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Hard drive failure?

OK. So I just did a test. I watched live BBC1 HD (signal strength 80%, quality 100%) and it was perfect. At the same time I recorded it. When I watched the recording it was stop/start, no sound, and occasionally a message flicked up saying this "channel is scrambled or not available". The HDR has twin tuners doesn't it, so am I using one tuner to watch and the other tuner to record? If so does that indicate that one of the tuners has become faulty? Also on a side point the Media button is getting extremely sluggish at bringing up the media list.
UPDATE: All HD channels are glitching in the same way. As is SD BBC1 and BBC2 but not as extreme. FILM4, DAVE seem ok. ITV I'm not sure about. I haven't checked the rest.
UPDATE: I've noticed now that occasionally now when I turn the Humax on the media button does not work. Then when I go to Menu/Settings/System/Data Storage, the Data Storage option is greyed out and unselectable. After a couple of reboots it sorts itself out again.
 
You don't use two tuners when watching and recording the same program, The 'tuned' program is sent to out to the TV and to the hard disk simultaneously, If you are only getting problems on play back, it points to a hard disk problem , you could start with the Humax Menu >> Settings >> System >> Data Storage >> HDD Test. The Custom Firmware package has a better HDD checker called Fix-Disk
 
I've been through a prolonged fix-disk and bad sector reallocating exercise already, as detailed in the previous posts on this thread but it hasn't improved anything.
 
Ah, O.K. I didn't make the link between #41 and the previous 40 posts as it's all in the Non-Custom Firmware forum which shouldn't really cover Fix-Disk
 
Ah ok Ezra. I didn't know it if it was custom firmware related or not (still don't know) when I posted it. Feel free to move it the other forum if you think it it appropriate.
 
Assuming it isnt just once in a while but is regular and permanent:

FIrst remove the custom firmware entirely and perform a factory reset. Remove anything else you have plugged in - check the 5v aerial signal is correct for you.
If you can watch live with no issues at all it means the spooler file is recording to the hard drive if not frame by frame but certainly dropping very few frames.
This means the recording and signal is fine. This recording is then copied across to you video folder. It is possible that this stage is a problem.
That problem could be caused by disc fragmentation - but is unlikely ever to do so.

It could be caused by bad sectors on the drive - but the drive OS should be automatically re-allocating with no issues - run scandisk if it doesnt
seem to do so (as can happen with large areas being faulty - full drives are no issue unless this is a REAL bad problem - spare sectors are allocated to allow for that)
if you have done this move on. I wouldnt expect this to happen more than once among a group of 1000 people in 5 years assuming people dont play football
with their boxes. Hard drive VERY seldom actually fail. They are FAR more reliable than DVD discs for instance
When copying the drive has to work harder/use different electronics - you could have a power supply issue - change the box
When copying the electronics is working more - change the box
That covers everything that can go wrong during that stage.

Next: Assuming the copy has now been done correctly you want to play back the program.
The drive reads the file (no issue as it copied fine - also indicating no power issues due to drive load)
it descrambles the file for playback using more processing power if that is at fault - change the box
It feeds the file out to the HDMI cable - if the electronics are faulty (dry joints) - change the box
If the HDMI socket is faulty - change the box
Check the power cable (and the wall socket) for good earth and connections if you know how (safety warning here)
just to be sure.
If anyone is using a plug in network distribution box - take them out and nail their private parts to the nearest tree - then unplug them
Alternatively get a mains filter - a proper one not a 10quid job from the comet.
At this point you have only 1 issue left - overheating - Is the box on top of the TV, another box, or enclosed?
Is the internal fan working - if not fix it AND/or change the box
Try changing your TV if you havnt already - it could be an issue but is doubtful given clean live viewing.

Also - if you can detect a central heating boiler switching on every time - change the boiler
If your next door neighbour has an arc welding hobby - secretly squirt water under his shed door while he's working
If you notice a plane in the signal path every time - buy a SAM and get your own back - but that would affect live playback so its just for fun.

I think your problem can only really be solved by one thing - change the box. (count the ways)
 
Thanks Jack616. I think I've come to the conclusion that I need to change the box. Its still under warranty so it can be John Lewis/or Humax problem to solve it. The issue is regular. I've tried all the disk related stuff to fix it. Everything else about the box seems ok. I've removed all the custom firmware/factory reset/format drive and still getting issues. Before I removed the custom firmware diskattr was returning good stats. Some sector reallocation, but nothing significant. I'm going to give it one last chance over the weekend just to make sure.
 
Returned box to John Lewis (2 months left on a 24 month guarantee). They immediately swapped it for a refurbished one with a new 1 year guarantee. They said they don't bother sending them back for fixing anymore whilst the customer waits. So far it seems to be ok. Recorded programs are fine. I've posted the returned box serial number in the other forum.
 
Interesting. They told me that they would need to send mine away, which meant I'd be without it for several weeks. I decided I'd rather live with the odd disk related issue. Maybe I'll reconsider now!
 
Green Armchair said:
Interesting. They told me that they would need to send mine away, which meant I'd be without it for several weeks. I decided I'd rather live with the odd disk related issue. Maybe I'll reconsider now!
Click to expand...
Well John Lewis technical support on the phone said it would have to be sent away (turn around time about 10-14 days) but when I took it to the Cheadle branch they swapped it immediately. It might be a different matter if they didn't have a spare refurbished one in stock. I am a bit suspicious about the "refurbished" one though as it was still full of someone else's recordings and was pre-tuned. Also it looked like the original warranty sticker was still in place. A quick format/factory reset fixed it but you do wonder if it has even been looked at by Humax for whatever fault it had. Anyway I've got a year to find out!
 
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