Return to Manufacturer Mode

RobL

Member
Good evening. I have 2 HDR-Fox-T2's which I intend to sell (keeping the 'main' one - forever!) and have removed the custom firmware prior to advertising. However, on bootup they still display CW version x.xx on the LCD panel - any ideas how to remove? It already has the lastest 'true' firmware, so won't read an inserted USB on start-up.

In advance, many thanks.

P.S. anyone in the market for a couple of 500GB boxes (both basically immaculate) let me know.
 
removed the custom firmware prior to advertising. However, on bootup they still display CW version x.xx on the LCD panel
You can't have done it then. As well as running RMA from the Telnet menu (which cleans up the HDD), you also need to install stock firmware (to over-write the custom firmware in Flash). Otherwise the CF is still there, ready to go (but disabled by the RMA flag).

It already has the lastest 'true' firmware, so won't read an inserted USB on start-up.
It should, even with the "latest 'true' firmware". But if it's displaying that at boot, it hasn't got the official firmware installed. Please check the wiki download page and grab the right one. And check the installation instructions.

anyone in the market for a couple of 500GB boxes (both basically immaculate) let me know.
I'm sure there will be plenty of takers here, but it would be better to start a topic titled "HDR-FOX For Sale" than hide it away in this topic. Are you sure you don't want to keep at least one spare? I would!
 
Black Hole, many thanks for the reply - appreciated.

As far as I am aware, I have done exactly as detailed. I ran the RMA from the Web rather than Telnet if that would make any difference?

In my mind, if the 'true' firmware on the USB is the same as that on the box itself, then (if I had coded!!), it would not install. I have even re-tuned all the channels to see if there could have be a 'stage' block .. not resolved however.

I'll keep trying.
 
I ran the RMA from the Web rather than Telnet if that would make any difference?
You are trying to erase everything that drives the WebIF etc! What you see via a web browser is not the custom firmware - the WebIF and the vast majority of the actual useful functions is software stored on the HDD. The only parts of the software stored in Flash are the parts which need to run even when the HDD is unavailable, plus the Humax firmware tweaked to our requirements (enabling the command line, and a few other adjustments). Something is bound to break if the process you run tries to erase the process you called it from.

My bet is you can still access the Telnet menu (by Telnet!), even if the WebIF is not currently functional, and if the WebIF doesn't come up then at least you will have the install web page - both signs that the CF is still in Flash. If there is no CF then there will be no response to a web page request to the unit's IP address (although that is not the only condition).

As far as I am aware, I have done exactly as detailed.
Clearly you didn't, and you know you didn't - there is a difference between doing things via a Telnet session and using Webshell or Diagnostics via WebIF: Telnet provides direct access to the operating system command shell without any other layers getting in the way.

In my mind, if the 'true' firmware on the USB is the same as that on the box itself, then it would not install.
No, the firmware will install whether it is different from the currently installed firmware or not. If you are trying to update the firmware and the 'FOX does not enter the firmware update process at boot up, you have not succeeded. Go through the checklist on the wiki (or see Quick Guide to Custom Firmware - click, the part that deals with installing firmware by USB), but the likelihood is the updater code doesn't like your USB stick.

(if I had coded!!)
That would not be very user friendly, or very safe. What if the firmware needed to be refreshed but the updater process refused to do it because the version number matched? What if something else was blocking the update, but the user gave up on the assumption it wasn't updating because the version installed was correct? Engineering (especially software engineering) isn't about making something that works, it's about making something that works under all circumstances (and requires a special imagination to anticipate what all those circumstances might be). Don't make an artificial restriction where a restriction isn't necessary.

It's just unfortunate that the USB storage support isn't very extensive in the Flash updater mini-environment (probably due to size limitations, you would be surprised how many different drivers are installed in - say - Windows to support all the different variations of UPD), and in any case it would not have been possible to guess what driver support 2018 UPDs would need when the design was frozen in 2010. The standard advice for firmware update problems is to use a UPD from 2010 (ie a small one).
 
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By the way: it is not essential to run RMA. Flashing the stock firmware and running Menu >> Settings >> Installation >> Factory Default (including reformatting the HDD) would return the unit to standard and clean. RMA is for removing CF without clearing the whole of the HDD.

However you clear the HDD, you still need to reflash the firmware!
 
Black Hole, once again many thanks for your time and responses. In the end, I noted your last reply (after much messing around) ... the actual problem that I encountered with failure to load the stock version was because of my USB drives. Despite using 2 different ones, I eventually resorted to an old SanDisk that I had used originally when first installing the CFW and now everything is back to the stock version.

I did also find, with some more research, that I am not the only person that has encountered this issue - perhaps worth adding a note when the RMA is selected from the WebIf screen? Just a thought.

Noted re the comment about not loading if already at that version.

"Clearly you didn't, and you know you didn't ..." please, I respect the time that you have taken to respond to me, but I do not appreciate that type of remark.

Once again, a genuine thank you for your time.
 
By the way: it is not essential to run RMA. Flashing the stock firmware and running Menu >> Settings >> Installation >> Factory Default (including reformatting the HDD) would return the unit to standard and clean.
That process would leave custom firmware files in flash, which could be overcome by loading the System Flush image.
 
That process would leave custom firmware files in flash, which could be overcome by loading the System Flush image.
Thank you af123. All seems to be good with both boxes now ... just waiting to see if I sell them!!
 
"Clearly you didn't, and you know you didn't ..." please, I respect the time that you have taken to respond to me, but I do not appreciate that type of remark.
BH is like that. Don't take offence, just ignore it. As you say, he thates a lot of time helping people out. But in his defence, you didn't 'exactly as detailed' although you said that you had. However you did follow that with 'it {the 'true' firmware on the USB} would not install', which I wold take as a clue, and that's what led to BH's remark.
 
BH is like that. Don't take offence, just ignore it. As you say, he thates a lot of time helping people out. But in his defence, you didn't 'exactly as detailed' although you said that you had. However you did follow that with 'it {the 'true' firmware on the USB} would not install', which I wold take as a clue, and that's what led to BH's remark.
Trev, forgotten as far as I am concerned - issue resolved. However, the notes state : "Custom Firmware version 2.13 onward has a built-in option called Return to Manufacturer (RMA) mode to allow for complete removal of custom firmware components from the internal hard disk. From the Web Interface Menu select >> Diagnostics >> Set-Return-to-manufacturer (RMA) Mode. Once done (there are several confirmation steps), restart your box and it will show 'RMA' on the front panel. This confirms that all custom firmware components have been removed from the internal hard disk." .
At this stage, I had no idea that 2 USB drives with the stock FW would not be 'recognised'. My statement was opened with "...as far as I am aware...". In addition, from the notes, it would appear that to remove via the Web Interface is totally acceptable and Telnet is, indeed, not a necessary path.
Anyhow, time to move on and, on my part, all replies appreciated (as is the CFW itself - brilliant stuff).
 
there is a difference between doing things via a Telnet session and using Webshell
Webshell is built into the latest firmware, so there is not very much difference.
The standard advice for firmware update problems is to use a UPD from 2010 (ie a small one).
I use an 8GB USB3 Kingston - because it's what I have (and no, it's no quicker than USB2 on anything). The only problem I've had was updating a newly acquired HD a few months ago, and that turned out (after MUCH frustration) to be a dry joint on the board - I had to be like an octopus and hold the thing in just the right place.
 
That process would leave custom firmware files in flash, which could be overcome by loading the System Flush image.
True, but I admit it had slipped my mind. Unimportant though, now there is no chance of a warranty return.

I do not appreciate that type of remark
This ain't the cub scouts. Work out what caused it, and live with it.
 
True, but I admit it had slipped my mind. Unimportant though, now there is no chance of a warranty return.


This ain't the cub scouts. Work out what caused it, and live with it.
Evidently. Such a helpful guy who then turns himself in to a tw$t - get over yourself.
 
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