How to: Hard Flash 'Boot' / 'Cleaner' / 'Firmware'

If you ever need to flash the boot or image or cleaner, without the box booted, here's a guide.

Preparing the USB Stick

Format a USB stick to Fat32.
Copy over the '.IRD' file (boot, image or cleaner), to the just formatted stick.
Check the stick for just one '.IRD' file.

Installing the '.IRD'.

Switch box off at the back.
Disconnect all USB devices.
Put USB stick in front or back.
Press and hold ‘channel up’ button on front of box, now turn box on.
Keep pressed until display goes off ‘scan usb’ and starts reading.
Wait, until ‘complete’ flashes.
Remove USB stick.
Switch box off and on.
Wait, and watch VFD until complete.
Switch box off and on.
Done.

Repeat as needed.

Hope it helps.

Edit: Above correct for S4000, use the 'vol up' button for the s6000.

Hi fatboy, not being funny but how is this exactly different to the usual way of just inserting the usb and installing/flashing etc? as you 'still' need to boot the box whilst holding the channel up. If I've missed something please let me know as its always good to learn summat new. Hell, I'm still trying to figure out how to 'fully' format the box to factory where it deletes EVERYTHING (plugins etc) all in 1 go.

Hi blakmumba.

When you switch the box on holding the button, the firmware isn't running, as you have stopped the booting sequence before any of the arguments are ran, and the .IRD file can be forced (if that's the right word), on to the box using the 'update app', structure rather than having to run the box up fully and allow the firmware to update via USB. Probably does exactly the same thing, but helped me no end, as my firmware kept locking when booting (hence I couldn't use flash cleaner or any function of the firmware to help). I could have blew the dust of my old laptop and used porter, but found this way much easier.

I can't take credit for it, its already a function of the box, I just put it out there for reference, and it might just help someone out.

Regards the fully clearing out the box, our German friends have a .IRD file that cleans that as well, but you would have to change the reseller ID to a SF1018 to do it. But try this, go to storage manager toggle drives to USER and format, that should clean any plugins etc out, if it doesn't display formatting with blocks etc or you still have plugins, its time to clean the flash again, than update to latest FW then format 'USER', again.

Hope it helps.

Don't think my brain cells are working at their fullest capacity lol. Will defo try the above as this saves having to use porter. Regarding the .ird to fully clean, will give a shot and report back. Once again Thanks mate :)

Thanks to a great team your advice is invaluable. I loaded the latest firmware on my icecrypt 3500, which crashed, (corrupted download maybe). I used flash cleaner in porter express which worked fine but nothing else would load through porter all stopping short of the 100% then reversing down to 0. After failing with porter, I decided to try your solution, so I ran flash cleaner through porter and on my 4th attempt on reloading the ird file on different usb sticks I succeeded in bringing my icecrypt 3500 back from the dead. For anyone else who may have problems, the usb stick I finally got to work was a 1gb phillips make. Once again thank you all for your contributions, without which people like myself would be totally lost

brilliant post saved my icecrypt!

Can somebody plz share the .ird file for the flash, thanks.

here: Attachment 65691