TELNET session with HDR-FOX-T2 Failing

grumpyoneuk

New Member
I have a problem similar to others where I cannot connect via my browser(s) and load the GUI so I have followed the very useful thread to initiate a Telnet session with my box. This is successful, however the box does not respond to the maintenance menu options as documented. I have copied the log below.

As background, my box developed the permanent 'delete' problem so I have updated firmware and installed custom firmware in an attempt to tackle this from my PC. The box now does not record; respond to the 'media' button (other than to display 'red button' options at top, right of screen). Also the option to format disk in system menu is greyed out.

Session log:

=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= PuTTY log 2013.08.13 14:56:01 =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
Menu version 1.06
Enter system PIN: ****

/---------------------------------------------\
| M A I N T E N A N C E M O D E M E N U |
\---------------------------------------------/

[ Humax HDR-Fox T2 (humax) 1.02.20/2.18 ]

Note: Some areas of the hard disk are not mounted.
Not all functions will be available.
(normal if you have just run a disk check)

1 - Check and repair hard disk (fix-disk).
2 - Run short hard-disk self test.
3 - Run long hard-disk self test.
4 - Check self-test progress.
epg - Clear persistent EPG data.
x - Leave maintenance mode (Humax will restart).
diag - Run a diagnostic.
cli - System command line (advanced users).

Please select option: 1
Any additional options (or press return for none):
Are you sure you wish to run the hard disk checker? [Y/N] y
Running /bin/fix-disk
Custom firmware version 2.18

ls: /sys/block/sd?/device: No such file or directory
Unable to determine which disk has to be checked

Press return to continue:

/---------------------------------------------\
| M A I N T E N A N C E M O D E M E N U |
\---------------------------------------------/

[ Humax HDR-Fox T2 (humax) 1.02.20/2.18 ]

Note: Some areas of the hard disk are not mounted.
Not all functions will be available.
(normal if you have just run a disk check)

1 - Check and repair hard disk (fix-disk).
2 - Run short hard-disk self test.
3 - Run long hard-disk self test.
4 - Check self-test progress.
epg - Clear persistent EPG data.
x - Leave maintenance mode (Humax will restart).
diag - Run a diagnostic.
cli - System command line (advanced users).

Please select option: x
Are you sure you wish to leave maintenance mode and restart? [Y/N] y
Restarting........=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= PuTTY log 2013.08.13 14:58:44 =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
Menu version 1.06
Enter system PIN: ****

/-------------------------\
| T E L N E T M E N U |
\-------------------------/

[ Humax HDR-Fox T2 (humax) 1.02.20/2.18 ]

Note: Some areas of the hard disk are not mounted.
Not all functions will be available.
(normal if you have just run a disk check)

1 - Restart into maintenance mode.
2 - Remove web interface password.
stat - Show what the box is currently doing.
x - Exit and close connection.
diag - Run a diagnostic.
cli - System command line (advanced users).

Please select option: x
 
Sounds like the partition table is damaged. From the Telnet menu above type cli then type
Code:
smartctl -t short /dev/sda
and report exactly what the output says (preferably cut and paste).
 
A new version of fix-disk is now available which may be able to help with this. Since your disk is not able to mount the partitions you will not be able to install it from the package manager. Here is an alternative procedure to enable you to run it on your box. From maintenance mode choose the 'cli' prompt and enter the commands below:
Code:
cd /tmp
wget http://humaxdisk.wikispaces.com/file/view/fix-disk-0.3.tar/444720320/fix-disk-0.3.tar
untar fix-disk-0.3.tar
./fix-disk
 
Sounds like the partition table is damaged. From the Telnet menu above type cli then type
Code:
smartctl -t short /dev/sda
and report exactly what the output says (preferably cut and paste).

This is the log excerpt:

humax# smartctl -t short /dev/sda
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 [7405b0-smp-linux-2.6.18-7.1] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen,

Smartctl open device: /dev/sda failed: No such device or address
humax#

- hope this is informative.
 
This is the log excerpt:

humax# smartctl -t short /dev/sda
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 [7405b0-smp-linux-2.6.18-7.1] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen,

Smartctl open device: /dev/sda failed: No such device or address
humax#
Oh, that isn't what I was expecting. Did you see xyz321's post immediately above yours; he is the expert on fix-disk.
 
I'm certainly not and expert on fix-disk so this may be red herring, but, could it be that the existence of an external USB hard drive has pushed the internal drive to become sdb rather than the usual sda?

grumpyonuk : Question, do you have a USB hard drive / USB flash device attached to your Humax?
 
I think the disk has developed a fault such that it is no longer "seen" by the operating system. Your options are to try to get it repaired/replaced under warranty, attempt to reseat the hard disk connectors or try a replacement disk.
 
A new version of fix-disk is now available which may be able to help with this. Since your disk is not able to mount the partitions you will not be able to install it from the package manager. Here is an alternative procedure to enable you to run it on your box. From maintenance mode choose the 'cli' prompt and enter the commands below:
Code:
cd /tmp
wget http:**humaxdisk.wikispaces.com*file/view*fix-disk-0.3.tar*444720320*fix-disk-0.3.tar
untar fix-disk-0.3.tar
./fix-disk

This is the result of this exercise:

humax# cd /tmp
humax# wget httpp:**humaxdisk.wikispaces.com*file!view*fix-disk-0.3.tar*444720320
/fix-disk-0.3.tar
Connecting to humaxdisk.wikispaces.com (208.43.192.33:80)
fix-disk-0.3.tar 100% |*******************************| 17408 0:00:00 ETA
humax# untar fix-disk-0.3.tar
Extracting from fix-disk-0.3.tar
Extracting file fix-disk
End of fix-disk-0.3.tar
humax# ./fix-disk
/bin/sh: ./fix-disk: Permission denied

(in the above I've changed / to * as I'm not allowed to post links etc.)

When I then tried to run fix-disk from the menu (option 1) I received:

Running /bin/fix-disk
Custom firmware version 2.18

ls: /sys/block/sd?/device: No such file or directory
Unable to determine which disk has to be checked

Hope this can throw light on the issue. Thanks
 
I'm certainly not and expert on fix-disk so this may be red herring, but, could it be that the existence of an external USB hard drive has pushed the internal drive to become sdb rather than the usual sda?

grumpyonuk : Question, do you have a USB hard drive / USB flash device attached to your Humax?

No, I only use a USB device for firmware updates and don't leave it in afterwards . There has been for many, many months a HUMAX USB wireless network dongle on the box and that's what I'm communicating to the box through. This pre-dates my problem by a year or more.
 
I think the disk has developed a fault such that it is no longer "seen" by the operating system. Your options are to try to get it repaired/replaced under warranty, attempt to reseat the hard disk connectors or try a replacement disk.

Sorry, I don't want to appear doubtful but surely the operating system boots from the hard drive? As I can power off /on and the box boots up then the disk must be seated, surely.
 
Sorry, I don't want to appear doubtful but surely the operating system boots from the hard drive? As I can power off /on and the box boots up then the disk must be seated, surely.
No. The box boots from flash RAM; the main software is not held on the disk.
 
The problem in running the 0.3 version of fix-disk in /tmp is permissions, enter this :-
Code:
cd /tmp
chmod 700 fix-disk
./fix-disk

Sorry, I don't want to appear doubtful but . . .

Don't forget there is still an operating system without the hard disk, the HD-Fox T2 performs all of it's tasks without one
 
The problem in running the 0.3 version of fix-disk in /tmp is permissions, enter this :-
Code:
cd /tmp
chmod 700 fix-disk
./fix-disk



Don't forget there is still an operating system without the hard disk, the HD-Fox T2 performs all of it's tasks without one

O.K. This is what happened next using the chmod...

humax# cd /tmp
humax# wget http://humaxdisk.wikispaces.com/file/view/fix-disk-0.3.tar/444720320
/fix-disk-0.3.tar
Connecting to humaxdisk.wikispaces.com (208.43.192.33:80)
fix-disk-0.3.tar 100% |*******************************| 17408 0:00:00 ETA
humax# untar fix-disk-0.3.tar
Extracting from fix-disk-0.3.tar
Extracting file fix-disk
End of fix-disk-0.3.tar
humax# ls
banner.log hosts modinit.log
dnsmasq.pid if-up utmp
fix-disk ifstate xinit.log
fix-disk-0.3.tar maintenance.boot.log
fix-disk.log maintenance.ready
humax# chmod 700 fix-disk
humax# ./fix-disk
Running ./fix-disk
Custom firmware version 2.18

Unable to find a disk
humax#

... progress of a sort, I think...
 
Well yes, you have now managed to run version 0.3 of fix-disk in /tmp/fix-disk as detailed in #4, unfortunately as you can see, it isn't finding a hard drive to work on, I think your options are detailed by xyz321 in #8, I would put them in a slightly different order depending if the unit is under warranty or not, if it is get it replaced, if not, try the connector re-seat, (2 connectors one for power one for data) and finally a replacement hard disk. Can you hear the hard disk spinning when the Humax is out of standby?
 
One other possibility that should be ruled out is that the Humax app is failing to start up. If this is the case then the disk controller will not see the internal disk. Does the box still function as a Freeview receiver when not in maintenance mode (athough it obviously will not be able to make recordings)? Can you still navigate the on-screen menus?
 
One other possibility that should be ruled out is that the Humax app is failing to start up. If this is the case then the disk controller will not see the internal disk. Does the box still function as a Freeview receiver when not in maintenance mode (athough it obviously will not be able to make recordings)? Can you still navigate the on-screen menus?

Yep, the box works fine as a receiver, all menus operate except when referring to HDD when they are greyed out or, in the case of media options, only show music, video or photo options. (Shows HDD icon in top. right corner as white disc with tiny black slice and states HDD not available). So I guess it's probably HDD faulty. I will look at replacing it. In another thread people are discussing replacing with 2tb drive - is this practical? or is it safer to stick with 1tb.

Thanks everybody for your help, much appreciated.
 
It is practical, but you have to follow the installation blog because the native Humax firmware can't help you larger than 1TB.
 
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