Problems loading Hog3 v3.0.2 Full Install

Hello,

I have been attempting to upgrade the software on the hog3 to get it up to version 3.0.2
I have downloaded the Full install version of the software from the site, checked the downloaded file with the MD5 checksum (which produces a result of OK) and burned the Iso disk image to a CD using DeepBurner as recommended so that I have a CD with 662 Files, 447 Folders totalling approx 278MB on it that I then stick in the desk.

On power up, I hold down the Pig button until the options menu appears then select Full Install and say Yes to the overwriting of show files. The Cd drive then whirrs away happily for 20 or 30 seconds and the screens flash to black then back to the Blue III logos. Then the desk goes quiet for a while before reading a bit more from the CD drive, a screen comes up saying that the desk is probing drives (which I assume is the desk trying to reboot) then freezes with just the blue screens on display and stays like that indefinitely (I have left the desk over an hour in this state.)

I have read through a lot of useful posts on these forums and from messages on there, I assumed that the issue was with the CD that I had originally made. I have now tried redownloading the software from the site again and burning multiple disks from different PC's using a variety of ISO burning software including Alcohol120%, Nero, DeepBurner and a few others at slower burn speeds with no change in the results. I have also downloaded previous versions of the software (v3.0 and v2.6.0) and tried them with no success.

The desk itself has the correct Bios loaded (Build 17 Nov 6th 2003) and has no other devices connected e.g wings, external peripherals or DP's. The internal drives appear to be connected properly and the desk was working properly before the software upgrade.

So, my question is, what do I try now?

Any help and advice greatly appreciated. I need to get the desk working within the next 5 days or so ideally.

Thankyou in anticipation.

Colin
  • 0
    Hi Colin,
    Does the console work at all now?
    Can you load a show from a CD by either launching directly or coping the file to the Hog III hard drive?
    What was the the previous Software version ? any ideas? it may be possible if it was a really old version and that you might possibly need to install previous ISO versions first as you have partly done already.

    Cormac
  • 0
    Hi Cormac

    The console is still sticking in the blue startup screens after attempting the full install.

    I have been in contact with Mitch in support and on his advice changed the Hard Drive and also the BIOS Battery but so far, there is no success.

    The desk was previously running v2.6.0 and was perfectly stable and happy. It currently doesn't do anything except go through the motions of installing the full install and then freezing.

    The CD drive was working fine before the full install as I backed up old show file to it.

    Now it doesn't seem to read any full install disk that I put in the desk. I have checked all of the download files with the MD5 checker. So I suspect that it has to some sort of problem with the disks that I am burning. I have tried numerous different burning programs but nothing seems to work yet.

    Any other suggestions gratefully received.

    Thanks

    Colin
  • 0
    How is it when you try to use an ordinary Windows XP CD (or some of all Linux/BSD distribution disks) and remove all partitions on your harddrive. And then do a full restore with v 3.0.0.
  • 0
    Hi Magnus,

    The quick answer is that I don't know. I don't have any Linux/BSD disks available although I do have a windows XP disk. The desk I am having problems with is a Wholehog 3 which I believe runs on Linux. What would I expect to see if I was to try booting with an XP CD in it?

    The drive is brand new so shouldn't be partitioned.

    I have been trying to do a full restore with various versions of the software, going back to v2.6.0 as well as attempting v3.0.0 v3.0.1 and v3.0.2

    The files checks tell me that they are downloading ok so I can only conclude that it is something in the burning process. Would anyone have a full install copy of 3.0.0 or 3.0.2 that I could put in the desk to try. Although I have used several PC's and a collection of burning software, putting a definite proven disk in for the install would at least eliminate one factor.

    Cheers

    Colin
  • 0
    Definitely sounds like a drive failure....either the HDD or CD drive has died...or possibly even both.

    How old is your desk....what year was is built?
  • 0
    Hi Marty

    The desk was built in December 2004, the HDD was replaced with a brand new, 80Gb Seagate drive yesterday afternoon with no success. I will try a replacement CD drive today to see if it makes a difference but it was working perfectly well before attempting the full install.

    thanks for the reply

    Colin
  • 0
    Mine was built in April 2005 and I had my CD drive fail about 6 months ago. Fortunately they are cheap...I think the replacement was only about $40 from CDW. Make sure you get the EXTACT model number or it might not work as the drivers might not be inthe system.

    Hope you get it sorted.:aiwebs_007:
  • 0
    Colin, if you use the same ISO disc that you were using to do a full install and select "Software Upgrade" from the boot menu instead of Full Install, are you able to get the desk working again?
  • 0
    Hi Chris,

    Have tried what you suggested but unfortunately doesn't solve the problem. I think that when the first Full install failed, the HDD was wiped ready for the new install so it would need a full ISO image copied onto it rather than the upgrade version.

    I have had some great advice from Mitch at High End support and have another couple of avenues to explore.

    Thanks for the suggestion.

    Colin
  • 0
    Colin - I have experienced the same problem with the clean install of Build 2440. My console was working great but once I loaded build 2440 the console will not finish the install and stays in the HOG III blue screen. It will not take any software at all. I replace the HD, burned multiple copies of the ISO file and replaced the BIOS battery without any success. I had to send the console in so Mitch and Chris could look into the problem. Seems weird that something could be working just fine and then all of a sudden it will not take software.
  • 0
    Hi Mike

    Thanks for your reply, it is good to hear that someone else has had this problem and it isn't just me.

    The symptoms that you had with build 2440 sound absolutely identical to those that my Hog3 are showing. Since my last post, I have tried some new CD's for the install process which have been checked and verified on another board with no success.

    I have another solution provided by the helpful chaps in Tech Support which is to image the HDD on a working console and then stick it back in the board. If I understand correctly the problem IS caused by a flat BIOS battery. Apparently, this doesn't seem to cause any problems for the normal operation of the console other than the clock appearing incorrectly on the console. However, when the console is given a full install, the HD is wiped prior to the new software being installed on it. When the new install fiels are executed by the installer package, they reference part of the BIOS info including the time/date record. If this information is not in the BIOS then the installer software will freeze as is happening in these examples. This is not a problem with an upgrade as the relevant, problem files are already installed

    As you can only set the time/date within the software on a Hog3, you get stuck in a situation where nothing works.

    This explains why an apparently perfectly working desk stops going after an install. To be honest, I couldn't tell you if the clock was correct before attempting the install on my board.

    I have access to another Hog3 at the start of next week and I will be attempt to "piggyback" the desks together. I will post the results of the experiments once completed.

    I think that the important thing learned from all of this is to make sure that the battery is functioning before attempting a full install. Replacing the battery when the console has reached the stage that ours reached is too late.

    Live and Learn

    cheers

    Colin
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    On some consoles, when the clock battery is completely dead, the clock will default to 1970. This will prevent a full install from finishing and leave the console in an un-bootable state.

    If you're stuck in this state, drop Chris or Myself a note. There's a beta version of the install disk that doesn't care what the clock is set to that should resolve the problem for you without opening your console.

    Until the next patch is released, make sure your clock is set before you do the Full Install. As long as you don't power down the console, it should retain the date and time.
  • 0
    Everything Works Again!

    Many thanks to Eric. The Beta version of the Full install installed perfectly first time and the console is now working again perfectly.

    The BIOS had reset it's clock to 1970 when a new battery was installed as predicted.

    Poor desk, finding itself back before digital control systems or moving lights. No wonder it was confused!

    Thanks for all the help and suggestions from everyone.

    Colin
  • 0
    Yesterday, v3.0.3 b2452 was publicly released and it resolves the full install issue related to the posts in this forum.
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