Yes, there most certainly is. You can recover both the R series and basic e200 using recovery mode. I’ll place some details here in a few minutes, just need to retrieve the previous narrative for you, whilst I enjoy the 88 degree afternoon! I’ll have it up in a few minutes. I’ve posted a few step by step ones…have it up in a little bit!
Download and unzip the firmware mi4 and BL_SD rom files here, let’s run with the Rhapsody Firmware. Inside this zipped archive, you’ll find two files. UNZIP them, and place them on your desktop.
Then, with the Sansa v1 connected in Recovery Mode, you’ll need to open a Windows Explorer window. Double click on My Computer. See the new icon, 16MB FORMAT? Double click on this to open the reserved partition of your Sansa, the home of your firmware files.
No matter what you do, DO NOT use the Windows Format command on this reserved partition! I mention this here, because the option pops up in the next step.
Drag and drop the two firmware files into the partition (open window). Right click after transfer, and select Eject.
Slide the HOLD switch back to the left, and unplug your e200.
The firmware will automatically reinstall.
Your next step, following the “firmware upgrade in progress” screen, is to try starting the device by turning it on (the device will power off following firmware (re)installation. Upon start, all should be well. The device will rebuild the music database if there was music loaded on the device prior to installation of the firmware.
If it starts, and continually reboots, there is one more fix. The device is “choking” on a corrupted bit in memory, a simple glitch to repair. You need to format the device, and reload the music. Formatting can be done using a very cool trick. Again, using recovery mode, remember that you are exposing the reserved partition, so formatting must never be done via the PC in this mode (since it wipes out the reserved partiton).
Since the device is “wigging out” when started, recovery mode is a great way to access the reserved partition for recovery. It connects manually in MSC mode- but remember, it’s the reserved partition that is accessible in this mode. As shown above, if you connect in recovery mode, double click on the 16MB FORMAT icon to open the partition. Now, with the mouse pointer inside the box (you’ll see the single version.info file there), just right click and select new folder. Then simply rename this folder sansa.fmt. Easy, huh? The sansa automatically reformats itself if it “sees” this phrase in the reserved partition, once disconnected.
Don’t forget to slide the HOLD switch back first, as it locks the player.
Bob
