# Series3 Reboot Loop after resetting



## ilovedvrs (Oct 21, 2004)

I just got a Roamio unit. So I was going to go reset my Series3 so I could sell it. So I selected the Delete everything.

My series 3 has worked perfectly since day 1. I got the unit right when it came out. Model TCD648250B 06-Oct-06

After the "Welcome Powering Up" and the "Almost there. Just a few minutes more..." it reboots every time.

I tried
http://www.weaknees.com/tivo-kickstart-codes.php
code 54 and did all tests, all good.
code 58 Media File System (MFS) cleanup completed.

I also replaced a capacitor C701 (it looked slightly leaking)
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=361244&page=53

with a 6$ radio shack 2200uF35V (higher than the 2200uF25V) is that OK? I figured it was fine because I fixed my samsung TV which has the same issue with higher Voltage capacitors.

I even replaced the motherboards battery CR2032

but the same problem..... keeps rebooting...

why after 7 years, the first time I reset the box to sell does it die?

could it still be the hard drive even tho the test pass?

any advice would be great!


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## dlfl (Jul 6, 2006)

The most common failure mode for caps is bulging as per this photo:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=8750894#post8750894'
If any of them bulge even slightly, they should be replaced. Also they need to be Low ESR, high temp (105C) rated types. If you can test the voltages and ripple (under normal loading) that is the best way to tell if you have PSU problems.

There are HDD problems that are not detected by KS54. You need to connect the HDD to a PC and run the mfr's extended test.

You aren't using an expander drive are you? If so try reseating the SATA cable connections.

It does seem strange your probs started when you went to delete all.

Does it have PLS? If so it's worth repairing and is worth something to some buyers even if broken.


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## ilovedvrs (Oct 21, 2004)

the only one with a bulge at all was replaced.
no expander drive. just the default 250gb drive it came with.
yea, no problems since I got it until I went to delete all and reset for a sale.
it does have a lifetime subscription.

will connect to my computer to test drive now...


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## ilovedvrs (Oct 21, 2004)

ok, drive hooked up to this PC. running Western Digital Data LifeGuard Diagnostics...
Quick test passed. Extended Test Running, time remaining 1:10:50.....


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

ilovedvrs said:


> I just got a Roamio unit. So I was going to go reset my Series3 so I could sell it. So I selected the Delete everything.
> 
> My series 3 has worked perfectly since day 1. I got the unit right when it came out. Model TCD648250B 06-Oct-06
> 
> ...


It's okay to go a little higher on the Working Voltage limit on the cap, but it really needs to be a low-ESR type rated for 105 degrees Celsius/Centigrade.

What you got from Radio Shack is probably an 85 degree cap at best, and the Equivalent Series Resistance is probably much higher than it should be.

What they sell are general purpose electrolytics, not the specialty types needed for switch-mode power supplies.

If you check the bad cap threads you'll probably find someone's listing for one they bought from digi-key or Mouser from which you can get a part number.

And apparently Rat Shack has jacked up their cap prices considerably since a few years ago.


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## ilovedvrs (Oct 21, 2004)

Test Option: QUICK TEST 
Model Number: WDC WD2500BS-55RPB1 
Unit Serial Number: WD-WCANK5959XXXX
Firmware Number: 10.02E01 
Capacity: 250.06 GB 
SMART Status: PASS 
Test Result: PASS 
Test Time: 19:46:10, September 20, 2013 

Test Option: EXTENDED TEST 
Model Number: WDC WD2500BS-55RPB1 
Unit Serial Number: WD-WCANK5959XXXXX
Firmware Number: 10.02E01 
Capacity: 250.06 GB 
SMART Status: PASS 
Test Result: PASS 
Test Time: 22:18:51, September 20, 2013 

so it is not the drive? what to test next?


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## dlfl (Jul 6, 2006)

See unitron's post #5 in this thread. Or, sell it as is. With PLS you can still get a good price from someone who is willing and able to fix it. They might even pm you here about it. 

Or assume the software on your disk is corrupted. Get a 648 image with the 11.0k or 11.0m software and put it on with WinMFS.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

Do you have a way you could power the drive independently of the TiVo?

You'd have to use a regular SATA data cable to hook it to the motherboard, but this would let you set the drive outside the TiVo to make it easier to hook to a PC supply or something.

Get the drive powered up first, then plug in the TiVo and see if taking the electrical load of the drive off of the TiVo power supply makes a difference.

Some S3 owners with marginal supplies have had just the extra current draw of a cable card be the difference in booting successfully or not.


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## ilovedvrs (Oct 21, 2004)

OK, connected the drive with a spare sata cable and used power from my PC to run the drive. No change. The drive was clearly powered on but the system still rebooted.

Drive seems fine, passed the Tivo and PC tests.

got a link to download the image? if the software messed up somehow I could rule that out.


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## cosmictrucker (Oct 24, 2003)

I"m in the exact same boat.
I did a clean everything wipe, and now the tivo keeps rebooting after the "almost there" screen.

Pulled the HD and ran Spinrite 6 on it. No problems found, and the same rebooting issue.

It's strange. I'm guessing somehow the OS corrupted on the clean up.

Where can I download an image?

Series 3 TCD648250b


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## sfhub (Jan 6, 2007)

I've never tried it, but perhaps a kickstart 56 could help? Download software install to the alternate partition.


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## bctrust (May 6, 2006)

New to the forum, so looking for some guidance. My Series 3 reboots continuously when I insert the cable card. At first, it was only happening when I inserted in Slot 2. Now it even happens when I try to insert the first card. Is it worth trying to replace the Cable Card slots? When I read this thread about replacing other parts, I think that maybe I would be paying for new cable card readers only to find that the problem is elsewhere. At some point, it's probably easier just to pay for an exchange and move the Lifetime Service to the new box rather than deal with a lot of repairs - repairs that I can't do myself so I have to send to someone like Weaknees. Any thoughts would be appreciated.


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## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

bctrust said:


> New to the forum, so looking for some guidance. My Series 3 reboots continuously when I insert the cable card. At first, it was only happening when I inserted in Slot 2. Now it even happens when I try to insert the first card. Is it worth trying to replace the Cable Card slots? When I read this thread about replacing other parts, I think that maybe I would be paying for new cable card readers only to find that the problem is elsewhere. At some point, it's probably easier just to pay for an exchange and move the Lifetime Service to the new box rather than deal with a lot of repairs - repairs that I can't do myself so I have to send to someone like Weaknees. Any thoughts would be appreciated.


Most likely, the power supply is failing. This is a known issue with Series 3 and TivoHD models. 
You can verify by opening the Tivo (unplug the Tivo first, of course) and looking at the capacitors on the power supply. They should be completely flat on top.
Here is an example of a power supply with a bad capacitor:










You can get a new (refurbished) power supply from Weaknees and swap it out yourself without having to send the whole unit to them.


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## bctrust (May 6, 2006)

OK, bulging capacitor on the power supply. I'm ordering a new one and crossing fingers that is the only issue. Thanks, steve614!


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## ilovedvrs (Oct 21, 2004)

I trying to reimage my drive, this should rule out if the software is messed up.

found some images @
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=8921060#post8921060

got WinMFS @ http://www.mfslive.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=976

shutdown pc, added drive, run winMFS as Admin, selected drive. Format/deleted all.
selected 648250b.bak file, it completed successfully after about 30 seconds..
unplugged drive from PC, restarted tivo....

"Almost there. Just a few minutes more..." taking a very very long time on this screen now... has not rebooted like in the past.. fingers crossed.


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## ilovedvrs (Oct 21, 2004)

WOW, it is working!!!  goot the Welcome screen! 

So my tivo failed due to a software problem after doing a full system delete after 7 years!
Now to do guided setup and make sure the system is current software version.
then try another full wipe & test to make sure it returns to the Welcome! screen safely.

then SELL!!!


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

ilovedvrs said:


> I trying to reimage my drive, this should rule out if the software is messed up.
> 
> found some images @
> http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=8921060#post8921060
> ...


Did you read the part about Dropbox?


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## ilovedvrs (Oct 21, 2004)

unitron said:


> Did you read the part about Dropbox?


no what about dropbox?

the image I downloaded from dropbox seemed to work...


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## ilovedvrs (Oct 21, 2004)

My tivo just sent me the message.

"A hardware problem has been detected which needs your attention. Until this problem is fixed, you will not be able to record programs or watch recordings. You will need to restart the TiVo Digital Media Recorder now. If you see this message again even after the DVR restarts, please contact TiVo at 1-877-367-8486 and report error #51."

Doing a clear & delete everything in hopes of getting re-images hard drive in sync.


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## ilovedvrs (Oct 21, 2004)

kick butt, tivo S3 lifetime is back to normal! anyone want to buy it PM me?


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

ilovedvrs said:


> no what about dropbox?
> 
> the image I downloaded from dropbox seemed to work...


The part about Dropbox is that if you don't already have a free account with them, then if you let me send you an invitation to sign up for one (as opposed to just going to their site and signing up by yourself) so that I get credit for it, we both get extra free space there.


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## buscuitboy (Aug 8, 2005)

bctrust said:


> At some point, it's probably easier just to pay for an exchange and move the Lifetime Service to the new box rather than deal with a lot of repairs - repairs that I can't do myself so I have to send to someone like Weaknees. Any thoughts would be appreciated.


last I heard, lifetime subscriptions can NOT be moved from one TiVO to another box. Or has this sort of changed recently?


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

buscuitboy said:


> last I heard, lifetime subscriptions can NOT be moved from one TiVO to another box. Or has this sort of changed recently?


If you bought lifetime before January 20, 2000, you were grandfathered for a one time switch to another TiVo at anytime thereafter because it wasn't originally crystal clear that they meant "lifetime of the box, not the owner".

After that, there have been some case by case times where it was done, often for an additional fee, and the actual qualifying criteria are not known for certain by us mere mortals.

(and TiVo probably makes it up as they go along anyway, and there may even be some Customer Service Roulette involved as well, for all I know).


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

bctrust said:


> OK, bulging capacitor on the power supply. I'm ordering a new one and crossing fingers that is the only issue. Thanks, steve614!


Ordering a new capacitor or a new power supply?

There's a price difference of about 100 to 1.


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