Dish 501 advice... from a newbie :)

[Darkbob]

Disclaimer: Ok... total newbie here so just take what I say with a grain of salt and if you screw your 501 don't blame me.

When you are going to plastic for the first time with your 501 you are probably going to download some fancy new bin and toss it on your card and expect it to work. No dice. The 501 isn't nearly so friendly.

Try these steps. If I had read them I would probably be watching TV rather than ordering an unlocker for my card...

0) Make sure your IRD is at the current revision
1) Use Jkeys to back up both Flash 1 and Flash 2.
2) Use Nedit to back up your Rom 102
3) Get your fancy new bin with blocker and load it to your card (write down the IRD and Box Keys that are in your new bin. They should be in the read-me if nothing else. These are critical! They are your new box keys and IRD number. You will need them later)
4) Now it gets tricky... Download a P079 (or P063 or P080) Flash 2 file from the Tsop library. Make sure the first 3 characters on the file you download match your current TSOP revision.
5) Use FlashEdit (advanced mode) and change the box keys and IRD number in the file you downloaded from the TSOP library to your new box keys and IRD numbers. Save this file to your drive.
6) Now use Flash Edit to make a virgin Eeprom and save it to your drive.
7) While you are at it, use Flash Edit to change your box keys and IRD in your original Flash 1 and Flash 2 files but save them to a different file name (don't over-write your original files obviously).

Whew... almost ready to get started.

8) Ok... use Jkeys again. Erase U6 and U7. Write the TSOP you downloaded and modified with new box keys to U7 but leave U6 blank. Also write the virgin Eeprom you made in step 6 to your IRD. Some people say you should do this step with the drive powered down (ie unhook the power cable from the drive). I didn't and it didn't seem to make a difference.
9) Boot up the IRD without hooking up the coax. It will now (hopefully) marry to your drive with the new box keys and ird number. It may take a few minutes to boot up. If all goes well you are on to step 10.
10) Back to Jkeys. Use it to load your modified Flash 1 and Flash 2 files with the new box keys and IRD number. Also throw on your virgin Eeprom from step 6 for good luck.
11) Boot up with the coax hooked up. Do a switch test and toss in your card.

If all goes well, watch TV.

I'm going to assume I made several critical errors in the above. Don't use these steps till you get the OK from some smart people. I'll modify the info above as I get feedback and hopefully have my first sticky! :)

--DB

edit: Got this from DrWolf - haven't tried it - but if it works it could replace the steps dealing with P079 and save a ton of time!

I took my u7 bin at p303, edited ird box key info in flashedit. then went hex workshop made sure my my info was at 3FFFC0. Went back to flashedit and made a virgin EEPROM from that. Erased u7 3 times, wrote EEPROM flash 3 times. read EEPROM to make sure it took it. Location A1 in the EEPROM has to be FF to reformat/remarry the drive. Plugged ird in all hooked up, it remarried drive without reformatting all though lost all the stuff on drive. Now it;s up and running, pvr functions working perfectly.

[drwolf]

Darkbob,
Read my post's in the romcode section, it's a lot easier than you have posted. No need to go back to the beginning in flashes, use your current firmware. Need any help let me know.
drwolf

[skinerd]

Darkbob,
Read my post's in the romcode section, it's a lot easier than you have posted. No need to go back to the beginning in flashes, use your current firmware. Need any help let me know.
drwolf

How are you marring the hard drive to the new receiver and box key numbers??

[Darkbob]

Hey Dr. Wolf... I found your instructions and they do look much easier! I put them in my message up above but here they are again for anyone interested:


From DrWolf:
I took my u7 bin at p303, edited ird box key info in flashedit. then went hex workshop made sure my my info was at 3FFFC0. Went back to flashedit and made a virgin EEPROM from that. Erased u7 3 times, wrote EEPROM flash 3 times. read EEPROM to make sure it took it. Location A1 in the EEPROM has to be FF to reformat/remarry the drive. Plugged ird in all hooked up, it remarried drive without reformatting all though lost all the stuff on drive. Now it;s up and running, pvr functions working perfectly.

[drwolf]

Skinerd,
Locatin A1 in the eeprom is the format/marry byte. Change it to FF and it will remarry the drive without all the firmware changes and upgrades. Tried it on several of my flashes, worked every time.
drwolf

[skinerd]

Skinerd,
Locatin A1 in the eeprom is the format/marry byte. Change it to FF and it will remarry the drive without all the firmware changes and upgrades. Tried it on several of my flashes, worked every time.
drwolf

That is interesting, never heard that before, even at Dishmod.......Anxious to try it.
So you are saying P309 will remarry the harddrive if I change the eeprom A1 to FF?? No virgin flash or virgin eeprom needed???

I have remarried using a virgin flash and eeprom and not lost any hard drive programs.....don't know why this would be any different. Very interested in trying it.

[drwolf]

Skinerd,
Try it let me know, I've only got a 501 and tried it on several of my flashes, changed my ird and box keys to bogus numbers and it worked every time. The eeprom also stores your timer's, tested that by setting up a timer and then reading the eeprom and looking at it in hex workshop.
drwolf

[ARM]

Will this A1=FF in eep remarry on a PVR 510 also?

[drwolf]

Arm,
It should, I believe the eeproms are all the same. But I could be wrong and if I am some one please correct me.
drwolf

[skinerd]

Skinerd,
Try it let me know, I've only got a 501 and tried it on several of my flashes, changed my ird and box keys to bogus numbers and it worked every time. The eeprom also stores your timer's, tested that by setting up a timer and then reading the eeprom and looking at it in hex workshop.
drwolf

Should know later tonight or tomorrow for sure.....

[drwolf]

Skinerd,
Looking forward to your finding's
drwolf

[spoug]

I was able to get sat up though after I changed the ird and box keys on flash U7 (erased U6) Hardrive would error with error cod 0412. I modded flash P309. I did make a virgin eprom off of U7. When I check location A1 it was already FF. In fact is all FF's after location 30. I did go back to original P223 code on flash and eeprom and hardrive would spin up with no errors. I am a little lost. Maybe 508 format/remarry does not work at location A1. I was wondering if taking the drive out and reformating off of PC would make a difference. I am using flashedit after I change the ird and boxkeys on the flash of P309. I thenk click fix crc then save. I next save as virgin eeprom. I then write the flash and eeprom to the box. Is there anything in the flash that needs to link to the eeprom? Isn't the eeprom just to store show's?

[skinerd]

Skinerd,
Looking forward to your finding's
drwolf
Same as previous poster, no luck, tried twice.....P304 and P308, eeprom location A1 went to AC on both attempts, but error 412........

Back to virgin flash/eeprom I reckon.......

[spoug]

I tried the virgin flash and eeprom when I first recieved the unit 3 years ago(P223). It appears to work as far as the hardrive though once I change the boxkeys and ird on the flash then make virgin eeprom with that flash and load back on, it will not marry the hardrive again. I get the same AC at ;pcatopm A1 for the eeprom. I even tried to change it back to FF though this did not work.

[spoug]

I want to clear up a question I have. When I make the virgin eeprom do I make it from the original flash(old box keys and IRD) or do I make the virgin eeprom from the new flash(new box keys and IRD#).

[Darkbob]

You make your virgin flash from the new TSOP with the new box keys and IRD number.

--DB

[319]

i put on po63 and virgin eprom and matching box info on card , turn on box no cable ,and waited 15 min, put in card and cable and turned of box 1 min after it turned on, and waited 20 min green light flashed on and off , box turned off by itself and bamm tv and married and it was updated to p309 by itself
the key is to wait and wait

[ARM]

So what is the conclusion ?
Does the A1=FF only work on 501s,
or only on certain firmware versions ?

[ticketoride]

You make your virgin flash from the new TSOP with the new box keys and IRD number.

--DB

So is the EEPROM flash 4M in size? I thought that EEPROM file size are 8K.

[Superbee]

Hex Workshop
Where A1
do you mean 000000a1
if so it already has FF'd there

Little confused, i'm working on a 510 that i have been trying to get it to marry the drive for months, new drive i have tried everything
Any card i put in just says 019

[skinerd]

Hex Workshop
Where A1
do you mean 000000a1
if so it already has FF'd there

Little confused, i'm working on a 510 that i have been trying to get it to marry the drive for months, new drive i have tried everything
Any card i put in just says 019

You guys kill me, I have done, in the last 2 days, 7 510's.
I have never got the A1=FF thing to work, I just load a virgin flash and eeprom and marry that way....

You obviously have not tried EVERYTHING, or you'd have it going by now.
Post your board build and lets see if we can get it going.
I can post or e-mail all files you need and even a basic 102 card file if you need it, and sounds like you do.

[Superbee]

Skinerd, I need some help with mine, i have started many treads on many different websites and still have yet to get a 501 to 510 going the build on the box is DCFD
it doesn't need a vidmod
Right now it has 304 software in it in info it says 501/508/510 to me the drive is still not married
I have been tring for a couple months off and on with this box i have tried 079 virgin software and 080 those software might be bad because in the info is black will not take any card rom10, rom10to102, AVR-X, now even a rom102.
Last when i worked on it we all come to that i needed a rom102 card at that time i didn't have an unlocker i do now that basic 102 file i would try
I have not had any problems at all with 501 to 508 worked everytime
Sending you a PM

[ticketoride]

You guys kill me, I have done, in the last 2 days, 7 510's.
I have never got the A1=FF thing to work, I just load a virgin flash and eeprom and marry that way....

You obviously have not tried EVERYTHING, or you'd have it going by now.
Post your board build and lets see if we can get it going.
I can post or e-mail all files you need and even a basic 102 card file if you need it, and sounds like you do.

Skinerd, I have flash errors when I try to program flash 2. is it because I did not erase the flash completely? I recovered by using Wall.
I think that i have U2 flashed with P063 virgin flash but still can't marry to HDD. How do you create virgin eeprom? Is it by load the present EEprom and choosing the virgin eeprom from the pull down in Flash Edit?

[skinerd]

Skinerd, I have flash errors when I try to program flash 2. is it because I did not erase the flash completely? I recovered by using Wall.
I think that i have U2 flashed with P063 virgin flash but still can't marry to HDD. How do you create virgin eeprom? Is it by load the present EEprom and choosing the virgin eeprom from the pull down in Flash Edit?

Make virgin eeprom from the flash, just open flash in flashedit, and "save as" a virgion eeprom.

[skinerd]

Skinerd, I need some help with mine, i have started many treads on many different websites and still have yet to get a 501 to 510 going the build on the box is DCFD
it doesn't need a vidmod
Right now it has 304 software in it in info it says 501/508/510 to me the drive is still not married
I have been tring for a couple months off and on with this box i have tried 079 virgin software and 080 those software might be bad because in the info is black will not take any card rom10, rom10to102, AVR-X, now even a rom102.
Last when i worked on it we all come to that i needed a rom102 card at that time i didn't have an unlocker i do now that basic 102 file i would try
I have not had any problems at all with 501 to 508 worked everytime
Sending you a PM

Are you trying to turn a 501 into a 510 by upgrading the harddrive??

[ticketoride]

[QUOTE=skinerd]Make virgin eeprom from the flash, just open flash in flashedit, and "save as" a virgion eeprom.[/QUOTE

You mean save as virgin eeprom after reading the EEprom flash, right?
I did one right after reading the U7 flash and save as Virgin EEprom. But the size was 4M, not 8K as espected.

Also why do i always have errors writing?

[Superbee]

Yes box was a 501 upgraded hard with Maxtor 4R120L0

Biggest problem is the card all i get is 019 error

Won't let me do anything, switch test is needed

[skinerd]

Yes box was a 501 upgraded hard with Maxtor 4R120L0

Biggest problem is the card all i get is 019 error

Won't let me do anything, switch test is needed
Check your mail I send a P075 which will marry a Maxtor 120 and a card file for the numbers in the flash. You'll need to make a virgin eeprom but that's easy.

[Superbee]

ticketoride
Do you have OJ1 hook up?

[ticketoride]

ticketoride
Do you have OJ1 hook up?

no, I don't have OJ1 hook up? How to hook it up? I guess that is why I can't get it to work.

[Superbee]

I retried 075 that i have and no go gives me hard Drive Error won't update
also tried 079 same thing Hard Drive Error won't update
080 Nothin, no Hard Drive error but won't take any card 019 error no switch test Nothin i have 5 different 080's 075's and 079's

[ticketoride]

ticketoride
Do you have OJ1 hook up?

Looks like, I am making progress. i figure out what OJ1 was and was able to program the flash to stop the naggong HDD error.
Now the nag is that ai am told that I am not authorized to view the channels so i have to look at the keys to if they have been updated recently because I am using a clone that is working on my 301 receiver

[skinerd]

I retried 075 that i have and no go gives me hard Drive Error won't update
also tried 079 same thing Hard Drive Error won't update
080 Nothin, no Hard Drive error but won't take any card 019 error no switch test Nothin i have 5 different 080's 075's and 079's

If the P080 doesn't give a HD error, then it's prolly marrying. Just not compatible with the firmware, that's ok.
Flash up to a later version.
What fix are you wanting to use? The file I sent uses gopherx numbers, public numbers.
Edit you receiver flash to those and flash back to p304, should work and update.

[Bulletproof]

So drwolf's method doesn't work on 510s but does it work for 501s?

[Superbee]

No Hard Drive error with 080 it's doesn't update or can i install any type of card
do you mean i just let it set on Info for awhile then reprogram with newer TSOP software
When it boots first thing up is No Card then moves to IRD Info it's all black
I thought that the only way to marry the Drive is when it Updates like the 508's do
from virgin software?

Programming now, will let you know
Still no e-mail

[skinerd]

Marrying occurs withing the first minute after powering back up after flashing with a virgin flash and eeprom. Streaming is not needed to marry.

[Superbee]

Well i tryied the 080 and let it sit all night didn't update, i reprogrammed with newer software i get Hard Drive error

I just programmed with your 075 Software 0 out the drive will let you know

[phataz]

i got my 501 using p071, my build is DCEA and used a DCKA build with sk moved. used flash edit entered my ird, box keys, build (DCEA) and checked fix crc. saved flash 1 U6, flash 2 U7 and made a virgin eeprom to my hd (name them whatever you want).
then i erased u6 and u7 three times each and installed my save flash 2 U7 and my save virgin eeprom. this will marry your hd to your new box keys and ird.
plug the ird in you will see lights blink on and off (should be married) ird will say to insert card. insert card, if you get the not authorized (005 nag), turn ird off for about 15 or 20 min (for the firmware update).
you should now be watching tv, i know i am. good luck, :^)

[skinerd]

i got my 501 using p071, my build is DCEA and used a DCKA build with sk moved. used flash edit entered my ird, box keys, build (DCEA) and checked fix crc. saved flash 1 U6, flash 2 U7 and made a virgin eeprom to my hd (name them whatever you want).
then i erased u6 and u7 three times each and installed my save flash 2 U7 and my save virgin eeprom. this will marry your hd to your new box keys and ird.
plug the ird in you will see lights blink on and off (should be married) ird will say to insert card. insert card, if you get the not authorized (005 nag), turn ird off for about 15 or 20 min (for the firmware update).
you should now be watching tv, i know i am. good luck, :^)

Keep in mind he is upgrading to a 120 gig hard drive, which must be listed in the flash or it won't marry.....

[phataz]

skinerd, i don't understand what you mean by "upgrading to a 120 gig hard drive, which must be listed in the flash or it won't marry". how is the upgrade listed in the flash? is it the one that says "moved ird info"?.
thanks, :^)

[skinerd]

Open the flash file in a hex editor, look on the right side, accepted drives are listed.....

[phataz]

i don't think i have that, i'll have to look for it. thanks, :^)

[phataz]

can't find hex editor anywhere, did see hex workshop, eeprom editor and otheres, but no hex editor.
can you point me in the right direction. thanks, :^)

[skinerd]

can't find hex editor anywhere, did see hex workshop, eeprom editor and otheres, but no hex editor.
can you point me in the right direction. thanks, :^)
Hex workshop should be ok......

[stugats]

Please send me a DCFD or DCFA or DCF.......something, I have to marry a seagate 80G, basically I have to replace my HD, old one does not work anymore, Imy flash E550 I see the model # so I won't have a problem
marring, the reason I'am asking is you emailed somebody else. If you look behind a few posts you cansee what I mean, if so PM me. thanks P079 or greater
Quote:
Originally Posted by Superbee
Skinerd, I need some help with mine, i have started many treads on many different websites and still have yet to get a 501 to 510 going the build on the box is DCFD
it doesn't need a vidmod
Right now it has 304 software in it in info it says 501/508/510 to me the drive is still not married
I have been tring for a couple months off and on with this box i have tried 079 virgin software and 080 those software might be bad because in the info is black will not take any card rom10, rom10to102, AVR-X, now even a rom102.
Last when i worked on it we all come to that i needed a rom102 card at that time i didn't have an unlocker i do now that basic 102 file i would try
I have not had any problems at all with 501 to 508 worked everytime
Sending you a PM

This was your response.
Check your mail I send a P075 which will marry a Maxtor 120 and a card file for the numbers in the flash. You'll need to make a virgin eeprom but that's easy.

[moonlite]

so what is the conclusion of modifing the A1 HEX to FF for the virgin EEPROM, can you remarry your hard disk without dropping back down to the original P063 or other base flash, or does this not work? I have some 501's and 508's, and if this does work, I would love to use it. I tried following this thread,, but it seemed to jump off topic. Thanks everyone!