Things to check if you have IFA troubles

[renwich]

Thanks to Fergalsworld

You really need to get a nullmodem cable and your worries will go away
but until you do try this.
Check you have done all this
Go to control panel then network connections
right click on local area connect and pick properties.
there you will see underneath connect using....your network card
next to this will be a configure tab click on it.
then click on the advanced tab
you need to look for flow control, duplex, media type or connection type
drop the value tab arrow down and set to 10baseT_halfduplex or try automatic or autosense
Then
1.Install IFA in to C:/ check that IFA has been Added to the exceptions in windows firewall,then turn the firewall off,
2.Disable ALL antivirus programs...If you have any Norton crapware disable worm blocking aswell
you might even have to unistall it this includes systemworks aswell
there is a removal tool in the downloads to get rid of anything norton leaves behind
3.Disable any popup stoppers.
4.Give your pc network card a static ip.
IE:PC ip:192.168.1.201 (not needed with ifa but set to this anyway)
subnet mask 255.255.255.0
5.Disable any other network cards you have installed including wireless
6.Disable ics (internet card sharing if available)
7.Ethernet crossover cable connected
8.Nullmodem cable connected if you have one
9.Turn off box,
10.Put Image in C:/ and rename it to mtd3.img
11.Start IFA
12.Select networkcard
13.Tick nullmodem if you have one
14.Select image in C:/
15.Press ok, if it goes to a comm window turn on the box.
16.If you dont get flashing in the lcd on the box try holding the power and up button in till the lcd goes blank
then let go wait about 10 seconds
keep trying a few times.

Nullmodem cable required to do the following.
hold power and up button in till lcd goes blank then let go of power button then up button 2 seconds later
it will go through 3 tests in com window then stop at
dbox ppcboot> type in "boot net" then press enter
if it does not start to flash
then something is still blocking the network.
Hope this helps.

[dannysljones]

mine always crashes now if flashing via the network.

What I do now to flash is upload the image to the temp directory using the ftp from within internet explorer.
Then I initiate the flash from the menu system within the dbox.

Added bonus is you can keep watching telly while it flashes.

[PaphosAL]

All well and fine, Danny- until you find your dbox hung on loading kernel or kein system !!

[dannysljones]

Is that more likely to cause an issue?

Surely, if the data is already stored on the Dbox memory there should be less chance of an issue?

[PaphosAL]

Yes! A fooking BIG issue when (not if) it happens to you, m8! As in this scenario, you're unable to access the dbox via Telnet or FTP- and the box isn't booting to the image, so you have no menu system nor TuxCom to extract yourself out of this mire.

Your only recourse in this situation is to a) throw the box in your wheelybin, or b) let your trusted friend IFA regain your box for you, with a reflashed image.

Usually, this image would be the fully working one that you last backed-up and saved to PC. You do do this from time to time, yes?

Cheers- AL

[dannysljones]

Yeah I am a backup man!

Working in IT for too long not to do that.

I will keep flashing this way "until" this happens and then have to get IFA working.

Cheers dude.

[shyam92]

i still can't get mine to work
can i connect through router
or is it only to computer

[bigjat69]

you can go through a router if you must but use a patch cable not a crossover in that instance.

IFA, crossover cable and null modem is a pretty bulletproof way.

Only thing i can add is that trying to recover a kein system only worked when my xp lappy ip was 1 greater than the dbox, ie 203 instead of 201 as in the first post above.