Sky+ New Software Update 1.28.d Causing Crashing/Lockup Problem

MonkeyBoy

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V1 box with a 120Gb IBM

Since the last update a few days ago I have had problems with the box just putting itself into standby and you are unable to get it off standby, without powering the box off at the mains.

When you power the box back up it loses the second LNB (Signal input two) which stops you using all the + features like the planer and recording.

I have been able to get the second LNB back with a forced software update but my box has now crashed out (Gone into standby) about 4 times and I am having difficulty getting the second LNB back again, when you do get it back the recordings are still there.

Has anyone else has this problem since the update and is there a sure fire way to regaining the second LNB back because I only seem to get this with pot luck.

One good thing with the update, the % bar is now working with the 120Gb drive, let’s just hope that the 17 minute issue have been resolved.

Steve
 
I seem to have an issue with when I get it all "working" normally, it crashes out (Goes into standby) after about 15 minutes ?

What is going on :lease:

Steve
 
Very difficult to pin point the problem although corrupt software could not be discounted. The use of an unofficial hard drive especially now that the drive is spun down in standby may also be another factor.

I could only suggest putting the original drive back in, doing a OS reload and Full system reset and see how you go from there.
 
MonkeyBoy said:
One good thing with the update, the % bar is now working with the 120Gb drive, let's just hope that the 17 minute issue have been resolved.

Steve

Sorry to say, but it hasn't. In fact, if anything its worse than before!
:censored:
 
Take a look at this thread over at the DS forums, it may have some relevance.
 
So reading what I can conclude from this and the other post, there seems to be a lot of us with + systems having this issue of losing the record functions.

Since my last post I have talked to two other sky + users that have standard v2 boxes and they are having the same problems, so I went over to a friend’s house that has one of these normal boxes and we changed out his HDD for a different 40Gb and a 20Gb.

With both of these replacement drives the symptoms have been the same with the exception of sometimes being able to record or live pause a channel but you were unable to view any other channels, this is because of the lack of the second satellite signal.

So we have changed the HDD 3 times, done both types of reset, powered on / off and done about a million software updates.

This elusive second connection will not lock on, how we can get this to connect because as far as I can see anyone who gets this issue is being forced to downgrade to standard sky until sky do a rollback to the last version of software or update to a new working one.

There must be thousands of non-techie people out there that just think the record function has just stopped working.

Steve
 
Having just returned from holiday, I viewed my Sky+ planner with trepidation when I realised that Sky had done another software update. However, I have to say speaking about my own situation, all my programmes had been recorded without fault on my V2 box and the operation since the download has been silky smooth (touch wood). On the subject of the HD spinning down in standby, having heard so much written on this and other forums about the benefits of leaving the HD spinning 24/7 how does this fit with that apparent benefit. Are we now to assume that the HD will have a reduced lifespan with it keep spinning up and down?
 
I've had exactly this problem occur today and have an "engineer" coming out on Tuesday.

Needless to say I'm not impressed, especially as the box was working perfectly before this update.
 
Faust said:
On the subject of the HD spinning down in standby, having heard so much written on this and other forums about the benefits of leaving the HD spinning 24/7 how does this fit with that apparent benefit. Are we now to assume that the HD will have a reduced lifespan with it keep spinning up and down?



Without any doubt most of the SKY+ problems are heat related, SKY took the step of reducing the fan trigger temp in an effort to reduce internal temperatures of the machine.
I suspect the decision to implement a HD spin down when in standby is another attempt to lower internal temp with the side effect of lowering the operating noise.

I am not in the least bit surprised that we now have a rash of SKY+ failures that seem to be the result of the HD failing to spin back upto speed and without a functioning hard drive the SKY+ will not work unlike before when you could remove the HD and use the box as a plain receiver.
SKY may now be expecting a HD failure sooner rather than later but a failure rate of other components at a much later date, they perhaps would prefer just to increase the reliabilty in the first 12 months at the expense of the lifespan after the warranty has ended.

Given the choice I would prefer the HD to spin 24/7.
 
Same problem as above :mad: - have engineer coming today :clap: - will report back. :lesson:

Rgds Steve.
 
Perhaps Pace are trying to level the market by making the Sky box as unreliable as the Twin? :devil:

Serioulsy, I can't see why a 2.5" IDE drive was used in the + box when a 3.5" (as in the twin) would have been much, much quieter and cooler and saved most of the problems. OK, they are a fair bit dearer per GB but I bet warranty claims would have been cut by 80% had they gone down this route.

A 3.5" drive is just too big and hot to run properly in such a badly ventilated space. Especilly as many people stack their boxes or put them in tight cabinets.

A 3.5" would also use a bit less electricity if left spinning 24/7.
 
Engineer come and gone. Replaced box with new one apparently all OK now. I have not changed any internals on the unit so I had no warranty issues. Unit is less than 1yr old. Was not at home so cannot say for sure why he had to change the unit.

This was all done Free of charge so ... for now, well done SKY.

Rgds Steve.
 
before the last update a coupple of days ago my box was
  • recording programes I didn't set
  • losing programes
  • waking me up with the noise of the fan
  • and freezed and turned it self off

but now all these problems have gone exept the fan is still loud but not as loud and it doesnt turn on every hour.
 
Steve, many of the engineers seem trained only to replace the box with a'new' one. That's what the guy did when mine packed up. Didn't even look at the old one, just took it away. He said it would be looked at at the factory.

Seems sensible really as I doubt in 95% of cases there's anything the engineer can do at the premises. Better to keep the customer happy with a shiny new box and sort it out back at base where they are doing it all day.
 
Well, I would just like to say that I purchased my v2 pace Sky+ off of ebay for a small fee (and I mean small) brand new. I replaced my standard panasonic box with it and swapped the hard drive with a maxtor 3.5" 80gb. Since day one, apart from having the odd problem with the eye-link (which is now fixed), I have had no other problems. I find it is frustrating to read all the threads with people having various problems and all that has happened to resolve these problems is that the Sky engineer has come and replaced the box. Doesn't really help anyone?
 
Engineer simply replaced the unit with new one ... interestingly the software version is 1.26 v ?? cannot remember the last code ...

All fine and hunky dory. I just hope it does not download the new software.

Rgds Steve.
 
I've lost CBeebies and CBBC on Sky+ v2 since the update! Got an unhappy StooMonster Junior here. :(

StooMonster
 
mseven said:
but now all these problems have gone exept the fan is still loud but not as loud and it doesnt turn on every hour.
Conversely, my fan now spins constantly.
I also had a 17 min fault yesterday - admittedly from an old recording (which was unwatched) but still...
 
sinbrad said:
I find it is frustrating to read all the threads with people having various problems and all that has happened to resolve these problems is that the Sky engineer has come and replaced the box. Doesn't really help anyone?
What else do you expect the sky 'engineer' to do?
They are nothing more than installers and wouldn't have the tools or technical ability to troubleshoot down to board level.
The same goes for any equipment these days - 3rd line support is always a 'back to the factory' job.
 
stevebez said:
Engineer simply replaced the unit with new one ... interestingly the software version is 1.26 v ?? cannot remember the last code ...

All fine and hunky dory. I just hope it does not download the new software.

Rgds Steve.

Exactly the same as me this morning.

Interestingly, Mrs Radiohead said that the engineer did perform an auto-update whilst he was there and that the box is still running 1.26v2, whereas the dead box was on 1.28, so I wonder if Sky have backed that release out from the auto-update? I've trained her well though.

Seems to be working fine now though, I'll have a good check tonight
 
The 'engineer' who changed my box wasn't really too hot. I told him the fan seemed to be cutting in more often (didn't realise about the software update then) and he said 'No, the fan runs all the time, that's what you can hear now'. What we could hear was the hard drive.

Anyway, despite not knowing the first thing about Sky+ he swapped the box out and phoned in the new one and it worked so I was happy. Just not sure they should be called 'engineers'.
 
Stereo Steve said:
Anyway, despite not knowing the first thing about Sky+ he swapped the box out and phoned in the new one and it worked so I was happy. Just not sure they should be called 'engineers'.

Shall we settle on "barely-trained chimps"?

:)
 
StooMonster said:
I've lost CBeebies and CBBC on Sky+ v2 since the update! Got an unhappy StooMonster Junior here. :(
Left unmodified Sky+ box unplugged all day, seemed okay when restarted and have got two missing channels back.

Now it's randomly crashing, powering off, and returning to channel 998 when powered on.

Is it pointless calling to complain?

StooMonster
 
Have you tried a reset in the 'installers' menu?
That's what Sky will try first so you might as well do it yourself.
Be aware however that you will lose all of your recordings.
 
My new unit is now running 1.28d, whereas it was 1.26 earlier. So it seems that Sky are still pushing this update out.

So far it seems ok on this box, so I guess it was just a dead drive.
 

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