Pointlisse.com PMA430 Article: The Official openPMA Installation Guide

This guide is being offered as a simple 'how-to' for installing openPMA firmware on the PMA. It will be regularly updated for all new releases of openPMA. It is Windows XP-centric, as that is OS I use. I welcome input/comments for our friends on other OSs.

The (un)Official openPMA Installation Guide
openPMA v. 0.2 - updated: 11/26/2006

If you're already here, you've taken an important first step in updating your PMA. openPMA brings with it many improvements over the Archos firmware, including stability, new/improved applications, and most importantly, a viable future for the device. This guide will help you through the rest.

Step 1: Prepare your PMA
It is highly recommended and very possibly required that you do the following:

Back up anything on your PMA worth saving!
This includes anything in the Documents, Video, Music, Photo and pda directories. The last includes all the PIM data, so pay attention to that one. In the next step we will perform a 'chkdsk', which will repair file system errors. While rare, it is possible that a few files may be non-recoverable after this procedure. For this reason, please copy anything you do not want to lose to your computer at this time.
Connect to USB and perform a 'chkdsk /f' from the command prompt.
PMAs prior to openPMA 0.1.1 were very susceptible to file corruption. This procedure will ensure that there is none, so the upgrade can happen smoothly.
1. Connect to USB (power-on your PMA if it is not already)
2. Open a command prompt by clicking Start > Run... In the Run box, enter 'cmd' then click 'OK'.
3. At the command prompt, enter the drive letter assigned to your PMA ('P', in my case) followed by a colon (:), then hit Enter on your keyboard. The enter the following command: 'chkdsk /f'. You may receive a warning about open handles and other windows tidbits. Make sure any open files, windows, etc. accessed from the PMA are closed and agree to dismount the drive.
  
  P: <enter>
  chkdsk /f
  
  If you get a message that errors were found, just follow the directions. It is not necessary to convert to files if prompted.
Ensure you have at least 6 GB free
If not, move some movies/music/etc to your computer temporarily during the upgrade process. The upgrade WILL FAIL if not enough drive space is available.
Defrag your PMA's drive
Defragging the drive will make the upgrade faster, by performing faster seek times on the drive.
- Click Start > My Computer
- Right-Click on the PMA drive icon and select 'Properties' from the context menu.
- Click on the Tools tab, then click the Defragment Now... button.
- On the subsequent screen, click the Defragment button. Note that this can take some time, so perhaps a sandwich or coll beverage would hit the spot.

Step 2: Apply The Boothack
As part of the factory device, there is a checksum on the firmware image that prevents "unauthorized" (read: non-Archos) installation of alternative firmware. In order to run openPMA, this check must be overridden. This is a one-time operation and will not be required for future firmware updates. If you have already hacked the bootloader, please proceed to Step 3: Install the openPMA Firmware.

Note that there have been no reports of this process causing any damage to the PMA and that the bootloader may be restored to the factory condition at any time.

Connect to A/C power. You do not want to inadvertently run out of gas during this process.
Download the boothack application:
http://www.pointlisse.com/PMA430/File/boothack_pma400_0.2.zip
Unzip the archive and copy the boothack_pma400_0.2.ipk file to the Documents directory of your PMA.
On the PMA, install the boothack application using the Software Packages applet under the Settings tab.
Once installation is complete, run the boothack application under the Settings tab, and apply the boothack.
Shutdown the PMA.
Selecting the Reboot button will power-down the PMA. Access this via the Settings tab > 'Shutdown',

Step 3: Install the openPMA Firmware
This is the point at which we will load the openPMA firmware on the PMA, but there are a few maintenance issues we want to address, below.

Download the latest openPMA firmware release; extract the archive (includes aimage.img, openpma.img and changes log):
http://download.openpma.org/release/openPMA_0.2.0-20061123.zip
Shut down the PMA (if not already, as above). Plug in the A/C power cord, if not already. Connect the USB cable to the PMA and to the PC.

Once again, it should be powered off before connecting to USB.

Power on the PMA by pressing down and holding the play/pause button. Please note the drive letter assigned. The normal boot process will be paused at this point so we can make changes to the system files.
- Back up anything on your PMA worth saving!
  (If you have not done so already in step 1)
- Copy openPMA firmware to the PMA
  Navigate to your 'System' directory on the PMA and rename the aimage.img file to aimage.archos. This will allow us to restore the Archos firmware in the event something goes not according to plan.
  
  Copy the openPMA aimage.img file (extracted in step 1, above) to the System directory on the PMA.
  Copy the openPMA openpma.img file (extracted in step 1, above) to the System directory on the PMA.
  
  BOTH FILES MUST BE COPIED!
- (Safely) Disconnect From USB
  Safely disconnect the USB device, Windows instructions (usually clicking the diconnect icon from the system tray).
  
  Do not pull the USB plug yet!!!
  
  First reset the PMA via the pin reset hole and now (quickly, please) remove the USB plug from the PMA.
  
  If you've just pulled the USB plug and you have not reset the PMA first, the PMA will be at the beginning of it's boot process. Since we just changed the critical aimage.img file, you'll see an nasty red screen with an error message. Don't panic, just reset via pin hole, or simply hold the (x) keypad button down until it fully shuts down. Then restart the PMA using the play/pause button, without the error.
  
  The boot process will now start, this time loading the openPMA firmware.
Monitor the boot process.
- If things went as planned, you should see something new, exciting, and well, new. Congratulations and enjoy your new openPMA PMA! Note that it may take 10 minutes or more to complete the merge process on first boot-up.
  
  Notice the lines, Resizing, Adding, Formatting, Preparing, etc. These all take some time to do, and are highly dependent on how full your drive is as data needs to be move around to make room for all the Giraffe goodness. Please be patient during this process, particularly the resizing bit. Perhaps another drink?
- If things went not so well (no change, bootoader error, etc), don't panic! Here are a few things to try/check:
  - If you saw no change, and are sure you're still on the Archos firmware -- this can be confirmed by going to the Application Tab > System Info > Version -- it's likely you've forgotten to copy the openPMA image file, or copied the original one (they do have the same names).
    
    Simply reconnect to USB and recopy the openPMA image file, then reboot.
  - If you get a bootloader error, the bootloader hack was not applied/applied correctly. In order to reapply it, you'll need to do the following:
    
    - Shut down the PMA (reset hole works best).
    - Connect to USB, and power on the PMA.
    - Rename the (openPMA) aimage.img to aimage.img.openPMA.
    - Rename the (Archos) aimage.archos back to aimage.img.
    - Disconnect from USB and let the PMA boot normally.
    - Run the boothack again, apply it, and shut down.
    - Connect to USB; power on.
    - Rename the files again, making sure the openPMA image file is aimage.img.
    - Disconnect from USB and continue boot sequence.

Step 4: Enjoy openPMA!

Links:
openPMA: http://www.openpma.org/

Comments

[11-04-2008] by mikep
Thankyou. Very disappointed with archos. The PMA400 is still a fab device way ahead of its time.
No probs upgrading to openPMA0.2 and its great. The extra free memory makes a big difference especially when on the internet. Again thank you.

[07-01-2008] by nand
My PC Sometimes work good and sometimes immediately reboot and will not be re- open for some thimes

[01-02-2008] by Anonymous
I've got another problem I've followed the directions (except those involved in running the bootloader but the one's involved in doing the same without the bootloader). While booting it stops for around 10 minutes and then it shuts down under error code 5 signature incorrect. I don't know what's wrong. The same thing happened when I tried to install the original OS off archos' web page.

[10-19-2007] by David
I've bought the PMA recently and try t install OpenPMA this morning, following exactly this procedure above.

When I reboot my PMA, Giraffe version is appearing, but the boot stops at the third step (resizing media partition), telling me that the system needs at least 1Gb of free space to install and asking me to free some space on hard disk and then to reboot. I've checked my PMA before installing Giraffe and still have 20Gb free on the hard disk !!!!

The problem is that each time I reboot, Giraffe is starting running without possibility to stop it or skip it, and, even if my PMA is USB connected to my PC, it is not recognized by Win XP, so, I'm unable to rename the good files onto my PMA to reboot the original firmware.

How can I do. I'm blocked with no issue.

Thanks.

[10-17-2007] by Grant
I have had serious problems with trying to get Giraffe to boot on my PMA. Once the bootlog has added the system partition, the screen just hangs when its says Formatting system partition.
I have formatted the disk, re formatted it, chkdsk and defrag till i can do no more, and it KEEPS happening.
I am at a loss as to what to do.

Please help - currently my PMA is useless

Thanks

Grant

[04-29-2007] by Jez
Hi there,
tried to load Open PMA. Everything fine until Reboot. Giraffe starts
Mounting DONE
Loading Req Modules DONE
Resizing Media Partition FAILED You must have 1G free to instal open PMA.
I have 16G free on my PMA. Why is it coming up with this message. Can you help please ???
Cheers Jez

[03-05-2007] by Ebony Branch
Ok, I've swapped to openPMA, and it's generally good. I have two recurring problems, though:

1. Sometimes, when I try to resume video, the Resume Video app opens, hangs, opens again, hangs, opens again, hangs, etc., etc. untill I get fed up and reboot.

2. Sometimes, for no obvious reason, play/pause button on the top right of the PMA fails to respond during video playback. So, every now and then I can pause a video using the button, while other times I have to use the touch screen. This can happen during the same video clip - sometimes the button works, sometimes not.

Any known solutions?

[02-21-2007] by Anonymous
brilliantly described - followed it - installed openpma first time - thanks

[02-19-2007] by C
Thank you! Good to know as my machine is still within warranty :D. I had a Jukebox which was revitalised by RockBox, now I can see the same thing happening for the PMA. Keep up the good work! Prompt response too, very dedicated.

[02-19-2007] by pointlisse
C,
Easy! Running the boothack a second time will restore the original bootloader (it will confirm your choice as well). Just make sure you use the orginal Archos F/W if you do this, otherwise it will not boot.

[02-19-2007] by C
Hi,

Great site! Can I just ask, is there any way of un-installing the boothack, i mean actually havering the boot loader return to original image not just the OS.

[02-16-2007] by Mutt
Dear Alex,
had the same problem.
mine working solution:
-Backup dat from PMA
-format drive (PMA)
-create "System"and copy required files to it.
-unplug form usb and reboot.
after reboot use buttons to navigate 2 "LCD Properties` and recalibrate.
Reset again with pin and rcalibrate again and it works fine for quit some time now.
Good luck from an other enthousiatic user of Open PMA

PS Crew and all developers thnx a million for doing what Archos should have done, pls do not STOP!!!!
My knowlegde goes as far as user the PMA I´m not able to assist otherwise I would have.
That did the trick

[01-28-2007] by alex
ok, i've got a big problem, brfore i installed giraff correctly, no problem except i also installed a programme which disabled the touch screen, i uninstalled that by using a mouse but the touch screen still dont work so i had to back up the pma to default (non open pma) so the touchpad worked and everything was ok, now i decided to install giraff on the pma again by following the instructions, but wen i install that the touchpad dont work and all the programmes from the old giraff have come back yet i completely wiped my pma and downloaded giraff and the pma back up again to back up my pma, if u want me to explain more clearly, just ask, but i really need help ASAP

what i dont understand is how have the programmes come back up if i have completely wiped the pma and backed it up with the fresh files i downloaded from archos and open pma

help please!

[01-21-2007] by jez
Hi,

Cyr Keboard is blank: at least, the alphabet and numeric keys are blank (shift/esc/caps/bs/ctrl and the green arrow are all ok).

I tried re installing open pma from scratch (even as far as reformating)!: no effect...
any suggestions?

[01-08-2007] by camn
Hi, Guys! I just got a PMA400.. and immediately was dissatisfied with the OS. So I found you, and promptly installed Girrafe. Love it. It is better in every way.

I do have a couple bugs, though... is there a forum somewhere for this sw?

My big problem is this: Since upgrading, Windows XP doesn't react when I plug the PMA in via USB.
Before, it would try and autoplay.. and open a window.. and most importantly, Qtopia Desktop would link to it.. now, Nothing.

I will investigate further. Anyone else have this problem? THe PMA SAYS its connected.. but nada.

c

[12-27-2006] by 2beers
Unfortunatly i had to format the disk - of course i backed up my data.
The only downside when u have to format the HDD - if u use Ko/Pi (Korganizer) as your calendar - u have to do all the settings again. Data (agenda) will b save - but all settings u did - like color, look and feel... will b lost.
Actually all those things are stored in a file - but i wasn't able to get the new (v2.8) Ko/Pi to accept the good old (v2.7) settings.#
Besides that - wich might not realy b a failure from the giraffe - as i messed around on my PC as well - it's a fantastic piece of work.
Archos - as usually (this is my 3rd archos device in 5years) - doesn't give a shit about software upgrades, user support.
So THANK U openPMA developers & pointlisse owner!

[12-20-2006] by 2beers
Everything worx fine up to one point:
It doesn't boot "giraffe" saying "need at least 1GB diskspace"
Well as i read your description i freed some extra disk space - so i have approx. 16GB of free space - so that can't be the real problem.

I am working on linux & didn't defrag the PMA (as i don't know yet how to do that - as i never used defrag on linux) - but i don't realy see how this can cause such a failure - expecially as the PMA is a linux based architecture thus defragmenting should be redundant.

If i find a solution (except formating the whole archos disk) i'll post here again.

BTW
Great description again - thanks a lot!