788 freeze problem!!, check the picture

[igncl]

when i turn on the 788 i get the "tascam" logo... then instead of the serching for hard drive and everything i get a frozen screen with dots on it, also the lights on the panel are kept on.

Someone on this forum tolf me to upgrade the possibly corrupted firmware but I got the new chip today from tascam and nothing happened, still the exact same problem.

I can't send the unit to repair because there's no tascam service here in Chile, south america.

WHAT COULD THIS BE!??!?!
PLEASE HELP

i disconected the hard drive and nothing happened...

could it be the hard drive????

 

[philboyd studge]

Is this something that developed over time or was it after you changed the chip? That thing has to click in just so.

Can you hear the hard drive get up to speed? Is it plugged in properly? Are you running v 2.02?

Make sure nothing else is plugged in as you test, something as simple as headphones plugged into the remote can freeze it up.

 

[igncl]

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT DEVELOPED OVER TIME OR WAS IT AFTER YOU CHANGED THE CHIP? THAT THING HAS TO CLICK IN JUST SO.

Developed over time, was working perfectñy (two months old, brand new), already had 2.02 but thought was corrupted. I don't know exactly what happened because my brother took it away and had the problem. He said he just turned it on.


CAN YOU HEAR THE HARD DRIVE GET UP TO SPEED?

It hangs exactly when the hard drive gets up speed and makes a pause. If I disconnect the hard drive, I get the same problem anyway.

IS IT PLUGGED IN PROPERLY?

yes, i've reconected it

ARE YOU RUNNING V 2.02?

yes, a brand new chip. I also have the one that came with the machine, the same version.


MAKE SURE NOTHING ELSE IS PLUGGED IN AS YOU TEST, SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS HEADPHONES PLUGGED INTO THE REMOTE CAN FREEZE IT UP.

nothing plugged in. could it be that something got stuck on one of the jacks?, anyway I see nothing.

 

[philboyd studge]

Boy I don't see many options for you. The only thing I'd suggest is changing the chip once again, making sure it's in tight. Beyond that it may have to go back to Tascam for repair.

 

[igncl]

i got something today!!!, the unit suddenlly started but formatted the hard drive. turned it on and off lot of times and everything went ok.
this morning turned it on and started formatting again and got this message:

SYSTEM CHECK...
FAIL!!


then restarted and formatted again. I tried formating (not quick format, physical format) and the unit freezed (progress bar got stuck)

after that I get the same problem, the black dots on the screen, freezed system.

I believe it's the hard drive...


any suggestions????


thanks a lot

 

[philboyd studge]

Yeah it does sort of sound like the hard drive and it should be covered under warrenty but it'll a long time jumping through hoops getting one out of them, and they'd probably want to see the unit. And the factory hard drives aren't that big anyway.

I put in a 60 gig Hitachi drive from computergeeks.com for around $70 if thats any help.

 

[igncl]

the unit is crazy, sometimes starts and sometimes doesn't.

It was working and replaced the chip (the original one, not the replacement), the problem happened again, moved it, pushed it, and the unit started.

then the same problem, with any of the both chips, it sometimes starts sometimes not.

I formatted the hard drive on my computer and everything ok, no bad sectors.

here's a CLOSE picture of the chip and how it looks.

 

[philboyd studge]

Hmmm.

That chip has really got to be in there solid and that locking thingy clicks, beyond that there's not much you can do. As I recall the installation guide had you line up a little white dot on the chip to one of the corners.

 

[igncl]

a little white dot on the chip???
sorry didn't understand
is it shown on the picture?

thanks!

 

[songsj]

I would replace the hard drive, I can't be sure but everything you've described could be caused by a bad drive and there really
are not any other moving parts in there to give you intermittent
symptoms. Just my 2 cents. Good Luck!!