Rebooting loop & can't install custom firmware

Fix-disk is running now. Thank you very much to whoever wrote the Telnet page on the wiki. One small observation, it may need updating as it no longer shows "#humax" but a more detailed menu, I typed "maint" to put it into maintenance mode.

Didn't know the options available so I chose None and am now sitting here pressing Y whenever it asks whether to attempt repair of bad blocks found - if there's an option you can use to get it to automatically repair all bad blocks found without any further prompting, maybe the info about the option could be added to the wiki page?
 
Hmm. It fixed an error at LBA 262696.

However, it's now saying "Error at LBA 0", I keep pressing Y, it says "re-writing sector 0: succeeded", but after the short self-test it keeps going back to "Error at LBA 0". So now I'm stuck in another loop, of "Error at LBA 0"!

I was going to press N to the next attempt to repair LBA 0 but I'll wait to hear any thoughts first? Thanks again for all your help.
 
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I tried N and got the following, I'm not pressing anything further, it seems to be going "y" by itself (after I tried Y to attempt to repair the partition table). It's sequentially working its way through "Error reading block [N]" Ignore error? yes Force rewrite? yes
Then going to N+1, then N+2 etc. If I try x it won't exit. What should I do please, just leave it and let it work its way through all these errors and forced rewrites?

MBR Status: not present
GPT Status: not present

Partition table is missing/corrupt. If the disk has not been formatted by
the Humax, recovery by fix-disk may not be successful.

Searching for partitions...
Partition 1 starts @ 2, ends @ 2104514
Partition 2 starts @ 2104515, ends @ 1932539174
Partition 3 starts @ 1932539175, ends @ 1953520064

Do you wish to attempt repair of the partition table? [Y/N]: y

/dev/sda:
re-reading partition table
New partition table has been created
Disk /dev/sda: 931.5 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xd6949058

Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/sda1 2 2104513 2104512 1G 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 2104515 1932539173 1930434659 920.5G 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 1932539175 1953520063 20980889 10G 83 Linux

Using superblock 0 on sda1
Using superblock 0 on sda2
Using superblock 0 on sda3

Dev: /dev/sda LBA: 262696
LBA: 262696 is on partition /dev/sda1, start: 2, bad sector offset: 262694
dumpe2fs 1.42.13 (17-May-2015)

Using superblock 0
Block size: 4096
LBA 262696 maps to file system block 32836 on /dev/sda1

Checking to see if this block is in use...
debugfs 1.42.13 (17-May-2015)
Block 32836 is marked as in use

Searching for inode...
debugfs 1.42.13 (17-May-2015)
Block Inode number 32836 <block not found>
Dev: /dev/sda LBA: 0
Dev: /dev/sda LBA: 0
Dev: /dev/sda LBA: 0
Dev: /dev/sda LBA: 0
Dev: /dev/sda LBA: 0
Dev: /dev/sda LBA: 0
Dev: /dev/sda LBA: 0
Dev: /dev/sda LBA: 0
Dev: /dev/sda LBA: 0
Dev: /dev/sda LBA: 0
Dev: /dev/sda LBA: 0

Checking partition /dev/sda3...
e2fsck 1.42.13 (17-May-2015)
Pass 1: Checking inodes, blocks, and sizes
Error reading block 2621530 (Attempt to read block from filesystem resulted in short read) while getting next inode from scan. Ignore error? yes
Force rewrite? yes

Error reading block 2621531 (Attempt to read block from filesystem resulted in short read) while getting next inode from scan. Ignore error? yes
Force rewrite? yes

[And so on for the next block number]
 
Keep running fix-disk until you get no more errors. If you get into a loop of errors that never fix, then you are probably going to need a new disk. Certainly if you keep getting errors on LBA:0.
1197 bad sectors is more than I'd accept to run reliably. You may fix it in the short term but it'll just go wrong again.
Order a new disk, get it by the weekend and get your friend to fit.

You may be able to keep recordings off the old disk by copying them off to somewhere with the aerial unplugged. Or wait until you've got the new disk and use a powered USB-SATA converter to plug the old one in on the USB.

You do NOT need a new PVR in all probability. The one you have is better than anything that's available now for performing its fundamental purpose of recording off-air and replaying.
 
Installing Putty soon to try maintenance mode.
If you've managed to install Webif, you can install the Webshell package and do everything from the browser without needing Putty or a Telnet client.
 
Thank you prpr, I'll let it run. My device has a large hard disk (500GB or possibly even 1TB I think) so we'll see how long it takes!

I've already installed Putty but thanks for the tip about Webshell, which I'll note for the future. I was following the instructions in https://hummy.tv/forum/threads/steps-for-repairing-a-disk-of-unknown-faults.3082/ which recommended Telnet/Putty.

Any suggestion as to which compatible hard disk is best to buy, please? I've seen mention of a few eg Seagate Pipeline HD 2TB Drive but is there a more uptodate recommendation on that front?
 
Seagate ST2000VM002 is one choice, if you want 2TB. Other swear by WD disks, but I've never been a fan and I don't know which model without looking it up (and ICBA!).

Actually, it looks like the 002 has been superseded by the 003.
 
I've seen mention of a few eg Seagate Pipeline HD 2TB Drive but is there a more uptodate recommendation on that front?
That's what I have got in my T2 and I put a 1Tb one in my Foxsat. Some suggest the WD equivalent, but I am biassed against WD as I've had problems with them in the past. (PC ones, not AV ones) The Seagate is very quiet.
You do NOT need a new PVR in all probability. The one you have is better than anything that's available now for performing its fundamental purpose of recording off-air and replaying.
I'll second that.
 
Interesting, I've had both Seagate and WD drives (external) die on me, but the Seagate died a few months after I bought it while the WD had lasted for years. I suppose everyone's experience is different. I'll look for the WD equivalent and have a think about which (price will probably be a factor).

prpr I agree that buying a new PVR is hopefully not necessary. I liked this one before it went south, and others that are available now seem very expensive for what they are, and often with less functionality than the HDR FoxT2.
 
They seem to have more catchup facilities and web stuff, if that's what you are into, but as a straight forward PVR, it's hard to beat the T2. Whichever drive you go for, make sure it's AV.
What about THIS one prpr?
 
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Thanks Trev. I prefer a good PVR. Not everything's available on catchup. I considered YouView but the continued unavailability of padding is a killer for me (I appreciate you can just record the next thing too, but I only want a few minutes' overrun, not a whole programme's worth).

I've decided to bite the bullet and gone for the Seagate ST2000VM003 - a review at https://www.scan.co.uk/products/2tb...-35-sata-iii-6gb-s-hdd-5900rpm-64mb-cache-ncq said it works with the HDR Fox T2.
 
The fixdisk finally finished. No more constant rebooting with aerial reconnected! Old recordings still intact. Have scheduled a test recording for tomorrow morning just to see. Fingers crossed it'll last a few more days.

I'll follow prpr's advice and am getting a new 2 TB disk (Seagate especially given the uncertainties about the different WD models). And I'll also get a powered USB-SATA converter - I assume I can just use that to connect the removed old hard drive back to my T2 to play the recordings that are still on there?

If I have problems with getting the new hard disk to work I'll start a new thread.

Thank you all very much for your help.
 
I've decided to bite the bullet and gone for the Seagate ST2000VM003
I don't think you'll go far wrong with that
And I'll also get a powered USB-SATA converter - I assume I can just use that to connect the removed old hard drive back to my T2 to play the recordings that are still on there?
Yes, or copy them onto the new drive if they are worth saving
If I have problems with getting the new hard disk to work I'll start a new thread.
That's unlikely. Just stick it in and let uncle Hummy do its stuff.
 
Seems OK, but I'm not au fait with WD disks. I don't know what the difference is between WD20EURX (which some people on here have used) and WD20PURX.
I would not use a WD purple. I've posted the reasons before, let me find the post...
 
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