Apple TV 2.0.2, Patchstick problems... almost out of ideas

[ab2650]

Hi Folks,

Sorry this has become a bit of a long read. I hope you can take the time to read it however...

I finally got around to getting an Apple TV, knowing full well that to make it useful for me I would need to be doing some hackin' on it. The wiki over at AwkwardTV.org has been a source of a lot of information, and I've been using it to try and get started... But I'm having some problems and thought I'd ask here.

First of all, my Apple TV is running software version 2.0.2. All my macs are running 10.5.2 (however two were originally 10.4 and I later upgraded).

My first attempt was following the Patchstick/Leopard wiki guide to assemble a patchstick from my 10.4 install disc. A few things were not in my favor, notably Apple had removed the ATV 1.1 update dmg so I had to get boot.efi from a later ATV update - I'm hoping that shouldn't matter.

After assembling the patchstick (on a 1gb Sandisk Cruzer Micro) I was able to get the ATV to boot from it. However, once it boots I get an error repeated every 5 seconds reading "AppleUSBEHCI[0x1c16000]:Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 253, timing out!"

On reboot, I get the Apple logo flashing a few times, then it goes to Apple TV Recovery, and back to normal.

So I try to assemble the patchstick again, this time with the script that auto-assembles the files (at the bottom of the wiki page). I notice that the file structure is slightly different than what the guide suggests, as well as a few different kexts. But I get the same results when booting from it.

So I try out an older 256mb sandisk cruzer thumbdrive (with the same patchstick source) and now I'm getting further. It claims to be installing sshd, kerberos, blesses the boot drive... It said 30 seconds till reboot, then 20, then 10... then a kernel panic!

That's about as far as I've gotten - I'm hoping someone can offer some advice; Maybe pulling the drive would be easier? Is it compatible and possible to do on Leopard?

I'd (obviously) like to do it with a patchstick so I don't have to open it up, but I'd go there assuming I knew it would be a reliable method. I should note that all I want to do with the ATV is load sshd, ATVFiles, and Perian (i.e., copy DivX files directly to the ATV to play back).

Any hints are appreciated!

 

[melbdean]

Hi Folks,

Sorry this has become a bit of a long read. I hope you can take the time to read it however...

I finally got around to getting an Apple TV, knowing full well that to make it useful for me I would need to be doing some hackin' on it. The wiki over at AwkwardTV.org has been a source of a lot of information, and I've been using it to try and get started... But I'm having some problems and thought I'd ask here.

First of all, my Apple TV is running software version 2.0.2. All my macs are running 10.5.2 (however two were originally 10.4 and I later upgraded).

My first attempt was following the Patchstick/Leopard wiki guide to assemble a patchstick from my 10.4 install disc. A few things were not in my favor, notably Apple had removed the ATV 1.1 update dmg so I had to get boot.efi from a later ATV update - I'm hoping that shouldn't matter.

After assembling the patchstick (on a 1gb Sandisk Cruzer Micro) I was able to get the ATV to boot from it. However, once it boots I get an error repeated every 5 seconds reading "AppleUSBEHCI[0x1c16000]:Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 253, timing out!"

On reboot, I get the Apple logo flashing a few times, then it goes to Apple TV Recovery, and back to normal.

So I try to assemble the patchstick again, this time with the script that auto-assembles the files (at the bottom of the wiki page). I notice that the file structure is slightly different than what the guide suggests, as well as a few different kexts. But I get the same results when booting from it.

So I try out an older 256mb sandisk cruzer thumbdrive (with the same patchstick source) and now I'm getting further. It claims to be installing sshd, kerberos, blesses the boot drive... It said 30 seconds till reboot, then 20, then 10... then a kernel panic!

That's about as far as I've gotten - I'm hoping someone can offer some advice; Maybe pulling the drive would be easier? Is it compatible and possible to do on Leopard?

I'd (obviously) like to do it with a patchstick so I don't have to open it up, but I'd go there assuming I knew it would be a reliable method. I should note that all I want to do with the ATV is load sshd, ATVFiles, and Perian (i.e., copy DivX files directly to the ATV to play back).

Any hints are appreciated!

i can't be of very specific help as i just don;t have the experience but, i read and read and read before i created a patchstick (something i had never done nor had any idea what it even was or meant) and hacked my aTV successfully first time. the how-to's and tutorials and iClarified are the answer. i didn't find forums to be helpful at all -maybe forums are for more experienced users and more challenging problems. anyway ... apparently the brand of USB is an issue. and it certainly needs to be formatted correctly.
hope that helps and good luck

 

[aristobrat]

the how-to's and tutorials and iClarified are the answer.

Although I haven't tried it (the patchstick I made using the awkward instructions worked for me), I was pretty impressed by the iClarified tutorial.

ab, you might try this and see if gives you any different results:
http://iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=791

 

[Padraic]

The best instructions I've found are for Windows. If you have a Windows PC or access to one, go here: http://www.wiki.atv4windows.com/index.php?title=Main_Page. All the hard work has been done for you.

 

[ab2650]

Although I haven't tried it (the patchstick I made using the awkward instructions worked for me), I was pretty impressed by the iClarified tutorial.

ab, you might try this and see if gives you any different results:
http://iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=791

The iClarified toutorials seem very straight forward. He is essentially reusing the same 'builder' script from the AwkwardTV wiki (gets files from 10.4 install disk, 1.1 update, etc). The problem is, sometime in April Apple took down the ATV 1.1 image, so I'm having to make do with the 2.0 dmg file (who knows if the boot.efi it gets from that image is the same...

The best instructions I've found are for Windows. If you have a Windows PC or access to one, go here: http://www.wiki.atv4windows.com/index.php?title=Main_Page. All the hard work has been done for you.

I'll need to find a windows machine if I'm going to follow that guide to the letter... However, they did provide (what I assume to be unauthorized) image file of a patchstick. If one were to download that, one should be able to use dd on OS X or Linux to get it on a drive (their guide has you do the same thing on windows).

 

[Padraic]

I would assume that would work. I didn't try it, I was just trying to get ssh access to it as quick as possible (the h/d containing ALL my pictures crashed, and the ATV was the only back up I had... )

 

[ab2650]

w00t! I'm happily SSHing to the ATV now. After that, it was fairly trivial to get ATVFiles on there (all I really wanted to begin with).

Interestingly, I was getting lots of missing file errors and a kernel panic again. But somehow, after reboot sshd responded to requests and allowed logins. I'm slightly concerned that since it conked out somewhere in the installation there may be missing elements; If anyone knows a good way to double check (I suppose I could go over the file list and see if everything is in the right place).

For posterity's sake, I tried a third flash drive, a 1gb Lexar JumpDrive and had better success. It didn't seem to *change* anything functionally, but it finished the install with the "Please reboot your ATV" message rather than errors.

There is one thing that is somewhat curious to me that I'm not sure if is standard behavior for an un-hacked ATV; When the Menu and "-" buttons are held down to reboot the device, does it normally go to the screen that selects your language, then the "Apple TV Recovery" screen, then the intro video? It seems to me that it shouldn't do this on reboot, but possibly it is the SOP for power failures. Anyone know?

A well deserved thanks to everyone who chimed in!

 

[ebony]

w00t! I'm happily SSHing to the ATV now. After that, it was fairly trivial to get ATVFiles on there (all I really wanted to begin with).

Interestingly, I was getting lots of missing file errors and a kernel panic again. But somehow, after reboot sshd responded to requests and allowed logins. I'm slightly concerned that since it conked out somewhere in the installation there may be missing elements; If anyone knows a good way to double check (I suppose I could go over the file list and see if everything is in the right place).

For posterity's sake, I tried a third flash drive, a 1gb Lexar JumpDrive and had better success. It didn't seem to *change* anything functionally, but it finished the install with the "Please reboot your ATV" message rather than errors.

There is one thing that is somewhat curious to me that I'm not sure if is standard behavior for an un-hacked ATV; When the Menu and "-" buttons are held down to reboot the device, does it normally go to the screen that selects your language, then the "Apple TV Recovery" screen, then the intro video? It seems to me that it shouldn't do this on reboot, but possibly it is the SOP for power failures. Anyone know?

A well deserved thanks to everyone who chimed in!

Can you clarify which method you used ? I'm in a similar position wanting to ssh to my appletv. I have 2.02 installed, no access to 1.1 firmware, I have the 10.4.9.dmg and the 2.02 dmg downloaded and I'm confused as to which instructions to follow.

Thanks

 

[Abraxsis]

Can you clarify which method you used ? I'm in a similar position wanting to ssh to my appletv. I have 2.02 installed, no access to 1.1 firmware, I have the 10.4.9.dmg and the 2.02 dmg downloaded and I'm confused as to which instructions to follow.

Thanks

I used the Windows method last night and successly enabled SSH on my 1.1 (2.0.2) ATV. My advice is to install nitoTV right after SSH is active (use Fugu to tranfer files via SCP over SSH) and use nito's built in installer to do the rest. However, AFP access is currently broken but SMB and NFS mounting works fine.

I will ask a question though for anyone who might be able to respond. Im trying to mount a folder that is on an external drive attached to my iMac, and shared over OSX's built in SMB sharing. I cant seem to get the right information added to nitoTV to get the share to work. Below is the info ...

the External drive's name is "My Book" and it is hooked to the iMac (AbraxsisHD) which is ip 192.168.1.96. Guest account is active for sharing. The folder I want to access is called "Movies" and is on "My Book". I tried the following ...

sudo mount_smbfs //192.168.1.96/My\ Book/Movies /Users/frontrow/Movies

But it keeps giving me an error in the ssh term. However, nito DOES show the mount point in the Network tab, but is unable to get to the files.

Anyone?

 

[TuckBodi]

I used the Windows method last night and successly enabled SSH on my 1.1 (2.0.2) ATV. My advice is to install nitoTV right after SSH is active (use Fugu to tranfer files via SCP over SSH) and use nito's built in installer to do the rest. However, AFP access is currently broken but SMB and NFS mounting works fine.

I will ask a question though for anyone who might be able to respond. Im trying to mount a folder that is on an external drive attached to my iMac, and shared over OSX's built in SMB sharing. I cant seem to get the right information added to nitoTV to get the share to work. Below is the info ...

the External drive's name is "My Book" and it is hooked to the iMac (AbraxsisHD) which is ip 192.168.1.96. Guest account is active for sharing. The folder I want to access is called "Movies" and is on "My Book". I tried the following ...

sudo mount_smbfs //192.168.1.96/My\ Book/Movies /Users/frontrow/Movies

But it keeps giving me an error in the ssh term. However, nito DOES show the mount point in the Network tab, but is unable to get to the files.

Anyone?

On the latest 2.0 - 2.02 I was never able to get SMB working although at times it seemed to be close (saw the same thing you're seeing). I had SMB working in 1.1 and had AFP way back in 1.0. I now have only NFS working in 2.02. The issue I narrowed it down to was the kerberos issue as described up on the awkward forums and I believe I have the wrong files (as verified by their checksum). My gut feel is either my recovery.dmg or the 10.4.9 (& .10) combo update have a wrong file somewhere and I just need to find a better copy somewhere.

 

[ab2650]

Can you clarify which method you used ? I'm in a similar position wanting to ssh to my appletv. I have 2.02 installed, no access to 1.1 firmware, I have the 10.4.9.dmg and the 2.02 dmg downloaded and I'm confused as to which instructions to follow.

Thanks

By far the easiest was to download the ATV4Windows file linked from the ATV4Win site, the wiki page aristo posted; It has a patchstick disk image (.img).

From there, I popped in a thumb drive, deleted the partition table for it, and in the terminal, I did:
"dd if=patchstick.img of=/dev/disk1 bs=1m"
*be totally sure /dev/disk1 is the disk you think it is (thumbdrive). Othewise dd will do something very bad.*

Plug it into your ATV and reboot.

 

[ToyotaDiesel]

I agree with the above. I used the atv4windows patchstick image and wrote the image to a thumb drive using the appropriate dd command.

My ssh still isnt working, but I don't think it's because of the patchstick. The stick was created successfully, and was by far the easiest method.

 

[Abraxsis]

Just do a dd --list and it will show you all your drives and their mount points, just choose the correct one.

The ATV4Windows method worked just fine for me, I used a 2GB flash drive, and my ATV is 2.0.2. Also, make sure to do the factory restore before you do the patch.

By far the easiest was to download the ATV4Windows file linked from the ATV4Win site, the wiki page aristo posted; It has a patchstick disk image (.img).

From there, I popped in a thumb drive, deleted the partition table for it, and in the terminal, I did:
"dd if=patchstick.img of=/dev/disk1 bs=1m"
*be totally sure /dev/disk1 is the disk you think it is (thumbdrive). Othewise dd will do something very bad.*

Plug it into your ATV and reboot.

 

[ebony]

Just do a dd --list and it will show you all your drives and their mount points, just choose the correct one.

The ATV4Windows method worked just fine for me, I used a 2GB flash drive, and my ATV is 2.0.2. Also, make sure to do the factory restore before you do the patch.

thanks, I gave it a go using a 1GB memory stick but all I got was partition not writable / dirty errors when I stick the usb into the appletv.

I never did a full restore to 2.02 before trying so I'll try that. Also I'll try with a different usb stick.

Thanks for the help.

 

[tom1971]

thanks, I gave it a go using a 1GB memory stick but all I got was partition not writable / dirty errors when I stick the usb into the appletv.

I never did a full restore to 2.02 before trying so I'll try that. Also I'll try with a different usb stick.

Thanks for the help.

Sometimes rebooting / re-trying 2 or 3 times works as well.
The biggest unknown seems to be the type of USB stick you are using.

You should have at least 1 GB.

 

[ab2650]

Also, make sure to do the factory restore before you do the patch.

Uh oh. do you mean to do the restore if you've installed something else (i.e., sshd, under 1.0?)

I never did a restore, but I seem to be running fine. The only thing that has confused me is I get the "Apple TV Recovery" every time reboot the ATV. Is that normal?

 

[tom1971]

Uh oh. do you mean to do the restore if you've installed something else (i.e., sshd, under 1.0?)

I never did a restore, but I seem to be running fine. The only thing that has confused me is I get the "Apple TV Recovery" every time reboot the ATV. Is that normal?

No, usually you should never see that screen.