I've just bought an Archos Jukebox Recorder 20GO. I'd like to replace the
Archos firmware with the Rockbox. My Archos OS is 1.28.

But I can't save my old firmware ajbrec.ajz before upgrading : I don't see
any ! I'm working from Windows XP Pro, the JUKEBOX is OK in the Explorer, I
can see all my MP3 directories plus a "Archos" one*, but not any
ajbrec.ajz file anywhere (even the Windows search function doesn't see any
..ajz file...).

I've put the display options in the Explorer to max (I can see system and
hiden files in Windows directories). I've

Can I try Rockbox anyway without danger ?


* I'm not sure to remember, but I might have created by myself this Archos
directory and put in it the few mp3 demonstration files that were native on
the ARchos. Did I "drag and drop" in it the ajbrec.ajz without realizing it
? But why then could it have disappeared ? And could my Archos work without
a ajbrec.ajz file at the root of the disk (it does work !) ?

original firmware is stored in a eeprom, similar to a computer bios. copying
a OS to the player loads first the eeprom, which then looks for an OS file
on the harddisk. so what you actually can do is:
1) copy rockbox to player and see if you like it.
2a) if you dont, delete the file, your player will work fine
or
2b) get a new version from archos, they use the same technique (u should
find some instructions there as well)

there IS another way of doing this. I know the newest rockbox versions have
a flash utility included, so you can
a) program the eeprom to contain only the rockbox os
b) to contain both OS and a startmenu (i think with F1)

disadvantage is, if something goes wrong, your stuck and probably have to do
some soldering to get it back to work. There is a walk-through at the
rockbox site, i think. But it saves space and loading time.

so, just to mention, this works for the Jukebox 20! what the difference is
to the GO version i don't know, you have to find out yourself if it works
too. but to tell, the rockbox site provides good information on all this.

hth Markus


"Jean-Luc PICARD" <jeanluc.picard@laposte.net> wrote in message
news:Yftjb.6149177$cI2.869546@news.easynews.com...

"Markus" <light4@gmx.net> wrote in
news:bmmfbo$rt1$00$1@news.t-online.com:




Thanks a lot, Markus ! You convince me I can try Rockbox with no risk
(and if I believe what I see almost everywhere about Rockbox, I won't
have to go back to Archos OS).
So, if I've correctly understood what you say, it is normal to have no
ajbrec.ajz at the root of the disk of my "brand new" Archos : the Archos
just needs the eeprom, is that correct ?

The only strange thing is that the last downloadable OS I've found on
Archos site is 1.27d (earlier than "my" 1.28 that is in the eeprom...).

"Jean-Luc PICARD" <jeanluc.picard@laposte.net> wrote in message
news:8wAjb.353262$p36.3537318@news.easynews.com...
well, i can't comment on that, my eeprom is 1.26, so it seems archos is
shipping new eeprom versions now. i don't wonder too much about their
web-site not being up-to-date, their customer-support is somewhat terribly
slow.

Thanks again, Markus. I did try Rockbox and it rocks ! Perhaps they should
indicate on the Rockbox doucmentation that it is normal to have no
ajbrec.ajz to save the first time you install another system that the
native one. For (too much ?) cautious people like me, it should be usefull
!