Decoding a device file.

[olikIII]

I need help decoding a device file, /dev/sdc1. I have dumped (maybe?) the device file into a file with

cat /dev/sdc1 > file

The file is full of gibberish.
I tried

strings file

and

hexdump file

but didn't get much from strings and absolutely nothing from hexdump.

I then looked around in /sys/block/sdc/device but didn't find much.

Is there any way to find the actual system files of the device using the device file or any other files or tools? I am very confused about this, as I usually only do programming.

By the way, I am running CentOS 6.3 64-bit.

[mizzle]

mkdir /newmnt
mount -o loop file /newmnt

Now your file is mounted as a block device, and you can access the files contained therein.

[olikIII]

Thank you. I have been able to do that, but the device has files that are not accessible through that method. I guess it is somewhat like firmware.

[mizzle]

If it's in the firmware, you'll have to figure out how to edit that firmware, if at all possible. Without knowing what the device is, I don't think you'll get much help here.

[olikIII]

The device is a sony walkman nwz e463. I am trying to edit the firmware but do not have access to it as of yet.

[mizzle]

Sony : NWZ-A726 updates | Download updates for NWZ-A726

Well, perhaps you can download the new firmware, edit, and install.

Unless you know what you're doing, you're probably going to brick you device.

[olikIII]

I've tried that but it is for a differnet series of walkman. Are you sure there is no way to extract the firmware?

[mizzle]

I'm sure there's a way. Is there a ready-made linux program to do it? No.

[olikIII]

Do you think the firmware would be part of the device file?

[mizzle]

No. That device file is a block device file, ie the storage that holds the mp3s, etc.