# Can I end the "Clear and Delete" function that is hung up?



## M.Wong (Mar 18, 2003)

I have been having the same problem as everyone else for the past month. (Random reboots, etc.) After unplugging the machine when it happened, things were better for a few hours to a few days.

As suggested, I attempted to reseat the access card, then a full "clear and delete." (The one that says it might take an hour to complete...)

Ten hours later the red light on the console is still flashing and the screen still says the same thing. Unplugging the machine does not help, when I plug it back in, it goes right back to the same screen. No buttons on the remote work.
Left machine unplugged for several hours, then plugged back in for several hours.

*Is there a way to override the "clear and delete" reset that I started??? * 

Hughes HDVR2 w/ DirecTV DVR service


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

Not that I know of. But does the message say "an hour"? It can take considerably longer.


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## M.Wong (Mar 18, 2003)

It does say an hour, and the customer service guy said as long as three. It had been 10 hours (overnight) and still showing the same screen.
 


If DirecTV says they will send me a new DVR for no or low cost, I assume that means it will not be a TiVo based machine? (I understand they have their own systems now?)


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## IminMs (Sep 10, 2006)

It also depends on what size drive you have. A 80gig will take several hrs and a larger drive will take even longer. You could take the drive out, reimage it and then do a C&D everything which won't take but about 10 mins.


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## litzdog911 (Oct 18, 2002)

Give it overnight. If it's still hung, reboot it (disconnect power, wait 30-sec, reconnect power). It will probably start the "Clear and Delete" again. Let it try to complete. If it still cannot, then you need to replace the hard drive. It's not hard to do yourself, unless you really want a non-Tivo replacement. Here are some resources if you want to replace/upgrade your hard drive ....

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=25

http://www.weaknees.com/index.html

http://tivo.upgrade-instructions.com/

http://www.newreleasesvideo.com/hinsdale-how-to/

http://www.ptvupgrade.com/products/instantcake/

http://www.9thtee.com/


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## M.Wong (Mar 18, 2003)

After ten hours I did unplug it. I kicked it off again about three hours ago and for now, I will leave it be overnight... 

Thanks!

Any idea what DirecTV would send me? They offered me a new machine (even though I don't lease my current receivers) but I don't think it's TiVo anymore. I read some unhappy reviews about their product not switching between two feeds well...


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

They would send you a non-TiVo R15.


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## M.Wong (Mar 18, 2003)

stevel said:


> They would send you a non-TiVo R15.


I will look for some reviews of them, thanks!


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## John T Smith (Jun 17, 2004)

DirecTv for their own brand of DVR
http://www.dbstalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=82


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## M.Wong (Mar 18, 2003)

Well, no joy (still stuck) this morning. Thank you for the information, everyone!


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## jeffcornet (Mar 13, 2007)

SAME exact thing for me right now.

I started the Clean and Delete last night at 10p, and this morning at 9a it was still stuck, so I unplugged and it came back to the same screen 
and is still stuck.



does this mean that the HD is fried? 

is that really it, there is NOT nothing we can do at all??

 :down: :down:


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## OLdDog (Dec 15, 2001)

Unplugging during a C&D is a VERY bad idea.

There have been cases where a C&D took 24-36 hours after an unplug while I know of none longer that 12 that were allowed to continue except for a few that were an attempt to fix a corrupt data base or something but were actually a bad disk and the C&D never finished. 

Once a C&D is started there is no way to stop it short of reinstalling the software but you can try the following as no one else has to my knowledge: (option 52 "might" help but I doubt it)

kickstart

While booting the power light will change from green to yellow as the line 'checkpanic' in the rc.sysinit gets executed. This happens a few seconds before the screen changes from the startup image to "almost there" and it's your cue to hold down a button (use pause) on the remote to trigger a panic. When the record light changes yellow, key in one of the following sequences:

0 - emergency call to tivo, touchtone dialing
1 - emergency call to tivo, pulse dialing
9 - emergency call to tivo, touchtone w/ 9 prefix
-- I suggest not doing any of these unless explicitly instructed

52 - emergency reinstall
-- this will act like you've received new software but will reinstall the existing software on the alternate root partition and boot it, particularly useful so you don't have to go trolling for backup images when your hacks fail.

56 - software install


57 - mfs check
58 - perform mfs cleanup
-- both of these will cause the green screen and various mfs checks


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## jeffcornet (Mar 13, 2007)

It would have been SPECTACULAR for this information to have been related BEFORE I started the C&D (which says before and during, that it will take UP TO an Hour"!

Another GREAT example of CRAPPY workmanship/service.

_There have been cases where a C&D took 24-36 hours after an unplug *while I know of none longer that 12 that were allowed to continue *xcept for a few that were an attempt to fix a corrupt data base or something but were actually a bad disk and the C&D never finished. _


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## pacific85 (Mar 12, 2002)

After upgrading a HR10-250 to a 500G drive, the C&D took more than 24 hours to complete. I started it before bed, checked that it was still working on the C&D in the morning, and it was done later that evening when I came back to it. At that point, it was on a new screen - I think it was powering up. It was stuck there for about an hour when I power cycled it. The reboot went fine. A day later, and the guide was repopulated enough to enter all of my season passes. Be patient. Ask on the forum if you think it's taking too long. Sometimes it is, some times it isn't.


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## jeffcornet (Mar 13, 2007)

Ok
well I let the C&D run on my RCA DVR40 (35 hour hard drive) 
for 12 hours before I gave up on it and Unplugged it to get it to recycle... 
(though I apparently should not have)

I plugged it back in and let it run (assuming it would take 24-36 hours as stated above...) but it has now been running with that STUPID "it may take One Hour" screen on the tv for OVER 48 hours now, and is still not through.

This is so obviously NOT the way it is supposed to work.

I have ordered a replacement one that is on the way, but it PISSES me off that the one I have has done this rediculous nonsense for no good reason!


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## analog4 (Aug 1, 2003)

I have a feeling I should not have started the Clear and delete and hour before Thursday night TV ...


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## analog4 (Aug 1, 2003)

It took around 3 hours. 

Grr, got to call in.


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## kenbarto (Mar 11, 2007)

i am having the same problem with rebooting.. but i am going to let the clean and delete process go.. i has been going now for almost 16hrs.. 

then i need to hook it up and try to update the software..

i guess im just going to have to be patient


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## kenbarto (Mar 11, 2007)

30 hrs now and still says cleaning and deleting..

i have a samsung 4120r that has a 120gb hard drive... so who knows how long.. i hope it is done tomorrow


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## kenbarto (Mar 11, 2007)

got tired and unplugged it at 36hrs.. plugged it back in and it started again... this sucks..


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## Kablemodem (May 26, 2001)

Doesn't it warn you not to unplug?

I did a C&D on a DVR80 yesterday and it took about 6 hours even after I had cleaned out the Now Playing list and Season Passes.


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## kenbarto (Mar 11, 2007)

yes it does.. but people here said to unplug it and restart it...

are you saying that it is toast now???


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## Kablemodem (May 26, 2001)

I don't know if it's toast, but if the unit specifically says not to unplug it I wouldn't.


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## kenbarto (Mar 11, 2007)

yes.. i understand this.. but the case says not to open either... jk


all i can do is hope it works after a few days


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## kenbarto (Mar 11, 2007)

28hrs and still going


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## kenbarto (Mar 11, 2007)

it has now been 48.5hrs and is still going.. has anyone had one that took longer than that after you unplugged it?


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## bigben5001 (Apr 28, 2006)

I was experiencing picture freezes and such and decided to try the C&D function, too. Mine has been going for 29 hours+ now and I have read about your experience, but was wondering how it eventually was resolved. Should I let mine keep going? Did yours ever finish? Did you interrupt it with the "panic" instructions? That doesn't sound like a great plan, but I'm willing to try if anyone else has had success with this method. Thanks!


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## SteelersFan (Sep 7, 2004)

I had one go for several days (4-5). I finally gave up and reimaged the drive. Everything *seems* to be working but it's too early to tell for sure.


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## Sir_winealot (Nov 18, 2000)

Is it normal for it to cycle between "Clearing Program information and To Do List ...This may take up to an hour" to "Welcome! Powering up..." and then to "Almost there. Just a few minutes more...." --then go back to "This may take up to an hour?"

As this is what my unit is doing now...


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## Dkerr24 (Oct 29, 2004)

Sir_winealot said:


> Is it normal for it to cycle between "Clearing Program information and To Do List ...This may take up to an hour" to "Welcome! Powering up..." and then to "Almost there. Just a few minutes more...." --then go back to "This may take up to an hour?"
> 
> As this is what my unit is doing now...


Your hard drive has crashed, and the system is attempting to restart when it hits the bad sectors on the drive. Time for a new hard drive.


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## Sir_winealot (Nov 18, 2000)

Ah, I was afeared of that. I've got a spare HDVR2 sitting here ...guess it's time to retire this one until I really need it.

Thanks!


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## shadowplay (Mar 12, 2003)

I've been having the same issue with the starting/stopping for a few weeks. It seemed to stop for a week or so but it's starting up all over again (worse than ever). 
Doing the clear and delete thing and it's been around 4-5 hours so far and wait until tomorrow and if nothing's changed i'll order another drive from here for the $100. 

I did have an interesting talk to D* yesterday and the csr told me they keep a number of refurb directivo's here for customers who don't want the r15's. I don't want a commitment so I'll just buy the drive (I have a dsr708)...


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## Talsin (Mar 4, 2002)

I just posted a similar item on the HD-Tivo side, mine appeared to have gotten stuck while doing a C&D as well. I attached the drive to my PC and ran a utility called Spinrite on it that seems to have corrected whatever the problem was. Spinrite found several bad sectors on the disk. After returning the drive to the Tivo it took all of about 10 minutes to finish the C&D and has been working fine ever since, although I will be replacing he drive soon anyway.

Curt


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## liz_lochley (May 21, 2007)

I'm glad my first post is positive instead of the "please help me" post I oriiginally planned. 
I bought a new HD last week and was going to upgrade my Philips DSR708 this morning. I did a reset thinking it would be a quicker image backup. When it said it could take an hour, I thought no big deal. I left and came back three hours later and the light was still blinking. The more I read here, the more concerned I had become. I would have let it go for days. Glad I didn't have to. 4 Hours and 10 minutes. Think I'll read another week before opening the unit. Thank-you everyone.


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## shaque (Nov 13, 2007)

I did the clear and delete, and its been locked up for 24 hours. After reading these posts, I see that its not going to fix itself. However, I'm not ready to give up on the HD. I want to re-image it and try again.

Can someone send me any tips on how to accomplish this? I mainly need to know where the image is!


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## Dkerr24 (Oct 29, 2004)

shaque said:


> I did the clear and delete, and its been locked up for 24 hours. After reading these posts, I see that its not going to fix itself. However, I'm not ready to give up on the HD. I want to re-image it and try again.
> 
> Can someone send me any tips on how to accomplish this? I mainly need to know where the image is!


No free images exist (unless of course you were proactive and made a copy of your image before it died - that's the first thing I did before installing the zipper on both of mine). You'll have to buy instantcake if you want an image.


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## jameshgrove (Nov 5, 2006)

I have a Philips 704 which was having some audio dropouts on tuner two. My "Clear and Delete" said it would take one hour. It took seven with the original 35 hour hd. Fortunately I did not give up and try various restarts. Jury still out on any improved performance on tuner two, but at least it is back. I was getting worried!


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## Admdata (May 10, 2010)

I have a Series 2 DT and I did a C&D and I got the message about could take an hour, well 3 hours later no luck still blinking (it has the 80gb hd), so I power cycled it, and then 10 mintues later it was on the "press select to start the guided setup screen" so I don't know what to tell you all I did that 2 times with the same tivo and had the same results after my clear and delete!


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