[Resolved] Box wont boot with custom firmware

[Matthew]

Sorry if this has been raised before, couldn't find it in the forum

I have a foxsat hdr with a possibly sick hard drive, though it currently works OK

I have upgraded the loader to 7.54

If I install the custom firmware the box hangs on switch on (no display on screen or front panel) unless I disconnect the hard drive, when it boots normally.

Putting back the humax firmware (1.00.21) the box boots OK and functions normally but I have had issues with the HDD (I had to re-format it outside of the box)

My main reason for adding the custom firmware is to test the HDD, is there any way to get past the boot issue with the custom firmware, has anyone tried hot plugging the HDD post boot?

 

[Black Hole]

That suggests there's something unusual about the HDD. In HDR-FOX CF land we have two other versions of the Linux kernel to overcome some HDD access issues (including one which restores the driver to standard).

Note that this is not the primary support forum for FOXSAT-HDR CF, but Raydon seems to have disappeared so you are probably just as well off here as anywhere.

 

[Matthew]

Thanks for the early reply and thanks for moving to the correct place, that's also been helpful.

Could you give some links to the variants you mention, I can find some for the HDR Fox T2 but none for the Foxsat HDR?

Anyway having read through this forum I`ve progressed, it seems the CF creates and places file in a OPT directory in the 4th partition (the music/photo one) and corruption there causes my problem.

Plugging the drive back into the PC I find OPT exists, is empty but read only. I am able to move some files to the music folder and (as root) delete the OPT folder, now having re-flashed the CF it installs as expected and the box boots up, getting there!

BUT now running the webif install it fails with Cannot create directory `/opt//var/opkg/info': Read-only file system and though the music files I added are readable I'm unable to add any more! So I reformat the music/photo partition on the box and immediately add some music+photos as some have said that help make the partition writeable. Now after a power cycle the box boots and I`m able to complete the webif install!

BUT on the next reboot I cannot access the webif as it fails with connection reset! but I am able to telnet to the box on the same IP and run fix-disk, that runs and finds multiple read errors on the disk but after about 45 mins seams to crash causing the box to reboot but coming up as normal! The music files I added earlier have now gone though!

After several attempts the webif suddenly opened and is now fully working! If things go again I suppose if I telnet into the box and delete OPT with rm -rf /mnt/hd4/opt that will reset things back to post install.

Conclusion: the main cause of the failure is a sick hard drive which though currently working will need replacing in the near future.

 

[grahamlthompson]

While it's working I would copy your recordings folder using FTP or Samba to a PC for safe keeping (Don't bother with the .thm thumbnail files as the box will rebuild them during overnight housekeeping). When you install the new hard drive copy them back. Also install Nowsters patch which records HD encryption free. Up to 1TB the box will auto setup the drive.

 

[Matthew]

OK thanks, could you confirm if connecting a new drive with the custom firmware will allow auto setup or will that try to create the opt folder 1st and so fall over?

 

[Black Hole]

Thanks for the early reply and thanks for moving to the correct place, that's also been helpful.

It wasn't in the wrong place, but I requested the moderators gave this topic a more descriptive title - the original one said next to nothing!

Could you give some links to the variants you mention, I can find some for the HDR Fox T2 but none for the Foxsat HDR?

I don't know that there are any variants for the FOXSAT. The point is that we know a custom kernel can cause HDD access problems, something to do with timing I believe. I have no idea whether the FOXSAT CF uses a custom kernel.

 

[grahamlthompson]

It's been a long time since I updated the HDD on my Foxsat-HDR. However much of the Linux/CF link software is stored in NVRAM. Can only suggest after setting up the new hard disk you flash the CF again and see what happens. Alternatively try posting on the AV forums thread, though Raydon has not posted for ages, there may be others who can help.

David500 may well know the best way to change the HDD. Suspect as your HDD partition is suspect the above may well be the safest way to replace the HDD.

 

[prpr]

Conclusion: the main cause of the failure is a sick hard drive which though currently working will need replacing in the near future.

Possibly. You should check the SMART stats., although I don't think the package was ever made public.

 

[Matthew]

Possibly. You should check the SMART stats., although I don't think the package was ever made public.

That would be a good idea but I looked for that with disks which showed no data! Seems the drive is to old for that!

 

[Brian]

Thanks for the early reply and thanks for moving to the correct place, that's also been helpful.

It wasn't in the wrong place, but I requested the moderators gave this topic a more descriptive title - the original one said next to nothing!

This thread was originally posted in the wrong place, but had already been moved to the correct forum before receiving any replies.

The thread still has its original title, and no request has been made to change it.

 

[Black Hole]

Apologies. There was a topic I asked to be retitled, but maybe that was another one.

 

[Matthew]

UPDATE: The 4th partition went read only again so I decided that was it and bought a new drive

Looking through things it seems the drive must be a AV capable one (I destroyed a WD MyPassport using that on a PVR!) and must be SATA 2 or jumpable to SATA 2

I did'nt want to spend much and having a T2 500Gb already which with the brilliant CF can hold much more post processed files than it would by default so just decided to get a 500Gb for this, I chose a New Western Digital AV/GP Drive from Amazon, what arrived was a WDC WD5000 AVDS 63U7B1 dated 2010! but was fully sealed. Placing the drive in my test environment it initially refused to spin up, after a number of power cycles it spun up but did not initialise till a few more, I would deem this fairly normal behaviour for a drive that has been sat for a very long time! Once running examining the SMART and running a test the drive passes.

I plugged the drive (un-formated) into the Foxsat HDR still with the CF in place, on boot up the format option appeared so was accepted, I then went to HD-Format in the menus and re-formatted again changing Music/Video to 1Gb, this initially failed but repeating worked so I'm hoping that's just a hiccup in the drives wakeup from a long sleep! The drive is now working faultlessly with the webif reinstalled as well.

I`m currently using SAMBA to copy old recording to the new drive, its not very fast (3MiBs) is there a quicker way?

 

[prpr]

I chose a New Western Digital AV/GP Drive from Amazon, what arrived was a WDC WD5000 AVDS 63U7B1 dated 2010! but was fully sealed. Placing the drive in my test environment it initially refused to spin up

And what happens if you need to return this 8 year old drive under warranty? I'd have sent it straight back and demanded what you ordered.
Was this an Amazon retailer rather than Amazon itself?

 

[Trev]

I would have bought a Seagate drive as recommended in several posts here as well.

 

[grahamlthompson]

Quickest way is to boot a PC into linux. Connect old drive using sata cradle. Copy contents of video partition to PC. Place new drive into cradle, copy recordings onto new drive. WD AV-GP drives are no longer available. As others have said I would have used a Seagate Pipeline 1TB. Change to SATA 2 is automatic.

 

[Black Hole]

I suspect there is a pattern in online retailers off-loading old or sub-standard stock in the expectation that the purchaser either won't notice they didn't get what they ordered or won't bother to complain. For example: I ordered a second-hand book via eBay from a major seller, condition described as "very good", and received a copy with dog ears and pencil annotation throughout. They even included a slip which said it wasn't in the described condition offering me a discount, and weren't very happy when I told them what they could do with it. The point is that if it had been correctly described I wouldn't have ordered it at any price, and letting them get away with their scheme only makes it more likely to happen.

So, regarding this HDD, has there been an abuse of trust? If so, reject it. It doesn't matter that you've used it, or whether 14 days has passed - it's still not as described.

 

[Matthew]

Thanks for the comments, in reply to several, I was expecting old stock as not realising some drives can auto switch to the required spec I deliberately ordered sata 2 and as sata 4 is the current your not going to get any recently made sata 2. I was however surprised at how old the item was, but the smart does confirm its unused.

The drive was supplied by a German seller but fulfilled by Amazon so I have 30 days to stress the drive & can return without question at any time in that period.

I have looked at the Seagate pipeline at the same price point (still 500Gb) and would go there if I send back this one, but that drive is lower spec than the WD, and a big advantage, this WD is whisper quite, noticeably much quieter than the old Seagate and the one in my T2, that's important to me. It also seems to run cooler, after a long run copying the smart stated temp at only 43C.

I know some would say get a 1TB for future proofing, but now having a T2 the foxsat is going to get much less use (plus 500Gb is a bigger increase over 320Gb than you might think, the WD with the old files transferred is only 45% full, the 320Gb was about 90% full!) plus too may are reporting their new big drives failing early (I agree Black Hole, many sellers are not very truthful about their product) so I feel safer buying a cheap old drive, if it packs up its not too big a loss.

As for warranty 1 year is statutory and I'll be on at Amazon 1st, they may say I must go to the German seller, but as the final supplier sales of goods applies to Amazon to my understanding.

 

[Matthew]

Quickest way is to boot a PC into linux. Connect old drive using sata cradle. Copy contents of video partition to PC. Place new drive into cradle, copy recordings onto new drive. WD AV-GP drives are no longer available.

Yes I can see that would be best, but I only have a laptop with very limited space so my only option is a sata to USB 2 interface I have, and as I have only one the other drive has to be on the network.

After some experiments I found the quickest way was source on the USB and the other by FTP ( I used FTP in dolphin so just had folders to drag and drop between) that gave speeds of about 8 MiB/s. I would add it seems you must maintain ownership so ensure the destination is owned by root.

 

[Trev]

That's strange about the noise level. I can't hear my Seagate unless I put my ear right up close to my T2. Even then, it's nowhere near as noisy as the WD ones that I have in my NAS at a similar distance.
I also replaced a WD drive in my Foxsat with a Seagate HDD and that one was also quieter than the WD.

 

[grahamlthompson]

I have two Humax boxes just over a metre from where I sit. FVP-5000T and HDR-1000S both have 2TB Seagate pipeline drives even with both recording can't hear anything. Only time I can hear the 5000T drive is when the drive spins up, thereafter it's inaudible.