Hardware reset hangs

BBB123 · 04-23-07, 05:36 AM

Hi I am computer tech, and have got an X50 I believe which belongs to someone I work with who knows nothing about computers. I have been searching through your site to see if anyone else has got this problem but only found Domme’s thread on SD flashing to be anything close. I am pretty certain this will be the way ahead but being totally new to PDA's I do need help.
I believe his is an X50 (at least according to dell and to what is written on it) version A02. I have no idea what os it is running or for that matter anything that is on it, as it will not boot up. It comes up with "a memory error has occurred..." "press ?? to do a reset" basically it wants me to do a hardware reset. When I go to do this the dell screen comes up and gets to around 80/90 percent and hangs indefinitely.
I have got a spare SD card but am struggling to understand what needs to be done. And as this isn't mine i don't want to screw it up for him.
Tim

Jogga · 04-23-07, 06:06 AM

Hey Tim, welcome to Aximsite

When you get the error message, try circumventing the problem by forcing your own hard reset. Press the stylus in the reset button and hold the power button at the same time: this should boot you back into the hard reset screen and give you the option to press the confirmation button. This will reset the device to factory conditions so any data not in the BIS will disappear.

If this doesn't work, try removing the battery for a couple of hours to drain the power completely - the effect will be the same (a hard reset) but you'll need power to the unit to turn it on when you reinsert the battery (obviously).

Good luck.

BBB123 · 04-23-07, 06:18 AM

Hi Jogga,
i've tried both of those, but to no avail, it just go's back to the same screen. and tells me i need to do a reset which i do software/hardware makes no difference and it hangs again at the 80/90% mark.
thanks for the quick reply tho.
tim

04-23-07, 07:17 AM

Hi Tim, when it hangs try a soft reset, insert stylus in reset hole on back of axim, and then try another hard reset, HTH

BBB123 · 04-23-07, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Hi Tim, when it hangs try a soft reset, insert stylus in reset hole on back of axim, and then try another hard reset, HTH

tried that - no joy.

04-23-07, 08:43 AM

Tim when powered on can you browse axim from PC?, do you have activesync from MS. You should be at WM2003SE with the X50, you could try going to the dell website and and getting a copy of rom update and connected with activesync update rom from there. HTH

04-23-07, 10:20 AM

you can't do a rom update if the pda won't boot. A couple of things: usually the memory error occurs when the main battery is very low and it gets shutdown by the battery alarm so make sure it is charged up. You might be able to get it back by removing any cards that are in it, put it on the cradle and then do a fake hard reset. that is to hold down the power button while you push in the reset button on the back but when it asks you if you want to hard reset cancel it. How long have you waited with it at 80-90%? Sometimes it will be hung looking for some program and it may stay that way for a while. I would give it an hour or two in that state. If all of this doesnt work I have seen people here who recovered from this by doing the sd loader you mentioned but beware that that is a pretty final thing and bricking your pda is always a possibility but I guess that if it isn't under warranty anymore then it really doesn't matter as much. Let us know how it is going.... there may be other ways like sending it to PPCtechs. I think they can recover it from a bricked situation.

Vric · 04-23-07, 05:51 PM

Same problem happened to me Sunday night. I was able to get it backto life by upgrading to WM5 and then downgrading to WM2003. I think the rom got corrupted.

I think I was lucky since active sync was still able to see the device, but not sync. (so the update was able to start)

As bigdave240 said, be patient when it come to formating.. Mine wasn't doing anything for 20 minutes before I finally ear the welcome sound (was quite happy to ear it :P)

GaretJax · 04-26-07, 04:07 PM

HI, I have the same problem with a x50V on WM5 A02. It just decided not to boot after a soft reset. I have tried countless hard and softresets. All above mentioned symptoms. I have also drained the battery (10hours without battery) not it is fully charged and waiting to boot for about 1 hour. I will leave it over night and hope something happens. Other than that I will have to try to get the rom flashed with the SD Bootloader.