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Is My Hard Drive Toast ?

post #1 of 12
6/5/11 at 11:35pm
Thread Starter 
Turned on the upstairs UTV today, hasn't been used in a while. Got the mini browser screen. The UTV was trying to dial out and get an update, it couldn't because the phone line was not connected. Tried to get it back to the guide, no go. Tried the 12357 reset, no go. During all this all I had was a flashing blue light and the TV would flash a white screen every once in a while when the yellow and red light flashed.
Hooked the phone line back up and gave it the 8675309 code. It finished the download, gave me the Update Complete, turned it off to let it install. When I went back upstairs to turn it back on it was back to the flashing blue light and would not turn on.
I put one of the Western Digital drives drives in about three years ago, think it was a JB. The downstairs UTV is still going strong with the larger WD drive in it.
So, does that sound like a hard drive failure, could it be anything else?
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post #2 of 12
6/6/11 at 3:03pm
HD failure has been my problem in the past. Sounds like you have good land line connection for the system update if you want to feed it a new HD.
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post #3 of 12
6/13/11 at 10:49pm
For clarity is the "blue light" you refer to is the On/Off Power Light? This is typically (as in has always been) "Green" from Stock Factory UTVs (On Sony and both RCA models). You may find various threads and mention of it in the FAQ as the "Blinking Green Light of Death" (or a variation). Where a UTV will be stuck in a constant power up/down cycle.

Sometimes leaving it "cycle" for an extended period of time (lets be crazy and say 5-10 minutes) might help but usually after a few minutes it's unlikely going to "fix" itself. Yet, it doesn't heard to remember a UTV can be slow sometimes so if it isn't "ready" after 1 minute... you might want to give it 2 then 3 minutes before jumping off the wall. Count to 10. Read a book. Call Mom... give it a little time.

The usual "fix" is to just swap out the Hard Drive. But it also doesn't hurt before doing that to simply allow the UTV a "cool down" (along with verifying the internal fan still works,"open air space" is provided typically with plastic bottle caps elevating the bottom and all vents are clear and open.). Sometimes after the system has cooled down it may begin operating properly (be it minutes,hours, or months).

Keep us posted on any progress/questions...

There is a long list of Troubleshooting you could try (also check the FAQ):

********************
Using code 411 to look for/verify if UTV can "see" Hard Drive. (Unlikely)

(PULL ACCESS CARD!)

Disconnect All Cables. (Disconnect power and let sit for at least a few minutes to cool down before restoring power.)

Verify system hasn't "fixed" self in this "offline" config.

Then check individual tuners/cables one at a time...

Otherwise, opening the case (Again with Access Card pulled before hand)

Checking/Pulling/Reseating various Power/Data/Fuse/Wire connections.
(Hard Drive, Power Supply to Mainboard ribbon cable, Power Supply Fuse, etc.)

Reinstalling Case...

Restore Power and Repeat testing.

Reinstall Card, Reinstall Cables...
*********************

Best of Luck.

Dave
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post #4 of 12
6/13/11 at 11:27pm
Thread Starter 
I took the drive out, removed the security with mhd3, wrote a new MBR, formatted it with NTFS, copied my music album files (about 25 GB), all the ones I tried played OK, ran chkdsk, did a quick reformat, put it back in the box and let it download 3.8 again. Same thing with the flashing blue light as before.
I reformatted one of the old 40GB drives and put it in. It won't start the download, tells me something is wrong with the modem so I think it is the box.
Got my spare on out of the closet. It was working when I put it away, no tuner history failures. It worked fine for about 24 hours and then tuner two failed. On my install upstairs I have the box lifted to help cooling, fans work on both boxes so I don't think it is overheat.
Downstairs box works fine, all on the same multiswitch. I'm down to one working.
Anyone have a couple for sale?? I'll start another thread to ask and go through the ones that were for sale from last year to see if they all sold.
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post #5 of 12
6/16/11 at 2:57pm
G_Moore, I have one I haven't used since ~2007 but a couple of weeks ago I
tested to see if I can watch the recorded shows.

I can but the hard drive is noisy. I believe it's a 120g, RCA with keyboard.
Shipped from Calif. Let me know if you're interested and we can figure out a price.
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post #6 of 12
6/17/11 at 4:49am
Thread Starter 
shotoons - I have sent a PM.
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post #7 of 12
6/25/11 at 12:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by G_Moore View Post

I took the drive out, removed the security with mhd3, wrote a new MBR, formatted it with NTFS, copied my music album files (about 25 GB), all the ones I tried played OK, ran chkdsk, did a quick reformat, put it back in the box and let it download 3.8 again. Same thing with the flashing blue light as before. (Clip)
I reformatted one of the old 40GB drives and put it in. It won't start the download, tells me something is wrong with the modem so I think it is the box.

Depending on the "something is wrong" message... it could just be MSNTV/WebTV having one of it's issues, a Jumper/Connection problem with the Hard Drive, or something else.

Well at least you might be able to use it for spare parts...
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post #8 of 12
6/26/11 at 6:53am
Thread Starter 
The "something is wrong" message about the modem said I need RCA to fix it, it was not working.
Like I said, I think the drive is OK because it works just fine back on the PC.
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post #9 of 12
6/26/11 at 1:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by G_Moore View Post

The "something is wrong" message about the modem said I need RCA to fix it, it was not working.
Like I said, I think the drive is OK because it works just fine back on the PC.

See you mention the Modem again. Typically the "Your Receiver needs Repair Call RCA (Sony) 1800XXXXXXX" (Something along that wording) while it might happen during the "download" process, lets say after the Modem dials up to MSNTV/WebTV (or after it's been online a bit). That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with the Modem.

Not saying there isn't something wrong with the Modem... But the "Call RCA" message after installing a "fresh" drive has historically been caused by a poorly placed Jumper.

You want the drive set to be 'Single' or barring that 'Master'. If there are different jumpers for 'Single' and 'Master' then swap the Jumper and see what happens. Since it sounds like it was previously used in a PC it is possible it was be jumped to 'CS' (Cable Select) or Slave mode (UTVs HATE 'CS' and 'Slave' settings) by default from the factory.

Your PC would very likely easily recognize a 'CS' or 'Slave' jumped Hard Drive (or any other setting) if there are no other conflicts. In fact if the drive is currently installed on a PC. Check it's BIOS configuration. If it's currently recognized as a 'Secondary' or 'Slave' drive then it's very likely incorrectly jumped for use on a UTV. If it's a 'Primary' or 'Master' it could still be incorrectly jumped...
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post #10 of 12
7/26/11 at 11:27am
Thread Starter 
I got two receivers from forum members. One of them was in very good condition, no capacitor leaks. It had a 40GB drive. As I said before, the 120GB drive that I thought caused my problems checked out OK so that is the one I went back with. Put that drive in and downloaded 3.8 last night. That part went OK but when it started back up it said I needed to insert a proper access card. Tried to refresh online, same story. When refreshed online I noticed it still listed an old Samsung RID receiver with that card. Called DTV this morning and they refreshed the card and it started downloading the guide. I had them change the receiver associated with the card to the RCA. Their site still lists a RID number with the RCA description but it works.
Now I have two up and running with a spare. To keep the new one cool I installed a PC slot fan on one of the black receiver top halves. I can put it with any bottom half.
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post #11 of 12
8/11/11 at 11:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by G_Moore View Post

Now I have two up and running with a spare. To keep the new one cool I installed a PC slot fan on one of the black receiver top halves. I can put it with any bottom half.

Just curious. Is this "PC Slot" fan a "Card slot" blower fan or one more similar to the UTV's Hard Drive fan?

Your post suggests you might have actually cut hole(s) into the case cover to place your cooling fan(s). That usually isn't required when using a PC Slot blower fan. They can usually be bolted/twistied into the rear vent slot directly above the tuners with very little modification (flatten the slot bracket so it rest flush against the case). But that would mean it couldn't be easily swapped between units with a "lid" swap.

I've got enough spare UTV lids that I suppose I should get out the tin snips and actually create a few of these "Super Cooler" UTVs.

My Hello Kitty Laptop cooler and PC Slot Fan modifications I suppose just can't compete.
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post #12 of 12
8/12/11 at 12:19am
Thread Starter 
The fan is a PCI slot fan with speed control. Got my dremel out and cut out the hole for the fan. It is on the right side between the hard drive and the back. There is room for it but I have to connect the power, move the fan outside the case, fit the halves together, slide the fan in and screw it down. It moves a lot of air at lower speeds and it is quiet. It is an Azenx BT-SB80SBK slot fan with speed control. That is the one that is upstairs.
I have a fan sitting on top, left front, of the one downstairs but I am going to change it. The receiver is in a recess in a cabinet and blowing air straight up doesn't get rid of the hot air very well. I found a 70mm case fan, same style as the hard drive fan, I am going to mount on the left side of the case, as close to the front as I can. It will exhaust air out the side and out of the recess. The fan moves 22 cfm and is dead quiet. Actually it is a fan that comes in one of the TiVo units, case fan 7025-12Ls. It will mount on the outside of the case. Dremel time again.
Not really concerned about the lid swap thing, that's just the way it worked out, just trying to move a lot of air quietly. I found the specs on the installed hard drive fan. It is rated at about 10 cfm.
We all end up with spare lids and I am no exception.
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