Hi cliff theres about 3 methods, 1 is to do a full system reset after doing a planner rebuild, both are available after entering the installers menu. Services button then 01 then select, then goto the planner rebuild first, then wait till the box does its thing, then do a full system reset. The ahrd disk should now be formatted. 2nd method is to unplug your box from mains (but wait for the hard drive to power down, normally about 2 to 3 minutes after switching into standby basically all whirring should stop). Then wait about another 2 minutes with the box unplugged. Then hold down the two buttons either side of the select button on the front of the box, DONT USE THE REMOTE CONTROL FOR THIS, and then with the buttons held plug up the power and wait, the round indicator ring will flash and then you must press select. This will of course erase your recordings, not exactly a full reset but half way there. Method 3 is quite tricky and needs expert attention but can be achieved by this method, obtain a FAT32 formatting program from the net, if you have one a USB to IDE/SATA converter cable. If not you will need to access your PC and open it to connect to a free 40 Pin IDE port. You must then change the jumper on the hard disk from CS or cable select to master or slave which is relevent to your PC or your USB cable. Then if your hard disk has become (many do) the format of the disk is nearlly impossible but is possible if you persue. You need a partition software like partition magic 8 or simular. The partition information often becomes corrupt and wont allow formatting, you will still have problems trying to erase the partition as it will keep saying partition infomation not valid cant find starting sector. But using windows management console (Administrative tools, computer management, disk management) and trying to make the partiton there. If you can get strait access to the drive you will see it as a normal drive with a label like XTV_ etc... then you really need to format it using a fat32 program. Once partition to the MAX and formatted using a FAT32 program remove the Slave or Master jumper and put it back to CS or cable select, then put it back inside your box carry out the planner rebuild as described earlier and then do a full system reset. Finally to make all the relevant software become availabe in the right places Power off your box, as described earlier, unplug the power and wait then hold down the backup button on the box whilst plugging in the power and hold it untill it says SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPGRADING this will take 10 minutes etc, again this will take 10 minutes or more its vital your patient, the screen on you TV will flash about 3 or 4 times if you have blue screen blanking or No signal type lock out it will just blink black wait for at least 15 to 20 minutes overall, now this is the bit others muck up all the hard work done wait and press the TV button on your remote and then press the sky button, this will then goto a blue screen saying searching for listings and then sky channel 998. Now your just about ready to start recording again. The above method (apart from removing the drive) can also be applied to fixing a box which has the faults Unable to record there is a fault contact sky or even the stuck in standby mode problem. If the box after trying this a few time is still stuck in standby then a crystal on board needs replacing (deffinatly qualified persons only). Should you get no signal being recieved then its 8/10 a power supply problem and its much more sensible to replace the power supply than repair.
Electron_eric, December 2007
