PhatBox issue, not sure what to do next.

[RacerTodd]

Having an issue with my PhatBox.  Searched many threads on the site but am confused as to how to correct my problem.

Bought Phatbox off eBay 18 months ago.  It came with VW firmware and a 120 drive in the DMS so it was already hacked.

Installed it my '01 Golf, worked perfectly.

About 3 months ago, it stopped working.  "No changer" or "No magazine" message on HU (don't remember which).  Removed cable to cut power, cable back on, inserted DMS.  Nothing.

Put DMS in cradle, fired up DMS tools.  Tried Repair DMS, no go.  Tried Make New DMS, that worked.  Used v7 firmware because I didn't know know what was on the DMS when I got it.  Don't think I checked Reflash box (1st time doing this, didn't know any better), sure I didn't check Use Non-Hacked Firmware box.

I added songs once or twice since, worked fine.  This weekend I went to add more songs.  I decided to go back to the v5.02 firmware because v7 used different voices for the announcements and I preferred the v5.02 voices.

Used Make New DMS, v5.02 firmware and didn't check Reflash Box.  Added all my songs.  Put DMS in Phatbox.  Once the drive spins up I get the red light on solid and the green flashes twice a second.  I assumed that was the firmware update being done.
Arrived at my destination an hour later, radio off the whole way.  Hit CD and got a track number, but no sound.  Hit AM then CD, got No Magazine.  Hit AM then CD, got No Changer. Checked box, green still flashing.  Disconnected cable for a couple of minutes.  Re-attached cable, inserted DMS.  Same red plus endless flashing green.

Back home, I did Make New DMS again, v5.02 firmware.  This time I learned via this site that I should check Reflash Box, so I did.  Added some playlists.  Same problem - endless flashing green for more than 30 minutes.

Now I tried Windows 7 error check - reported some errors on PHTDTA that it fixed.

Deleted partitions, FAT32 formatted DMS drive.  Ran Windows error check - all OK.
Did Make New DMS, v5.02 firmware, checked Reflash Box.  Also noticed the RC Logs section and enabled logging.  Loaded playlists.  Still endless flashing green for 40+ minutes.

Ran Chkdsk, shows errors on PHTSYS that it fixed.

The logfile.txt on the PHTSYS shows this:

06.64:phatd:main      : Media Daemon (phatd) $Revision: 1.164 $
06.72:phatd:main      : Debug level = 10
Selected profile is: Default
07.03:phatd:main      : Corrupted /dos/exec.ini
06.63:phatd:main      : Media Daemon (phatd) $Revision: 1.164 $
06.64:phatd:main      : Debug level = 10
Selected profile is: Default
06.94:phatd:main      : Corrupted /dos/exec.ini
06.62:phatd:main      : Media Daemon (phatd) $Revision: 1.164 $
06.62:phatd:main      : Debug level = 10
Selected profile is: Default
06.94:phatd:main      : Corrupted /dos/exec.ini
06.63:phatd:main      : Media Daemon (phatd) $Revision: 1.164 $
06.64:phatd:main      : Debug level = 10
Selected profile is: Default
06.94:phatd:main      : Corrupted /dos/exec.ini
06.63:phatd:main      : Media Daemon (phatd) $Revision: 1.164 $
06.64:phatd:main      : Debug level = 10
Selected profile is: Default
06.97:phatd:main      : Corrupted /dos/exec.ini
06.63:phatd:main      : Media Daemon (phatd) $Revision: 1.164 $
06.65:phatd:main      : Debug level = 10
Selected profile is: Default
06.96:phatd:main      : Corrupted /dos/exec.ini
06.63:phatd:main      : Media Daemon (phatd) $Revision: 1.164 $
06.64:phatd:main      : Debug level = 10
Selected profile is: Default
06.95:phatd:main      : Corrupted /dos/exec.ini
06.63:phatd:main      : Media Daemon (phatd) $Revision: 1.164 $
06.64:phatd:main      : Debug level = 10
Selected profile is: Default
06.96:phatd:main      : Corrupted /dos/exec.ini

Bootlogload.log shows this:

BOOT0-0: OK
BOOT0-1: OK
BOOT0-2: Successful
BOOT9: Successful
BOOTB: Successful
B

Don't know if I did something wrong, or if the drive just happened to start to fail when I did this weekend's updates or what.  I thought that a complete format, plus reflashing the box with new firmware would restore my PhatBox back to working order.   That's what I do computers that go wonky - reformat, reinstall OS & programs and it's back to like new.
Looking for any advice from more experienced PhatBox users.

Todd

[RacerTodd]

Well, I seem to have it working again.

I forgot that when I bought my Phatbox, the original 20gb drive was included. 

I swapped that drive into the DMS cartridge.  Phathack Tools showed the drive had Kenwood firmware on it.  I changed that to VW 5.02.

Same endless flashing green light.  Logfile showed the same corrupted exec.ini file.

Tried my spare cable.  Same problem.

Tried putting v7.02 firmware on the drive.  This time the green flashed but it seemed like it was flashing slower.  I left it to run.  Came back later and it's working.
So maybe I should stick with v7.02 firmware.  It's odd, since the box clearly had 5.02 or earlier firmware when I got it.  The voices are different from v6 onwards.

Tomorrow I'll try v7.02 firmware on the 120gb drive and see what happens.

Todd

[VorTechS]

If you are going to put the v5.x firmware on, you'll be best checking the option 'Reflash box' so that a firmware update is actually done on the box. 

Otherwise, you are not actually really changing anything other than putting on some system files that may not talk to the hardware properly - which is probably why you are finding it not working correctly, no doubt highlighted by the 'corrupt exec.ini' message you were seeing in the log file.

[RacerTodd]

If you are going to put the v5.x firmware on, you'll be best checking the option 'Reflash box' so that a firmware update is actually done on the box. 

I did that on the last couple of tries but for some reason it didn't work - just got the endless flashing green.   I've come to the conclusion that my box likes v7.02 firmware so that's what I'll use.  I put v7.02 back on the 120gb drive and that is working as well.

I was able to keep the v5 voices, though.  With the DMS with v5 firmware installed in the cradle, I copied the PHTSYS/TTS directory to my computer.  After installing v7.02 firmware, I copied those files back to the TTS folder, overwriting the existing v7 voice files.  This gives me the v7.02 firmware that my box likes and the v5 voices that I like.

Todd