Pandora will not power on

[aliking]

Hi,


I've seen a couple of issues relating to units not booting or powering on. I seem to have a slightly different problem to ones mentioned in other threads so I thought I'd see if anyone has any ideas before I totally give up on this Pandora unit.


This is a replacement unit that I just received, so I'll run through exactly what I've done with it since then.

• When I got the Pandora, I powered it on and went through the initial setup.
  
• It was at about 40% battery so I put it on charge and flipped the power switch to put it into low power mode.
  
• Some time later I noticed that the red power LED had gone off - I couldn't remember if that is supposed to happen when it reaches 100%, but when I opened it up to check, it was 100% charged so I didn't think any more of it.
  
• I unplugged it, inserted my SD cards and started the Hotfix 4 upgrade. This took a really long time > 30mins
  
• It then said it would restart, which I let it, but didn't watch it.
  
• Next time I looked at it, it just had a black screen with two vertical white bands near the middle. It wasn't doing anything, so I tried to force a restart by pressing the Pandora key and sliding the power switch, but nothing happened.
  
• I took the battery out to attempt to force the restart, but when I put it back in it does not power on - meaning no lights, nothing.
  
• Since then I've tried:
  Leaving the battery out for a while before putting it back
  
• Starting it with the battery out (just using the power adapter)
  
• Starting it with the right shoulder button pushed
  
• Leaving it plugged in overnight before trying to start it
  
• Charging it via the usb port
  

I realise that it doesn't look good, so this may be a stupid question and I just need to face that it's dead and has to be replaced again. I'm just in the first stage of grieving at the moment - denial.


a

 

[EvilDragon]

It might be the bootloader is somehow corrupted.


Check this thread.

 

[WizardStan]

Some time later I noticed that the red power LED had gone off - I couldn't remember if that is supposed to happen when it reaches 100%, but when I opened it up to check, it was 100% charged so I didn't think any more of it.

This is a "feature" of the charge circuit. When it can no longer charge the battery it turns off the charging automatically. Sometimes, anyway, it's kinda twitchy about when it decides the battery is really really full. Anywho, once it's decided the battery is as full as it can get, it then lets the system run until the battery comes down to a preset voltage level before turning the charger back on automatically. Currently that voltage level is around 80-85%. I've got a bug report to have that level investigated and possibly changed to more like 95%, but it's kind of low priority.


But I digress.


Sounds like some corruption happened in the update. EDs advice is good.

 

[aliking]

Aha, that does look promising. Thanks, I'll give that I try tonight and report back. a

 

[limpopokanoah]

Yeah as Wiz said ED's lead to that other thread is probably the best, but have you simply tried re-flashing?


Disclaimer: I think (but am not quite sure) that that method is more than just a re-flash. Must search more give me a few more minutes.


(Edit) http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/54991-ready-to-flash-firmware-image/


That post is quite old of course, but I believe it still applies.

 

[aliking]

Thanks so much guys; urjaman's method in the thread above has indeed done the trick. Awesome.


I was all resigned to send it back again, but I guess the Pandora truly is unbrickable. It's currently charging up and I'm applying HF4 again, so hopefully no issues this time. It's taking a very long time to run HF4 - like more than a half hour already updating the OS.


-edit -


Well it did the same thing again, so I guess I need to learn a lesson about applying that hotfix. Maybe I'll think about applying a more conventional firmware update once I've unbricked it again. I'm just so pleased to see it working again

 

[EvilDragon]

Thanks so much guys; urjaman's method in the thread above has indeed done the trick. Awesome.


I was all resigned to send it back again, but I guess the Pandora truly is unbrickable. It's currently charging up and I'm applying HF4 again, so hopefully no issues this time. It's taking a very long time to run HF4 - like more than a half hour already updating the OS.

You don't need to apply HF4 if you already downloaded the latest firmware version.


It's already included.


Applying it a second time might kill it (running out of space on the NAND).

 

[Eridger]

You don't need to apply HF4 if you already downloaded the latest firmware version.


It's already included.


Applying it a second time might kill it (running out of space on the NAND).

Is there a terminal command we can run to verify what hoftix is currently running on a Pandora? Better yet, do you have any plans to include some sort of updater in a future hotfix?

 

[EvilDragon]

Is there a terminal command we can run to verify what hoftix is currently running on a Pandora? Better yet, do you have any plans to include some sort of updater in a future hotfix?

Not yet possible, but I want to include a version-file in the future, yes.


Also, an updater (opkg update) basically works - we have the feeds setup (and they work), however, as the codec pack isn't included in the feeds, it would uninstall the codecs


torpor wanted to help me fixing that, but it never happened yet, so we need to wait until DJWillis has more time.


It's planned though