zeluiz

Hi,
Unfortunately, I found that my HX4700 really has a hardware problem...
After thinking that just increasing the free main memory available had solved the frequent hangs, I did start to use it for longer periods and the hang ups returned.
A lot of consecutives soft resets weren´t enough to solve, so, before trying a hard reset, I had the "exotic" idea of putting the device inside the refrigerator for a few minutes. Eureka!!! After taking it out, ONLY ONE soft reset solved, it started to work perfectly again.
I repeated the tests twice, same things happened.
So, I guess that the "refrigerator test" is a good idea to reach a definitive conclusion about a hardware problem.
I´m opening this new topic to see if other users have the same behavior...
Thanks,
Jose

Driftless

i would SERIOUSLY suggest you not do that again...you will create condensation on the components and it will eventually short out.

where did you get this idea?!?

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Driftless....

whymewhynot

Its pretty common to put electronics in the freezer, used to be able to crack codes on radios that way. Many a HDD has been rescued long enough to get data off once its been overnight in the freezer . ( in a ziplock bag of course)

imported_longun

Yep I've user that trick on old radios etc but there is a risk involved. Personally if its not working anyway then there is nothing to loose really.

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sugar_cube

Zeluiz, it sounds as though your PPC is overheating (which is why cooling it down lets it work again). When it hangs next time, see if the case feels hot.

t53186

Try running the HP online diagnostics next time you suspect a hardware problem

HP diagnostics

Justin Noland

Yes, the hx can get significantly warm after an extended period of usage, even to the point of it being uncomfortable to hold. THus, I can't wait until my warranty is up so I can use my dremel to cut away a large portion of the backside and mount a 50mm CPU fan!

herby43

Originally Posted by zeluiz

Hi, Unfortunately, I found that my HX4700 really has a hardware problem... After thinking that just increasing the free main memory available had solved the frequent hangs, I did start to use it for longer periods and the hang ups returned. A lot of consecutives soft resets weren´t enough to solve, so, before trying a hard reset, I had the "exotic" idea of putting the device inside the refrigerator for a few minutes. Eureka!!! After taking it out, ONLY ONE soft reset solved, it started to work perfectly again. I repeated the tests twice, same things happened. So, I guess that the "refrigerator test" is a good idea to reach a definitive conclusion about a hardware problem. I´m opening this new topic to see if other users have the same behavior... Thanks, Jose

I have the same problems mainly with the Alturion Navigation. I found out that when i have the aircondition running in the car it works fine for hours. I found once more out that when the chasis of the hx4700 gets warmer then 38 - 39 degree celsius the display is frozen with an exeption error as last message displayed. The navigation is running in the background because i hear the voice navigating me. I will try this on weekend at home with working for example a lot of time with wireless to check if i get the same results also with other programms. If so i will discuss this on monday with HP. Hope we can share our information
Herbert

zeluiz

About the risks involved, if you put it inside a frostfree freezer for 1-3 minutes, no serious condensation will happen. Of course, you have to be in a "normal" place, without high humidity levels, etc...
For the answers here on this thread, it´s evident that other people have similar problems.
My concern now is, what will HP tell us about that ?
I´ve checked the manual, it shows an operational temperature range from 0 to 50 degrees Celsius !!!
I´m curious, how many people are running successfully their HX4700/HX4705 in environments with temperatures above 35°C (95°F) for long periods ???
Thanks,
Jose

imported_jb2001

Originally Posted by Justin Noland

Yes, the hx can get significantly warm after an extended period of usage, even to the point of it being uncomfortable to hold. THus, I can't wait until my warranty is up so I can use my dremel to cut away a large portion of the backside and mount a 50mm CPU fan!

Jesus I hope your not serious

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Driftless

Originally Posted by zeluiz

About the risks involved, if you put it inside a frostfree freezer for 1-3 minutes, no serious condensation will happen. Of course, you have to be in a "normal" place, without high humidity levels, etc...

Same reason anything out of the fridge get condensation on it..If it's cold, and taken into a warm room, it will still condense...even in 7% humidity, but since 1-3 minutes is cooling only the case and screen...most of the stuff inside should be safe, but I still woudln't do it...unless you didn't care whether it broke or not.

If HP sees any condensation marks inside.....goodbye warranty.

Originally Posted by zeluiz

I´m curious, how many people are running successfully their HX4700/HX4705 in environments with temperatures above 35°C (95°F) for long periods ??? Thanks, Jose

I'll start finding out now. It's been 95 for the past 3 days here in CA...
Accidentally left it in glovebox for about 30min yesterday. Nice and toasty but it still worked fine...we'll see later in the summer.

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Driftless....

herby43

Originally Posted by zeluiz

About the risks involved, if you put it inside a frostfree freezer for 1-3 minutes, no serious condensation will happen. Of course, you have to be in a "normal" place, without high humidity levels, etc... For the answers here on this thread, it´s evident that other people have similar problems. My concern now is, what will HP tell us about that ? I´ve checked the manual, it shows an operational temperature range from 0 to 50 degrees Celsius !!! I´m curious, how many people are running successfully their HX4700/HX4705 in environments with temperatures above 35°C (95°F) for long periods ??? Thanks, Jose

I tried running a video for a long time on the hx4700 in an room with a temperature of maybe 20°C to 22°C and i the temperature of the hx4700 was raising 36°C to 37°C. My experience is that when it reaches 39°C then it fails. I will check tomorrow because the weatherforecast is about 30°C. So in the car without aircondition i will have about 35°C.

Justin Noland

JB2001: actually, in a year I could be pretty serious. Once that warranty is up, I intend to mod my hx beyond anything done to a PDA before. We're talking cutting away the back panel and installing custom lighting (which may be difficult considering the thinness of the hx), perhaps the CPU fan idea, automotive finish paint job, etc. And I AM NOT a bunch of talk, i really do this kind of stuff. On my old ipaq 3835 I did an interior blue-LED mod, my Casio BE-300 has been stripped of its casing and was mounted on my wall and always on. I could control my stereo from just above my light switch. I walk in and tap its touch screen with my finger, select a track, and presto. But alas, my mom made me take it down because I had staple-gunned 100 ft of speaker wire up the wall and across the ceiling in order to reach my stereo...

zeluiz

I guess that some lucky people don´t have any heating problems at all with their HX4700. But a lot of people must have some degree of this problem, they just didn´t realize yet, mostly because they use their devices inside air conditioned environments and/or they keep WiFi/BT disabled to save battery, so that keeps the unit cooler also.
The root of this problem must rely in the CPU cores, that must be the same fenomenon verified with normal computer CPUs, when some production batches are significantly better or worse than others. Probably, the Intel PDA CPU of the HX4700 has a particular instability in that aspect, who knows...

Tabby