[JackiesFridge]

Exactly--EmPathWalker beat me to it. Use a smaller card to get the bootloader (the modified X3 firmware) installed. After that, as long as the entire .rockbox folder is in the root of the Slot 1 card, you're in business. You might be able to use a 128GB card, but they are flaky and might cause some frustration.

Also, make sure to reformat a larger microSD to FAT32 or Rockbox will not recognize it. Use the FAT32 format tool here (click the image to download).

The X3 does not have internal memory, so (in home computer terms) the X3 basically treats that .rockbox folder as its boot disk to load the Rockbox operating system. I use two 128GB cards myself with no trouble, and hope to upgrade to two 256GB cards when I win the lottery.

 

[Slater]

Finally Got around to doing this. It came out very bright although a bit rough on the edges. Getting the old screen protector off is a massive PITA.

Initially I doubled up screen protector so it stuck out a little around the edges instead of being recessed as Zedlabs screen protectors are thinner than the stock one. I glued them together with the UV hardening glue. Don't do this! the UV hardening glue becomes cloudy when UV hits it so in the sun the screen became fairly cloudy thanks to the UV glue between the two screen protectors.

3 bucks and 2 weeks later I am back in business!



I'd say this is finally an adequate replacement for the Sansa Clip+ with rockbox. Might get a 2nd one as a spare!

Great job! The work is well worth it

 

[TLDRonin]

How do you get the battery to display percentage?

I changed the battery display setting to numeric, but the battery symbol doesn't change

 

[drock041]

I think he meant that a small card is best for the initial installation stage, probably because the code it uses is old and gets confused by big cards. In fact, I'm pretty certain I read about that in one of these X3 threads.

Hey thanks for your input...ok, well that's what I'm trying to understand and am confused about...I mean, doesn't the Rockbox os reside on the card? Not internal memory? So therefore, doesn't it reside externally? Or am I missing something here?

 

[bsoplinger]

Hey thanks for your input...ok, well that's what I'm trying to understand and am confused about...I mean, doesn't the Rockbox os reside on the card? Not internal memory? So therefore, doesn't it reside externally? Or am I missing something here?

You'll want to set up your full sized SD card with the .rockbox folder and everything else. But before you use that full sized card for everyday use you'll need to do the initial install. The safest way is to install the .rockbox folder etc on a small capacity SD card because some of the pieces of the basic installer are old and can have issues with large cards. Once you complete the initial installation process you shut down the X3, take out the tiny card and put in the large card. Turn back on and you're all set.

I did my install using a 128gb SDXC card without issue but I formatted it from the exFAT factory format to the works with older not so smart or up to date devices FAT32 format. I'd guess that the default format for > 32gb cards being exFAT is really the whole doesn't always work right issue with 'big' cards but that's just a guess.

 

[mbwilson111]

Hey thanks for your input...ok, well that's what I'm trying to understand and am confused about...I mean, doesn't the Rockbox os reside on the card? Not internal memory? So therefore, doesn't it reside externally? Or am I missing something here?

During the initial installation something is changed on the player itself to allow it to dual boot either into stock firmware or rockbox depending on the position of the lock button. Once that is done, yes rockbox itself resides on the card. I have a copy of the rockbox folder on both cards (and any other cards that I might use with it) so that I don't have to remember which slot it goes in A tip picked up in here somewhere.

 

[drock041]

You'll want to set up your full sized SD card with the .rockbox folder and everything else. But before you use that full sized card for everyday use you'll need to do the initial install. The safest way is to install the .rockbox folder etc on a small capacity SD card because some of the pieces of the basic installer are old and can have issues with large cards. Once you complete the initial installation process you shut down the X3, take out the tiny card and put in the large card. Turn back on and you're all set.

I did my install using a 128gb SDXC card without issue but I formatted it from the exFAT factory format to the works with older not so smart or up to date devices FAT32 format. I'd guess that the default format for > 32gb cards being exFAT is really the whole doesn't always work right issue with 'big' cards but that's just a guess.

oooh...ok, now I'm think I'm catchin on here...hmmm...I don't really have a 'smaller' card though...just 32/64 and 128...hmmm...I guess I should order a 16 or smaller than??

 

[rayfer]

very pleased with this cool player -- just a note to other Linux users who might be interested in installing Rockbox: if there is a way to format the SD card under Ubuntu to get the RB firmware working, I sure couldn't find it, and I tried at least a dozen different calls to mkfs.fat and mkdosfs with various sector sizes.

finally, I kick-started an old XP install I have on VirtualBox set it up to recognize my card reader, and the vaunted guiformat.exe worked, and I was in business.

 

[drock041]

During the initially installation something is changed on the player itself to allow it to dual boot either into stock firmware or rockbox depending on the position of the lock button. Once that is done, yes rockbox itself resides on the card. I have a copy of the rockbox folder on both cards (and any other cards that I might use with it) so that I don't have to remember which slot it goes in A tip picked up in here somewhere.

Ok, that makes sense. This is great, I'm still wating on it, but I've got a lot more knowledge going into it then I did a few days ago. Thanks so much!

 

[mbwilson111]

oooh...ok, now I'm think I'm catchin on here...hmmm...I don't really have a 'smaller' card though...just 32/64 and 128...hmmm...I guess I should order a 16 or smaller than??

just use the 32 gb as long as your stuff on it is backed up... don't order something

many people just have old small ones lying around from old devices so they use those.... I have a 2GB one somewhere... lol

you can use your 128 and your 64 for your music in the player ...just make sure to copy the rockbox folder onto them... that folder will have been created on the card you use for the initial installation

I will confess that I have done many updates just right on the my 128 cards

all cards must be formatted to Fat32 for rockbox regardless... all the info is at the beginning of this thread

 

[drock041]

Exactly--EmPathWalker beat me to it. Use a smaller card to get the bootloader (the modified X3 firmware) installed. After that, as long as the entire .rockbox folder is in the root of the Slot 1 card, you're in business. You might be able to use a 128GB card, but they are flaky and might cause some frustration.

Also, make sure to reformat a larger microSD to FAT32 or Rockbox will not recognize it. Use the FAT32 format tool here (click the image to download).

The X3 does not have internal memory, so (in home computer terms) the X3 basically treats that .rockbox folder as its boot disk to load the Rockbox operating system. I use two 128GB cards myself with no trouble, and hope to upgrade to two 256GB cards when I win the lottery.

Ok...it's all making more sense now...Now, wait, can the device accept 256 cards?? I thought the limit was 128??

 

[bsoplinger]

oooh...ok, now I'm think I'm catchin on here...hmmm...I don't really have a 'smaller' card though...just 32/64 and 128...hmmm...I guess I should order a 16 or smaller than??

Just use the 32gb card. Take the time to get a formatting program which you'll need for the larger cards anyway and format the 32gb as FAT32. You should be fine then. I personally use the program supplied by the SD card association but there are other choices too. A quick Google of SDXC card format FAT32 should get you what you need. Or I'm sure they're mentioned in this thread probably with links

Ok...it's all making more sense now...Now, wait, can the device accept 256 cards?? I thought the limit was 128??

Yup. Just make sure to format as FAT32 if you're using RockBox.

 

[drock041]

just use the 32 gb as long as your stuff on it is backed up... don't order something

many people just have old small ones lying around from old devices so they use those.... I have a 2GB one somewhere... lol

you can use your 128 and your 64 for your music in the player ...just make sure to copy the rockbox folder onto them... that folder will have been created on the card you use for the initial installation

I will confess that I have done many updates just right on the my 128 cards

all cards must be formatted to Fat32 for rockbox regardless... all the info is at the beginning of this thread

Oh great...How much space does the rockbox firmware take up btw? Thanks a lot of all this info

 

[mbwilson111]

Oh great...How much space does the rockbox firmware take up btw? Thanks a lot of all this info

a very insignificant amount of space... don't have the numbers handy... don't worry about it....

 

[drock041]

a very insignificant amount of space... don't have the numbers handy... don't worry about it....

Aah...so you don't need gigs and gigs of space for Rockbox...gotcha...You all really know what's up..thanks much