Dead T2?

[vader1111]

I think my backup T2 may have died today.

I came home, and went to suck down tonight's recordings. Filezilla couldn't find the device on the network, and the Router isn't listing it as one of the connected devices.

I turned the TV to HDMI 3 (where the PVR is attached), and pressed the power button on the remote. The T2's red light flickered, but showed no further signs of life.

I turned it off & on again, using the power switch at the back of the T2. The Beyonwiz circle showed briefly on the screen, then it went blank again (and the TV is reporting No Signal).

Is there anything worth trying, or is it completely dead? Note that my other T2 bit the dust about 6 months ago.

Fortunately, I have an IceBox Beta due to arrive tomorrow - so the timing isn't a complete disaster...

[Grumpy_Geoff]

I turned it off & on again, using the power switch at the back of the T2. The Beyonwiz circle showed briefly on the screen, then it went blank again (and the TV is reporting No Signal).

It may have "lost" the firmware - try a USB firmware flash.

Use the "20211010" image, not the one in your sig -
viewtopic.php?f=45&t=14964

[IanL-S]

I turned it off & on again, using the power switch at the back of the T2. The Beyonwiz circle showed briefly on the screen, then it went blank again (and the TV is reporting No Signal).

It may have "lost" the firmware - try a USB firmware flash.

Use the "20211010" image, not the one in your sig -
viewtopic.php?f=45&t=14964

All PVR firmware to greater or lesser extent is subject to the risk of corruption; on some user settings can also become corrupted. So, definitely try USB installation of the latest firmware as suggessed by Grumpy_Geoff.

Anotgher possibility is that the file system on the T2 has become badly corrupted - this can result in symptoms similar to those your are describing. Another possibility is that there is physical damage to the disk. If reflashing the firmware does not solve the problem, I would take the HDD out of the T2 and attach it to a PC/MAC and run the manufacturers disk utility on it. I did this with one of my Beyonwiz and it found file system and other errors which were corrected. Once this was done, the unit again worked correctly. If there is nothing you want to recover you can also delete all partitions on the HDD; it will then be reformatted when the T2 starts up. (If I recall correctly it will ask permission to reformat the HDD.)

Hope this helps

Ian

PS I am still waiting on my IceBox for beta testing - it arrived in Melbourne Sunday morning but still has not got to "on board for delivery" status.

[vader1111]

Thanks for the advice. I'll try re-flashing the firmware and re-formatting the HDD.

I wouldn't worry too much about the version in my signature. I update the firmware whenever a new beta version becomes available. I can't remember the last time I updated my signature.

My IceBox arrived in the mail today. Looks like I have a busy night ahead of me, installing the IceBox and re-flashing the firmware on the T2.

There's nothing on the T2's HDD, so I'll just tell the T2 to re-format the HDD.

Getting the IceBox operational will be my #1 priority. I may even leave the T2 for the weekend. The IceBox will have 4 tuners, so the T2 will be very much a backup device once again.

[prl]

I'll try re-flashing the firmware and re-formatting the HDD.

I'd try booting without the HDD attached to see if that worked before I did anything to the HDD. And after confirming a probable HDD issue that way, I'd at least try a disk check before a reformat.

[vader1111]

The disk is a 2.5" HDD. I don't have a caddy for testing it outside, and hence no way of running a disk check (unless the Wiz can do that for me).

What I can do is scavenge the HDD out of my other dead Wiz, which I'm reasonably certain is still functional (the HDD, that is).

[prl]

The disk is a 2.5" HDD.

Sorry, my eyes saw "T2" and my brain read "V2". It wouldn't be hard to open it up and disconnect the HDD, but a lot more bother than a V2.

I don't have a caddy for testing it outside, and hence no way of running a disk check (unless the Wiz can do that for me).

MENU>Setup>Storage>File system check. You can't format the HDD in the T2 GUI without seeing that option

To run the check, timeshift has to be stopped, and if you have debug logging to the HDD, you have to disable that, too. To actually disable debug logging, you also need to restart the GUI. To disable timeshift, it has to be disabled in the settings, and then you have to change channel to a different broadcaster (or restart the GUI).

[vader1111]

I turned it off & on again, using the power switch at the back of the T2. The Beyonwiz circle showed briefly on the screen, then it went blank again (and the TV is reporting No Signal).

It may have "lost" the firmware - try a USB firmware flash.

Use the "20211010" image, not the one in your sig -
viewtopic.php?f=45&t=14964

I get a "Server Not Found" error message, when I try to download the "20211010" image zip file. Looks like that part of the Beyonwiz website hasn't come back up, having gone down when the Forum did.

** Found it on Whirlpool - thanks to prl for backing it up there!

[vader1111]

I've re-flashed the firmware, and it appears to be working correctly... for now, at least!

I haven't done a Disk Check yet, because I have a recording due to start in 2 minutes, and I was concerned that the Disk Check operation wouldn't complete in time. I will do it after.

Many thanks for your help and suggestions, gentlemen. Greatly appreciated!

[Grumpy_Geoff]

I get a "Server Not Found" error message, when I try to download the "20211010" image zip file. Looks like that part of the Beyonwiz website hasn't come back up, having gone down when the Forum did.

Ah, yep - but it's still available from Peteru's server - viewtopic.php?f=56&t=14909

[vader1111]

I get a "Server Not Found" error message, when I try to download the "20211010" image zip file. Looks like that part of the Beyonwiz website hasn't come back up, having gone down when the Forum did.

Ah, yep - but it's still available from Peteru's server - viewtopic.php?f=56&t=14909

That's where I found it - having been directed there by the link in the Whirlpool forum.

I did a Disk Check & Format last night. Both took about a minute to run, and neither reported any problems. Looks like re-flashing the firmware solved the problem.

[raj]

I did a Disk Check & Format last night. Both took about a minute to run, and neither reported any problems. Looks like re-flashing the firmware solved the problem.

How do you reflash the firmware on a T2 when you have no video signal coming from the T2? I have put the last firmware update on a flash drive but then nothing as far as a video signal to know what it is doing if anything. I have tried all connections (composite, component and HDMI but no hint of a video signal. I have even tried an old analog TV as just a terminal via composite, but nothing.

My T2 turned up its toes on Christmas morning. The hard drive does not spin up.

The power supply is OK when checked with a multimeter.

Looking in through the ventilation slots in the top of the T2, there is a green LED that lights up when power is turned on to the T2, so power is getting to the T2.

It is almost as though it is locking up during the POST and cannot get past a certain point.

[stevebow]

How do you reflash the firmware on a T2 when you have no video signal coming from the T2?

The only thing I can suggest is to monitor the serial output to see what is happening, if you are familiar with such things. The following is typically what I see (after a whole lot of system initialization stuff) when I reflash my T4 - I imagine there will be some differences with the T2:

Code: Select all

[FLASH-TOOL] Searching for update files...
*** USB 2.0  Flash Disk        (1047 MB, lbs=512) ***
*** beyonwiz/hdp/imageversion: File found

[FLASH-TOOL] Detected imageversion on usbdisk0:beyonwiz/hdp
*** USB 2.0  Flash Disk        (1047 MB, lbs=512) ***
*** beyonwiz/hdp/force: File not found
*** USB 2.0  Flash Disk        (1047 MB, lbs=512) ***
*** beyonwiz/hdp/noforce: File found

[FLASH-TOOL] NOFORCE FLASHING
Looking for usbdisk0:beyonwiz/hdp/imageversion.bmp
Found 720x576 splash image

[FLASH-TOOL] KEY 51 -> UPDATE !

*** USB 2.0  Flash Disk        (1047 MB, lbs=512) ***
*** beyonwiz/hdp/cfe.bin: File not found
*** USB 2.0  Flash Disk        (1047 MB, lbs=512) ***
*** beyonwiz/hdp/splash.bin: File found
Looking for usbdisk0:beyonwiz/hdp/splash.bmp
Found 720x576 splash image
Reading usbdisk0:beyonwiz/hdp/splash.bin: ... 1244214 bytes read
Done. 1244214 bytes read
Programming...

>>>[ui_flash] Writing data (flash0.splash) from source (beyonwiz/hdp/splash.bin)
done. 1244214 bytes written
*** USB 2.0  Flash Disk        (1047 MB, lbs=512) ***
*** beyonwiz/hdp/kernel.bin: File found
Looking for usbdisk0:beyonwiz/hdp/kernel.bmp
Found 720x576 splash image
Reading usbdisk0:beyonwiz/hdp/kernel.bin: ...... 5226537 bytes read
Done. 5226537 bytes read
offset: 00000000   size: 00700000
Force erasing... 
Erasing flash...Programming...

>>>[ui_flash] Writing data (nandflash0.kernel) from source (beyonwiz/hdp/kernel.bin)
done. 5226537 bytes written
*** USB 2.0  Flash Disk        (1047 MB, lbs=512) ***
*** beyonwiz/hdp/rootfs.bin: File found
Looking for usbdisk0:beyonwiz/hdp/rootfs.bmp
Found 720x576 splash image
Reading usbdisk0:beyonwiz/hdp/rootfs.bin: .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 210763776 bytes read
Done. 210763776 bytes read
offset: 00000000   size: 7F900000
Force erasing... 
Erasing flash...Erase address  0x5a00000 failed, bad block?
Erase address  0x5b00000 failed, bad block?
Programming...

>>>[ui_flash] Writing data (nandflash0.rootfs) from source (beyonwiz/hdp/rootfs.bin)
done. 210763776 bytes written
Looking for usbdisk0:beyonwiz/hdp/finished.bmp
Found 720x576 splash image

USB: New device connected to bus 2 hub 1 port 1


USB: Resetting device on bus 2 hub 1 port 1

USB: [Transfer error: 5]
USB: Device disabled due to communication error!

[FLASH-TOOL] KEY 11 -> REBOOT

[raj]

I have not shown the output you kindly provided.

Where would I see this?

My problem is that I get absolutely no video or audio signal to the TV via HDMI, Component (Y, Pb, Pr) or composite video. I also have the HDD fail to spin up, however the T2 should be able to start up without any HDD.

When I try and boot from a device plugged into a USB port (front or rear) as when you do a firmware update, I get nothing.

Thanks again.

[stevebow]

Where would I see this?

You would need to connect a PC via its RS-232C serial port to the T2 (or via a RS-232C<->USB adapter if it lacks the 9-pin port), and you would need to run a terminal emulator on the PC e.g. Putty is a good example of this. Configure Putty at 115200 8N1 Baud and Xon/Xoff enabled. The T4 (and I assume the T2 as well) will always output *something* during boot to its serial port, most things going well.

You can configure Putty to save the session to storage for later perusal or posting here for more expert minds to look at.

[raj]

Here's one right out of left field.

In my frustration over this (I have had 2 super long weekends with this) something from way back sparked a memory about where circumstances can be such that video can be scrambled and video out from the T2 goes back to Composite, and you have to go through the menus to change the video output to either Component or HDMI and that until this was done video would be out via Composite and audio via Left Right.

In the past, when changing TVs, they all handled HDMI without any issues. Also, my current TV is a LG 4K UDH TV that shares the Component connection with the Composite connection. The Y connector (of Y, Pb, Pr) on the LG has half the insulator as yellow with the other half green and is there for the yellow connector (of the old yellow, red, white) for composite video.

Something also tells me that it was recommended that the composite connector should always be connected for just this reason.

I can't do anything tonight as I have to get a Y, R, W cable to test it out tomorrow.

Any thoughts that something happened on Christmas Eve that tripped my T2 into some sort of a reset?

Thanks.

[raj]

G'day,

Follow up to seeing if a Composite connection would work.

Unfortunately, it is NO.

I located a Red, White, Yellow cable and connected it. My LG TV recognised I had fitted a composite cable connection and showed that an AV connection was available, but as far as getting a signal from the T2 was concerned, it was nothing. No matter what I did, or which cable I used for the video (both red, both white, or both yellow, nothing would see a signal from the T2.

So, it looks like an upgrade or repair or something else.

Now a wait and see. Extremely frustrating as I have the remains of a Toppy, A DP P2, and now a T2,

Ian

[vader1111]

I did a Disk Check & Format last night. Both took about a minute to run, and neither reported any problems. Looks like re-flashing the firmware solved the problem.

How do you reflash the firmware on a T2 when you have no video signal coming from the T2? I have put the last firmware update on a flash drive but then nothing as far as a video signal to know what it is doing if anything. I have tried all connections (composite, component and HDMI but no hint of a video signal. I have even tried an old analog TV as just a terminal via composite, but nothing.

My T2 turned up its toes on Christmas morning. The hard drive does not spin up.

The power supply is OK when checked with a multimeter.

Looking in through the ventilation slots in the top of the T2, there is a green LED that lights up when power is turned on to the T2, so power is getting to the T2.

It is almost as though it is locking up during the POST and cannot get past a certain point.

The best I can suggest is to power the T2 down using the switch at the back, plug the USB with firmware update into the front port, power the T2 back on again, then press the up arrow on the front of the T2 when the red light comes on. The red LED will flash while the firmware is being installed. You should then reboot again, and hopefully everything will return to normal...

That should start the firmware installation process, and there's no need for any video display.

If that doesn't solve the problem, then I'd definitely be looking at the other suggestions posted here, by far more knowledgeable people than myself.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

The best I can suggest is to power the T2 down using the switch at the back, plug the USB with firmware update into the front port, power the T2 back on again, then press the up arrow on the front of the T2 when the red light comes on. The red LED will flash while the firmware is being installed. You should then reboot again, and hopefully everything will return to normal...

I'd modify that firmware flash step slightly and force the firmware flash (if possible) by renamimg the "noforce" file to "force".
See here - viewtopic.php?f=47&t=14786#p195043

[raj]

Well, I got my T2 and while I was at it, my P1 repaired at Nasa Electronics.

The T2 was a power supply that had failed. There was enough voltage to light up LEDs on the motherboard, but not enough amps to do anything.

The power supply was replaced and all is back working.

The P1 also had a power supply failure. After 9 capacitors were replaced (along with a couple of other bits), that is also back up and running.

So, if you want to get the T2 back working, just get a replacement plug pack with 12V DC and at least 3A output.