Idnetity Pad E201 Bricked - any advice?

[MartinM]

Hello, I bought my Identity pad from S-Korea last year, It was E201K.
When Enspert launched their E201U in US I was happy, atleast I get fully international version of firmware. Got firmware from Enspert and installed it, Everything worked lika a charm.

When I connected to wifi, tablet said that even newer firmware is avaiable and asked if Id like to download it - I thought why not and it started downloading. After download finished It said to reboot my device and press reset button to initialize firmware upgrade - I followed. It started to do its stuff and after ten or so minutes screen went black. So I waited more and nothing happend for another ten minutes. I started to get suspicious and tried to swich tablet on - nothing. Pressing buttons - nothing.
Pressed reset button and it only vibrated for a second.

And there I am now. Nothing works and pressing reset button makes It vibrate only once. Its draining battery tho, so if I leave it to as it is, it will be unresponsive after few days, then if I plug it back to computer - it gets power and all it does, is only vibrating once after reset button press.

After plugging to USB it does nothing, computer does not pick it up etc.

I have tried all kind of recovery button combitantions, nothing seem to work.
Holding power delays that second long vibration a bit but nothing else.

Teared the tablet apart and if one removes the battery there is an unknown connector, probably for flashing or something. Nothing more info on that one.


Even connected to US Enspert and they were very helpful but couldnt give any specific ansvers and since I didnt buy the device from them, couldnt offer any more support. And Korean manufacturer is not responding to me at all.
Enspert said that they dont know any button combination to get device to recovery mode - maybe there is no recovery mode?

Does anyone have any ideas I could try or this device is only good for paperwaight from now on. Since going to S-Korea to repair it is unthinkable.

Best wishes, Martin

 

[N3WWN]

Teared the tablet apart and if one removes the battery there is an unknown connector, probably for flashing or something. Nothing more info on that one.

Hi Martin!

How did you tear the unit apart? Were you able to do so without damaging it?

I also have a E201 that is bricked, but can't figure out how to open the case on mine.

I think my unit is bricked a little differently than yours... mine keeps rebooting when the Identity logo splashes up on the screen.

Enspert was able to give me two commands to enter into the serial console, but they didn't tell me how to connect to the serial console:

ext3format mmc 0:1
fatformat mmc 0:2

The 1st command deletes the data area and the 2nd command deletes the internal SD card area.

Perhaps by working together we can restore both of our units to working order!

Thanks!

-Rich

 

[MartinM]

Hello, took me time to reply but here it is: Its connected with small plastic all around the edge, but main things holding it are 3 screws behind the lid and behind small oval stickers. If you remove these you can tear it apart.

I took it apart and made some pictures of the inside and of the connector.
The connector looks small around 24 connecting pins and its something like Apple (ipods and iphone) uses as its main connector.

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8198/img5202c.jpg
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/6651/img5205o.jpg

 

[lgcb]

Hello I have the same problem with mine, I wrote to Enspert and they told me the folowing:

========================================================

In order to solve your problem, you have to follow our instruction as stated below ;

1. Step I ;
- First, you need to down the attached file which is only 6MB.
- You need to copy it into SD card from PC and ;
l Plug SD card into SD slot of E201(if your E201 battery is run out already, you need to connect power adapter).
l Push hard reset button located at right hand side of HDMI port. It is small round hole.
l E201 will automatically process its initialization process and you will see one pop up message on the screen. That meaning is system is updating.
l When you see “Andro Boy Photo”, initialization is done. Then you need to get into Step 2.
l Please note that “Andro Boy Photo” shall remain until you get into Step II below.
-
2. Step II ;
- This is real process to upgrade the SW version. In order to do so, you have to download upgraded SW version from below download link.
- Once you complete your download to your PC, you must follow below process ;
l Copy it to SD card.
l Plug it into SD Card slot.
l Push hard reset button.
l Then E201 will automatically process its SW version upgrade.
l When you see basic idle screen, SW upgrade is done normally.
-
We are sorry for the inconvenience and hope this is a solution for your problem.

BR,

Brian.

============================================

I did every step over and over and I'm still stuck on the enspert logo that keeps rebooting. I will give you the links if you can solve your problem let me know. Thank you.

Links:
STEP 1 (Initialization)
STEP 2 (Firmware)

 

[MartinM]

Wow!!!! Big thanks. Did everything and it worked! Added the image to SD and waited, waited waited, even after the enspert logo still waited.. til desktop came.
Ah you made my day!!!!

If you still wont get it with this image I could upload the image I used but they seem identical; same size same date/time of creation etc.


AGAIN THANKS FOR YOUR TIME YOU TOOK TO REPLY.
Tho it makes me wonder why Enpsert didnt want to help me and gave misleading information. Well thats business...

 

[lgcb]

Hello Martin. I'm glad It work for you. Can you upload the frimware that you use becuase my tablet still don't want to boot. I waited until the screen goes blank and nothing. I don't know If I have to wait a bit more. I Hope to fix mine.

 

[MartinM]

Hello, my bad... the firmware I used first (wich) i got b4 from enspert didnt work perfectly. Well it booted and device worked, but after I shut it down for overnight it didnt start again. Then I tried even Korean firmware, that started to throw alot of errors...
Then I noticed that the firmware you gave me Is still different from mine (having like 5 files almost on the same name on desktop is confusing ). And I tried yours.
Ofc it was needed to use that 6mb firmware again every time to swich from one to another. And this that you gave works. Marketplace works, it boots etc.

So what I could suggest is to throw in that 6MB firm again, wipe everything and put this 158MB one there again. This 158 one takes like 10 minutes to install so be patient.

 

[lgcb]

I tried, and nothing. Can you upload yours? I'll give it a shot. I'm patient (kind of) I wait like 20 minutes and then the tablet goes blank when installing the FW. I don't know what else I can do.

 

[madroid1]

this is kind of off topic, but I just got my daughter one of these for xmas. while I was setting it up for her I ran into an issues. I cannot sign into google. it keeps telling me it cannot connect to the google servers so I can not log into the market. I have a google account already running on phones and I can sign into the brower with her gmail. Not sure what the issue would be. I have followed the instructions above for updating the firmware. and that went through just fine(Thanks).

 

[MartinM]

Hello, I had the same problem with Android market.

Connect to Wifi.
At first try this: Go to Settings -> Accounts & sync settings and check if Background Data is active - if not turn it on.
Now try again to go to Market, if not successful proceed with the following:

Below there you see manage accounts. If there is Google account click on it and remove it.

Now go to Main menu and go to Youtube app, launch it.
Now you see youtube and some videos there.
Click left button on your tablet while in youtube and select My Channel from the popped up menu.
It asks you to sign in by adding an account. Click add account and use your/her Gmail user name and password to log in.
After you have entered your data it should log in to youtube and create new google account to Accounts and sync settings.

After all that is done try going to Market again.

 

[ramx2]

Hello I have the same problem with mine, I wrote to Enspert and they told me the folowing:

========================================================

In order to solve your problem, you have to follow our instruction as stated below ;

1. Step I ;
- First, you need to down the attached file which is only 6MB.
- You need to copy it into SD card from PC and ;
l Plug SD card into SD slot of E201(if your E201 battery is run out already, you need to connect power adapter).
l Push hard reset button located at right hand side of HDMI port. It is small round hole.
l E201 will automatically process its initialization process and you will see one pop up message on the screen. That meaning is system is updating.
l When you see “Andro Boy Photo”, initialization is done. Then you need to get into Step 2.
l Please note that “Andro Boy Photo” shall remain until you get into Step II below.
-
2. Step II ;
- This is real process to upgrade the SW version. In order to do so, you have to download upgraded SW version from below download link.
- Once you complete your download to your PC, you must follow below process ;
l Copy it to SD card.
l Plug it into SD Card slot.
l Push hard reset button.
l Then E201 will automatically process its SW version upgrade.
l When you see basic idle screen, SW upgrade is done normally.
-
We are sorry for the inconvenience and hope this is a solution for your problem.

BR,

Brian.

============================================

I did every step over and over and I'm still stuck on the enspert logo that keeps rebooting. I will give you the links if you can solve your problem let me know. Thank you.

Links:
STEP 1 (Initialization)
STEP 2 (Firmware)

Please can you upload the files again Megaupload is down...

Thank you in advance..

 

[Alaric]

I too would very much like to see the firmware re-uploaded. My GPS is still fu-bar'd and the firmware is impossible to find. Could someone please re-upload it?

 

[Th0r4z1n3]

I've had a similar problem with mine. I powered it on, not realizing that the battery was dead at the time, it started downloading new email notifications and stuff but then the battery gave out in the middle of the start up process... now it's just stuck at the boot up screen when I turn it on. I'm pretty sure this method will work to fix it but since MegaUpload has been taken down I can't seem to find a copy of the file that fixes the initialization process, I emailed the company directly hoping that they will be helpful enough to send me a copy via email, but if anybody has a copy of this it would be greatly appreciated.

I've tried just reinstalling the firmware, it recognizes it and installs it, but it still won't get past the splash screen on boot up.

I too would very much like to see the firmware re-uploaded. My GPS is still fu-bar'd and the firmware is impossible to find. Could someone please re-upload it?

The firmware can be found on the Identity Tab website, it will prompt you to enter the serial number of your tablet (with instructions on how to locate it) so that they can give you the most recent version that is compatible with your tablet. Just click the download button and it'll give you a popup to enter the information.

:::: IDENTITY ::::

 

[Th0r4z1n3]

So I've tried emailing almost every email address I can find on both the Enspert and Identity Tab website and they keep getting bounced back to me with a msg in Korean that says it was unable to be delivered. :/ I could REALLY use some help finding the file to fix the initialization process, or if somebody could point me to a process that could work.

EDIT: Since mine is the "re-branded" Wintec version, I think I'm going to try contacting them to see if they can be of any help.

 

[lgcb]

Hello guys, I re-uploaded the Booting file, follow the steps in my first post to see if it work for you, the firmware you can find it at the Identity web site. If you can work it out please let me know because a can't make mine work. Good Luck guys

Booting file