# HR10-250 bites the dust



## donp (Mar 23, 2003)

I've had my HD TiVo for a few months. The unit has been working fine up until about a week ago. Then, it started freezing on both recorded programs (even ones from a month ago), newly recorded and live TV. The TiVo menus and navigation also became unresponsive. Reboots did not resolve or improve the problem. 

Called DTV, they told me to do a delete and reset. From what I read here I figured this would be the death of the unit as the disk was probably failing. Did as they insisted. The screen came up saying the operation would take about an hour. 30 hours later... no dice. Still on that screen. 

Called DTV back. The had me unplug it. Started booting then came back to the "clear and delete will take an hour" screen. 

DTV says it's toast and are shipping me a replacement. 

So, add another to the list.


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## hakamarob (May 1, 2002)

yeah..... and?


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

Classic hard drive failure indicators. I wish they'd delete that clear and delete everything suggestion from their CSR tech support tree; all it does is make people upset when they waste time even trying.


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## Lije Baley (May 12, 2004)

My 10-250 had the same symptoms (luckily, after deleting everything but two episodes of "Lost" I was able to play them without trouble). The first CSR bounced me up to a technical representative. He immediately recognized that the hard drive was toast. He didn't even suggest "clear and delete." This was on a Sunday night. I received a refurbed unit Tuesday afternoon. Interestingly, the HDMI port has a red grease pen "X" mark. I assume that means the port was double-checked. Not a big deal as my display does not have an HDMI connection.

I'm expect that D* will not have a record of the return of my failed unit. After they bill me for the refurb, I'll have to call with Fed-Ex tracking information.


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## DeWitt (Jun 30, 2004)

I know everyone says hard drive, but I had the exact same experience. Clear and delete might or might not have helped, but it was still running after 24 hours so I killed it. Pulled the drive, reimaged with instant cake to the current software revision, then checked the disk diagnostics and back in business. The machine runs like it was new! I have filled the disk as a test, but so far no recurrence. My unit was an early one, so I suspect it got so fragmented it couldn't do anything.

Anyway, a little work and $20 of software and I'm happy again in HD Tivo land.


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## wje (Jan 8, 2005)

Lije Baley said:


> Interestingly, the HDMI port has a red grease pen "X" mark. I assume that means the port was double-checked. Not a big deal as my display does not have an HDMI connection.


More likely, the unit is a refurb and it was returned for a dead HDMI port, which might or might not have been fixed. Fortunately, you don't need it.

As far as I can tell, 'refurb' means take whatever comes in and ship it out again without testing anything... It took me 3 exchange refurb units to get one that actually worked; the non-working units didn't have subtle failures, either. Dead #2 tuner on one, dead HDMI on another. You'd think the shipping costs would at least justify a quick check!


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## DeWitt (Jun 30, 2004)

The risk of taking a "refurb" is one of the reasons I did the work to try and save mine myself before calling for a replacement. I have never had my HR10-250 replaced, but had a lot of agony with other things including the X-box. In that case they kept sending refurb's with the same problem. (Eventually solved, but taught me a lesson)


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## KungFuCow (May 6, 2004)

dswallow said:


> Classic hard drive failure indicators. I wish they'd delete that clear and delete everything suggestion from their CSR tech support tree; all it does is make people upset when they waste time even trying.


I tell them Ive already done it now when I call it 

"Yea, I did the clear and delete already. Ive had 4 of these things fail so I'm just saving you the trouble of having to tell me to do it."


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## whsbuss (Dec 16, 2002)

DeWitt said:


> I know everyone says hard drive, but I had the exact same experience. Clear and delete might or might not have helped, but it was still running after 24 hours so I killed it. Pulled the drive, reimaged with instant cake to the current software revision, then checked the disk diagnostics and back in business. The machine runs like it was new! I have filled the disk as a test, but so far no recurrence. My unit was an early one, so I suspect it got so fragmented it couldn't do anything.
> 
> Anyway, a little work and $20 of software and I'm happy again in HD Tivo land.


Which verison of Instant Cake did you get? I checked their site and did not find the HR10-250 listed.


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## whsbuss (Dec 16, 2002)

KungFuCow said:


> I tell them Ive already done it now when I call it
> 
> "Yea, I did the clear and delete already. Ive had 4 of these things fail so I'm just saving you the trouble of having to tell me to do it."


Do you have the 2nd tier support number for DTV?


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## DeWitt (Jun 30, 2004)

Here is the link to the instant cake download page. It installs the current 3.1.5f

http://downloads.ptvupgrade.com/Mer...ROD&Product_Code=ICAKE-S2DT-HD&Category_Code=


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## jpeckinp (Apr 9, 2006)

Sorry for bringing up an old thread.
My 10-250 just started the stuttering this week. I have already called DTV and they are sending a unit. I tried the Clear Delete and it has been running for 13 hours.

I have a question though. When doing the Clear Delete should the rec light be blinking? or should it be on constantly or not at all? Mine is on for two seconds then off for two and has been doing so the whole time.

edit: One other thing that I thougt was odd. After the unit started the stuttering when I push the Live TV button it brings up the guide and will not go live or change the channel.


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## Phod (Apr 28, 2004)

How long did you have your original one jpeckinp?

Mine started last week, had it for around 9 months.

Starts with the stuttering and unresponsiveness then goes into the rebooting often. Now it just plays whatever channel it's on and doesn't really respond to commands and eventually gets so screwed up it reboots, rinse-repeat.

It works for a bit after the reboot but not for long.


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## borgslayer (Mar 28, 2004)

DeWitt said:


> Here is the link to the instant cake download page. It installs the current 3.1.5f
> 
> http://downloads.ptvupgrade.com/Mer...ROD&Product_Code=ICAKE-S2DT-HD&Category_Code=


Does this ver. of instant cake also restore the channel logos when installing 3.1.5f
Can I choose to install a previous ver than 3.1.5f or is it all auto.
Scott


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## tall1 (Oct 12, 2004)

borgslayer said:


> Does this ver. of instant cake also restore the channel logos when installing 3.1.5f
> Can I choose to install a previous ver than 3.1.5f or is it all auto.
> Scott


I'm not sure if you lose the logos but if you are gong to reimage with IC, you might as well run the "zipper" (in the underground forum) and the enhancement script which will add an updated version of the logos.


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## thepackfan (May 21, 2003)

jpeckinp said:


> I have a question though. When doing the Clear Delete should the rec light be blinking? or should it be on constantly or not at all? Mine is on for two seconds then off for two and has been doing so the whole time.
> 
> .


The light will flash on and off as you are experiencing.


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## jpeckinp (Apr 9, 2006)

thepackfan said:


> The light will flash on and off as you are experiencing.


Well It stopped after 48 hours and I tried the system and it took about 5 minutes after going through the setup and it was freezing again.

Phod: I had it seven months.


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## dennya (Mar 29, 2003)

Okay, I've started getting the stuttering too.  Unresponsive, have to pull power to get the system to become responsive again.

I have the DTV service plan, so I could get it replaced. But we have quite a few shows we haven't watched yet. Could I use Instant Cake to back up the contents and then restore them to the replacement HD250?

Alternately, I'd been debating adding a second drive. If I want to eat the cost, I could image the troublesome drive to a new one, and put that in with a second drive, right?

Thanks for any advice...


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