Hacking Spacecraft-nx failed flash

[Matt-edwards]

Hi looking for some help. I tried to flash the spacecraft-nx firmware, plugged in the USB connector and into pc and got a green led on the sx core. Started the flash got the "backing up original boot loader" and that's where it freezes,

the backup file is created in the folder but is 0kb in size. As soon as it starts the flash the led turns from green to cyan, and now when I boot the switch the led is cyan and it boots straight to stock.

I can't restore the firmware with the tx flasher as it states sx core/lite not detected, I have tried several pc's and various USB cables. And none seem to let it flash. It is detected as dfu in device manager, I have tried a couple diffrent drivers to no avail.

If it is bricked I'm happy to solder some cables and try to flash with a programmer, any advice on if a stm32 would work would be helpful, or would it need to be a specific gd-link adapter?

Sorry for the long post wanted to give as much info as possible.

And thank you for any help or advice given it is much appreciated [emoji106]

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[n0xius]

Hi looking for some help. I tried to flash the spacecraft-nx firmware, plugged in the USB connector and into pc and got a green led on the sx core. Started the flash got the "backing up original boot loader" and that's where it freezes,

the backup file is created in the folder but is 0kb in size. As soon as it starts the flash the led turns from green to cyan, and now when I boot the switch the led is cyan and it boots straight to stock.

I can't restore the firmware with the tx flasher as it states sx core/lite not detected, I have tried several pc's and various USB cables. And none seem to let it flash. It is detected as dfu in device manager, I have tried a couple diffrent drivers to no avail.

If it is bricked I'm happy to solder some cables and try to flash with a programmer, any advice on if a stm32 would work would be helpful, or would it need to be a specific gd-link adapter?

Sorry for the long post wanted to give as much info as possible.

And thank you for any help or advice given it is much appreciated [emoji106]

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

there is a tutorial out there from sthetix called "UNBRICKING THE TX LITE AND TX CORE MODCHIPS" which involves a gd-link but it can be also done via an st-link v2. you won't be able to use sx os anymore when using his sx bootloader since it contains the serial number of the chip which is used for the license. if you still have the license-request.dat, i can help you patch your serial into the bootloader.

 

[Matt-edwards]

Hi thanks for the reply, I have seen the guide and have prepped the chip ready for my programmer which should be here today, I do still have the licence request file and would be very grateful for the help I'll get it uploaded thank you.

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[Matt-edwards]

there is a tutorial out there from sthetix called "UNBRICKING THE TX LITE AND TX CORE MODCHIPS" which involves a gd-link but it can be also done via an st-link v2. you won't be able to use sx os anymore when using his sx bootloader since it contains the serial number of the chip which is used for the license. if you still have the license-request.dat, i can help you patch your serial into the bootloader.

Hi I've soldered the connections to the modchip and connected to the pc following the guide you linked. Is there any extra steps to getting it working with a St link v2? I've downloaded and installed the drivers from the St link website but can't get the gd-link programmer app to connect.

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[n0xius]

Hi I've soldered the connections to the modchip and connected to the pc following the guide you linked. Is there any extra steps to getting it working with a St link v2? I've downloaded and installed the drivers from the St link website but can't get the gd-link programmer app to connect.

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the gd-link programmer doesn't work with the st-link firmware. you have to use the STM32 ST-LINK Utility instead. if you have discord, telegram or steam, hit me up via pm since it's fast to communicate that way.

 

[Matt-edwards]

Hi I figured out to try the St link app, problem I get with that is when I connect I get an error " can not read memory, disable read out protection and retry" obviously the video shows how to do it in the gd app but I can't find anything similar in the St app.

I can install telegram if that's easier and quicker and thank you for all the help so far I appreciate it

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[n0xius]

Hi I figured out to try the St link app, problem I get with that is when I connect I get an error " can not read memory, disable read out protection and retry" obviously the video shows how to do it in the gd app but I can't find anything similar in the St app.

I can install telegram if that's easier and quicker and thank you for all the help so far I appreciate it

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since you are able to connect, there is an option inside the "Target" menu called "Option Bytes". open that, screenshot it and attach it here.

 

[Matt-edwards]

Find requested.

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[Matt-edwards]

Disabled security and now have this

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[n0xius]

Disabled security and now have this

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go into "Target" again and select "Program & Verify", select the spacecraft-nx or sx bootloader, remove the check from "Skip Flash Erase", add it to "Reset after programming" and "Full Flash Memory Checksum" and finally press start.

 

[izy]

gl flashing it but saying this now
this is why spacecraft isnt worth the risk until they release some form of flasher that doesnt require a connection as failing to flash bricks the chip and requires a reprogrammer

only reason sttethix made that guide to unbrick is because he himself was dicking about and bricked his chip just to make a guide to promote something that isnt needed.

you can boot atmos just fine on sxcore/lite without spacecraft for future reference
this includes dumping full keys in lockpick

 

[n0xius]

gl flashing it but saying this now
this is why spacecraft isnt worth the risk until they release some form of flasher that doesnt require a connection as failing to flash bricks the chip and requires a reprogrammer

only reason sttethix made that guide to unbrick is because he himself was dicking about and bricked his chip just to make a guide to promote something that isnt needed.

you can boot atmos just fine on sxcore/lite without spacecraft for future reference
this includes dumping full keys in lockpick

the risky part of spacecraft-nx is the bootloader replacement which fails somewhat frequently as i would say. a safe option would be to leave the bootloader as is and just replace the firmware.

 

[Matt-edwards]

Hi got the bootloader flashed thanks guys [emoji106] just wondering if its possible to flash the firmware through st link? As the little USB connector seems dubious at best and is probably what caused most of the issue in the first place

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[n0xius]

Hi got the bootloader flashed thanks guys [emoji106] just wondering if its possible to flash the firmware through st link? As the little USB connector seems dubious at best and is probably what caused most of the issue in the first place

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yes, just do the same procedure as before but select the firmware binary instead of the bootloader one, change the "Start address" inside the "Program & Verify" window to "0x08003000" and make sure to check the "Skip Flash Erase" box to not erase the chip (which includes the bootloader at 0x08000000).

also congratulations to resurrecting your sx chip

 

[CabroX]

I have also soldered the modchip but encounter that st link utilities can't connect to the device. Does that mean that I have to buy the GD debugger? Any tips on how to configure the ST link utility to connect to the device?
I must say that the chip it is still connected to the switch because i amb too lazy, maybe is this the problem?

EDIT: I have successfully flashed the chip at the end

 

[Adamos_22]

I have also soldered the modchip but encounter that st link utilities can't connect to the device. Does that mean that I have to buy the GD debugger? Any tips on how to configure the ST link utility to connect to the device?
I must say that the chip it is still connected to the switch because i amb too lazy, maybe is this the problem?

EDIT: I have successfully flashed the chip at the end

you need to have GD Link, like this from link

 

[Matt-edwards]

you need to have GD Link, like this from link

Not true, I have actually done it with the St link. Thanks to the help of the good people on this forum.

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[Blavla]

there is a tutorial out there from sthetix called "UNBRICKING THE TX LITE AND TX CORE MODCHIPS" which involves a gd-link but it can be also done via an st-link v2. you won't be able to use sx os anymore when using his sx bootloader since it contains the serial number of the chip which is used for the license. if you still have the license-request.dat, i can help you patch your serial into the bootloader.

Do not folow that Stetix guy. He bricked his own Chip. Why do you want to flash that Spacething anyway?

 

[CabroX]

Not true, I have actually done it with the St link. Thanks to the help of the good people on this forum.

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What did you flash, the spacecraft bootloader and the firmware as n0xius stated? Or did you flash the sx firmware and bootloader?

The thing is I flashed the spacecraft bootloader in 0x80000000 and later flashed the spacecraft firmware 0x08003000 and when powering the switch on, it goes straight to OFW, with an always-on white-ish cyan light in the sx core.

What should I do now? Try to reflash the chip again?

Thank you!

 

[n0xius]

Do not folow that Stetix guy. He bricked his own Chip. Why do you want to flash that Spacething anyway?

i just told him to get the information of the video to help him solder it to the correct points on the modchip and sthetix uploaded the bootloader files which incase you've bricked your chip will help to restore the bootloader.

What did you flash, the spacecraft bootloader and the firmware as n0xius stated? Or did you flash the sx firmware and bootloader?

The thing is I flashed the spacecraft bootloader in 0x80000000 and later flashed the spacecraft firmware 0x08003000 and when powering the switch on, it goes straight to OFW, with an always-on white-ish cyan light in the sx core.

What should I do now? Try to reflash the chip again?

Thank you!

sounds like a wrong/broken flash of the firmware. try to reflashing it using the usb dongle or the st-link flash tool.