HDR-FOX T2 Not Booting

Tim.ivn

Member
I've put the loaders up for general download although not put the links into the wiki as there is a very small potential risk of bricking the box...

http://hpkg.tv/rpc/cfwget.html?file=loader.a730.hdf

and adapt the filename to the version you want. Available are a7.30, 31, 33 & 34.
EDIT: Please ignore this post. I have just found the file elsewhere in that thread.

I have just attempted to download this file but it asked me to log on to my Google account. When I did so, I got the following message:

"403. That’s an error. We're sorry, but you do not have access to this page."

I would be very grateful if someone could help me to download this file.

I have a HDR FOX T2 which won't boot up properly and I am very much hoping this will fix it.

Thank you very much.
 
Since my last post earlier today, I downloaded the file and put it on a USB stick. I put the USB stick into the HDR FOX T2 and switched it on. Unfortunately, it has not made a difference.

When I switch it on, it comes up with the initial boot screen. It then goes blank and then returns to the initial boot screen. It keeps cycling through this loop.

Does anyone know how this can be fixed?

Thank you very much.
 
I downloaded the file and put it on a USB stick. I put the USB stick into the HDR FOX T2 and switched it on. Unfortunately, it has not made a difference.
Did the firmware install at all (you would have seen the software update screen)?
When I switch it on, it comes up with the initial boot screen. It then goes blank and then returns to the initial boot screen. It keeps cycling through this loop.
Is that with or without the UPD fitted?

Steps for Resolving HDR-FOX Crash/Reboot Issues (click)

Rescuing Recordings from a Dead HDR-FOX
 
So... does it go through the boot loop without the UPD fitted?!?!?!
Both with and without.

I have tried with the an official firmware update file on the UPD and again with the System Flush Update File on the UPD but neither has worked. I therefore suspect it is a hardware fault. What do you think?

I have however, taken the hard drive out of it and have successfully decrypted the files using HFODU.

Thank you very much.
 
I have tried with the an official firmware update file on the UPD and again with the System Flush Update File on the UPD but neither has worked. I therefore suspect it is a hardware fault. What do you think?
It depends how far through the boot process it gets before resetting (without a firmware update UPD).

If the VFD shows "START SYSTEM" then "CFW<version>" (if CF is installed) then blank for a second or two, and then it reboots, that sounds like the HDD startup capacitor fault (see links above), and can be proven by running it without the HDD connected. In that case, your problems with getting a firmware update to take are down to the particular UPD you are using – it they are too slow to initialise they don't work.

If the reboot occurs sooner than indicated above, then it seems likely to be unrecoverable.
 
If the VFD shows "START SYSTEM" then "CFW<version>" (if CF is installed) then blank for a second or two, and then it reboots, that sounds like the HDD startup capacitor fault (see links above), and can be proven by running it without the HDD connected. In that case, your problems with getting a firmware update to take are down to the particular UPD you are using – it they are too slow to initialise they don't work.
I do get "START SYSTEM" then "CFW<version>". Is the HDD startup capacitor you are referring to a component of the HDD or the HDR FOX T2?

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have taken the HDD out of the HDR FOX T2 and have successfully extracted files from it so there is no problem with the HDD.

I have also attempted to start the HDR FOX T2 without the HDD and it still boot loops in the same way.

The UPD I am using is a SanDisk Cruzer Blade 32GB formated as FAT32. Should this be ok?

Thank you very much.
 
Is the HDD startup capacitor you are referring to a component of the HDD or the HDR FOX T2?
From Steps for Resolving HDR-FOX Crash/Reboot Issues:
We have become aware of a common fault developing on ageing HDR-FOXes where the unit won't boot with the HDD connected but will boot without it. While this might seem to indicate a faulty HDD, in some instances it has been shown to be a deeper problem on the main board (not the PSU). The main diagnostic symptom is that the boot process continually restarts the moment "start system" (or the custom firmware announcement, if installed) disappears from the VFD (front-panel display), which is when the HDD gets powered up (but before it has had chance to be accessed). If the restart occurs later than this, it is more likely to be a HDD fault (see 3Bb). Diagnosis is confirmed if the problem remains when a different (known working) HDD is fitted, or the original HDD is shown to work in a different HDR-FOX (or when tested on a PC). Repair might be effected by the relatively simple replacement of a capacitor on the main board. For more information see https://hummy.tv/forum/threads/start-up-fails-when-hdd-connected.10164/.
I have also attempted to start the HDR FOX T2 without the HDD and it still boot loops in the same way.
...which seems to rule that one out.

The UPD I am using is a SanDisk Cruzer Blade 32GB formated as FAT32. Should this be ok?
It's hard to say. Check out Things Every... section 12, particularly the exhaustive work by bottletop.

PS: I suggest we split this thread, having strayed substantially from the scope of the title.
 
It should be fine providing that the partition table is MBR style (not GPT).
Not sure that is true.

I recently acquired a 4-yr-old Peugeot (my first without a CD drive) and loaded lots of music onto a 32GB USB 3.0 SanDisk thumb-drive. Despite being formatted correctly the car simply refused to read the drive. After a bit of visual inspection and trial and error a USB2.0 thumb drive solved the issue.
Given the age of HDR-FOX T2s I'd be surprised if they could accept a USB 3.0 drive reliably (but I've never actually tried it).

Backwards compatibility is, I believe, a one-way street - USB 3.0 sockets (identified by blue inserts) are guaranteed to work with correctly-formatted USB/USB 2.0 (white/black insert) drives but not vice versa.
 
I have just tried with another USB stick and this time round, the HDR FOX T2 succeeded in downloading the file from the USB stick. However, neither the loader upgrade, firmware upgrade or system flush was able to cure the boot loop. Does anyone have any other ideas for how to fix it?

Thank you very much.
 
..I recently acquired a 4-yr-old Peugeot (my first without a CD drive) and loaded lots of music onto a 32GB USB 3.0 SanDisk thumb-drive. Despite being formatted correctly the car simply refused to read the drive. After a bit of visual inspection and trial and error a USB2.0 thumb drive solved the issue.
That merely demonstrates the car is a little picky on some usb drives, not that it doesn't work with usb 3.0 ones.
Given the age of HDR-FOX T2s I'd be surprised if they could accept a USB 3.0 drive reliably (but I've never actually tried it).

Backwards compatibility is, I believe, a one-way street - USB 3.0 sockets (identified by blue inserts) are guaranteed to work with correctly-formatted USB/USB 2.0 (white/black insert) drives but not vice versa.
That is simply not true. I've used various usb 3.0 drives with the HDR with no issues.
You can use usb 3.0 drive on usb 2.0 ports, although it'll be at usb 2.0 speeds.
You can also use usb 2.0 devices on usb 3.0 ports.
 
So much for ML's gung-ho assurances.


Only by swapping assemblies (PSU, front panel) in hope, but that's not very practical if you don't have a donor.
I will see if I can get a replacement HDR FOX T2 from eBay.

Thank you very much indeed for all your help.
 
What the hell is a upd?
It is a "USB Pen Drive". You can see it at the following link:

 
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