Bitcoin Forum

Can someone hold my hand through this. I have a s3 that bitain is helping me troubleshoot. We think it is corrupt and they sent me this email.

"Hi,
Can you enter the miner via serial control? you need one serial conversion USB to do it.
after you end the serial console, run below command to reset it to factory setting:
mtd -r erase rootfs_data"


thanks guys

I have a serial to USB adaptor for work.. I do not see where the serial port is on the controller.....

Future shop should have a serial to USB but... never seen a serial connection.. but I also never taken it out of the enclosure..  Even on my S1 I did not notice a serial port but I wasn't looking.  I can take a gander.

if i can find a serial connect in the box how do I even do what bitmain is instructing after that?

how do I get in to install that code they show in there email?

Thanks for the help.

Alas I do not know. 

You can ask them to go into more info.  Instead of buying a serial cable I bought a S3 controller from them. 

I figure I will sell old controller to someone who has the equipment to re-flash/debug serial like they suggested to me aswell. 

I paid for it and worked for me.   I cannot blame anyone else for mine losing power during flash.

what you need is a CP2102 USB to serial like this:
https://i.imgur.com/dNEovZ2.png

for this application you just need tx/rx and ground connected...don't connect the power output from the CP2102 to the controller board  
this is not hard to do just make sure you connect the right wires to the 3 holes on the controller board  8)

p.s. you cannot get these at future shop :o

ok i am going to ask them to order....

also where will i see the plugs in relation to the miner?

where islink for one i need please?

This is the exact one I have and same place I ordered it from... you will need bogo pins (the gold pins) as well..u can find those in any electronics shop

http://www.dx.com/p/usb-to-uart-5-pin-cp2102-module-serial-converter-81872#.VIsYrNJ0yUk

What program are you using to send commands to board?

Also is it the debug it connects to on board?  If so what is the order of pins?

Thanks for sharing info you did already.   

Does somebody have a picture, where to connect on the controller board?

is this it?

http://www.omega.com/googlebase/product.html?pn=OM-CONV-USB&gclid=Cj0KEQiA5K-kBRDZ9r71gOvlxOMBEiQAwkK52KF11aSJWd-zRLWeADtoGdJydlqudZwYRocjEO_1XYUaApiF8P8HAQ

the CP2102 are cheaper. but 19$ is okay also

so that will work?

I think we need to ask Bitmain more questions.  For example layout what order the 3 pins go in debug spot.

Also what program to use sending the commands.

i tried asking bitmain for more intel and this is what they said.

me: "Can you please provide link to product that can do as you describe? Thanks.

Sent from my iPhone"

bitmain: "Sorry, I don't have it.
if you cannot restart it in your side, you'll have to return the board for RMA"

maybe ill try again?

I wish there was a guide on it.  I have my one that lost power during flash sitting on shelf.  Would love to turn it into a backup.

I was out of warranty time so I paid for the part and quick shipping.  I will say I thought it was fair considering how fast they shipped.  Set ROI on that unit back a while but it's running great.

i dont understand? you dont know how to fix it, but you fixed it? im lost...

I don't know how to fix my old board via serial.  I bought a new board from Bitmain.   Replaced the controller board with new one I bought from Bitmain.

So I got miner up and running but now I have a board that is bricked I wish I could figure out how to fix and I would have a extra.

I can be your guide through this..its pretty easy really...helps when the thread doesn't move as well  :D
I recovered a few S1 this way...just a little bit of a different procedure to clear the NVRAM
The only thing is I don't have physical access to S3 controller board right now, and need to probe the pins for tx/rx/ground ...kinda hard without the board in front of me, but if you have a voltmeter you can probe the pins and once you figure out the ground its even easier (ground will be 0 and tx/rx will fluctuate)..if it doesn't communicate with the tx/rx one way just reverse the tx/rx cables...off the top of my head the ground pin was on the far right side, but I suggest you probe them as I don't want to give incorrect advice...
If you have ever debricked a router its almost the same thing
To communicate you will use putty...more instruction to follow ASAP...sorry for leaving you hanging like this but my miners are in another location right now...if you have any questions feel free to ask

Ancient Chinese secret?  8) ;D
http://memecrunch.com/image/51a8bc04afa96f21c000001a.jpg?w=400

sorry I couldn't resist....bitmain if you need some proper tech support I can help  :D... btw I am not a product...if anything I am a product of my environment  8)

my entire s3 is bricked :/

well just the board i guess but the entire unit is down.

im going to crack it open tonight and get digging but i dont have much time and have to fly out tomorrow so idk wtf i might have to take the biotch with me

Contact Bitmain.  If it is within 90 days I believe it is considered warranty.  (I could be wrong on timeline).

I do know I was a batch one I got bricked and was out of warranty.  They are willing to sell and ship the controller very fast to you (was same shipping as miners use).  It is a setback on ROI but at least not a brick.  And in my case I got a 1.1 ver of board and had a v1 so guess it was a upgrade.

well If i could only get this last one working....

Will look into all peoples recs. 8)

Images removed or security reasons

c1


thanks

Very impressive setup! How many S3 total?  What did you do to get so much electricity there?

Impressive.

i have 13 but the 1 is dead/my learning project. so 12 there plus the c1.  ;D

i ran the dryer socket to a electric vehicle conversion plug to pdu to psu

**edit**

here is the board

http://i61.tinypic.com/2hgfg9c.jpg

now what? where can u buy the tx thing?

-edited for clarity-
Everything you need is right here in this post...no guesswork involved just RTFM  ;D

I circled the 3 pins where you connect to in red here:
https://i.imgur.com/TLufr5S.png
Looking at the controller board straight on, the ground *should* be the pinhole on the far right, if not its far left (double check with voltmeter as I have no unit to test right now) the other 2 pinholes are tx/rx.
Once you confirm  the ground (0v on voltmeter), then connect tx and rx....if you get a load of junk on your screen reverse the rx/tx and you will see magic...well not really but you will see the data on the screen...for putty set 115200, no flow control, and make sure you have the correct COM port defined (115200,8,n,1)

I posted a direct link where to get the cp2102 earlier (the tx thing) ::)
https://i.imgur.com/dNEovZ2.png
http://www.dx.com/p/usb-to-uart-5-pin-cp2102-module-serial-converter-81872#.VI6YldJ0yUl
There is no bs ad commission or anything for that part; you can order it anywhere on the net..I provided the link where I got mine to make things easy (or so I thought)

In Short...you need the thing in the picture (link provided) putty for serial connection and 3 bogo pins (that's what the gold pins are called)
Alternately you can just use sewing pins and push the sharp end into the connector MacGyver style, just don't move anything once you have them connected  :P

Once you have access to the miner, type

mtd -r erase rootfs_data and hit enter
then type REBOOT and hit enter...then wait 3 minutes before accessing the default miner IP address...do not power cycle the unit

Last of all...don't hold me responsible if anything goes wrong...but if I helped, a thanks would be great  ;)

tyvvvvvvm

@ChineseSavior

Did it work for you? I am in the same boat. Which hole is the grd?

Sure fire fix assuming hardware is ok and uboot intact is uboot based recovery, interrupt the boot process and set your computers IP to a static IP of 192.168.1.100. Start a TFTP server on your computer serving antMiner_S320141013.bin and run the following commands on your miner.

there no need to re-flash the firmware as it is the NVRAM that is corrupt...your suggestion of loading the 20141013.bin will result in being unable to access the config pages as documented in the subsequent release....if anything I would suggest loading the 0826 firmware and then wget the ckolivas cgminer 4.61 but then we are complicating things more than needed...most here seem to have enough problem with putty lets not throw in a tftp server and hex addresses....its a bit of a predicament...0826 firmware with crap cgminer or Russian roulette with the next 3 builds....and all the while BITMAIN leaves the files for MORE people to &$#^&$ their miners up with...well done  ::) ???
on a different note its nice to see the community working together  ;D

SSH in and execute the following to fix webui on the oct 13th firmware.

To fix config pages after flashing a later release execute this command over SSH.

TFTP recovery is usually required if the OS doesn't boot and you see it stuck bootlooping at uboot.

is this what I need to do?

I tried like this, but didn't succeed

https://i.imgur.com/fQSTep7.jpg

The CP2102 offers me:

3.3V
5V
RST
GND

and two others, which are jumpered by default.

Ground should be the blue one acc. to my measurement. For the rest I would appreciate any help.

Thanks.

I offer a bounty of $30 in Bitcoin for anybody to deliver a detailed description that's working for me on how to de-brick the S3 controller board using a CP2102.

I Have the same with out the jumpers.

https://i.imgur.com/IR9RTW0.jpg


But I'm using GND, Rx Tx. And I get either no output on start up, or I swap Rx, Tx around and get (by startup I mean I've selcted serial,  I have com and baud set in putty, I start putty under serial connection, I then turn on S3 to a stream of gibberish like below/ nor nothing)):

  5▒▒▒I▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒+33▒▒▒+33▒A9=#A55;'!9)▒▒▒▒e=1-9▒;-%=)▒▒▒                                                                                                                                                             ▒▒▒▒#!▒3!#7▒=▒▒▒▒▒▒37▒▒▒▒▒▒5▒7▒-#5=7▒▒I▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒+33▒▒▒s9/▒55#▒3!/-▒55▒;'!9)                                                                                                                                                             ▒-''▒#!▒;5▒7▒▒I▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒+33▒▒▒+33▒A9=#A55;'!9)▒▒▒▒e=1-9▒;-%=)▒▒▒▒▒▒▒#!▒3!#7                                                                                                                                                             ▒=▒▒▒▒▒=▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒5▒▒▒-#5=7▒▒I▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒+33▒▒▒+33▒A9=#A55;'!9)▒▒▒▒e=1-9▒;-%=)▒                                                                                                                                                             ▒▒▒▒▒▒#!▒3!#7▒=▒▒▒▒▒=▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒95▒▒-#5=7▒▒I▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒+33▒▒▒+33▒A9=#A55;'!9)▒▒▒                                                                                                                                                             ▒e=1-9▒;-%=)▒▒▒▒▒▒▒#!▒3!#7▒=▒▒▒▒▒=▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒39▒-#5=7▒▒I▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒+33▒▒▒+33▒A9                                                                                                                                                             =#A55;'!9)▒▒▒▒e=1-9▒;-%=)▒▒▒▒▒▒▒#!▒3!#7▒=▒▒▒▒▒=▒▒▒9▒▒▒;▒7▒▒-#5=7▒▒I▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E                                                                                                                                                             ▒+33▒▒▒+33▒A9=#A55;'!9)▒▒▒▒e=1-9▒;-%=)▒▒▒▒▒▒▒#!▒3!#7▒=▒▒▒▒▒=▒▒▒▒▒▒▒=;▒▒▒-#5=7▒▒I                                                                                                                                                             ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒+33▒▒▒+33▒A9=#A55;'!9)▒▒▒▒e=1-9▒;-%=)▒▒▒▒▒▒▒#!▒3!#7▒=▒▒▒▒▒=▒▒▒▒▒▒▒                                                                                                                                                             ▒=▒▒▒-#5=7▒▒I▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒+33▒▒▒+33▒A9=#A55;'!9)▒▒▒▒e=1-9▒;-%=)▒▒▒▒▒▒▒#!▒3!#7▒=                                                                                                                                                             ▒▒▒▒▒=▒▒▒▒▒▒▒93==▒-#5=7▒▒I▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒+33▒▒▒+33▒A9=#A55;'!9)▒▒▒▒e=1-9▒;-%=)▒▒▒                                                                                                                                                             ▒▒▒▒#!▒3!#7▒=▒▒▒▒▒=▒▒▒9▒▒▒▒▒=▒▒-#5=7▒▒I▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒+33▒▒▒+33▒A9=#A55;'!9)▒▒▒▒e                                                                                                                                                             =1-9▒;-%=)▒▒▒▒▒▒▒#!▒3!#7▒=▒▒▒▒▒=▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒9▒-#5=7▒▒I▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒+33▒▒▒+33▒A9=#                                                                                                                                                             A55;'!9)▒▒▒▒e=1-9▒;-%=)▒▒▒▒▒▒▒#!▒3!#7▒=▒▒▒▒▒=▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒95▒▒-#5=7▒▒I▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒+                                                                                                                                                             ▒3'=/▒=▒▒▒▒▒=▒5=▒▒5#7▒=▒▒▒▒▒=▒▒;▒▒▒I▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒+33▒▒▒ygu}ce}[iu[▒#!75▒3!#7▒=▒                                                                                                                                                             ▒▒▒▒=▒▒;▒▒▒#!▒3-#!75▒-#▒;'!9)▒▒▒▒▒▒=▒▒▒▒▒▒▒R▒▒띣▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒+33▒▒▒#!-95▒▒▒▒▒▒+33▒A;-                                                                                                                                                             5%▒▒▒▒!3▒7=%▒▒▒▒#9/59)57▒▒▒▒!#▒▒=#7▒▒▒!3▒3▒▒▒▒75=7▒▒▒▒!#▒▒3!#7▒▒▒I▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒E▒                                                                                                                                                             =-#1▒-#-▒▒!-!#▒!▒)5'▒▒Y55▒g-#▒w!9%5#=-!#▒-#-▒▒3!1-7=#95▒▒▒

Which doesn't look right either. At no point can I type.

Any help? I'll chip in to bounty too

First, you DO NOT need to connect ground (and it looks like you are connecting the 3.3v line rather than ground in your pic).
Second, what program are you using to connect? You may need to set the speed, e.g 115200, aprity and data bits and / or set the display to ANSI.

I'm using Putty and I have from left to right connected Tx, Rx, Gnd, 3.3 is outer left pin, and 5v is outer right pin.
I will try without GND.
As far as my settings go in putty. I select Serial, I choose the right COM port, in this case COM3, I set baud to 115200, I hit connect, and that is my output on the screen.
I've done nothing with:"aprity and data bits and / or set the display to ANSI" and wouldn't know where to find it. When I try putty settings they don't seem to stick.

Thanks

I can not seem to find where you set the terminal display in putty, but I have previously used Realterm and when I got garbled output like you have, all I had to do was set the correct baud speed and set the terminal display to ANSI. I suppose in your instance you'll have to try out different baud speeds, but suffice to say you are on the right track.

I had pins wrong!!!!!!!!!! I'll get photo up in a second, don't believe the square point is GND.

I now have something better, but still can type.


U-Boot 1.1.4 (Apr 11 2013 - 01:45:00)

U-boot for ELink, build by huangfc(QQ:343669866)

Taobao:http://huangfc.taobao.com

model:ELink M150
DRAM:  64 MB
led turning on for 1s...
id read 0x100000ff
flash size 8388608, sector count = 128
Flash:  8 MB
Using default environment

In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
Net:   ag7240_enet_initialize...
: cfg1 0x5 cfg2 0x7114
eth0: 00:03:7f:ff:ff:ff
eth0 up
: cfg1 0xf cfg2 0x7214
eth1: 00:03:7f:ff:ff:fe
athrs26_reg_init_lan
ATHRS26: resetting s26
ATHRS26: s26 reset done
eth1 up
eth0, eth1
Autobooting in 1 seconds,Press p to stop autoboot!!
Easy-Link> reboot


Typing reboot there did nothing.

Here is a pastebin of the ful output, which ends in a lovely kernel panic, with loads of missing locks.

http://pastebin.com/RZ1x4PmJ

Hope you can see cable colour and orientation

https://i.imgur.com/CvNPRKW.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/zqMlYpr.jpg

type help or -help or ? or anything!

help worked

Now you know all the secrets .....

Yeah

fake   - fake
?       - alias for 'help'
boot    - boot default, i.e., run 'bootcmd'
bootd   - boot default, i.e., run 'bootcmd'
bootm   - boot application image from memory
cp      - memory copy
erase   - erase FLASH memory
help    - print online help
httpboot- entering the backup mode.
md      - memory display
mm      - memory modify (auto-incrementing)
mtest   - simple RAM test
mw      - memory write (fill)
nm      - memory modify (constant address)
ping    - send ICMP ECHO_REQUEST to network host
printenv- print environment variables
progmac - Set ethernet MAC addresses
reset   - Perform RESET of the CPU
run     - run commands in an environment variable
setenv  - set environment variables
tftpboot- boot image via network using TFTP protocol
version - print monitor version


 still can't quite see where to get in:

mtd -r erase rootfs_data

I read that as mount a drive, erase drive, but then how do I get on a none corrupt firmware?

MTD isn't even a recognised command!!!!????!!!??!?!?!?!?!?

Did you press enter as soon as you saw text scrolling to get to the prompt? You probably missed a step ..... try over again and copy & paste here all the text that is sent to the putty screen.

Here is a second pastebin this is complete output:

http://pastebin.com/hMDKtHih

I hit p in boot to get to:

U-Boot 1.1.4 (Apr 11 2013 - 01:45:00)

U-boot for ELink, build by huangfc(QQ:343669866)

Taobao:http://huangfc.taobao.com

model:ELink M150
DRAM:  64 MB
led turning on for 1s...
id read 0x100000ff
flash size 8388608, sector count = 128
Flash:  8 MB
Using default environment

In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
Net:   ag7240_enet_initialize...
: cfg1 0x5 cfg2 0x7114
eth0: 00:03:7f:ff:ff:ff
eth0 up
: cfg1 0xf cfg2 0x7214
eth1: 00:03:7f:ff:ff:fe
athrs26_reg_init_lan
ATHRS26: resetting s26
ATHRS26: s26 reset done
eth1 up
eth0, eth1
Autobooting in 1 seconds,Press p to stop autoboot!!
Easy-Link>

Just need to get a non corrupt firmware on it.

You do realise that the route you have taken will involve putting your bin file into a TFTP server and upload that to the control board? As you may have realised from your pastebin log, the OS / filesystem on your board is completely messed and can not start so the ONLY option is to upload / overwrite the bin file from a TFTP server - but we need to know whether you can connect to a network from that prompt.

EDIT: Seeing run is a command, did you try: run mtd -r erase rootfs_data

Please please please, I have no idea what your talking about. I will use google.
But can I please have a noob version, I not only think it will help me, but a few others too.

Is there a way to go through the ethernet from the connection I can get? Is there a ping test I can do through the ethernet? it there a way to push through the serial connection I have going on? "reset" reset CPU will that help anything.

Please, and thank you in advance.

Edit : yes tried run mtd nada

Honestly, I am trying to help you here and neither am I an expert at this. I did, though, have an instance a long while ago where I wanted to hack the router that my ISP had locked and, via google, got acquainted with this openwrt hacking stuff. So you'll have to bear with me as much as I am trying to recall the process; it can be done though, no doubt! The only difference with the S3 board is it does not seem to have the otherwise "standard" commands that I encountered on my jaunt ....

Sorry for the pressure, just a big brick next to me.

Does this help:

Easy-Link> ping 192.168.1.250
eth1 link down
Using eth0 device
host 192.168.1.250 is alive

From your log, the ethernet seems to be up, so yes, you should be able to get a network connection. All you are left with is having the TFTP server up and flashing your image. It is a simple thing ..... here's a link: ftp://priede.bf.lu.lv/pub/OS/ruuteri/Lynksys/WRT54G/tftp.htm
But there are lots of articles on the web about this too, now what you are left with is setting up the TFTP server and flashing.

Edit: does this help:

Easy-Link> ping 192.168.1.250
eth1 link down
Using eth0 device
host 192.168.1.250 is alive

Number 5 is alive

edit: sorry link didn't work, but you wouldn't happen to be a polish biologist would you?

Now we know you have a network connection, what is left is setting up the TFTP server, placing your firmware file in its public directory and flashing it. Here's another link on how to flash using a TFTP server: http://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/generic.flashing.tftp

EDIT: PS> Since you will not be flashing onto virgin hardware, you'll need to keep the serial onnected and interupting the boot process.

OK, I'm flying by the seat of my pats here, I've gotten TFTP2.exe for windows (still not great at linux)
It prepares files for flashing to IP addresses, as far as I can tell.
I used my open I address .250, nothing

then used command TFTPboot: to this output from putty:

Easy-Link> tftpboot
eth1 link down
dup 1 speed 100
*** Warning: no boot file name; using '0101A8C0.img'
Using eth0 device
TFTP from server 192.168.1.100; our IP address is 192.168.1.1
Filename '0101A8C0.img'.
Load address: 0x81000000
Loading: T T T T T T T T T T
Retry count exceeded; starting again
eth1 link down
*** Warning: no boot file name; using '0101A8C0.img'
Using eth0 device
TFTP from server 192.168.1.100; our IP address is 192.168.1.1
Filename '0101A8C0.img'.
Load address: 0x81000000
Loading: T T

Which continues to cycle the "T"'s searching for an input.

I tried IP 1.100 and IP 1.1
But it seems it's looking for a file called "0101A8C0.img"
I renamed the .bin fie to this with no success.

TFTP has a progress bar saying it has to erase first, but times out, on all files and IP addresses

Edit: you mentioned virgin hardware, would the "erase   - erase FLASH memory help?"

You are getting somewhere then ....
What IP did you set for your PC (tftp server) and the control board? These are supposed to be the same and as far as I can recall, you can NOT be connected to the wider network (at least from what I recall, but I could be wrong on that).

Them ALLLLLLL!

I get no response from 1.250 which the ping said was alive.

TFTP2.exe responds to 1.100 and 1.1, when I input to the S3 TFTPboot.

But it's looking for an img file

Know how to turn a .bin into a .img?

Edit: .1.100 was it's pre brick IP address

It is not a matter of turning a bin into an img file as the original upload takes the bin file. It may be a matter of simply changing the extension (or indeed telling the tftp server to look for a bin rather than img ... don't ask me how)

Din you try and type in the run mtd .... command?

Yes, I did , won't except commands, run mtd, mtd, or erase rootfs_data

How do they fail? Is it verbose and if so, could you paste here?
Also, run a printenv command and report back.

Printenv:
Easy-Link> printenv
bootargs=console=ttyS0,115200 root=31:02 rootfstype=squashfs init=/sbin/init mtdparts=ar7240-nor0:128k(u-boot),1024k(kernel),6912(rootfs),64k(config),64k(ART)
bootcmd=bootm 0x9f020000
bootdelay=1
baudrate=115200
ethaddr=0x00:0xaa:0xbb:0xcc:0xdd:0xee
ipaddr=192.168.1.1
serverip=192.168.1.100
stdin=serial
stdout=serial
stderr=serial
ethact=eth0

Environment size: 345/65532 bytes

edit:
list of tried commands:

Easy-Link> run
Usage:
run     - run commands in an environment variable

Easy-Link> run mtd
## Error: "mtd" not defined
Easy-Link> erase rootfs_data
Usage:
erase   - erase FLASH memory

Easy-Link> mtd
Unknown command 'mtd' - try 'help'
Easy-Link> run erase rootfs_data
## Error: "erase" not defined
Easy-Link> help
fake   - fake
?       - alias for 'help'
boot    - boot default, i.e., run 'bootcmd'
bootd   - boot default, i.e., run 'bootcmd'
bootm   - boot application image from memory
cp      - memory copy
erase   - erase FLASH memory
help    - print online help
httpboot- entering the backup mode.
md      - memory display
mm      - memory modify (auto-incrementing)
mtest   - simple RAM test
mw      - memory write (fill)
nm      - memory modify (constant address)
ping    - send ICMP ECHO_REQUEST to network host
printenv- print environment variables
progmac - Set ethernet MAC addresses
reset   - Perform RESET of the CPU
run     - run commands in an environment variable
setenv  - set environment variables
tftpboot- boot image via network using TFTP protocol
version - print monitor version
Easy-Link> httpboot
eth1 link down
eth1 link down
uip init...
http init...
eth1 link down
eth1 link down
eth1 link down


edit:
Any way to use "mw" command, memory write command, then "bootm" command to boot from memory, to flash through GUI?

Thanks for the output, I'll browse through and see if I can spot a light at the end of the tunnell.

By the way, I meant the command altogether, i.e:

run mtd -r erase rootfs_data

From your output, you see this line:

mtdparts=ar7240-nor0:128k(u-boot),1024k(kernel),6912(rootfs),64k(config),64k(ART)

When you call erase, you want to provide one of these parts of the mtd, and that is supposed to be the root_fs, so I am thinking

erase rootfs

will do the trick, else we need to find the tags for the parts. NOTE that this method would be in lieu of the tftp flashing method, i.e that will erase the memory data that the system is booting THUS force the system to effectively do a reset and call on the NVRAM data to load.

yes did a long time ago:

Easy-Link> run mtd -r erase rootfs_data
## Error: "mtd" not defined
Easy-Link>

Edit: Really appreciate your help. or Elf-lp ;-)

Just put the firmware bin file into the root directory on a tftp server running on 192.168.1.100 subnet mask 255.255.255.0 and execute the above commands from uboot to flash it.


This won't work from uboot so don't bother trying it if thats as far as you can get.

^^^^^ Top man!
You must b laughing at us for wasting all this time!

OK, that is new.? Pardon, ex-squeeze me, what? don't understand, sorry.
I have a windows computer, and I have TFTP2.exe, can't get TFTP2 to find S3
Windows says IP is .1.250, which the S3 says is alive.
TFTP2.exe, only does something on .1.100 or .1.1 which while typing TFTPboot, is what the S3 says it's addresses are.
Sorry for my ignorance.

can't seem to setup any other server than over .1.250, even though everything is .1.100

Easy-Link>

That is the uboot prompt, so simply type (after saving the antMiner_S320141013.bin file in the tftp server root dir as directed by bitsolutions):

Easy-Link>tftpboot 0x80000000 antMiner_S320141013.bin

Easy-Link>erase 0x9f020000 +0x7c0000

Easy-Link>cp.b 0x80000000 0x9f020000 0x7c0000

Easy-Link>bootm 0x9f020000

Set your computer to a static IP of 192.168.1.100.....the file isn't pushed from the tftp server the download is initialized from the miner itself using the tftpboot command from uboot.

OK having problems with TFTP server part.

I've got ping ok:

Easy-Link> ping 192.168.1.100
eth1 link down
Using eth0 device
host 192.168.1.100 is alive
Easy-Link>

I'm trying to use TFTP2.exe and TFTPd64 but not having much luck

That is all you need to sort out now and you are home and dry!
I gave you a link to setting up a tftp server; go through it again and ensure you have (to the last letter) done all the steps, including but not limited to completely disconnectiong from the network and ONLY connecting the board to you PC / laptop ethernet. Do not try to cut corners as networking can be finicky at the very best.

I don't believe it!!!! number 5 is really alive.

It was windows firewall!!!!!! It was you mentioning, to re read your post!

Well well .... who'd have thought? Well done and now you know why networking can be finicky at the best of times!

Well for the next person like me I think it's only fair I explain how I got here.
I flashed a firmware over WiFi and I ended up with a corrupt bootloader/kernel.
After contacting Bitmain (bitmain wanted a lot of bitcoin for a new board) and reading on Here  (bitcoin.org) it was suggested to start by getting a £3 usb to serial/TTL converter, I have the one I have pictured in previous posts.
I connected my serial connection to the 3 debug pins, and opened putty using a serial connection on the right COM port, and at a baud rate of 115200
After presuming the square debug pin was earth/ GND, I had rubbish output.
I connected my serial converter as shown in previous photos, but from right to left, square to round, round, went TX (Square), Rx (Middle Round) GND (Outer round). I found using GND made a lot of things better.
After starting a putty terminal, and then turning on the flashing red led of death S3, I got a very large output of information. But if I turned it on and pressed "p" it would holt the boot process, and allow me a connection into the S3 "Easy-Link> "
As you can see from previous posts typing help allowed me to make sure that my computer was talking to the S3

I had a stable firmware already in possession, but they can be found here https://www.bitmaintech.com/support.htm?pid=007201407180243004432lBQW28O0633 (mind you this is how I got here to begin with, check for a good firmware, cross reference bitcoin.org S3 support forum)
Unzip the firmware to get a .bin file

I'm using Windows 8.1 64-Bit
So I next had to get a TFTP sever program which I acquired from http://tftpd32.jounin.net/

In windows network center I found out the IP address of the S3 with both a LAN cable connected directly from my S3 to my computer and the serial to USB connected, which in my case happened to be 192.168.1.250.
I had to change this by going in to "network and sharing center" and the click on "ethernet", then under "internet protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" select properties, and use the static IP address of 192.168.1.100 subnet 255.255.255.0

While putty is open, and the S3 is on, and the Easy-Link> prompt is still there
Type ping 192.168.1.100 and check the output says that the IP address is alive

After that start TFTPD64 or 32
Set current diectory to where your firmware is
Set the server interface to 192.168.1.100 (If you can't do this, you need to go back to network and sharing center part)
In the settings menu you need to set TFTP menu setting to "Bind TFTP to this address 192.168.1.100"
THEN TURN OFF YOUR FIREWALL EVEN WINDOWS FIREWALL, ESPECIALLY WINDOWS FIREWALL, but you don't need internet if your worried

Then fingers crossed type in to putty after the "Easy-Link>" prompt

Easy-Link>tftpboot 0x80000000 antMiner_S320xxxxxx.bin (your firmware name)

Easy-Link>erase 0x9f020000 +0x7c0000

Easy-Link>cp.b 0x80000000 0x9f020000 0x7c0000

Easy-Link>bootm 0x9f020000

You will get a lot of output from putty, and after the last command, the S3 should actually boot up, and then allow you to have web GUI access through the default IP address 192.168.1.99

I hope this helps someone as much as others have helped me. Thanks
Ty Excuse bad spelling, grammar, and typos

0.1BTC for Mr. nitrox1
0.05BTC for Mr. pekatete

assuming both are male  ;)

Thank you both very much!

Thank you very much, and yes I am last time I checked.

Thank you, much appreciated!

success!!! word up thank you so much

Hey, can anyone tell me if the s3+ control board is 5v TTL, 3v3 TTL, or RS232 at the debug pins? I've been told that an rPi can be used as a control board but I don't know if that info is correct. I know the rPi is a 3v3 TTL but it can be converted. I just need to know what type of serial communication the s3 uses.

Thanks for any input

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=671128.780 (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=671128.780)

Thanks a lot guys! Your explanation worked very well for me and I managed to unbrick one of my S3s.

I'm really sick with health problems and need to unbrick this s3+.  I'm getting a stream of data/text on the putty box with TX and RX connected.  but I tried pressing p and nothing happens and I can't input commands to the antminer?
I don't know how to start a TFTP server if that's the solution?