Security DVR Boot Probs

Firstly it looks like a software / firmware issue.  The unit uses imbedded
Linux.
There is probably nothing the user can do to correct this except return the
unit for repair under warranty.
If the retailer won't help or return your phone calls I suggest you name and
shame them here.
It would serve as a warning to other prospective customers to reconsider
their decision to use a retailer who offers after sales service.

Cheers,
Alan

This is why I have not named and shamed as it is still the silly season and
many people are away from work (me included) :-)

The retailer has since contacted me and we have now started a dialogue.  It
still doesn't work but he is communicating with me.  Apparently the hot
spell in WA has tipped a few of these over the edge - inbuilt temp sensor.

Cheers TT

PS I should just go away for the break at this time - last year the smoke
came out of ME850  >:-(

Ah, yes but we know the reason for that.  Seriously underrated bridge
rectifiers.

Cheers,
Alan

Ahhhh.......... so being full of booze and playing old heavy rock (ACDC,
Deep Purple, Sweet, Suzi Q, etc) flat out at 2:00am New Year's Morning had
nothin' to do with it eh??  :-)   You can give up on warranty manager's job
now Alan after having said that ;-)

Warranty Rule #1 - It's always the customers fault ;-)  ;-)
Warranty Rule # 2 (see above)
Warranty Rule # 3 (see above)
Warranty Rule # 4 (see above)
Warranty Rule # 5 (see above)
Warranty Rule # 6 Damaged in transit
Warranty Rule # 7 Power surge/ Dirty mains
Warranty Rule # 8 Are your sure it's not the customer's fault?
Warranty Rule # 9 Humidity/Dust/Heat/Cold wrong Sheng Fui
Warranty Rule # 10 Never seen this fault before you are the first and only
so no warranty - refer #1

That's how it usually goes for me anyway ;-)

Cheers TT

 Ring the Importer and tell him the retailer  won't stand by the warranty
agreements and  what do they intend to do about it.   Does this thing have a
RS 232 port on the back. If  so, ask    to speak to the service manager, and
tell him  you want to re-boot the software, as it's playing up, not working
properly, giving trouble, and your sorry to bother him but your retailer
refuses  to assist, and he's  your last hope.  Or perhaps he would like to
supply  you with a new  unit, under the  warranty  "lemon" agreement., as if
you re-boot the software, it will void the warranty,  and  we  don't  want
to  do  that,  so would he like to do it for you.
 When you do this, really take your  time  with the phone call,  and keep
telling  them  you realise  just how  busy they are, but it's important
that  you get it fixed. The longer  you can drag it out the better.  they
will think  your a pain in the arse, and promise  you anything to get rid of
you.

If all else fails  walk into the retailer with a couple of mates, when he's
flat out, and make a lot of noise, about his crap after sales service, and
make a big point of dumping the  thing on the counter.  if he tells you he
will get back to  you,  be there  the next morning, when he arrives  to
open, and  don't leave until  he  does  something about it.

If he tells  you he will call the cops, if you don't  leave,  give him the
phone number,  But remember he's not your  friend, a friend would have
replaced  the unit on the first visit.
                                                                            
                           bassett

 

Unfortunately this is very difficult when you buy over the net :-(  He's in
Vic. I'm in WA.  At least he is talking to me now and I have already
explained that we both want this fixed quickly and simply ;-)

Cheers TT

yep, buying of the net is a completly different ball game.

Sounds like the board is not cooled correctly , so when you reboot it
and it hangs ?
  Usually pulling the cover and running a large fan gets them working ,
if it doesnt then it's a warranty and the dealler HAS to fix it , if he
wont then it's piss easy to make them or he is liable to all sorts of
problems beacuse of the usage and certain warrantys he has neglected to
advise you of .
  I don't use that brand but it is a known problem with some models and
normally air flow across the board cures things ..

Atec might be onto something here.
I have a GigaByte MB that was randomly rebooting, but not always at
start-up.
Turned out (under closer inspection) that the fan on the aux chipset had
seized and was over heating it.
Bought a cheap replacement fan and fitted it - sweet :-)

Have you confirmed both HDDs are spinning up?

Cheers,
Alan

Yes the fan is spinning.  No one except the chronically deaf could miss the
sound of it ;-).  Both HDs and DVD-RW have been disconnected and a known
good drive plugged in.  Either way the OS is embedded on a chip not on a HD.

BTW this has now cooled down overnight and is about 20Deg.C. still wont boot
:-(

Cheers TT

Ok then the eprom might have gone toes up


  if you want a better source after failing to fix it  shoot me an email
and I will make some suggestions on the equipment you might consider..

I am hoping it is a FW problem and will be able to get the procedure and
files to re-flash it over the RS232 port and/or the procedure for doing a
hard re-set (if there is one).


Please feel free to send me anything you like that may help.  My email addy
is very easy to un-mung ;-)

Cheers TT

You are a slack bugga.. check the mail anyway...

put finger to keyboard and composed:



If the fan is spinning, then I suppose that the +12V rail is up. It
might be worth confirming this at the drive power connectors, though.
(I just repaired a DVD player that took out the +12V fuse.)

- Franc Zabkar

Thanks for the reply Franc.  Yes the fuse is intact, the drives spin, the 2
LEDS 3v & 5v are both lit up. it powers the monitor and passes through all
camera feeds.  I am discounting a hardware fault at this stage (fingers
crossed).

Cheers TT