Panasonic Set-Top dvd recorder error

My Panasonic DMR-E100H set-top recorder is going through the endless error
loop whenever I power on [SELF-CHECK > Error has occured > press enter >
change the disc > ejects > BYE...]. Doing a google search i found this was a
common problem with some of these Panasonic units, and is likely caused by
excessive editing and maxing out the space. I'm wondering if there's any way
to retrieve/salvage what's on the 180 maxtor HD, is there a way to boot into
a service mode where i can reset or maybe format?

As a last resort, would it be possible to take out the HD and slave it on my
PC and somehow transfer or format the drive? I no longer have a warranty for
this unit and would really like to avoid taking it to a service place.

Thank you very much for any help

eroy

"eroy" <> wrote in message
news:GBS7f.18956$.. .
> My Panasonic DMR-E100H set-top recorder is going through the endless error
> loop whenever I power on [SELF-CHECK > Error has occured > press enter >
> change the disc > ejects > BYE...]. Doing a google search i found this was
a
> common problem with some of these Panasonic units, and is likely caused by
> excessive editing and maxing out the space. I'm wondering if there's any
way
> to retrieve/salvage what's on the 180 maxtor HD, is there a way to boot
into
> a service mode where i can reset or maybe format?
>
> As a last resort, would it be possible to take out the HD and slave it on
my
> PC and somehow transfer or format the drive? I no longer have a warranty
for
> this unit and would really like to avoid taking it to a service place.
>
> Thank you very much for any help

this always happens to me as a result of using a crap dvd-r. always turns
off and stuffs around for a few minutes. tdk, princo, laser all have done
this to me. nothing to do with the drive, you can format it on the recorder
too.

>
> As a last resort, would it be possible to take out the HD and slave it on
> my PC and somehow transfer or format the drive? I no longer have a
> warranty for this unit and would really like to avoid taking it to a
> service place.
>
>

I'd be interested in an answer too. Can you replace the HD with a larger
one?

"maiet" <> wrote in message
news:435ff712$0$9437$ ...
>
> "eroy" <> wrote in message
> news:GBS7f.18956$.. .
>> My Panasonic DMR-E100H set-top recorder is going through the endless
>> error
>> loop whenever I power on [SELF-CHECK > Error has occured > press enter >
>> change the disc > ejects > BYE...]. Doing a google search i found this
>> was
> a
>> common problem with some of these Panasonic units, and is likely caused
>> by
>> excessive editing and maxing out the space. I'm wondering if there's any
> way
>> to retrieve/salvage what's on the 180 maxtor HD, is there a way to boot
> into
>> a service mode where i can reset or maybe format?
>>
>> As a last resort, would it be possible to take out the HD and slave it on
> my
>> PC and somehow transfer or format the drive? I no longer have a warranty
> for
>> this unit and would really like to avoid taking it to a service place.
>>
>> Thank you very much for any help
>
> this always happens to me as a result of using a crap dvd-r. always turns
> off and stuffs around for a few minutes. tdk, princo, laser all have done
> this to me. nothing to do with the drive, you can format it on the
> recorder
> too.

The problem is i don't have access to the menu that would allow me to
reformat, it's stuck on the error cycle.

> The problem is i don't have access to the menu that would allow me to
> reformat, it's stuck on the error cycle.

When my Panny really misbehaves and refuses to be
nice I just unplug it and let it sit for a few
hours and it seems much happier after that.


drc

"Darrel Christenson" <> wrote in message
news:. ..
>
>> The problem is i don't have access to the menu that would allow me to
>> reformat, it's stuck on the error cycle.
>
> When my Panny really misbehaves and refuses to be
> nice I just unplug it and let it sit for a few
> hours and it seems much happier after that.
>
>
> drc

I've tried that, didn't work all night even. What model do you have?

eroy <> wrote:
> My Panasonic DMR-E100H set-top recorder is going through the endless error
> loop whenever I power on [SELF-CHECK > Error has occured > press enter >
> change the disc > ejects > BYE...]. Doing a google search i found this was a
> common problem with some of these Panasonic units, and is likely caused by
> excessive editing and maxing out the space. I'm wondering if there's any way
> to retrieve/salvage what's on the 180 maxtor HD, is there a way to boot into
> a service mode where i can reset or maybe format?
>
> As a last resort, would it be possible to take out the HD and slave it on my
> PC and somehow transfer or format the drive? I no longer have a warranty for
> this unit and would really like to avoid taking it to a service place.
>
> Thank you very much for any help
>
>

If there is a DVD in the drive you will have to get it out before
addressing the hard drive question. Try all the tricks you can find after
a google search. It has happened to me on an E85 and, after a while,
the machine will disgorge the disk.

If you don't have a disk in the machine, or if you still have problems
after getting a disk out, then you may have trouble with the hard
drive. It is very easy to replace the drive. Remove the cover of the
machine. The hard drive is held in place by a bracket which is held down
by two screws. Rubber cushions surround the drive. With power cable
removed from the unit: pull the signal cable and power cable off the
drive. Set the new drive to cable select and put it back just as you
took the old drive out. You can then format the new drive.

BTW, Best Buy has a 120Gb Seagate drive for $30 after rebate right now.

"eroy" <> wrote in message
news:GBS7f.18956$.. .
> My Panasonic DMR-E100H set-top recorder is going through the endless error
> loop whenever I power on [SELF-CHECK > Error has occured > press enter >
> change the disc > ejects > BYE...].

If this is caused by a faulty DVD, then rtfm p70, "Cannot eject a disc"

> Doing a google search i found this was a
> common problem with some of these Panasonic units, and is likely caused by
> excessive editing and maxing out the space.

Never encountered it myself.

> I'm wondering if there's any way
> to retrieve/salvage what's on the 180 maxtor HD

No, it uses a HD version of the same UDF-based format used for DVD-RAM, a
non-PC format, and, unfortunately, unless things have changed with more
recent models, the HD size is hard-encoded into the machine, so any
replacement HD will be formatted to exactly the same capacity as the
original.

>, is there a way to boot into
> a service mode

Search here ...
http://groups.google.com/advanced_group_search
.... for previous posts by myself on this model's service menu.
eg: With all of the words: panasonic hd format
With the exact phrase: service menu
... from the group ...: *dvd*

> where i can reset or maybe format?
>
> As a last resort, would it be possible to take out the HD and slave it on
my
> PC and somehow transfer or format the drive? I no longer have a warranty
for
> this unit and would really like to avoid taking it to a service place.


No, see above.

In article <GBS7f.18956$>,
eroy <> wrote:
:My Panasonic DMR-E100H set-top recorder is going through the endless error
:loop whenever I power on [SELF-CHECK > Error has occured > press enter >
:change the disc > ejects > BYE...]. Doing a google search i found this was a
:common problem with some of these Panasonic units, and is likely caused by
:excessive editing and maxing out the space. I'm wondering if there's any way
:to retrieve/salvage what's on the 180 maxtor HD, is there a way to boot into
:a service mode where i can reset or maybe format?

There's no way that I know of to recover what's currently on the drive,
but there is a way to coax the E100 into reformatting the drive. You'll
need another disk drive, but only temporarily. Install the replacement
drive and power up the E100. It will tell you that the drive needs to
be formatted. DON'T DO IT. Just turn the unit off and re-install the
original drive. When you power up the E100 again it will see that the
drive has been changed and tell you it needs to be formatted.

--
Bob Nichols AT comcast.net I am "RNichols42"

> I've tried that, didn't work all night even. What model do you have?

It's an E50. There's a hardware reset too, first
you unplug for a few minutes and then you have to
be holding in a couple of the front panel buttons
when you plug it back in. Let's see now, hmmm...
I'll have to try and track that down.


drc