# R15 "is having difficulty starting up" message



## weattv (Oct 15, 2007)

Apologies if this is answered elsewhere, but I can't find "difficulty starting up" on a search.

The message -- 

"Your receiver is having difficulty starting up. To assist start up, unplug the receiver for 1 minute and then plug it back in" --

showed up on our R15 after a thunderstorm a few days ago. (Our HR20 was also knocked out but came back on OK.)

After replugging, this message (which has shown up before) appears --

"Checking the disk... please wait. This may take up to 30 minutes. Do not reset or power down the receiver."

After a while, the first message always reappears, & the cycle repeats.

I'm reluctant for countless reasons to call DirecTV. There's probably much better advice here. E.g., DirecTV might suggest using the red reset button. We lost 100 hours of HD programming on our HR20-100's e-SATA drive by following that advice.

If the R15 won't run, can the programs be retrieved & even put it back on the R15's drive after a reformat, e.g. (in case the data won't play unless associated with this R15 -- as on the HR20's)? We really want the things not yet archived.

Any suggestions? Thanks


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

weattv said:


> Apologies if this is answered elsewhere, but I can't find "difficulty starting up" on a search.
> 
> The message --
> 
> ...


Sorry that you're having issues with your R15. When unplugging your receiver, try leaving it unplugged for about 30 minutes or so as opposed to just a minute. That will make sure that you are doing a full system reset.

If that doesn't work, you can try a reformat of the receiver (I always forget the button presses to do so, but Jhon69 "The Reformatter" can help you out with that). If you have to reformat the receiver, you will lose all settings and recordings that are currently on the receiver. There is no way to get them back or copy them to another receiver.

Of course, if you call DirecTV and have them send out a new DVR to replace your current one, you once again will not be able to transfer your old recordings to your new receiver.

Sorry, if that's not exactly what you want to hear.

- Merg


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## Jhon69 (Mar 28, 2006)

weattv said:


> Apologies if this is answered elsewhere, but I can't find "difficulty starting up" on a search.
> 
> The message --
> 
> ...


First suggestion invest in a good DVD recorder because hard drives go bad and I believe yours already did.Unplug the R15 overnight then after that if the R15 will not get past the blue screen call DirecTV for a replacement.You have lost all your recordings.Sorry.

P.S. Merg that's Reformattor.OY!

If for some reason you want to try to Reformat here's how.Push the Red button behind the door where the access card is.When you see the first blue screen push the Record button and Down Arrow at the same time on the R15 for 15 seconds.The record light should come on showing the R15 is Reformatting.Your will lose all Recordings and Favorites Lists.Good Luck!

P.S.S. To verify that your R15 did Reformat in System Info your new software number will become your original software number.:sure:


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

Jhon69 said:


> P.S. Merg that's Reformattor.OY!


Typos happen! :lol:

- Merg


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

Poor man. Lost all his recordings....and maybe his HDD too!

I *ALWAYS* unplug all of my DirecTV receivers, the multiswitch, all the TV sets and other expen$ive electronic equipment whenever there is a thunderstorm with lots of cloud-to-ground lightning. Those "surge protectors" are a lot of hooey and won't save anything if lightning strikes your power line near your house.

Oh, and I also unplug my PHONE LINES at the "network interface" in the basement too. Lightning can come in the phone line and zap your DirecTV receivers! (and your phones and/or YOU if you are dumb enough to be talking on one at the time!) :nono2:


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## weattv (Oct 15, 2007)

In case this is helpful to anyone who may find this 2 years later...

After weeks of hoping for a solution or miracle, I unplugged the R15. Way more than a year later, I turned it on again. A half hour later, it was running & all the old recordings were there.

I don't know if it got an update, or what might have fixed it. Still working, so far.



weattv said:


> Apologies if this is answered elsewhere, but I can't find "difficulty starting up" on a search.
> 
> The message --
> 
> ...


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