Best Cowon+RB firmware *bootloader version* thread

[mike-heal]

Okay so I'm looking for input from all the firmware compilers who have posted complete firmware files for people to use, to come together and see which RB bootloader version is the best one to use (this is not the same as the current build with the rockbox files).

So far I have seen, from downloads linked off the forum in various places, these versions:
cowon first (one pull of power-on):
21xxx
23363 (andrewthecoder: http://www.d2rockbox.co.uk/?a=firmware-patched
this matches the last modified date of the current downloadable bootloader-cowond2.bin = 2009-Oct-26 see http://download.rockbox.org/bootloader/cowon/d2/ )

Rockbox first:
27090 (?? I found it somewhere here)


If anyone has compiled any other stable, tested firmware with other bootloader versions, Please link..
Also this is a good place to post links to all known D2 firmware websites/file hosts for comparison purposes.

[bkd11]

AFAIK there hasn't been any changes to the d2 bootloader since r27007 (about 6 months ago), so as long as you have one at or above that, it shouldn't really matter.

[ezzieyguywuf]

I haven't updated my bootloader since I flashed rockbox years ago. Is this a bad thing?

[Ginsu]

Originally Posted by ezzieyguywuf

I haven't updated my bootloader since I flashed rockbox years ago. Is this a bad thing?

I don't think so. I used the same bootloader for ages with no problems. Yesterday I built a bootloader from version 3.7, and there's a nice feature that boots Rockbox by default, unless you plug in a USB cable in which case it boots Cowon's firmware.

I've had problems with music playback in 3.7.1, but I'm happy with 3.7 firmware and bootloader.

[andrewthecoder]

Originally Posted by mike-heal

23363 (andrewthecoder: http://www.d2rockbox.co.uk/?a=patched-firmware
this matches the last modified date of the current downloadable bootloader-cowond2.bin = 2009-Oct-26 see http://download.rockbox.org/bootloader/cowon/d2/ )
Rockbox first:
27090 (?? I found it somewhere here)

I only just noticed this thread for some reason :S

When I first updated my bootloader patched firmware files around christmas, I blindly used that link for the bootloader file to patch into them, assuming it would be the latest.
It seems the rockbox build system has been updated slightly at some point and that bootloader file (at revision 23363) has just been sitting there static for a while. As far as I know there is nothing special about revision 23363, it's very old though, before the updates which add usb detection to the rockbox bootloader so it loads the Cowon firmware, and before it was changed to booting rockbox by default.
I wouldn't advise using this revision unless you have a specific reason - it's ancient, in rockbox time.

As for 27090, there isn't anything special about this revision either - the reason you've noticed it is because for a while it was the revision which all my patched binaries and custom builds were at, it just happened to be the latest revision at the mime I last built them, so builds at that revision were floating around for a while. As it was after revision 27007, it is Rockbox-first.

Originally Posted by bkd11

AFAIK there hasn't been any changes to the d2 bootloader since r27007 (about 6 months ago), so as long as you have one at or above that, it shouldn't really matter.

Just to make it a little clearer to peeps - it is very rare for there to be any change in the code which affects the bootloader, for good reason - all it does it loads the actual firmware into memory. The change bkd11 points to is pretty major though, while it is only a few letters different, it makes rockbox boot by default, so you have to slide the hold switch to get the Cowon firmware. Since the bootloader is smart enough to recognize when it is attached via USB (and boot into Cowon mode for file transfer etc), if you use Rockbox primarily, this is perfect. If you would prefer the bootloader to boot the Cowon firmware by default, with Rockbox on hold slide, the best bootloader version for you is revision 27006.

Very shortly, I'll be adding to my Bootloader-Patched Firmware script so this (Cowon-first) is once again an option. Quite a few people have PM'ed me asking for this, and I've kept them waiting far too long.

[mike-heal]

Okay! Awesome info, duly enlightened!
Heh, noticed you reversed your link from patched-firmware to firmware-patched.. had to edit my posts
FYI on your site- if you are now using the newer bootloader that is rockbox-first, your text explaining the power on procedure for Rockbox and Cowon is reversed.

For people's edification, it is noted that Andrew has updated his firmware downloads to bootloader 28950 (which is functionally the same as 27007 as pointed out above). Cool!