Deletion Problem, Greyed Out Menu Items

[G3NDI]

Our HDR-FOX T2 (purchased 2012, horiz coax sockets, 1 TB HD ) has just shown
some faults.
1. Message showing in RH top corner of TV " * Deleting ".
2. Cannot delete recorded video files. They seem to delete when the HDR is on,
but if power is switched off and then on the deleted files are still there.
3. Some Menu items are greyed out, e.g. reset factory default.
Only used for SD Freeview stations, all listed stations are still viewable. Not
bothered if recorded TV files are lost. Standard software FHTCP 1.03.12, updated 7
Feb 2014 [assumed operating system for recorder stored on RAM?]

At the moment I cannot access all the functions
Menu/Settings/Preferences OK
Edit Channnels - greyed out
Installation - greyed out
System - OK
then going to System/System information - OK
Signal Detection - OK
Power management - OK
Common Interface - OK
Data Storage - greyed out
Internet Setting - OK
then going to Internet Setting/Configure LAN - OK
IP Address - greyed out but numbers visible
Network - greyed out but numbers visible
Gateway Address - greyed out but numbers visible
DNS Address - greyed out but numbers visible

Looking on the Forum for related threads it seems similar faults have been noted by
other members. For example "Resetting the HDR FOX T2 (1TB version)", Dec 31
2017. I am considering replacing the HD.

A few queries arise;
If I replace the HD it appears that the HDR must contain standard software in RAM to enable formatting?
not on the HD, so that the new drive can be accessed via the Menu and formatted?
See thread "Steps for Repairing a Disk of Unknown Faults". However, System >> Data
Storage >> Format Storage is greyed out now, so how do you format the new HD?

Similarly Settings >> Installation >> Factory Default is greyed out, so I can't reset to
Factory Default either.

Should I try to reinstall via the USB port the original update software "HDR-
FOXT2_1_03_12.zip" from the Humax site to
repair the files? Or will the HDR not allow this?

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Luke]

You're not the first. One of the previously posted replies was

The internal disk in your Humax has gone read-only due to an error. It is most likely just a filesystem error that can be repaired but the standard firmware doesn't leave any options other than reformatting the disk and losing your recordings.

To fix this you will need to install the custom firmware and then go through the disk check and fix process.

Start by reading through https://wiki.hummy.tv/wiki/Maintenance_Mode_Disk_Check

 

[Black Hole]

Or Quick Guide to Disk Recovery (click)

 

[G3NDI]

You're not the first. One of the previously posted replies was

Thank you for the quick replies. I forgot to mention that an additional fault is on setting a recording on the HDR this shows the red recording light as usual, but on clicking the controller Media button to view the programme it is not listed! Also another associated fault is the controller Pause does not work.

I have read the two documents suggested, but not having the facilites for running Telnet next to the HDR-FOX I decided eventually to buy a new replacement 1TB Seagate drive. If the new drive installs and works I may then also install the Custom Firmware for future use.

Also as advised on the thread "HDR-FOX T2 Delete loop help wanted." by "prpr" Aug 31 2016
"Installing the custom firmware has nothing to do with the disk as it is written to flash. ...........".
which implies that installing a new drive it can be recognised and formatted using the hand controller - at least I hope that will be so! I will also try transferring the recorded programmes from the old HD as described in other threads.

 

[Ezra Pound]

The purpose of installing the Custom Firmware is to add a diagnostic feature called fix-disk which can remove the *Deleting problem

 

[Black Hole]

I have read the two documents suggested, but not having the facilites for running Telnet next to the HDR-FOX I decided eventually to buy a new replacement 1TB Seagate drive.

Nobody said you had to be next to the HDR-FOX to run a Telnet session - anywhere on your network would do. Still, if you would rather throw a new HDD at it than try to solve the problem for nothing... what about next time?

 

[G3NDI]

Points noted, but my home network is basically a router upstairs with a desktop PC and the print server connections to the router. Not really practical to connect to the HDR-FOX downstairs!

New Seagate Pipeline 1TB HD arrived Thursday and it has been installed. As other threads indicate this is straightforward, which was found to be true. The tiny 3-pin fan connector is held into the socket by a side clip which need to be compressed in order to pull out the plug. The new Seagate HD is not so deep as the old suggesting perhaps that perhaps there are fewer platters in the disc mechanism?

Switching on the TV display the HDR asked if I wanted to format the storage device. Clicking OK this took a couple of minutes and displayed the result as
885.8 GB Available
20.2 GB Used
114 GB Reserved
I cannot hear the drive and all seems to be working. As I queried in my original post the software must reside in RAM and not on the old HD. I was not sure about the reliability of the HDs and noted another thread "How do I replace internal hard drive" May 10, 2016 used a Western Digital WD Purple 2TB Surveillance hard drive.

Making a search "sata hd reliability" there is a web page backblaze.com which gives reliability data, although for larger drives 4 - 8GB, nevertheless quite interesting.

 

[MartinLiddle]

Points noted, but my home network is basically a router upstairs with a desktop PC and the print server connections to the router. Not really practical to connect to the HDR-FOX downstairs!

The obvious way would be to temporarily move the Humax next to the router. It only need power and a network connection to run fix-disk.

 

[Black Hole]

Points noted, but my home network is basically a router upstairs with a desktop PC and the print server connections to the router. Not really practical to connect to the HDR-FOX downstairs!

That's defeatist! If the worst came to the worst all you need to do is move the HDR-FOX to the router just while you sort it out. I have a 10m Ethernet cable on standby for temporary long connections; you could connect the HDR-FOX to WiFi using a USB dongle or something like a TP-Link WR702N to provide a local Ethernet link to the WiFi network, or all my HDR-FOXes are connected to the router via powerline networking adapters. Thus they all benefit from Internet access and all the facilities Custom Firmware has to offer.

When I visit my supported user (with no network at all) I use WiFi dongle in the HDR-FOX to connect to my phone's hot spot (and then either use the browser on my phone or link a tablet to the hot spot as well).