Software update? Now SKy+ box has all sorts of problems

[johnashpl]

This morning my box was on the Sky Info channel so I assumed there had been an update? Now, all sorts of things are going wrong. Recorded programmes, which I have no problems playing back before,  pause briefly and restart. Recordings that are apparently going ahead are not in fact recording properly. Playing them whilst recording locks things up for a while. After a while, the box "comes back". I have tried rebooting, even a planner rebuild to no avail.

Signal strength is perfect so it's not that.

Any ideas, please?  

PS Another "symptom" is, when I go into the Planner, it takes a while for the programme info to load, before it was instantaneous. And now it's locked up and I can't turn it off or anything!

[Annie+UK]

There has been no software update for Sky+

Try a Planner rebuild:

For Sky Plus HD boxes (DRX890/DRX895) with the latest software try the following instructions:

• Press SERVICES on your Sky remote control
• Go to Help
• Select Sky+ Rebuild
• Press SELECT (this will start the rebuild)

If the above does not work try the following (Note: the first 5 steps are better done whilst looking at the remote control as the feedback on screen can be confusing):

• Press SERVICES on your Sky remote control
• Press 0 (very old boxes may need you to press 4 instead)
• Press 0
• Press 1
• Press SELECT (You should now be in the hidden menu)
• Press 7 (Sky+ Rebuild)
• Press SELECT (An on-screen message will be displayed)
• Press SELECT (this will start the rebuild)

The above and so much more can be found in my Sky Plus F⋅A⋅Q

[johnashpl]

Thank you. But as mentioned, I'd already tried a planner rebuild. It's almost as if it runs out of memory, then recovers after a while. We were watching a recording perfectly happily last night. After about 20 minutes, it was "starting and stopping" and I couldn't back out our even turn the box off. After a while, it "caught up" and was back to "normal". I feared it night be the hard disk but that would just fail, completely I think. What about forcing an update? 

[GD1]

@johnashpl  There is no uopdate to force, if a planner rebulld issn't fixing it then it sounds like the box is failing and may be time to source a replacement.

[Mark39]

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@johnashpl wrote:

I feared it night be the hard disk but that would just fail, completely I think.

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Yes, this has all the hallmarks of a hard disk issue. As a Planner Rebuild hasn't helped, the last resort is a full system reset which might restore normal working, albeit probably temporarily.  It will, however, erase your recordings.

You could run the update procedure, but with no new firmware for many months, ad @GD1 mentioned, I doubt will help

[johnashpl]

Thank you. I did another Planner Rebuild and it seems better. Failing that, I will try the reset. I'm backing up a few recordings I want to keep to my DVD HD 

Thank you all. 

[johnashpl]

Well, the box has now given up the ghost completely. It froze when trying to load the Planner and now it won't reboot at all. No sign of life except that it does display "Sky+ Please wait", and, having tried a software update, it appeared to complete that after under 10 minutes. I suspect the HD has given up the ghost.

I'm used to the LED flickering when pressing the standby button when waiting for it to reboot, but it remains amber(?). 

A friend has a spare box so will be setting that up later, hopefully. I think I can transfer my old card by doing an "Install"?

[Mark39]

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@johnashpl wrote:

A friend has a spare box so will be setting that up later, hopefully. I think I can transfer my old card by doing an "Install"?

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Yes, carry put a New Install to pair your Viewing Card with the replacement box.

[johnashpl]

All done. Card registered in new box and we have Sky back. Thank you!