ShowStopper Exhibiting Odd Behavior

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.replaytv (More info?)

We don't watch live programs on our ShowStopper. We only turn it on
to watch recorded programs. Last night after finishing a program we
turned it off and it began making a 'kching' sound, like the sound of
the hard drive read arm bouncing around. We turned it back on, the
kchinging stopped and it worked fine, but when we turned it back off
the kchinging began again. We tried this several time with the same
result. Finally we unplugged the power to the unit and cycled the
power off/on a couple of times - same behavior. So, we left it
unplugged until this afternoon.

When I plugged it and turned it on this afternoon I get the "Please
wait a few moments . ." message. After a short while it turns itself
off and almost immediately back on and again displays the "Please wait
a few moments . ." message. It seems to continuously cycle this way.
If I unplug and replug it in it just repeats this behavior. Anybody
know what's wrong?

I upgraded the hard drive about 9 months ago.

jim

 

[john]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.replaytv (More info?)

"jim evans" <jimsnews@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:4mrot0p4cmvnser7n7mm39mprnlad07004@4ax.com...
> We don't watch live programs on our ShowStopper. We only turn it on
> to watch recorded programs. Last night after finishing a program we
> turned it off and it began making a 'kching' sound, like the sound of
> the hard drive read arm bouncing around. We turned it back on, the
> kchinging stopped and it worked fine, but when we turned it back off
> the kchinging began again. We tried this several time with the same
> result. Finally we unplugged the power to the unit and cycled the
> power off/on a couple of times - same behavior. So, we left it
> unplugged until this afternoon.
>
> When I plugged it and turned it on this afternoon I get the "Please
> wait a few moments . ." message. After a short while it turns itself
> off and almost immediately back on and again displays the "Please wait
> a few moments . ." message. It seems to continuously cycle this way.
> If I unplug and replug it in it just repeats this behavior. Anybody
> know what's wrong?
>
> I upgraded the hard drive about 9 months ago.
>
> jim

Sounds like hard drive failure possibly due to overheating.
Put the drive in your PC and run the drive manufacturers analysis
program to know for sure. When you installed the new drive did
you leave out the foam insert and the drive top cover which is
usually referred to as the "easy bake oven". You probably
installed a 7200 rpm drive which runs hotter than the original
5400 rpm drive. If the drive passes the manufacturers test,
the software may have been corrupted. Re-image the drive and
try it in the unit again. Make sure all vents are unobstructed and
there is cool air entering the unit. i.e. not warm air from another
component that is below the Showstopper.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.replaytv (More info?)

On Thu, 6 Jan 2005 09:12:30 -0500, "John"
<noaddress@noaddress.invalid> wrote:

>
>"jim evans" <jimsnews@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
>news:4mrot0p4cmvnser7n7mm39mprnlad07004@4ax.com...
>> We don't watch live programs on our ShowStopper. We only turn it on
>> to watch recorded programs. Last night after finishing a program we
>> turned it off and it began making a 'kching' sound, like the sound of
>> the hard drive read arm bouncing around. We turned it back on, the
>> kchinging stopped and it worked fine, but when we turned it back off
>> the kchinging began again. We tried this several time with the same
>> result. Finally we unplugged the power to the unit and cycled the
>> power off/on a couple of times - same behavior. So, we left it
>> unplugged until this afternoon.
>>
>> When I plugged it and turned it on this afternoon I get the "Please
>> wait a few moments . ." message. After a short while it turns itself
>> off and almost immediately back on and again displays the "Please wait
>> a few moments . ." message. It seems to continuously cycle this way.
>> If I unplug and replug it in it just repeats this behavior. Anybody
>> know what's wrong?
>>
>> I upgraded the hard drive about 9 months ago.
>>
>> jim
>
>Sounds like hard drive failure possibly due to overheating.
>Put the drive in your PC and run the drive manufacturers analysis
>program to know for sure. When you installed the new drive did
>you leave out the foam insert and the drive top cover which is
>usually referred to as the "easy bake oven". You probably
>installed a 7200 rpm drive which runs hotter than the original
>5400 rpm drive. If the drive passes the manufacturers test,
>the software may have been corrupted. Re-image the drive and
>try it in the unit again. Make sure all vents are unobstructed and
>there is cool air entering the unit. i.e. not warm air from another
>component that is below the Showstopper.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I left out the easy bake oven. It was a
Maxtor 7200 drive. I have now take run the Maxtor Powermax
diagnostic. It passes the quick test but fails the "Advanced" test.
I'm packing it to send for replacement under the warranty. The unit
sits on its own shelf in the entertainment center. The receiver sits
on the shelf below it. The bottom of the shelf is warm but the top of
the shelf (where the ShowStopper sits) is cool.

But, if heat killed it I assume it will kill the replacement. What do
people do to keep them running longer than 9 months?

jim

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.replaytv (More info?)

>
> Thanks for your reply. Yes, I left out the easy bake oven. It was a
> Maxtor 7200 drive. I have now take run the Maxtor Powermax
> diagnostic. It passes the quick test but fails the "Advanced" test.
> I'm packing it to send for replacement under the warranty. The unit
> sits on its own shelf in the entertainment center. The receiver sits
> on the shelf below it. The bottom of the shelf is warm but the top of
> the shelf (where the ShowStopper sits) is cool.
>
> But, if heat killed it I assume it will kill the replacement. What do
> people do to keep them running longer than 9 months?
>
> jim

Never had a failure with a fluid drive maxtor in several years.

 

[jr]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.replaytv (More info?)

Check your power supply +5 voltage.
If it is over 5.25 volts it can greatly reduce the life of your hard drive.
Regards,
JR

--
Computer Tips & Tweaks
Builds/Upgrades/Repairs
www.acon-pchelp.com


"Tony D" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:T_qdndwOy6mGRUDcRVn-rA@comcast.com...
> >
> > Thanks for your reply. Yes, I left out the easy bake oven. It was a
> > Maxtor 7200 drive. I have now take run the Maxtor Powermax
> > diagnostic. It passes the quick test but fails the "Advanced" test.
> > I'm packing it to send for replacement under the warranty. The unit
> > sits on its own shelf in the entertainment center. The receiver sits
> > on the shelf below it. The bottom of the shelf is warm but the top of
> > the shelf (where the ShowStopper sits) is cool.
> >
> > But, if heat killed it I assume it will kill the replacement. What do
> > people do to keep them running longer than 9 months?
> >
> > jim
>
> Never had a failure with a fluid drive maxtor in several years.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.replaytv (More info?)

"jim evans" <jimsnews@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:dm8rt05bsouf51kkvei6qc91gupuv2h4hr@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 6 Jan 2005 09:12:30 -0500, "John"
> <noaddress@noaddress.invalid> wrote:
>
> But, if heat killed it I assume it will kill the replacement. What do
> people do to keep them running longer than 9 months?
>

Make sure it has proper ventilation. Check to see if your HD is still under
warranty. Send it back for a replacement if you can. I suggest you get a
5400 rpm drive, they run a bit cooler than a 7200 drive, especially since
it's a Showstopper and it has no fans. The drive is located too close to the
power supply, IMHO, with no fans. There is a drive cooling system available
for about $10 that may help, I'm thinking of using it next time I have to
replace the drive.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.replaytv (More info?)

On Sat, 08 Jan 2005 02:32:56 GMT, "Joseph Wind" <jpg@gif.com> wrote:

>There is a drive cooling system available
>for about $10 that may help,

Do you have a link to this "drive cooling system"?

jim

 

[NoOne]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.replaytv (More info?)

On Sat, 08 Jan 2005 08:46:09 -0600, jim evans
<jimsnews@houston.rr.com> wrote:

>On Sat, 08 Jan 2005 02:32:56 GMT, "Joseph Wind" <jpg@gif.com> wrote:
>
>>There is a drive cooling system available
>>for about $10 that may help,
>
>Do you have a link to this "drive cooling system"?
>
>jim

Try here
http/home.comcast.net/~mikemenard/Cooling_fan2.html

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.replaytv (More info?)

On Sat, 08 Jan 2005 16:07:22 GMT, noone <noone@nowhere.net> wrote:

>On Sat, 08 Jan 2005 08:46:09 -0600, jim evans
><jimsnews@houston.rr.com> wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 08 Jan 2005 02:32:56 GMT, "Joseph Wind" <jpg@gif.com> wrote:
>>
>>>There is a drive cooling system available
>>>for about $10 that may help,
>>
>>Do you have a link to this "drive cooling system"?
>
>Try here
>http/home.comcast.net/~mikemenard/Cooling_fan2.html

Thanks

jim

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.replaytv (More info?)

Though Noone's link is setup for a dual drive system that really requires
that type of fan. Here is a link to the fan, I was talking about.
http/shop4.outpost.com/product/3972938 You would have to flip the drive
upside down, so the circuit board is face up. The drive cooler would screw
directly to the drives bottom mounting screws.

I don't know why Replay decided to wrap the drive in foam and incase it in a
shell, 2nd design flaw, IMHO. Hard Drives use heat transfer through metal
to disperse the heat. In Replay's design it's actually insulated. The heat
has no where to go, which leads to premature drive failure. I remember
reading some where 10k rpm drives need to be attached to metal brackets for
proper heat dissipation.

I would relocate the drive to the secondary drive location, pictured in
http/home.comcast.net/~mikemenard/Cooling_fan2.html , in conjunction with
the drive cooler. As you can see in the link, the drive is right next to
the power supply, located in front of the unit. I still highly recommend a
5400 drive instead of 7200 drive. Fry's/Outpost.com still has Maxtor 5400
drives for under a $80.

IMHO, all you need to do is install a 5400 rpm drive, remove the upper part
of the "easy bake" and make sure the vents are not covered with adequate
space for air to flow.

"jim evans" <jimsnews@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:7esvt01fdftqo1poa6j4p8b7lsjugqd3c1@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 08 Jan 2005 02:32:56 GMT, "Joseph Wind" <jpg@gif.com> wrote:
>
> >There is a drive cooling system available
> >for about $10 that may help,
>
> Do you have a link to this "drive cooling system"?
>
> jim

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.replaytv (More info?)

On Sun, 09 Jan 2005 19:16:28 GMT, "Joseph Wind" <jpg@gif.com> wrote:

>Though Noone's link is setup for a dual drive system that really requires
>that type of fan. Here is a link to the fan, I was talking about.
>http/shop4.outpost.com/product/3972938 You would have to flip the drive
>upside down, so the circuit board is face up. The drive cooler would screw
>directly to the drives bottom mounting screws.
>
>I don't know why Replay decided to wrap the drive in foam and incase it in a
>shell, 2nd design flaw, IMHO.

Possibly it was for noise supression, although I was not using it in
my upgraded 2020 and it seemed no noisier.

[snip]

--
Mark Lloyd
has a Replay 5xxx
http/go.to/notstupid
http/notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"It is a curious thing that every creed promises a
paradise which will be absolutely uninhabitable for
anyone of civilized taste." -- Evelyn Waugh

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.replaytv (More info?)

On Sun, 09 Jan 2005 19:16:28 GMT, "Joseph Wind" <jpg@gif.com> wrote:
>I don't know why Replay decided to wrap the drive in foam and incase it in a
>shell, 2nd design flaw, IMHO.

I've wondered if it was done to insulate the drive from the heat of
the power supply that's immediately adjacent to it.

jim