's exactly what it looks like.

FWIW, when I run the RCMLoader it Connects (green), downloads the file (green PASS message), and then restarts the device but when it comes back up Windows doesn't recognize the device. It's probably because it tried to write a 2M image to a 700K partition and threw up.



See pics above...I have the entire thing open and full access to everything. I can certainly unsolder the + wire.

Post automatically merged: Feb 5, 2023

Removed the + line for 30 seconds. Soldered it back. It seemed to do nothing when I plugged it into the PC. No signs of life at all. No USB recognition on the PC side either. Was able to get back to what I assume we both believe is DFU mode by holding the + button and plugging it back in. I'm back to square one. I'm going to read up on DFU...aside from resetting Apple devices, I've not messed with it much.

Post automatically merged: Feb 5, 2023

So I know more about DFU than I did 20 minutes ago.

This article was very helpful:
https://web.archive.org/web/2022122...10/emulating-usb-dfu-to-capture-firmware.html

Instead of dragging others into trying to dump firmware in DFU mode, I think I’m going to wait and risk my own when it comes in the mail.

Fortunately my logs show the VID/PID and expected folder location so maybe I can emulate a device and dump the firmware.

https://web.archive.org/web/20200618043250/http://dfu-util.sourceforge.net/

Post automatically merged: Feb 5, 2023

Last update for the night…was able to pull the software and build it on my rPi. It looks like I have a legit way to up/down load firmware via DFU when my device arrives. Will update when I know more.

 

[urherenow]

Well, the -U flag shouldn’t possibly be able to ruin the new one. If the -D flag fixes the old one afterward, there could be quite a few people happy that you found this out.

If it doesn’t work, the next step will be to see if you can get a connection going with putty, and somehow find out what commands are at your disposal through it.

 

[Youser]

Might want to triple check that you didn’t buy a clone.

If it’s around 700k in size…it’s a clone and you cannot upgrade and if you try it will break your rcmloader.

Just use it as is with Hakat.5.9.0.bin ranamed to payload.bin in all directories.

https://github.com/CTCaer/hekate/releases/tag/v5.9.0

if you insist on trying you can get 2.0.2 here:

https://web.archive.org/web/20221007165642/http://www.xkit.xyz/rcmloader-firmware-v202-released/

Just came across this thread whilst looking for the updater. Are the ones below 2MB 100% clones?

I took your advice and put Hekate 5.9.0 in all the folders and it seems to work fine.

Should I be worried about anything else with these clones?

 

[Hayato213]

Just came across this thread whilst looking for the updater. Are the ones below 2MB 100% clones?

I took your advice and put Hekate 5.9.0 in all the folders and it seems to work fine.

Should I be worried about anything else with these clones?

It is a clone.