# BUG REPORT L146: Reboot not enough, had to unplug unit for it to come back.



## fjerina (Dec 20, 2003)

I had a scary moment last night. I was watching a program I had recorded then stop it to watch a live OTA channel and it wouldn't come up. I switched OTA channels (because some drop off here and there) and no luck. I then switched to a satellite program and again no luck (black screen). I then rebooted the system via the power switch (holding it in 5-7 seconds) and it put up the Dish round logo then the "acquiring satellite data" message (678) then the screen went black and stayed there. I tried pulling out the smart card and the reboot process did the same as pushing in the power button. I then called Dish and got an AST and she walked me through the whole process again (no success). She was about to setup a return for my unit when she said the last thing I could try was to physically unplug the unit along with the satellite connections and the reconnect them. I did this and the unit came back. WOW, I had to physically unplug the power to the unit for it to recover. Scary. I hope SW version L147 will address this. I never had this problem with my L145 except for a occasional reboot that I had to do.


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## lex61564 (Feb 10, 2004)

The same exact things happen to me. Power off, then smart card. I almost called but I did unplug first, so was scary. 
I think it was an OTA associated freeze up on the units part.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

After the smartcard reboot, did you try pressing the sysinfo button on the front of the unit and then power cycling? That should have brought you back without having to pull the power cord.


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## fjerina (Dec 20, 2003)

Mark, are you saying to first push and release the sysinfo button then next press and hold in the power button (large green lite one) until the reboot process starts again???



Mark Lamutt said:


> After the smartcard reboot, did you try pressing the sysinfo button on the front of the unit and then power cycling? That should have brought you back without having to pull the power cord.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

No, I'm saying first push the sysinfo button on the front of the 921. The press either the power button on the remote or on the front of the unit. Then press the power button again. I'm not saying the press and hold the power button on the front of the unit to force a soft reboot.


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## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

Wow, that's a new on. So the double press of the power button does something different when the sys info screen is up?


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

It was a workaround solution to a similar problem that I saw in one of the betas before L146 was released. I'm just trying to see if the solution to my bug will be a workaround for this one as well.

If you get a black screen only after rebooting, give this a try - it may bring you back - otherwise to get back, you will have to unplug the 921 and then plug it back in. Power button rebooting and smart card rebooting won't do the trick.


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## fjerina (Dec 20, 2003)

Well, it happenned again last night and I had to unplug the unit for it to come back. I noticed that when I tried to turn on the unit the "blue light" was on and I just got a black screen. I then tried to reboot it (holding in the power button), no success, then the smart card removal and reinsertion, no success, then finally unplugging it. I noticed the unit had messages about a "booting up". I wonder if I should have waited until the "blue light" disappeared before forcing the reboots. So confusing.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Why didn't you try the sysinfo button before the power plug reboot?


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## fjerina (Dec 20, 2003)

I forgot. I will try that next time if it happens again. I guess I get a little frantic when I am having problems with the 921. God I wish that unit was more stable.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

I think that maybe we've all become a little "reboot-happy" when it's not necessary.


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## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

I think I've done maybe one or two reboots on my own since I got the unit 1/21. All the rest have been spontaneous. 

-Chris


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## sndlogic (Jan 30, 2004)

I have the same problems - blue light - black screen - only a power unplug/reboot eventually brings it back (no smart card works). 

I've now been able to get it to do this on demand now - by playing the interactive games (Solitary/ etc.)


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## jcd4878 (Feb 26, 2004)

I just had this happen to me today. I had called Dish and rebooted the box like 6 times using the hold power button down and smart card pull reboot techniques. NOTHING would bring it back up UNTIL I did a power plug pull reboot, this got it working again.

I DID push sysinfo a few times. Every time the info screen took 30 seconds to come up. It was drawing very slow. When it finally comes up it says next to the Smart Card ID and Smart Card Revision lines: "ERROR: no info"

The problem that is occuring is that the receiver looses contact with the SmartCard. The only way to get it back is to pull the plug.


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