Replacement flash chips - can you use blank ones?

I've noticed there had been a few unfortunate bricking of boxes recently and thought best get myself a NAND flash chip.

I noticed there is one seller on ebay wanting £18 pre-flashed with BlackHole but when I also noticed an electronic company selling blank chips for only a few pound each.

That got me thinking, has anyone used just a blank chip and it worked fine once a clone safe image was flashed to it or do these blank chips mean I would need to do something else additionally to get it to work?

The flash chip is formatted into a number of filesystems one of which is the main boot partition. So getting a blank chip leaves you with the problem that you somehow how to get the chip formatted and filesystems created and then you'd have to get the bootloader transferred over. Reading the various threads around I don't think there's been much success in doing this.

Have you had a look on AliExp? Or even contact the people who supplied your box, they should be able to pop a chip in the post for a lot less.

You can see the filesystems on the flash by running the command cat /proc/mtd on the box.

EDIT: Just checked on AliExp and they are selling for $6.99 including delivery but I'm not too sure if there's a difference in terms of the contents for a Lonrinson and a Sunray Solo2.

IAmATeaf said:

The flash chip is formatted into a number of filesystems one of which is the main boot partition. So getting a blank chip leaves you with the problem that you somehow how to get the chip formatted and filesystems created and then you'd have to get the bootloader transferred over. Reading the various threads around I don't think there's been much success in doing this.

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I'd have thought that in the modern world we live in the original image flash would format filesystem on the fly. There is no bootloader for Solo2 (well original) anyhow that I know of.

I noticed the original image contains an extra file "initrd_cfe_auto.bin" that some backups don't actually contain. Now this file contains the initial ramdisk for loading temp filesystem in memory and I'd have thought that it also installs bootloader and format filesystem as well maybe?

There surely has to be a reason why original images contain this file but most backups don't?

Have you had a look on AliExp? Or even contact the people who supplied your box, they should be able to pop a chip in the post for a lot less.

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I have left a message to see if they're same as Sunray ones but my belief is that it shouldn't make a difference otherwise it would possibly meant that original images wouldn't install which I know they can.

I suppose logically a backup might not need all the files as you could argue that the box should be working and you just want to reinstate the box to a particular point in time.

IAmATeaf said:

I suppose logically a backup might not need all the files as you could argue that the box should be working and you just want to reinstate the box to a particular point in time.

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That makes sense. BH backups contain that init file whereas OpenVix/ATV don't.

what is the major difference between lonrisun and sunray, is it just on the flash chip? would swapping to sunray flash chip allow us to install sunray images?

No, I believe it's the security chip inside. The flash chip, I'm guessing, is same regardless of clone or not otherwise it wouldn't accept original which it once did even after clone bomb.

ketmp said:

I've noticed there had been a few unfortunate bricking of boxes recently and thought best get myself a NAND flash chip.

I noticed there is one seller on ebay wanting £18 pre-flashed with BlackHole but when I also noticed an electronic company selling blank chips for only a few pound each.

That got me thinking, has anyone used just a blank chip and it worked fine once a clone safe image was flashed to it or do these blank chips mean I would need to do something else additionally to get it to work?

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Some days before I received from a chinese seller nand flash chip for my friend's Solo2 Se ( Lonrisun clone ) When I replaced it with damaged one . I thought it will be pre-programmed but it was not . box is still at dead . no sign of life . I have tried to update with usb but not working . I believe its blank chip . I have tried with Hyperterminal also but Mcu Shows flash connected failure . I have tried every possible method to connect it but all in vain .Although seller is not replying back but i believe its empty flash had received from seller .

IAmATeaf mentioned something about they are actually blank and flashing makes no difference (ie doesn't format them, etc).

I've left a message with my seller about replacement chip.

ketmp said:

IAmATeaf mentioned something about they are actually blank and flashing makes no difference (ie doesn't format them, etc).

I've left a message with my seller about replacement chip.

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My seller has just told me it was pre-programmed chip. I have carefully replaced the chip . if it was pre programmed then it must worked but it didnt

Could be a fault with the chip or a loose pad under 1 of the pins,

casuk said:

Could be a fault with the chip or a loose pad under 1 of the pins,

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Checked the pins again its all ok . processor is getting heat .. even it connects with flash v4update and i have updated it with V4 update with provided seriel 232 port cable . but it doesnt successfull connect with mcu flash

Im not sure, it could be a thats it is the wrong chip for the board im not sure if that makes a diffrece, iv not got the knowlage to help out, im just troubleshooting a few things

casuk said:

Im not sure, it could be a thats it is the wrong chip for the board im not sure if that makes a diffrece, iv not got the knowlage to help out, im just troubleshooting a few things

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its the same chip as i have replaced it. its Toshiba Tc-58NYG1S3 EtA00

My lonrision solo2 had the toshiba chip replaced first time with same chip (i sent board to china) but second time it was a samsung chip, ( guy from ebay) id try get another flash chip

casuk said:

My lonrision solo2 had the toshiba chip replaced first time with same chip (i sent board to china) but second time it was a samsung chip, ( guy from ebay) id try get another flash chip

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A forum member on sunray site got replacement chip which was toshiba and it worked (originally samsung).

Aliraza63 said:

its the same chip as i have replaced it. its Toshiba Tc-58NYG1S3 EtA00

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there are some Toshiba and Samsung flash memories that can be fitted instead of original for all Solo2 boxes but the bootloader/software/CFEfile differs for Lonrisun, sunray or dragonworth.. that has to be matched in first place.. hope the seller knows before sending prepared replacement chip... just a thought.

I know two people who have had these flash chips that were originally for (well it was thought) Lonrison clones but have worked on Sunray solo2's. They were flashed with Sunray clone safe BH 2.1.4 by Rami on first boot-up (to prevent default image from loading and possibly bricking box on a Sunray).

These chips were from usual websites where people have bought the chips from before.

Just for clarification, they weren't actually blank from a chip manufacturer but were pre-flashed with BH by chinese.