Box stuck in limbo (CFW 4.1.1)

bvalltu

New Member
Hello, everyone.

Upon coming home after Xmas, I found the box on, displaying the custom firmware. Switching it off at the back, unplugging for a up to a day, none have worked. All I get is the last channel that was on and, after as few seconds, it doesn't respond to the remote. The GUI is not working. We switch the broadband off, if we go away, if that was an issue. I have never opened the box and am afraid to, TBH!

So, I have a few questions:

1. Is there anything further I can do, bootwise?
2. If it's a HDD issue, will removing it and putting it back in help?
3. How easy is it to recover files, if the HDD cannot be used again?
4. If I need a new HDD, which ones do you recommend?

Thanks in advance!
 
Sounds to me like it's dead. There's no need to be afraid of opening the box, it's not going to bite (unless you leave it plugged in!).

1. Reinstall stock firmware, see what happens.

2. If still no-go, try disconnecting the HDD. If it still doesn't work (not even as a satellite tuner), that's it.

If the HDD doesn't work (ie disconnecting it makes the box work), you can try hooking it up to a PC running Linux via a USB adapter for analysis but you really need to know what you're doing... and what's on it is only telly and there will be lots more along in a minute.

Also, unless you made the recordings with Nowster's Patch installed, at least some of the recordings will be encrypted with no means of decryption (that might apply to HiDef recordings only - I'm not a Foxsat expert).
 
Last edited:
I recommend you use 4.1.3 rather than 4.1.1 which is very old now.
If you telnet to the box and issue a ls -d /sys/block/hd? command, what do you see?

SD recordings are unencrypted. HD are encrypted, unless you installed Nowster's patch before recording.
 
I can't telnet the box.

I might just get a new HDD or box and see what I can recover from the old HDD.

Thanks for your help!
 
Yes, I'm forgetting that this box is so primitive compared to a T2. You can't do anything with it without a disk, except check basic operational functionality.
Installing Telnet requires partition 4 on the disk to be accessible. There is a /sbin/telnetd in flash, but I can't see where/if it is started if there's no disk.

It's not clear what "I found the box on, displaying the custom firmware" actually means.
As you said, disconnecting the hard disk would seem like a good idea, and then see whether the remote works. If it doesn't, it's probably power supply or motherboard related.
 
It's not clear what "I found the box on, displaying the custom firmware" actually means.

When working properly, after the message 'boot' appears, the box displays 'Custom Firmware 4.1.1' and, shortly after, becomes active. I found it stuck on the CFW message.
 
Back
Top