dreambox issues

[spuey]

hi,

my dreambox 7025 has been running a treat without probs for ages now. Am runing the latest gemini image, and have a maxtor 300g drive.

As of late have a problem where if the hard drive is activated (if i wanna view my movie list or record) it will crash the box and wont respond. Its strange that on boot up it is fine, the hard drive can be activated and all movies viewd etc. After boot up and the hard drive goes into idle mode because it is not being used, and i decide then to access the movie menu, making the hard drive start up again, it freezes>

Have tried flashing a new image but the problem is still there.! Also have re formated hd

 

[mhku]

Anything of relevance here:

http://www.satellites.co.uk/satellite/7000/97378-harddrive-sieze-up.html

 

[billnot]

It seems to me that your hard disk is on the way out. I have noticed that the HD in my 7025 is operating at a much higher temperature than either those in my PC or Sky Plus box. Much though I love my 7025, I do think it lacks adequate ventilation. What I think is happening is that your disk is OK cold, but slowly warms up and eventually overheats to the point where it stops working (even if it isn't working, the environment in which it is located is getting hotter and hotter)

My advice is to copy anything you want off the old disk before it's too late, and then install another, preferably outside of the DB using a molex extension and long IDE cable. That's certainly what I untend to do.

I also think the advice in the other thread may be relevant in that the DB power supply is operating at the limit of its available power and this won't help the hard disk.

 

[spuey]

hi,

thanks for the replys on this, very gratefull.

I agree the 7025 does run hot and that it is not the best condition for a hard drive. Mine is a maxtor 300g. But i dont think the heat is the root cause of my problem. I have let the dreambox off and ran it cold, after boot up and after idle timer for hard drive switches the hard drive, the box is still cool, problem is still there....after rebooting and keeping hard drive active, without going into idle for 2 hours the hard drive is fine...which leads me to think the hard drive must be fine..not damged..

gonna try a different image over weekend and if fails then will resort to trying a new hard drive..


spuey

 

[billnot]

After I wrote my last reply, my own hard disk seized up a couple of times. Although it was very hot (65º), I'm wondering if an inadequate power supply isn't also part of the problem.

What I have done is to mount externally both the hard disk and CD-ROM , in a box with an independent power supply.

I punched out (and expanded somewhat) the hole in the DB where the modem would go and routed a 90cm Sharkoon round IDE cable through it and into a small AOpen PC case. The CD and hard disk are mounted in that case, and fed by its integral power supply.

Since I've done that (admittedly only a few days ago) the hard disk temperature has never gone over 40º and there have been no crashes.

Fingers crossed!