[roger48]

HR-24 - 500 Locks up - 2 weeks to find solution. No solution here, no solution at DirecTv forums. DirecTv tech support stumped. I finally solved myself.

About 3 months ago, about every other day the unit would turn its self on in the middle of the night, and we'd turn it off in the morning.
We lived with that issue.

Then 2 weeks ago, after the 0x4a7 firmware update, the unit would lock-up if turned off for more than 90 minutes. Front panel off and non responsive, no response to remote, no recording of scheduled events. Only a Red Button Reboot or Power cycle (Hard drive was running all the time) would revive. Didn't know if it was a Hard Drive; Firmware or a Power Supply issue.
Obviously somewhere a firmware issue as problem was not error trapped. Trouble shooting from Senior Techs provided no clue,
and I was not willing to subject myself to a refurbished replacement unit, or buy a replacement (for $200) after only 15 months and
be under a new 2 year contract. I had previously gone through 5 defective HR21's in a row.
Apparently an HR-24-500 is the preferred model, with cooling fan that other HR-24 models lack.
Can't even specify which new HR-24 to get mail-order if you went that route. I checked in with Uverse, TiVo and Comcast.

Enumerated below are all the steps I went through to trouble shoot on my own.

1. Re-downloaded firmware. ReAuthorized Unit.
2. Performed all manner of things that any post at DirecTv Technical Forums or dbstalk.com indicated solved a lockup problem:
Disconnected AM-21. Seemed to fix problem for 24 hours, but no.
3. Rewired without using HDMI
4. Turned off Dolby.
5. Verified an Internal Temperature of only 102 degrees F. Unit was not too hot.
6. Ran the unit upside down in attempt to redistribute Hard Drive lubrication.
7. Put the HR-24 on a new UPS with no other devices.
8. Verified Excellent Satellite reception, and satellite SWM RG-6 wire is in Good and Tight to connection 1.
Gave each unit a static IP.
9. Attached a new Virgin Power Cord.
10. Reprogrammed remote from RF to IR
11. Verified an OK on System Tests.
12. Verified Hard Drive only 50% full. Tech asked "Does your unit have enough Ram?"
13. Other HR-24 unit on same Satellite Dish work fine so far.
14. Ran Hard Drive Diagnostics - Need to reboot and Hold down SELECT to get into.
SMART test fails with an 0x77, which means the Hard Drive is failing.
15. Surface test of HD would fail at 4% with an 0x70 error, which means Hard Drive has REAL PROBLEM.
16. Unit would stay on for 15 hours before locking up if left on, so all the programming (48% of drive) was watched,
and a "RESET EVERYTHING" and reboot was done. This solved nothing.
17. Another Surface test got to 5% before failing.
18. Attached a "Western Digital My Book AV DVR Expander 1 TB USB 2.0/eSATA External Hard Drive" purchased from Amazon.com
for $99.99 with free shipping (via Ensenda). HR-24 now works like new, so problem was the Internal Hard Drive, a Seagate.

So for half the price of a new unit, I have a unit performing like new, and with twice the storage now available!

I've cancelled the Service Call.

Seems like DirecTv ought to give me a credit or a few months of Free HBO for solving their problem on my nickel.

 

[CCarncross]

HR-24 - 500 Locks up - 2 weeks to find solution. No solution here, no solution at DirecTv forums. DirecTv tech support stumped. I finally solved myself.

It does not appear you ever asked for any help with this issue on this forum....11 posts and this is the only post referring to your HR24 issues besides when you got them. Unless you have another username.

I can just about guarantee that someone here would have recommended running HDD diags, etc...to try and troubleshoot the issue.

 

[roger48]

I deeply resent the unwarranted slam. Try reading all my post. I read many threads and used suggestions, none of which worked.

 

[veryoldschool]

I'm not really sure of the point of this thread.

 

[litzdog911]

I deeply resent the unwarranted slam. Try reading all my post. I read many threads and used suggestions, none of which worked.

Slam? Really?

 

[Mike Bertelson]

I'm not really sure of the point of this thread.

The diagnostics said the hard drive was failing so a new hard drive fixed the problem...I think that's all there is to it. :shrug:

Mike

 

[roger48]

The point of this thread is that this specific problem was not listed ANYWHERE else in the forums, and it wasn't obvious that this wasn't a power supply problem. Items 2 through 17 were culled form suggestions here and at DirecTv forums; but no problem came close to mine, other "lock-ups" were momentary glitches while watching a recording. My recordings all played perfectly.

DirecTv must have agreed with me that this was unusual, as after sending in this report, I received 6 months of a set of Premium Channels for free.

 

[ChoppedLiver]

I wish I had seen this sooner. This exact thing happened to my HR20-700. But because my unit is owned, I opened it up and replaced the internal drive with a Hitachi 1TB unit. Works perfectly and only $59! (Deal on Newegg at the time I believe) I also had my cooling fan fail which is what I believe killed the HD. I put in a new higher cfm fan and wired it to the hard drive power so it stays on all the time. I usually now run under 100 degrees all the time now. Good Luck!

 

[roger48]

Amazon reviews of the Hitachi Hard Drive include many complaints about it being Noisy. I can still find no good description of disassembling an HR-24, let alone a YouTube video of same.

 

[Rich]

It does not appear you ever asked for any help with this issue on this forum....11 posts and this is the only post referring to your HR24 issues besides when you got them. Unless you have another username.

I can just about guarantee that someone here would have recommended running HDD diags, etc...to try and troubleshoot the issue.

I would have recommended putting an external drive on it immediately. That rules out the internal HDD if the same thing happens and solves the problem if the internal drive is the problem. Simplest trouble shooting test you can do.

Rich

 

[Rich]

The point of this thread is that this specific problem was not listed ANYWHERE else in the forums, and it wasn't obvious that this wasn't a power supply problem. Items 2 through 17 were culled form suggestions here and at DirecTv forums; but no problem came close to mine, other "lock-ups" were momentary glitches while watching a recording. My recordings all played perfectly.

DirecTv must have agreed with me that this was unusual, as after sending in this report, I received 6 months of a set of Premium Channels for free.

So, how did you miss my recommendations to simply put an external drive on the 500 immediately? I think that should be the first thing to do with any HR that exhibits anything remotely looking like an HDD problem. So simple. I've been posting this recommendation for quite a while. Don't consider this a "slam", I'm just curious.

Rich

 

[Rich]

Amazon reviews of the Hitachi Hard Drive include many complaints about it being Noisy. I can still find no good description of disassembling an HR-24, let alone a YouTube video of same.

There are many posts detailing how to replace HDDs in all the 24s. With the 500s all you need is six pieces of a credit card cut to about a quarter to half inch wide and you insert them between the clips (six) and the clip holders and the whole thing comes right apart. After that, the process is obvious. There are posts with pictures detailing the locations of the six clips.

Rich

 

[roger48]

Yes I saw suggestions for external drives.
All recorded programs played perfectly with no glitches, so it wasn't obvious initially that the Hard Drive was the problem, or all the Problem; and with the Internal HD 50% full there was over a week of watching to empty it off.

 

[roger48]

A URL please?

 

[Mike Bertelson]

A URL please?

Someone would have to do a search (Link) to find the posts with the info you need. I would suggest it makes more sense for you to do the search rather than relying on someone else. They may not post exactly what you're looking for and you're likely to anwsers to additional questions.

I hope the link above helps.

Mike

 

[roger48]

I love when folks tell how easy it is to find something, and then refuse to provide URL. NOT.

 

[Mike Bertelson]

I love when folks tell how easy it is to find something, and then refuse to provide URL. NOT.

I provided you our search link. I don't really think it's fair to expect others to do something for you that you're not willing to do.

You're right, it's gonna take ten or fifteen minutes to find what you're looking for.

However, I'm a bit confused but why you expect someone to do it for you and are upset that no one will? :scratchin

Mike

 

[Rich]

I love when folks tell how easy it is to find something, and then refuse to provide URL. NOT.

I'd have to do the same search as you. That's how I learned to do it. I realize that it's not easy or I would have supplied a link. I told you how to do it, all you have to do is find the four side clips and put the credit card snips in between the clip and the clip holder. Then find the two back panel clips and insert the snipped credit card pieces between the clips and the clip holders and the whole thing will come loose from the lid. You really don't need any more info than that.

Rich

 

[Beerstalker]

I love when folks tell how easy it is to find something, and then refuse to provide URL. NOT.

Here's how it usually works, at least it's the way I work, and I suppose many others on forums are the same.

If I have a link to the thread with the information saved in my favorites, subscribe to the thread with the information, or just happen to know exactly which thread in which section the information is in I will provide a link because I can get one fairly quickly (less than a minute or so). If I would have to perform a search, and read through a bunch of threads before I find the info a poster is looking for then I'm going to leave it up to that poster to do that work.

 

[veryoldschool]

Here's how it usually works...

I have to do a search for my own posts and it normally takes several to find the sub forum I posted in.