Sky + says that recording is unavailable

thecivvie

My Sky+ box suddenly started saying that recording is unavailable, contact this number, headed by System Fault. Does this mean the HD is corrupt

Charles Slane

I haven't seen that message before - have you rang the number yet? If they tell you that you'll need to pay for an engineer, you might try telling them that you don't want to pay and are willing to cancel you Sky subscription - this often results in an offer of a free engineer visit.

Have you already tried the standard solution? (ie. disconnect from the mains for a few minutes)

You could also try a planner rebuild. This shouldn't delete your recordings.

To do it, press Services - 4 - 0 - 1 - Select. There's no menu option allocated to "0" but press it anyway - it brings up the engineer's "hidden menu".

Then select "Planner Rebuild".

If that doesn't work, you may try a full system reset (from the same "hidden menu"). Unfortunately System Reset deletes all your recordings.

Good luck!

thecivvie

Just did the full system reset and that worked. Will take out the insurance me thinks

Mossy Monk

insurance? how much does that work out at

thecivvie

I think you pay a once off fee for 3 years and that covers you but I could be wrong

Mossy Monk

and is that a Sky thing or someone completely different

Darren

tcob1 wrote:

I think you pay a once off fee for 3 years and that covers you but I could be wrong

Tell Sky to go poke their insurance. As Charles Slane said, If you have probs, phone sky and threaten to cancel. If they still won't send an engineer out, cancel your sub and get a new deal.

thecivvie

Umm Darren, thanks, I will remember this

Skyuser

Sounds like your HDD is on the blink. For me this was the beginning of my HDD going downhill. Until it started to happen so many times, I rang Sky n said gimme new box. They said €105 service call. I said no way, I'll cancel. They said ok €55 then [you'd swear they were market traders]. I said nope, cancel NOW. They said ok free.

thecivvie

Will try that and let you know the result, but I will wait till the notice comes up again. I have cancelled my multiroom, had 2, for free to air boxes, but the wife likes some stuff on sky so will have to keep it

L1011

Sky's insurance is, in the UK anyway, 6 quid sterling a MONTH. You'll have enough saved by not paying it to get an engineer out once a year; and theres always the threat route to get a freebie anyway...

Darren

If the HDD is on the blink you can always try and repair it yourself (replacing it with a nice big drive), there is loads of info on avforums about this.

thecivvie

I will see what happens in the next week or two

digitaldr

As Darren says replacing it yourself is a good option. I upgraded my own box years ago and replaced my in-laws Sky+ HDD with a 160 Gb one when the orginal went kaput. It's really easy - only takes about 10 mins.

Sparky

My one used to say Unavailable, then I'd do a reset. Everything would be grand for about 2 days untill I get this all the time.

http://www.sparky-s.ie/gallery/main.php/d/559-1/CH+68_20060518_1031.bmp?g2_GALLERYSID=076da37d0190f6b304fd4880fdf6b6cf

And yes I know my batteries need changing

thecivvie

I will wait till it fails again and see if I decide to replace the HD or just tget rid of Sky. Have to put up a new aerial for that though as I have not got one

thecivvie

Failed again today, onto Sky at the moment to cancel. The box is about 18months old and I could not have expected the HD to fail, as we rarely record anything, tend to do that to the DVD+R below

thecivvie

Thanks to everyone here, esp Skyuser, got a free repair Coming saturday