Humax HDR Fox T2 keeps resetting

[surefire]

Hi folks. My humax has behaved itself for quite a while now but it has gone into reset mode three times in the last 5 weeks or so. Every time this happens it needs to rescan and search for channels again. Luckily the recordings are intact and I can re-load a saved backup of the scheduled recording list. Could this be an indication of a failing hard drive or is it more likely to be a component failure. I have read that the capacitors can become faulty after a while affecting the internal voltages.

Thanks.

 

[prpr]

It's not the hard disk or a capacitor. Run the System Flush process and see if the problem goes away.

 

[surefire]

Ok thanks for that, I'll have a go.

 

[Black Hole]

reset mode

What you describe we refer to as Restore Factory Defaults, and is something we've all had to get used to. Don't confuse that with symptoms described here: Steps for Resolving HDR-FOX Crash/Reboot Issues (click)

 

[Owen Smith]

What you describe we refer to as Restore Factory Defaults, and is something we've all had to get used to.

For me it's happened once in about 14 years of owning and running 4 HDR Fox T2s in three households. I certainly haven't got used to it and I have never run system flush.

 

[David White]

I am having the same problem affecting both my T2's with having to retune. So just to be clear a "Run System Flush" is the same as doing the Factory Reset from the System Settings>Installation>Factory Default?
Having done a Factory Reset, do I need to re-install the custom firmware or just re-enter my settings?
Thanks.

 

[surefire]

Like Owen, I have rarely performed a system flush, in fact I think I've only done it once in 15 years of ownership of several boxes. Maybe we are both fortunate. For the moment I have disabled auto update of packages to see if that makes any difference. I have also had a clean up and removed packages that I don't use much. The way I figure it, the less the Box has to do the more likely it is to behave itself being as resources are limited.

 

[Luke]

Having done a Factory Reset, do I need to re-install the custom firmware or just re-enter my settings?

A Humax Factory Reset resets the Humax defaults. Therefore no, unless there is another reason that you want to to re-install the custom firmware or just re-enter your settings.

For me it's happened once in about 14 years of owning and running 4 HDR Fox T2s in three households. I certainly haven't got used to it and I have never run system flush.

For me it has never happened. HDR-FOX -T2s have been my prime PVRs for 14 years and my secondary PVRs for over 12 years.

 

[David White]

So is a System Flush exactly the same as a System Flush? If not, where is the command for a System Flush? Thanks

 

[Luke]

So is a System Flush exactly the same as a System Flush? If not, where is the command for a System Flush? Thanks

Te Factory Reset of Humax's defaults only covers Humax's settings.
There is a thread which is a bit more specific but although I remember who one of the posters was who had miss-understood, I can't find that thread today

The System Flush download is here

Firmware Downloads

wiki.hummy.tv

For its wiki package notes see

Custom Firmware Package Notes

wiki.hummy.tv

 

[prpr]

So just to be clear a "Run System Flush" is the same as doing the Factory Reset from the System Settings>Installation>Factory Default?

No it isn't. System Flush effectively reformats the flash filesystems where the Humax software stores its databases, whereas Factory Reset only recreates the databases but doesn't touch the underlying filesystems.
You install it using a USB stick, in the same way you originally installed the CF.

Having done a Factory Reset, do I need to re-install the custom firmware or just re-enter my settings?

You don't need to reinstall the CF, but you will need to run the fix-flash-packages diagnostic and reconfigure any settings of packages which store their settings in the flash. You will also need to check settings in the on-screen menus on the box itself.

 

[Black Hole]

This is also useful: Restoring User Settings after Restore Factory Defaults

So is a System Flush exactly the same as a System Flush?

What? I presume you meant the same as a Restore Factory Defaults. No.

What you do is download the System Flush image (link in post 10) and put it on a UPD the same as you would a firmware update, then boot the 'Fox with the UPD in the USB socket the same as you would when updating the firmware. During the boot start-up, the 'Fox is running a pre-system-start environment where it checks for a valid .hdf file being present and if so carries out instructions within. These are able to act on the hardware without the usual operating system getting in the way.

You install it using a USB stick, in the same way you originally installed the CF.

Is "install" strictly correct, does anything actually get installed? Just askin'.

 

[prpr]

Is "install" strictly correct, does anything actually get installed? Just askin'.

Well, technically I guess not. But then you could say that it's installing new filesystem images into the flash. I couldn't think of a more appropriate verb in the time available.

 

[surefire]

I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed to this thread, I personally have a much better understanding of the process now and if and when I need to perform this operation I will feel much more confident.

 

[Black Hole]

if and when I need to perform this operation I will feel much more confident.

What do you mean "if and when"? You've been advised you need to do it now, to potentially alleviate the problem you opened this thread for.

 

[Black Hole]

Well, technically I guess not. But then you could say that it's installing new filesystem images into the flash. I couldn't think of a more appropriate verb in the time available.

I realise that, but IMO the word "install" risks putting people off using the System Flush. The way it is described in the wiki downloads page "install as standard firmware" further misleads.

 

[surefire]

Right let me explain:
If – I have decided to wait and see if the remedial actions taken in #7 have any effect on the problem. If they don’t and I have to perform the system flush then I, and many others on here have a better understanding and are more confident to perform this task.

When – The reason for not doing it right now is that the box is in use from morning till night and I don’t want to interrupt anyone’s viewing pleasure if it’s not absolutely necessary.

So once again thank you everyone who has commented regarding this issue.

 

[Black Hole]

Those are false assumptions. It's like putting off a needed file system repair because it's inconvenient, when the consequences of file system failure are worse than than the inconvenience of taking the system off-line to do the repair.

Nobody has reported a correlation between crashes due to failed network traffic and the invocation of the system setup wizard – it there were it would invalidate what we believe about causes and effects.

 

[prpr]

I have disabled auto update of packages to see if that makes any difference.

I'll make sure not to do any more updates then.

I have also had a clean up and removed packages that I don't use much. The way I figure it, the less the Box has to do the more likely it is to behave itself being as resources are limited.

What resources would they be that pertain to flash filesystems? And what's the limit?

 

[surefire]

No need to gang up chaps, just a simple bloke trying to sort stuff out. We're not all blessed with expertise and experience. I was just thinking that disabling updates for a while (not permanently) and checking to see if the problem diminishes. As for the resources, I assumed it was like trying to run Windows 11 on an old PC, whilst it's possible, it will take a bit of work to get it to function satisfactorily.