Hardware 2 pandoras dying.

[DrHAX]

Not sure if its hardware or software. I have two 1ghz pandoras and they are not operating. One of them doesn't boot into the os. It gets stuck at the loading screen. It is version 1.73 ( and has a shoulder button which doesn't work the left one I believe it is.) and my other one a version 1.71 I believe will not charge at all, (I've tried three chargers and nothing) the os on both also has issues mounting my SD cards and does not see my micro SD card half of the time even though my CC unit does. The CC unit works, but I feel the 1ghz perform better.

Any idea on what to do here? I have very limited Internet access which is why I am posting here. I just want a working 1ghz pandora.

 

[Wally]

The R Button is the one for recovery, use that to reflash the 1.73 one.

The other one probably just has probably lost charge completely and has a badly aligned battery.

 

[FaeMinx]

Try charging through the MicroUSB port.

I am unable to charge through my charging port either. Maybe the same thing happened to you.

 

[DrHAX]

I cant seem to charge through the mircoUSB port at all. I was only able to do it once. I've tried numerous batteries in the black 1ghz (I swapped the cases from the CC to the 1ghz I used for writing while my fiancee used the silver with the broken shoulder button for school. The black was easier on the eyes for writing and I prefer the feel of it.)

 

[levi]

Can I assume that after you changed the cases, both units continued to work for a number of months, so that's unlikely to have anything to do with this recent failure? Just covering bases.

 

[Mr_Loon]

I've tried numerous batteries in the black 1ghz

What were the results of trying these numerous batteries? Have you tried a battery charged by one of your other Pandoras?

It might help if you could clearly state which Pandora was which, what their problems are and what you've tried to solve those problems.

Something like :

Silver 1Ghz, running 1.73, does not boot to OS gets stuck at loading screen, have tried reflashing firmware etc.

 

[DrHAX]

Can I assume that after you changed the cases, both units continued to work for a number of months, so that's unlikely to have anything to do with this recent failure? Just covering bases.

Years. The black one lasted great until the OS freaked out. This June, then I parked it. I used the broken shoulder one since the CC is so slow for libreoffice. It keeps on freezing.


Okay I'll list off the issues.

Black 1ghz: 1.71 ( I think) boots into OS when battery is inserted, but is unable to detect batteries at all or charge them. I have swapped out batteries that work and charge in the other Pandora and the black one doesn't seem to recognize them at all

1ghz Silver, broken left shoulder 1.73 hangs on loading screen. Can not boot into OS.

CC silver case. Hinge switch does not work (never worked came like that when I bought it) Slow and likes to crash.

 

[TeDaDeS]

I have a CC pandora and it charges differently when I use the charge port instead of the USB port. The charge port charges up to 69%, the USB is slow but charges the battery to 100%.
The hinge part could be replaced by getting a new case, not sure if the slowness is new as it might be more noticeable after using the GHz model.

 

[notaz]

Black 1ghz: probably the thermistor pin on battery connector (the middle one) is broken. Without it, the charger thinks battery temperature is out of range and will never charge it. Needs repair.

1ghz Silver: sounds like you can just reflash this one, use the latest 1.75u1.

CC silver case: sounds like broken lid switch, still recommend reflashing it too, might behave better.

 

[Yoyobuae]

On the non-charging Pandora, check the output of dmesg while trying to charge. I saw some error messages there when my Pandora was having problems charging, might give some clues.

 

[levi]

There is a way using the uboot boot parameters to disable the boot screen, but I'm unable to find it via internet search at the moment - damn that internet radio app (and raspian appears significantly different) - but on the silver 1GHz that should help explain what fails when booting. But I see no reason not to follow Notaz's advice immediately, and if you can get the reflash tool to boot (it's significantly simpler than the OS) then it should be able to start reflashing, which should complete and make your situation no worse, but then again if you feel like finding out more...

Regarding the broken hinge/lid switch on your CC unit, that's the connection between the magnet inside the right hand speaker in the lid, and a hall effect sensor on the motherboard. Unless a trace on the board or some driver is broken, I suspect one of those is inaligned. An ED shop repair should fix that,/and as Notaz says it might behave better using the latest OS, but if you fell like investigating...

 

[DrHAX]

Regarding the broken hinge/lid switch on your CC unit, that's the connection between the magnet inside the right hand speaker in the lid, and a hall effect sensor on the motherboard. Unless a trace on the board or some driver is broken, I suspect one of those is inaligned. An ED shop repair should fix that,/and as Notaz says it might behave better using the latest OS, but if you fell like investigating...

I reflashed both of them. the bizarre thing is the CC has been in two different cases and updated twice. However these were never flashing updates. When I got the CC it had on it a RC version. They said they hardly used it and I could believe it. I think it may have been a first batch. The black case says what it is. That pandora just went up and walked away and I can't seem to find the pesky bugger!

The 1ghz I was able to find is working fine after a reflash. However one thing I have never gotten to work again after having it work on my first Pandora (The now 1ghz black case one, which is MIA right now) Is the menu system. Before games and such used to appear in the menu. Yet on this 1ghz it never happens, same on the CC. So I am wondering is this something I manually have to do? I feel like such an idiot for asking these questions after owning THREE of these systems for 3 years. I guess I just used them plug and play and haven't any issues except for having to send in the two 1ghz's to germany (Reason why I ended up buying the CC unit off of ebay for 200 Came with two batteries, powerpak charger, a case, and a 32 gb sd card!.) Couldn't be without a pandora!