My Thomson freeview recorder box (80GB) has lost the ability to record programs, all the recordings from the library have also vanished. I have reset it several times by switchin it on and off (pull the plug out) waiting a couple of mins, plugging it back in etc. The freeview is working fine - all channels on display and working properly. But even the pause and rewind live tv function does not work. Any ideas what's going on?

Kirstin, June 2009

My thomson DT16021 has lost all guide info and cannot record.Rung Tesco helpline, who informed me that Thomson have taken recording ability away and it will only now act as a freeview box, what can I do?

Mrs Baron, November 2013

thanks shell, pressed the yellow nd it worked mine bin in cupboard for months, now working fine again

marie, July 2012

we have had the same problem, we tried , help, set up, green, red options it re scanned and worked ok but as soon as you turned box off by plug all recordings dissappeared again, and ours also freezes up and we have to turn off by plug. in the end i did same as above but pressed yellow instead of red for software revert and has worked perfect ever since.

shells, January 2011

thanks alistair... the green button brought that new menu up, brilliant solution!

lynn, November 2010

Alister's solution worked for me.

J, October 2010

Thanks Alistair - my thomson box hasnt worked for a month and have just done the scan and it works - thanks so much

Jo, July 2010

The same has happened to me to ppl.only thing is i cant get it sorted.any advice would be great.thanks

jason, December 2009

They use a cheap home PC hardrive which gets
hot and needs afan to keep cool/this can be heard usually running.After a time the vents can get clogged with dust / or the fan can break.This can cause the box to overheat and damage harddrive memory.
You can get new fans which are the same as PC fans
for £5 (try maplin or ebay)
If the memory has gone you can get one from a old PC
for next to nothing, but somtimes you cant increase the memory to much as the latest drives run too fast.
For a superior repair use a laptop hard drive then you can remove the fan and the system uses less electricity/runs silent/does not get hot
the only other part needed to fit laptop hard drive is
a IDE converter £4 this is a computer ribbon which
converts the plug from standard memory to accept
laptop type
(also applies to sky + plus boxes)

Rob S, July 2009

My box had same problem and suggested solution has just worked for me. Many thanks.

Nadger, July 2009

This worked for me. Menu, set up, help, then press green button although not listed on the onscreen menu, then press red for factory settings and go through the scan etc again. Although you loose all your previous recordings you get to start using the box again. Result

Alistair, June 2009

Exactly the same problem with my Thomson box.

Alistair, June 2009

the phone number is
08444 159159

blue, June 2009

We have exactly the same problem. We cannot find a Thompson Helpline Number anywhere. If you do get it fixed can you let me know.
Thanks a lot.

Fran, June 2009