# DVR-39 auto-rebooting



## rwmair (Nov 16, 2006)

I was offered a RCA DVR-39 Tivo Box on loan from friend, and given what I'd read about the current DirecTV DVR's, I went with this option over the recent "free" R15 offer from DirecTV.

All seems fine, except that the DVR seems to like rebooting automatically when I'm watching TV late at night. Being a nightowl, I'm sometimes still watching after 1am, and three or four times in the last two weeks, its just auto-booted for no particular reason. (No idea if its also rebooting during the day while I'm at work!)

I've wondered if it was something to do with service updates being applied, and the system needing to reboot to complete this process. (I've also found it "recording" between midnight and 1am a number of times, and found the other tuner showing a blank screen except for a notice about updating my DVR service.) However, after the last reboot last night, I checked the system information screen for the times of the last service updates, but they don't correspond to the times the system has rebooted, or the times its been "recording" the blank channel.

If it took 20 seconds or so to reboot, like my stand-alone receiver, I'd live with it. But this Tivo unit takes around 5 minutes - which is particularly annoying when you're watching a gripping foreign sporting event which I've shelled out extra $$ to watch on PPV!

Is this a "normal" feature of the system? If so, is there a way I can move this operation to sometime like 4 or 5 am, when I'm not likely to be watching it? If not normal, is there anything wrong I should fix?

Thanks


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

No, it's not normal. But there have been reports lately of many reboot problems with DirecTV/Tivo DVRs, perhaps related to some recent problems with the Guide Data stream. But your problem sounds even worse. Typical causes include ...

* Overheating. Check the Tivo's internal temp under "Messages & Setting" -> "System Information". It should be under 50-deg C.

* AC power glitches. Your DVR should be powered by a UPS, not just a surge protector.

* Loose access card. When the DVR is powered down, re-insert the access card.

* Dying hard drive.


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## larry976 (Jan 2, 2007)

I have two TIVO DVRS and both have reboot a few times the past week. Prior to this week, no recent reboots that I know off. Also, no apparent software upgrades after the reboot. Last night it happened at 2:30.



rwmair said:


> I was offered a RCA DVR-39 Tivo Box on loan from friend,
> and given what I'd read about the current DirecTV DVR's, I went with this option over the recent "free" R15 offer from DirecTV.
> 
> All seems fine, except that the DVR seems to like rebooting automatically when I'm watching TV late at night. Being a nightowl, I'm sometimes still watching after 1am, and three or four times in the last two weeks, its just auto-booted for no particular reason. (No idea if its also rebooting during the day while I'm at work!)
> ...


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

Check what litzdog says and if those don't fix the problem try a Clear and Delete Everything. You will loose recordings but it will also reset stuff from the previous owner and might just get it working for you.


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## rwmair (Nov 16, 2006)

litzdog911 said:


> No, it's not normal. But there have been reports lately of many reboot problems with DirecTV/Tivo DVRs, perhaps related to some recent problems with the Guide Data stream. But your problem sounds even worse. Typical causes include ...
> 
> * Overheating. Check the Tivo's internal temp under "Messages & Setting" -> "System Information". It should be under 50-deg C.
> 
> ...


It does look like the TV has a power glitch when the Tivo goes down - but nothing else in the house is affected when it happens - no lights, other appliances, etc.

However, I'm sure a small UPS is a good idea. I don't have one. Temp is always ~ 35 C, so that's not a problem.


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## rwmair (Nov 16, 2006)

Wolffpack said:


> Check what litzdog says and if those don't fix the problem try a Clear and Delete Everything. You will loose recordings but it will also reset stuff from the previous owner and might just get it working for you.


Is there a simple way to do this with one button? Does it clear messages as well?

This system does also have too many "new messages". I encountered this early on. I guess the previous owner never read/deleted his "new messages", and when I tried to go there a few times, the Tivo would just hang, and I'd have to pull the plug to reboot it manually. Some folks on here told me this was a bug with these boxes, and I could hack the box and try to delete them manually, or just never read "new messages" myself.

I've opted for not reading messages. I don't know if this problem is related to the rebooting - but if there's a one-button cure-all for this, I'll gladly hit it when I have no more recordings I want to keep on the system.


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## nibyak (Dec 7, 2005)

I have 2 D-TIVOS and both have rebooted numerious times in the last two weeks. I've had to re-enter the 30 second skip into them at least 4 times in the last two weeks.


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

rwmair said:


> Is there a simple way to do this with one button? Does it clear messages as well?


Go to Messages & Settings -> Restart/Reset the Recorder -> Clear and Delete Everything. That will also get rid of the messages.


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## IndyMichael (Jan 25, 2003)

Both my 40 hour Hughes D*Tivo and my 80 hour RCA D*Tivo are rebooting most every night lately. It's almost always during the first half hour of Leno.


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## cybok0 (Jan 5, 2006)

mine rebooted twice this week. 

I wonder if D* is making the DTIVOs reboot to get the owners mad enough to change to the R15s


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