To much of a coincidence!

[GeorgeAlf]

Same here. Tried all firmware reflashes via rs232 ,different feeds etc even reflash via lan tool again .Same problem

[sailsy]

Please make a post at developers forum libertview who reckon they working on it!

[picoman]

Yes, GeorgeAlf, please go to the libertview forum and make a post in the thread entitled "Skybox F5S Crashing Issue"

The more we have complaining there the better, and they may eventually get a fix for us!

[Sajon]

i tryed siging up on that website but its says
An Error Has Occurred!

[bigade1]

Dunno if this will help anyone but luckily I got mine back working. Not sure if I can remember the exact procedure though but I'll try. I'll relate my experience starting from the beginning ( apologies in advance for the long post ). I've been using the lan tool successfully for months to update both my firmware and channel lists on my F5S without any problems. Anyway, 2 days ago after installing my cccam.cfg via the lan tool I experienced the symptoms of the original poster i.e. with the lnb connected the picture and banner would display for approx. ten seconds then freeze - only way for the box to work was disconnecting the lnb. While the lnb was disconnected I restored a backup of the original firmware after factory resetting and deleting ALL files and channel lists, tried 3 different satellite feeds and even tried it at a neighbour's but all to no avail. I was pretty certain it must be a hardware issue and took the box apart to see if I could spot anything obvious such as a dry joint etc but I didn't notice anything out of place. Anyway, I thought I'd give it another go by trying a different firmware and some of my backup files. If I remember correctly this is what I did. I disconnected the lnb and rebooted the box, I deleted the channel list and ALL files including cccam.cfg files and newcamd files and every other one - I also done a factory reset and I then installed the firmware dated 21-08-13 instead of my original backup firmware. I then done another factory reset and for some reason decided to install a backup of my original cccam.cfg file ( which was an empty file incidentally ) and also installed a backup of my original channel list ( which was obviously out of date ) done a factory reset again, altered time settings, switched box off, connected lnb, switched box back on and for some reason the freeze had gone. I then thought I'd take a chance and update the firmware back to the latest one and also updated the channel list and by luck, it's back to normal. All the updates were done by lan btw. In conclusion, the issue must be a firmware one and not a hardware one as I previously thought. I'm not sure if the firmware I used made any difference as I suspect that the issue lies with the lan tool and the cccam.cfg file. I know for a fact that when I do a backup of that particular file and then I open it the backup process has made it become slightly corrupted. I think that installing the file by lan causes the issue and it could be that all is needed to do was to delete all those files and to install a newly made blank cccam.cfg file. I'm not going to try it out as my box is now working again. Anyway, I hope the info included in this post is helpful to someone.

[sailsy]

So how did you update firmware usb or serial?

Also where you get firmware from?

Just so I try to replicate?

Thanks

Ps glad you got it going again!

[bigade1]

All the updates were done by lan btw.

As stated in my post.

With regards to the firmware - it was from my own backups but I just checked and it is still available on the official Skybox website.

Hope it works for you.

[picoman]

Thanks bigade1 for your input. I've tried to replicate what you have done. Multiple factory resets and file deletions, empty CCcam.cfg file uploaded, firmware from 21.08.13, new channel list etc.

I've spent another 2hours this morning trying every possible combination using both rs232 and USB and still no joy. The box crashes after about 30s with the LNB connected.

Has anyone else had success with this?

[picoman]

FIXED IT!!!

I've found the problem and the fix

The LAN tool must write the configuration files to the wrong place and/or corrupts them too.

A factory reset and file deletion does not erase these corrupted files. A simple replacement via USB does not work either.

Thanks to the hint from "bigade1" I had another try with the LAN tool and discovered that the const.cw file (which I had deleted numerous times) was still in place and contained data.

Using the LAN tool I downloaded it, erased all the data and then uploaded the empty file again using LAN tool. I suspect this may be all that is needed.

However, for completeness I also reloaded the firmware from 21.08.13 and a new channel list, connected the LNB and it all works!!!

So "what killed it, fixed it".

I'm now watching the F1 GP

[Sajon]

I've found the problem and the fix

The LAN tool must write the configuration files to the wrong place and/or corrupts them too.

A factory reset and file deletion does not erase these corrupted files. A simple replacement via USB does not work either.

Thanks to the hint from "bigade1" I had another try with the LAN tool and discovered that the const.cw file (which I had deleted numerous times) was still in place and contained data.

Using the LAN tool I downloaded it, erased all the data and then uploaded the empty file again using LAN tool. I suspect this may be all that is needed.

However, for completeness I also reloaded the firmware from 21.08.13 and a new channel list, connected the LNB and it all works!!!

So "what killed it, fixed it".

I'm now watching the F1 GP

can you please upload all the empty files please also what files do i need to replace?

[sailsy]

Great news can't wait to try it I'll keep you posted how I get on.

[Sajon]

just did what you did and it work my box is back alive thanks

[bigade1]

@picoman: Glad you got it sorted and I hope our posts give hope and success to others as I can see from this forum and other ones that there are quite a lot of people experiencing this problem. I was convinced at one point that the problem was hardware related and was ready to bin my box. I'm glad I persevered as we can now correctly deduce that this is a firmware issue. I suspect that it wouldn't have made any difference which firmware I reloaded and further suspect that the most crucial thing for me was reloading by lan a completely blank cccam.cfg file. Maybe the reboot then cleared the associated const.cw file. The main thing is - at least we know this issue can now be remedied.

[ismail]

Hello All, Managed to fcuk my box up by updating the cccam using Lan tool. Using a combination of all the above posts, I have managed to recove my box.
Here is what I did.

Erase all from box, by factory reset.
Erase Channel List just to be sure.

Reboot Box.

Then Connect using lan tool

In the mean time, using Notepad++ create a empty file called "constant." the . file is the first selection in notepad++, save it on desktop (or whereever). Then change the extension of the file to .cw
Afterwhich drop the file into lan tool folder. and FTP to box.

After all this, I installed AJsat channel list, Once again reboot.
Connect LNB.

Now Im going to transfer file.


Sorry for long winded post BTW

[picoman]

It is great news that we have all been able to recover our boxes.

I suspect that the only thing that is necessary is to re-upload, by the LAN Tool, any files that we have previously loaded by this method. However, the file to upload must just be EMPTY files. These can be created however you wish using Notepad++ or UltraEdit etc. But they simply must contain NO data.