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HDR-Fox T2 hangs, reboots and copying files

Mr Bill

New Member
Fear that my Fox T2 recorder may be on the way out. It started with it rebooting in the middle of a programme. Now it either does that, or hangs and needs a switch on/off at the back to get it going. I have installed the custom firmware, set the fan to 50% (this brought the temperature down which has improved things, a bit) and run an offline disk test - that passed. Also retrieved the SMART data which looked ok to my untrained eye. Finally, I copied everything I wanted off to other media via USB (spare disks), and did a factory reset - it still reboots or hangs occasionally. I have tried switching the 'external network' setting off in the system configuration - no difference.

So, what to do next? I have tried copying some of the .ts files back to the Humax box, but they don't play at all well - the recordings keep stopping if they play at all (same if I try to play them from USB). Has doing a factory reset changed the encryption, I thought this was hardware based? It's not essential to put them back, especially as the box is getting unreliable but I just wanted to see if it would work. My question - is it even possible to do this, I found lots of threads about copying things from the box to USB but none about copying them back on to the box. I use Plex, so I can bring things I really want to watch into there, but I just thought it should be possible to copy things back on to the box via USB. I even thought I had done it before? It seems like Plex is my main option as on the newer boxes like the Aura and Manhattan, there is no option to copy stuff to the box anyyway, only record new stuff from Freeview? The box must be 12 years old at least so it's done well but it does everything so well normally, I'd like to exhaust other possibilities before I go for a new one.
 
Has doing a factory reset changed the encryption, I thought this was hardware based?
It is. If the encryption was wrong the files would not even start to play. If they are failing part way through then they are corrupted, possibly when recorded in the first place.

I found lots of threads about copying things from the box to USB but none about copying them back on to the box.
Copying them back is not a problem, but USB is very slow either way and prone to keeling over if you try to do too much at once. Everything you need to no is explained in Things Every... (click) (and info linked from there).

I'd like to exhaust other possibilities before I go for a new one.
The possibility you have not mentioned: there are still good second hand units out there.
 
It is. If the encryption was wrong the files would not even start to play. If they are failing part way through then they are corrupted, possibly when recorded in the first place.


Copying them back is not a problem, but USB is very slow either way and prone to keeling over if you try to do too much at once. Everything you need to no is explained in Things Every... (click) (and info linked from there).


The possibility you have not mentioned: there are still good second hand units out there.
Thanks for this... I rechecked and a few files I have managed to copy back do play ok. Also the files copied to PC play ok through a PC or through Plex. I reformatted the USB stick between copies, also have tried another one, it just seems to be a flaky process as you suggest.

Is there anything else to check on the current box to rule out or include causes f the reboots?

Second hand, I can see units out there from £49.95 to £189.95 - of course I'm not going to pay the higher figure but might be worth taking a punt. Or go full on Plex with what I have copied off and just buy a new box. It's a good way to work out what I really want to save I suppose.
 
Thanks, I have had a look through but I will test out having the HD disconnected. Crashdiag sometimes shows a segmentation fault after a reboot but there's no definitive cause for this in the forums that I can see.

>> Beginning diagnostic crashdiag


Running: crashdiag
1.03.12
*********** Core file /mod/core/humaxtv.1737058329.240 ***********
Thu Jan 16 20:12:09 GMT 2025
Core was generated by `/usr/bin/humaxtv'.
Program terminated with signal 11, Segmentation fault.
#0 0x00000000 in ?? ()
[Current thread is 1 (Thread 650)]
Thread
#0 0x00000000 in ?? ()
 
Have now got FTP working to transfer the files back to the box - hasn't sorted out the reboots of course but at least I can get the files on there if I need to, it's much more reliable than USB.
 
Have now got FTP working to transfer the files back to the box - hasn't sorted out the reboots of course but at least I can get the files on there if I need to, it's much more reliable than USB.
Don't forget to transfer recordings as complete sets of files when using FTP. Using the on-screen menus to copy recordings to/from USB doesn't give you any choice, it just does it (but it also cocks up the free space requirement: it wants double the free space it actually needs).

Orphaning an undecrypted .ts from its .hmt will result in it being unplayable (unless you fix it up). A decrypted (but "naked") .ts plays without any of the usual conveniences.
 
Definitely, thanks, I always treat the recording as all 4 files and keep them together. I have disconnected the HD for now and so far so good, but that could be because the unit is now running cooler. I took the opportunity to check the fan was working, which it was.
 
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