20 replies to this topic

[klorinczi]

My VU+ DUO 4K SE with OpenPLI v9.1 got bricked, only Black Hole logo is displayed at boot continuously.

 

How to recover it?

I was able to download last known good autobackup files (kernel_auto.bin, rootfs.tar.bz2).

 

1) How to find out, which OpenPLI 9.1 release date was used (last upgrade date)?

I need this to download the exact flashed file.

 

2) How to recover the PVR?

 

 

Thanks!

[klorinczi]

I tried to flash the box following info on this URL:

https://wiki.openpli...a_Vu_.2B_Duo_4k

 

Formatted a 64GB USB drive, extracted the files from

https://downloads.op...0250511_usb.zip

to the USB.

 

Inserted the USB drive into the front USB slot of the box, turned on the box.

But only the Open Hole boot image appeared and nothing else.

 

Any idea what I do wrongly?

Edited by klorinczi, 2 June 2025 - 01:18.

[Dorfkind]

Try to find an older stick, like 2 or 4GB. Make sure no others USB-Ports are used.

Seems like the instruction is not pretty clear, see points 4 and 7 (front vs rear USB), so try rear as well.

 

HTH

[littlesat]

I’m also afraid you’re using a too large too modern usb stick… try to find a small older one…

[Tech]

Most image builders overwrite the genuine manufactory brandinglogo, OpenPLi doesn’t do that so it might be possible you’ll see the logo from a earlier flashed image.

[klorinczi]

Thank you for the ideas!

Yes, that was one of the points, that the USB stick size is too big.

So what is the maximum size of the USB stick, which will work for flashing?

Unfortunately it is not possible to buy 2GB or 4GB USB sticks.


I saw USB sticks as low size as 32GB, 16GB, and rarely 8GB.

[klorinczi]

I tried both front and back ports for flashing.
Unsuccessfully.

[klorinczi]

I found an old 1GB pendrive.
Extracted the
https://downloads.op...0250511_usb.zip
firmware to the pendrive.

While the device was turned off, I inserted the pendrive to USB port and turned on the device.
Still only the Black Hole boot screen is shown, does not enter into flashing mode.
I tried 3 USB ports: front, back top, back bottom ports.
Still unsuccessful.

Did I miss a step to get into flashing mode?

[littlesat]

Did you hold the power button on the front of the box while turning it on with the USB stick inserted?

[jort38]

Maybe use a smaller USB drive. I use a much older (and smaller) usb. On my VuUltimo4K I have to use the front USB 

[klorinczi]

Did you hold the power button on the front of the box while turning it on with the USB stick inserted?

No. It was not in the description.

[WanWizard]

The problem is not the size of the memory stick, but the speed in which it responds to a USB init comment, as the bootloader has a very short timeout.

 

In general, USB2 is a lot faster than USB3, and the bigger the storage size, the longer it takes, which is where the advice comes from.

 

In general, any old 1GB stick should work fine. Make sure it is formatted as FAT, and the zip is extracted correctly, including the folder structure. The front-port should work fine for flashing.

[klorinczi]

The problem is not the size of the memory stick, but the speed in which it responds to a USB init comment, as the bootloader has a very short timeout.

In general, USB2 is a lot faster than USB3, and the bigger the storage size, the longer it takes, which is where the advice comes from.

In general, any old 1GB stick should work fine. Make sure it is formatted as FAT, and the zip is extracted correctly, including the folder structure. The front-port should work fine for flashing.

Finally I found an 1GB pendrive, I still had no success on any ports.

I also tried to press power button while turning on, but no success.
This device has touch power button, so I also tried to press it immediately after turning on (to get the led lighting), but no success this way, either.

[littlesat]

Then try again a different stick.... it is very sensitive....

[klorinczi]

I found this tutorial:
https://www.enigma2....4k-se-with-usb/

The video shows the process well, but I don't get the following pop-up text:
"Update!
Press Power"

[kamaxx]

@klorinczi;

 

 

The followings Maybe useful that You must be careful and apply step by step

 

Format your usb stick like that

 

 

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19044.5854]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.


C:\Windows\system32>diskpart


Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.19041.3636


Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: DESKTOP-0PDQBD8


DISKPART> list disk


  Disk ###  Status         Size     Free     Dyn  Gpt
  --------  -------------  -------  -------  ---  ---
  Disk 0    Online          931 GB      0 B
  Disk 1    Online          476 GB  1024 KB        *
  Disk 2    Online         3821 MB      0 B


DISKPART> select disk 2


Disk 2 is now the selected disk.


DISKPART> clean


DiskPart succeeded in cleaning the disk.


DISKPART> create partition primary


DiskPart succeeded in creating the specified partition.


DISKPART> select partition 1


Partition 1 is now the selected partition.


DISKPART> format fs=fat quick


  100 percent completed


DiskPart successfully formatted the volume.


DISKPART>

 

I uploaded original image for VUDUO4K SE

https://www.dropbox....t=hhxsjj3i&dl=0

 

Extract this image as "vuplus" folder 

and paste to memory stick.

 

Electric is off and Plugin stick to receiver and wait to see "usb" then push to left button.

[klorinczi]

HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool solved the problem.

Formatted to FAT32 using it and got success.

 

 

Now the I get the following pop-up text:

"Update!
Press Power"

 

Nothing else was not changed!

 

 

Earlier I reset the MBR and formatted the pendrive with MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition v12.8 to FAT32.

It seems this was not enough.

[WanWizard]

Like I wrote, formatting it correctly is very important .

[klorinczi]

Now I tried the following:

 

Using:

Kodak DUAL K273 64GB pendrive

 

1) Started MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition v12.8 

2) Select 64GB Pendrive.

3) Rebuild MBR. Apply.

4) Delete All Partitions. Apply.

5) Create Partition: Primary, FAT32, Cluster size: Default, Partition size: 1GB. Press OK. Press Apply.

6) Copy extracted 

https://downloads.op...0250511_usb.zip

file content (the vuplus folder and contents).

7) Unmount pendrive.

8) Turn OFF the VU+ DUO 4K SE device.

9) Insert pendrive into front USB.

10) Turn ON the VU+ DUO 4K SE device.

11) After a while (few seconds) you will see the following pop-up text:

"Update!

Press Power"

on the LCD screen.

12) Press Power button (on the left of device)

13) Wait until the flashing finishes. It will automatically reboot, and show the setup wizard, starting with language selection.

--== SUCCESS! ==--

 

I hope that this description will help other users who may fail to flash the VU+ DUO 4K SE device.

 

 

Likely the pendrive size does not matter, but the partition size, the cluster size and the FAT32 filesystem format.

 

Just for testing I created 64GB partition with MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition v12.8 to the pendrive with 16KB, but even 64KB cluster size, formatted to FAT32.

 

I'm confused, because now even the 64GB pendrive works, with even 64KB cluster size, formatted to FAT32.

Maybe the first flashing matters (small pendrive, small cluster size), then later flashes can be done with big pendrives with any cluster size.

 

Any clarification may be useful...

[WanWizard]

Like I said before, it is not the size that is relevant.

 

There are three things relevant:

• when the bootloader enumerates connected USB devices, the device containing the image to be flashed must respond within the (very short) timeout defined in the bootloader
  • in general (but not always), an USB2 devices responds faster than a USB3 device
  • in general (but not always), devices with less storage responds faster than bigger devices
  • the more USB devices are connected, the bigger the chance the timeout is reached before it gets to the device containing the image
• when the device is detected, it most have the correct format
  • partitioned with a single, primary partition
  • using MBR, not GPT (some partition and format tools use GPT by default, some switch to it when the device is larger than a certain storage size)
  • formatted in FAT32
• when it has the correct format, the image zip must be unpacked as-is, with its folder structure intact, in the root of the FAT32 partition.

Any deviation from this causes the device not to be seen as "valid".