Foxsat HDR stuck in delete loop

R

ricobasso

Member
Custom Firmware v4.1.3

As the title says. I tried to delete a folder using file manager, it started to delete, the picture frozes (sound continues) and the delete symbol showed things going into the bin. After a while the box re-boots but came on still deleteing. After a while the picture freezes and the cycle repeats.

I tried pushing the standby switch with a view to reinstalling the firmware but I then get a message saying it will power off when the delete is finished.

Any suggestions gratefully received.
 
I don't think I've heard of this on a Foxsat before, but I'm not a Foxsat specialist.

There is a fault which occurs on HDR-FOX:
Black Hole said:
10. Destructive Deleting

Firmware after 1.01.09 introduced a background delete facility so that the user is not blocked from doing anything else (deletion in the Ext3 file system requires a fair amount of disk tidying, and can take a while for a large collection of video files). Unfortunately this sometimes goes wrong and causes the HDR-FOX to get into a state where it gradually deletes the disk contents with no way to stop it - every time you turn it off it just continues next time you turn it on.

This does not (fortunately) happen often or to many people, but if it does your recordings are at risk without prompt action. To stop the delete process in its tracks, turn off the HDR-FOX then download and install Humax firmware 1.01.09. Of course it will not be satisfactory to keep 1.01.09 installed - it will not (for example) play back recent HiDef recordings with sound - but it will enable you to rescue any important recordings before they get deleted. Unfortunately the background delete is controlled by a system file which remains present, so restoring a post-1.01.09 firmware means the background delete will continue. The only way out of this is to reformat the disk*, which is why it is necessary to copy your recordings off first.
Click to expand...

The HDR-FOX custom firmware offers an intervention for this, through the fixdisk command on the Telnet menu in Maintenance Mode. If Foxsat CF offers the same, that's your best bet.
 
Also, I have tried to connect from my PC via telnet. No dice. I get the message "Could not open connection to the host, on port 23: Connect failed"
 
Have you tried reinstalling the telnet package via the USB stick method?
I suspect your disk/filesystem(s) are a bit ill and as the package is stored on the hard disk, it's a bit of a chicken/egg thing.
 
The alternative is to take the HDD out and rescue the contents on a Linux system, then try to stabilise it using Linux tools.
 
1. "Have you tried reinstalling the telnet package via the USB stick method?"
Sorry I don't know this. Where is the method explained? In any event. If I can't reload the firmware because while in the loop it does not respond to any remote or button on the unit at all, why would it even acknowledge a USB stick?

2. "The alternative is to take the HDD out and rescue the contents on a Linux system, then try to stabilise it using Linux tools."
That would be OK assuming I can boot up a Linux system from a DVD or USB stick on my PC, except what Linux tools? and stabilise how? I'm pretty much a Linux virgin...
 
ricobasso said:
That would be OK assuming I can boot up a Linux system from a DVD or USB stick on my PC, except what Linux tools? and stabilise how? I'm pretty much a Linux virgin...
Click to expand...
Just look up "live linux" - there are lots of options out there which will burn and boot from a DVD or UPD (System Rescue is a useful one), which do not affect your normal Windows boot. It needs to be Linux, because Windows is not compatible with the Ext3 file system (even if you do install a special driver, you can't be sure what's going on).

Being a "Linux virgin" is hardly relevant: today's Linuxes boot up to a GUI desktop just like Windows (management is trickier than Windows - but you're just going to use it, not manage it). I expect you would need to read instructions to use a Windows partition manager properly, so it is no different with a Linux partition manager (GParted).

ricobasso said:
and stabilise how?
Click to expand...
Out of the Foxsat, the deletions will stop. Then you have the opportunity to copy off any remaining content (the Linux file explorer should be pretty obvious), and reformat the partitions (GParted - GNU Partition Editor). Then put the content back, and refit.

ricobasso said:
I'm pretty much a Linux virgin...
Click to expand...
And pretty much a forum virgin it seems. See Newbies Guide.
 
More bad news. I tried to ping the Humax from a cmd window on my PC and it failed:
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 192.168.0.3:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),
 
Black Hole said:
The alternative is to take the HDD out and rescue the contents on a Linux system, then try to stabilise it using Linux tools.
Click to expand...
Indeed, but that's a tool of last resort rather than the first thing to try. And I thought the OP might not be up to it.
 
ricobasso said:
Sorry I don't know this. Where is the method explained? In any event. If I can't reload the firmware because while in the loop it does not respond to any remote or button on the unit at all, why would it even acknowledge a USB stick?
Click to expand...
It's in the Readme.txt file included in the Custom Firmware .zip file. Here:
Install from USB
----------------
The USB port is hot pluggable, so you can initiate an install while the HDR is powered up simply by plugging in a USB stick
containing one or more .opk package files in the root directory.
Once installed, the application will be available for use immediately. No reboot is necessary.
Just wait for the USB stick activity LED to stop (providing it has one). Otherwise just wait a few minutes before
unplugging the stick. When the install has completed the *.opk file will have been renamed to *.opk.done and a log file
named *.opk.install.log created, for each package on the USB stick.
Click to expand...

You have turned it off and on again at the mains haven't you?
It might be worth reinstalling the whole CF from USB and see what happens.
 
Yes I've turned it off and on again at the mains

Yes I know the ip address of the Humax and it is connected to the router. It shows up in the router DHCP setup webpage (Virgin Superhub Admin)

I've just tried the USB telnet install by hot plugging. The Humax does respond to that. It confirms USB device inserted and USB device removed. There is also led activity.

I am up to removing the HDD. I changed it to a bigger one many years ago. OK the deleting will stop out of the box, but what do I have to reset or change via Linux to stop it deleting when it is re-installed?

telnet activity so far:

Microsoft Telnet> ?/help

Commands may be abbreviated. Supported commands are:

c - close close current connection
d - display display operating parameters
o - open hostname [port] connect to hostname (default port 23).
q - quit exit telnet
set - set set options (type 'set ?' for a list)
sen - send send strings to server
st - status print status information
u - unset unset options (type 'unset ?' for a list)
?/h - help print help information
Microsoft Telnet> o 192.168.0.3
Connecting To 192.168.0.3...Could not open connection to the host, on port 23: Connect failed

p.s. I'm computer savvy, now retired, but having worked with MS-DOS, HP-DOS, UNIX and Windows systems, but I am now a reluctant home device administrator!
 
I doubt that you will get anywhere with telnet if ping isn't responding
Click to expand...
That's what I was thinking. So if I take the disc out, connect it to my PC via a USB adaptor and fire up Linux, what am I looking for? Do I have to delete or edit some file or variable to reset the delete function?
 
ricobasso said:
That's what I was thinking. So if I take the disc out, connect it to my PC via a USB adaptor and fire up Linux, what am I looking for? Do I have to delete or edit some file or variable to reset the delete function?
Click to expand...
The first thing to do is run fsck to check the health of the file system. You might also want to have a peep at the SMART data to get an idea about the physical health of the drive; we can help with interpreting the SMART data if you aren't familiar with it.
 
Black Hole said:
Out of the Foxsat, the deletions will stop. Then you have the opportunity to copy off any remaining content (the Linux file explorer should be pretty obvious), and reformat the partitions (GParted - GNU Partition Editor). Then put the content back, and refit.
Click to expand...
I don't need to save any TV recordings. I just want to stop the delete loop. Are you saying I can re-format the disc in Linux and then, when I put it back in the Foxsat, it will re-initialize all by itself?
 
ricobasso said:
Are you saying I can re-format the disc in Linux and then, when I put it back in the Foxsat, it will re-initialize all by itself?
Click to expand...
If you keep the partitions as they are and reformat them, I see no reason the Foxsat would't accept it as is.

Reformatting will sort out any file system errors, but it would be as well to resolve any hardware errors through SMART first (as above).
 
Is there a Linux version I can run on Windows 10 with a user friendly GUI? I'm not fluent in Linux command line commands re disk selection, identification etc.
 
I have taken the Foxsat (Seagate Pipeline HD 1TB) disc out and connected it to my PC via USB. I have an Ubuntu bash shell running in a cmd window on the PC. Now I am somewhat stuck...

re SMART. I have a Seagate utility on the PC which does not see the Humax disc

re formatting the disc How do I identify the correct disk before attempting are-format?
 
lsblk would be my first try. I presume you have /dev/sda in the PC itself and /dev/sdb is the USB disk.
If so, then fdisk -lu /dev/sdb will show the partition table and smartctl -a /dev/sdb the SMART stats.
Report the output between [code] [/code] tags.
 
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