OCTANS v2.0 Mini

[Guest sorg]

I want to share what i'm using almost 1 month already.

I've found that original interface of OCTANS has too many unwanted controls and fields.

So i've done some modifications:

1) Option to preserve My Storage content is on by default, so no more "oops.. forgot to mark it" surprises.

2) Many not used fields have been removed.

3) Some renaming of control has been done to make them more clear.

4) option to update eboot and phone has been removed as most dangerous. If you really need to update eboot (which is extremely rare case) then use original OCTANS.

OCTANS_Mini.exe

Edited October 5, 2009 by sorg

[Guest tacchan23]

Thanks for sharing:)

[Guest mickequipe]

Top work mate cheers! :)

[Guest mikiemad]

Thks a lot!!!

[Guest GeneNZ]

Hi,

I've come from HTC phones and learned quite thoroughly how to flash HTC's, and along the way picked up the general firmware architecture of the HTC phones.

Having just purchased an Omnia 2, I'm interested in exactly what the eboot does? From the research I've done, I understand the CSC, PDA and Phone components, and I've also learned that the eboot component is like the BIOS of the phone.

I noticed Sorg said that the eboot should be flashed rarely, and is a dangerous part of upgrading the O2. However, having recently learned how to flash the O2, I personally flashed from ROM G6 > H5 > H9 > H6 > G7.

In the process, I upgraded the eboot from G6 > H5 > H9. I wanted to downgrade from H9 to G7 as I wasn't happy with the H9 ROM, and used the intermediate H6 Rom, as this is what someone else did in the H9 thread on this forum. This was successful, without having to change the H9 eboot. Then I proceeded to downgrade to G7, but I kept getting a failed to upgrade "Phone", and it failed at 105%. So I tempted fate, and included the G7 eboot in Octans, and miraculous it downgraded successfully, with G7 eboot, G7 Phone, G7 PDA and H4 CSC.

What I'm trying to understand is exactly how the eboot fits in, and why would we rarely need to upgrade eboot when it has such a strong bearing on the other components (i.e. phone and PDA components).

Thanks in advance for helping another poster learn :)

[Guest Khuanchai]

Thanks for the modified version. Do you know why it has both .nb0 and .MST options? Do you have an example of nb0 file that can be used here? Do you have any tool to pack the MST file?

[Guest sorg]

What I'm trying to understand is exactly how the eboot fits in, and why would we rarely need to upgrade eboot when it has such a strong bearing on the other components (i.e. phone and PDA components).

Eboot is called as SPL in HTC devices.

In short, eboot is where flasher resides. So, if something will happen while eboot updating, you will end with bricked device. That's why updating of eboot is extremely dangerous.

Also, i don't recommend to update phone firmware unless you are 100% sure you really have to. I'm not sure exactly about O2, but for many PDA-phones failure of updating phone firmware lead to non-working (and often not recoverable) phone part.

Both eboot and phone firmwares are independent from PDA firmware and strongly NOT recommended for update.

Especially, keep off of updating phine part from different region. Different countries have different "features" of cellular networks.

I see some people here updated their phone part with chinese (PRC) II1 version. But China has no traditional 3G. So, how O2 with chinese II1 phone part will work with traditional 3G networks is unpredictable.

By the way, failure of updating PDA part is not fatal. Just restart update. So, it's absolutely safe if you update only PDA part.

Do you know why it has both .nb0 and .MST options?

Since OCTANS is a tool for service centers, it has many options to flash (and brick!) device. It's not designed for end-users. Just someone stole this utility and shared to all of us.

I've just tried to make simplified version and make it more user friendly.

Do you have an example of nb0 file that can be used here?

H6 and H9 ROMs are in nb0 format.

Do you have any tool to pack the MST file?

No, i haven't. But there is no reason to make it because nb0 format is simplier and provides all features MST has.

For my O2 ROMs i'm using simplified nb0 format without LANGPACKs.

Full nb0 may contain LANGPACKs of course.

Edited October 5, 2009 by sorg

[Guest GeneNZ]

Eboot is called as SPL in HTC devices.

In short, eboot is where flasher resides. So, if something will happen while eboot updating, you will end with bricked device. That's why updating of eboot is extremely dangerous.

Also, i don't recommend to update phone firmware unless you are 100% sure you really have to. I'm not sure exactly about O2, but for many PDA-phones failure of updating phone firmware lead to non-working (and often not recoverable) phone part.

Both eboot and phone firmwares are independent from PDA firmware and strongly NOT recommended for update.

Especially, keep off of updating phine part from different region. Different countries have different "features" of cellular networks.

I see some people here updated their phone part with chinese (PRC) II1 version. But China has no traditional 3G. So, how O2 with chinese II1 phone part will work with traditional 3G networks is unpredictable.

By the way, failure of updating PDA part is not fatal. Just restart update. So, it's absolutely safe if you update only PDA part.

Thanks for the information, thats most useful. One further question, how will I know if I have to update the eboot? You stated that you should do it only when your 100% sure you have to do it, however what are some indicators that I would have to do it? For example, when I downgraded to eboot G7 firmware, I wasn't exactly sure if that would fix the issue of allowing me to downgrade to G7 PDA and Phone part, but I tried it and it worked (thankfully). If I try upgrade to H9 again or any newer PDA/Phone part without upgrading the eboot, and it fails, does that suggest that the eboot also needs upgrading?

As a side question, when upgrading via OCTANS, and the upgrade fails, is the appropriate course of action to remove the battery and redetect? (this is what I did, because the phone seemed unresponsive otherwise... again thankfully it worked). Apologies if this is already listed somewhere in this forum, but I have been unable to find a FAQ on OCTANS.

Thanks again, just trying learn about the O2.

Gene

Edited October 5, 2009 by GeneNZ

[Guest sorg]

GeneNZ,

my phone came with H9 preinstalled.

I didn't update eboot yet, although i've tried H5, H9, I1 firmwares.

i don't think you will need to update eboot anytime in the future. Eboot task is to re-flash firmware and start it. If samsung won't change format of ROM (i don't think it will ever hapen) then you don't need to update eboot.

Probably there is some check for version number in eboot to prevent downgrade phone part for some reason.

But i'm pretty sure if you want downgrade/upgrade only PDA part, you can use any eboot version.

Of course, if you want to flash newer/older firmware and unable then you may try to upgrade/downgrade eboot. But be sure that problem is not caused by some other factor than eboot version. Reflashing eboot should be the last and less desired solution.

By the way, if phone part works ok, then don't re-flash phone firmware. You never know which bug u may find in newer version. And newer phone firmware can block downgrades. Russian people say: "Don't try to make it better if it's already good enough. You may end with worse case :)"

Of course you don't have to follow my point of view if you don't want :D

OCTANS is relatively buggy app. For example, you have to disconnect phone before start OCTANS. If you will start OCTANS while phone connected then it will sure crash while detecting phone, even if you will disconnect phone and then connect it again.

So, make sure phone is disconnected before run OCTANS. Probably this crash is related to Vista OS, but i have no XP and don't know behaviour there.

Edited October 6, 2009 by sorg

[Guest GeneNZ]

GeneNZ,

my phone came with H9 preinstalled.

I didn't update eboot yet, although i've tried H5, H9, I1 firmwares.

i don't think you will need to update eboot anytime in the future. Eboot task is to re-flash firmware and start it. If samsung won't change format of ROM (i don't think it will ever hapen) then you don't need to update eboot.

Probably there is some check for version number in eboot to prevent downgrade phone part for some reason.

But i'm pretty sure if you want downgrade/upgrade only PDA part, you can use any eboot version.

Of course, if you want to flash newer/older firmware and unable then you may try to upgrade/downgrade eboot. But be sure that problem is not caused by some other factor than eboot version. Reflashing eboot should be the last and less desired solution.

By the way, if phone part works ok, then don't re-flash phone firmware. You never know which bug u may find in newer version. And newer phone firmware can block downgrades. Russian people say: "Don't try to make it better if it's already good enough. You may end with worse case :) "

Of course you don't have to follow my point of view if you don't want :D

OCTANS is relatively buggy app. For example, you have to disconnect phone before start OCTANS. If you will start OCTANS while phone connected then it will sure crash while detecting phone, even if you will disconnect phone and then connect it again.

So, make sure phone is disconnected before run OCTANS. Probably this crash is related to Vista OS, but i have no XP and don't know behaviour there.

Thanks Sorg, very valuable information that will help me from bricking my phone. I probably will stick with the G7 eboot and phone part from this point forward, since the G7 phone part works well for me. That is until I hit problem when upgrading the PDA and CSC parts.

I can tell you that the XP does not crash with OCTANS. I've opened OCTANS with my phone connected via activesync several times with no issue. I've never flashed a phone with Vista or 7, even with my HTC phones, since I don't yet consider them as reliable as Windows XP.

Thanks again :P.

[Guest Khuanchai]

No, i haven't. But there is no reason to make it because nb0 format is simplier and provides all features MST has.

For my O2 ROMs i'm using simplified nb0 format without LANGPACKs.

Full nb0 may contain LANGPACKs of course.

Thanks for your information. Does the .nb0 file have a special format or header? I try i900 kitchen to create a .nb0 file but cannot open it with Octans. It says "Select PDA file is incorrected. 4" and cannot proceed.

Would you mind to share your simplified nb0?

Edited October 6, 2009 by Khuanchai

[Guest sorg]

Thanks for your information. Does the .nb0 file have a special format or header? I try i900 kitchen to create a .nb0 file but cannot open it with Octans. It says "Select PDA file is incorrected. 4" and cannot proceed.

nb0 format is not the same for every phone.

Just open H6 or H9 ROM in hex editor and compare at least beginning of file with created by you.

I don't think that i900 kitchen can create correct nb0 format for i8000.

Would you mind to share your simplified nb0?

I'm not ready to share my ROMs.

simplified nb0 i've made is almost the same as samsung's, just without TFAT32 partition (containing LANGPACKs). So, only MSFLSH part. OCTANS accepts it.

Edited October 6, 2009 by sorg

[Guest Khuanchai]

nb0 format is not the same for every phone.

Just open H6 or H9 ROM in hex editor and compare at least beginning of file with created by you.

I don't think that i900 kitchen can create correct nb0 format for i8000.

I'm not ready to share my ROMs.

simplified nb0 i've made is almost the same as samsung's, just without TFAT32 partition (containing LANGPACKs). So, only MSFLSH part. OCTANS accepts it.

Thanks, sorg. That's helpful enough. At least I know that's it can be from different header. I will look at the header and try again.

[Guest selcuk666]

after flushing language setup screen does not go ( what ever I do) what is the problem

[Guest akirita]

it can flash with windows vista and mini Octans?

thanks

[Guest thenunoman]

I want to share what i'm using almost 1 month already.

I've found that original interface of OCTANS has too many unwanted controls and fields.

So i've done some modifications:

1) Option to preserve My Storage content is on by default, so no more "oops.. forgot to mark it" surprises.

2) Many not used fields have been removed.

3) Some renaming of control has been done to make them more clear.

4) option to update eboot and phone has been removed as most dangerous. If you really need to update eboot (which is extremely rare case) then use original OCTANS.

Hi Sorg,

Thanks for the great help, good piece of software.

One question: when selecting the .csc file (in my case it's "csc_i8000nxxij1.csc") we can then choose among a long list of csc's. Which one to choose? I don't see correspondence between these and the country codes or operators.

Thanks a lot!

Nuno

[Guest itsme_4ucz]

This is also a nice gui just a thought !

[Guest guamzintrusion19]

I want to share what i'm using almost 1 month already.

I've found that original interface of OCTANS has too many unwanted controls and fields.

So i've done some modifications:

1) Option to preserve My Storage content is on by default, so no more "oops.. forgot to mark it" surprises.

2) Many not used fields have been removed.

3) Some renaming of control has been done to make them more clear.

4) option to update eboot and phone has been removed as most dangerous. If you really need to update eboot (which is extremely rare case) then use original OCTANS.

Hi! I'm sorry for asking this question. I'm new to WinMo... just got my first winmo phone two days ago. I'm now trying to learn how to create custom roms. Just want to check if this program can be used creating custom roms for Samsung B7610. Thanks!

[Guest Terry666]

Hi! I'm sorry for asking this question. I'm new to WinMo... just got my first winmo phone two days ago. I'm now trying to learn how to create custom roms. Just want to check if this program can be used creating custom roms for Samsung B7610. Thanks!

NO... This program is for FLASHING a ROM... You'll need that AFTER you cooked your ROM...

[Guest guamzintrusion19]

NO... This program is for FLASHING a ROM... You'll need that AFTER you cooked your ROM...

I see, got it! But can I also use this to flash ROMS for Samsung B7610? Or is this specifically for i800 and SCH i920 only?

[Guest shadowangel]

I see, got it! But can I also use this to flash ROMS for Samsung B7610? Or is this specifically for i800 and SCH i920 only?

I think you will find the answer to your questions here

[Guest Terry666]

I see, got it! But can I also use this to flash ROMS for Samsung B7610? Or is this specifically for i800 and SCH i920 only?

As far as I know you can...

Good luck mate