Hi
I joined the forum for advice on a problem which has now resolved itself. Unfortunately, the resolution lost all the stored programmes, which I had hoped to avoid.

Over the last few weeks my 9200T started to leave the information screens on (new?) recordings blank. It deteriorated on Manday, recording only the two episodes of Coronation Street, for some reason, out of about six scheduled recordings. The remainder gave "unexpected error icons in the recorded programme list.

Both scheduled and ad hoc recordings failed and I reset to defaults and reprogrammed the channels. I hoped I could save the recordings on the disc but, since joining the forum, they have now disappeared. I then did a format and all seems to be working OK.

Any ideas why this happpened? The disc was over 25% free (according to the display). Old programmes could still be played and pause/rewind live TV still worked, too.

Incidentally, I considered looking for new software (there was a download in May, I think but my loader is 07 rather than 09, which I saw on another thread). My PC has no RS232 port, though... My old printer had to go because of this. Is there a way to update with just USB?

Thanks
Ed

I've just posted another message that sounds remarkably similar.

The galling bit is that before the most recent update I had no issues at all...

Ade

This is a well known problem that affects all versions of the software. The file system starts to get corrupt, which manifests itself in a variety of ways, and gradually gets worse usually ending with refusal to record or loss of all programs from the play list (although they can be recovered using humaxrw in recovery mode).

Thanks for the reply, Martin
Like Adrian I've had no significant issues before (other than the hangs and slow running that used to occur before the last update). At least it wasn't fatal so I can return to enjoying the new recordings.
I've never connected the unit to my PC, partly because I don't have the right cable and partly because it's at the opposite corner of the house. I guess that now I've run Format the files would be lost anyway.
I notice the record schedule didn't go on the format. Not sure about the EPG Something takes up about 6% of the disc and from a separate post this seems not to be the OS, as that post said it would run without the disc (or is that with limited functionality?)
Ed

That is with limited functionality of course it won't record (or play back!) and cannot cache the EPG.

The OS (firmware) is never stored on the HDD, it is in flash memory.
Likewise all settings, and the event schedule (timers).

There are two partitions created by the Humax Format on the 9200, media (for photos and mp3s transferred via USB from PC) and the other for recordings (and I expect the EPG goes here too).
Also the timeslip buffer is allocated 8GB (2x4GB to buffer two channels for upto two hours. How does it buffer two? During PIP, you can swap between and rewind whichever is the main).

Thanks "nvingo". That makes it all make sense.

What's the cure?

We're having the same issue and a format didn't help. That said, I copied all programs off and back on with humaxrw so I don't know if I simply reinstated the problem. The reformat was incredibly quick too - too quick for my liking as it didn't seem to do much!

Is it new HDD time?

Mathew

For the sake of clarity , could you describe exactly what problem you are having?

No that should be fine.

It writes a blank file system which as you note is very quick.

Maybe.

Sure, it seems to be a variety of things. Paraphrasing what my girlfriend has been saying (she does all the TV watching in this house!):

- Slow response to remote commands (sometimes a power cycle is seemingly the only way to regain control)
- Duplicate entries appearing in the recordings list
- Some previous entries missing from the recordings list (I think)
- Missed recordings
- Recordings not stopping (i.e. it seems to be still recording the morning after the night before)

Software is all uptodate.

Cheers, and thanks for your help,

Mathew

Some times the box can be slow to respond in the period after coming out of standby; in extreme (but rare circumstances) the wait can be as much as a minute; are these genuine lock ups which are not commonly reported with 1.00.23?

How quickly after the format did the symptoms return?

I would be tempted to format the drive in a PC and then see if chkdsk reports any bad sectors. If it does the disk should be replaced. If not then a marginal sector in a critical region may, with luck, have been mapped out. The Humax will propmt to format the disk when it is replaced.