Builder image format

This question is mostly intended for Mark...

Can anyone provide some more information about the builder image format used by the empeg? I've run strings/hexdump and figured out a few obvious sections, but haven't had time to finish. What I'm particularly interested in knowing is who is responsible for pumping the drives, and where this is controlled - does the Windows software know pump commands or does it get told what to squirt down the serial line via the upgrade image?

FYI, the recent bigdisk builder images will not install on my empeg - the only one I've been able to use is an older v3 alpha bigdisk image. But I'm suspicious this is simply a bug in pump (along the lines that I've seen in the archives) since the disk is detected, and it does work just fine (brand new, tested, and using a brand new IDE cable also). If I know how they're laid out, I can play a little bit more by using the old disk.

Jon.

So I found http://incase.de/framed/findex.cgi?menuexp=1-5&content=/framed/empeg/empeg.shtml which is quite helpful, but it'd be nice to know if there are handy scripts around e.g. that Mark used for the existing images.

Mark's Bigdisk images should Just Work.

If they don't, then there is a problem with the serial cable, the serial port, the serial port settings in the BIOS or in the device manager, or there is a problem with the software you're using to upload the builder to the player.

There's also a chance it's hardware trouble on the player itself.

There's a remote chance that the builder file itself got corrupted on download. But we haven't seen that happen in along time. u

The source code for my upgrader.c program gives pretty good info on the format, and includes an "--extract" function to unpack .upgrade files. Plus a "--repack" flag to update a .upgrade file (crude, but effective).

Here's my latest (attached).

See also the earlier UpgradeSplitter package that sven provided, which I used as documentation for developing upgrader.c.

cheers

The partitioning is done by the firmware / initrd in flash. Proprietary (no source).

If you have Hijack installed, then I think my upgrader.c will work with my bigdisk builder images, but I don't remember for sure (in europe right now; no empeg to play with).

Cheers

Hi,

Follow the Big Disk Builder in the FAQ. The one I have used is Player Software version V10 plus 488 Hijack. I haven't played with any other version, so I still get the boot pump error.

I have used it to install several 250GB drive pairs in my Empegs.

It has always worked for me.

Ross