Hello all,

I have read this forum for some time now and know you all have the best ideas and resources to fix problems. So I hoping you can help me, too.

I have and use my cybook since November. Until today I only experienced the occasional hang during a dictionary lookup. I still have the old build of the boo reader. Today I tried to turn the device on while the battery level was very low. It did turn on but did not displayed the files in the SD card. I took the SD card out and re-inserted it, but the device just hang. I used the reset button and turned it on again without the card. It went to the checkered page.

I re-set it again and went home. Here I have connected it to the USB and it is loading. When I tried to turn it on after a while of loading it went to the splash screen with the image of the smaller black cybook and stayed there with the LED constantly on.

Has any of you an idea what I can do?

Thanks, AJ.

Hi, the same thing happened to me yesterday. I was reading, turned the cybook of, and when I turned it on again I got the screen with the "bricks". The battery was not low, and the cybook hasn't been connected to the computer in a week or so. I tried resetting it, charging it, removing the SD card and connecting it to the computer. It now displays the screen with the little book with the dots and nothing happens.
My computer does not recognize it:blink:

Up until yesterday I haven't experienced any problems at all - and I already miss it

I have mailed bookeen and hope that they will come back to me soon, but with Easter....

Any suggestions are appreciated
Thanks
Bøø

I got the checkered page when the system could not be read (I tried to format the internal drive as ext2 but it did not work).

If this is the problem the easiest way to solve it is to get the firmware reinstallation instructions from Bookeen or from somebody here.

Otherwise you could try to mount the internal drive when it hangs and copy your backuped system files to it. If that does not work you can reformat it and then copy the files back.

If you use linux and need to repartition it then create one partition and set the type to "b". Then use mkfs.vfat to build the file system.

If you do not have a backup of the system files here they are both for the original firmware and for the latest build:

http://egad.dyndns.org/cybook/

Thank you all.

I was able to resurrect my Cybook with a firmware re-flash, that one of you made possible. It is well and good now and I'm very happy. That were some very scary hours but your help was very fast. :2thumbsup

You are the best. :thanks:

AJ

Thank you Tompe!

I am not able to view the file structure of the Cybook when I plug it into my computer :(

I guess I will have to wait for bookeen to reply - hopefully soon.

bøø

I am in the same boat with my reader and after making take out battery, reset and several other useless ideas, Bookeen sent me this e-mail.

Dear Ms,



The backplane of your display is seemingly broken or defective.



For information, broken parts are not covered by the warranty and the display is unfortunately the most expensive component of the device.

If you wish, we can nonetheless propose a display replacement.

This operation costs 100€ (parts and labor included) + shipping.



If you are interested, here is the Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) procedure to follow…

$100 euros to fix a device I've had since Christmas and because it is made in France, I have no resources to back up any complaints against the company.
Bricked is screwed my friend.

For information, broken parts are not covered by the warranty and the display is unfortunately the most expensive component of the device.


This are not the rules inside EU at least.

In all reasonableness, if Bookeen have determined that the problem with your Gen3 is a fractured screen substrate (the thin glass layer under the plastic screen) you can't expect a warranty replacement. That kind of damage is caused by a mechanical impact to the device; it's not a "fault". €100 to replace the screen is a pretty reasonable charge - less than half the cost of the machine. It's very unfortunate, but these devices are delicate and do need to be treated with care!

The backplane of your display is seemingly broken or defective.

For information, broken parts are not covered by the warranty

"Broken" parts maybe aren't, but "defective" parts are. If you drop your Cybook and it breaks, you're out of luck, you'd need an assurance, not a warranty. But if it just stopped working with normal operation... that's what warranty is for.

This are not the rules inside EU at least.

A warranty covers parts which break spontaneously, not things which are broken by the user. If you have a new window installed in your house, and someone kicks a football through it, you wouldn't expect the glazing company to replace the window under warranty, would you? That's effectively what's happened here - screen substrates don't just "break" on their own; it's the result of a blow or torsion to the screen.

A warranty covers parts which break spontaneously, not things which are broken by the user. If you have a new window installed in your house, and someone kicks a football through it, you wouldn't expect the glazing company to replace the window under warranty, would you? That's effectively what's happened here - screen substrates don't just "break" on their own; it's the result of a blow or torsion to the screen.

Yes, of course. I read backplane as the electronics. Not the glass.

Question for the owner of said machine: Did you get funny lines, or distorted or blank areas on the screen, or did the whole thing just go dead?

Lisangel,

I am very sorry for your situation -- I think this breakage issue is a big problem for the current round of e-ink readers. Any talk of trying to get such devices into the hands of students is completely irrelevant until they are made much sturdier (I'm a teacher.)

The other night I was reading in bed, set the Cybook down for a sec, and my miniature dachshund stepped on the screen as he was moving around the bed -- I was so freaked out! Turned out it was okay, but still, something this fragile is going to have to be improved before the masses are willing to shell out the kind of money these things cost right now.

Lelah

"A plebe with an expensive toy" :)

The other night I was reading in bed, set the Cybook down for a sec, and my miniature dachshund stepped on the screen as he was moving around the bed -- I was so freaked out! Turned out it was okay, but still, something this fragile is going to have to be improved before the masses are willing to shell out the kind of money these things cost right now.


In fairness it's no more fragile than a laptop - any LCD screen has exactly the same kind of glass substrate that an eInk screen does. Perhaps, however, a laptop's screen is somewhat better protected since it's on the "inside" when the machine is closed.

In fairness it's no more fragile than a laptop - any LCD screen has exactly the same kind of glass substrate that an eInk screen does. Perhaps, however, a laptop's screen is somewhat better protected since it's on the "inside" when the machine is closed.

Which is why I went ahead and *BOUGHT* a Fellowes Travel Folio from the online Target store. As I didn't get the Bookeen softcover case - yet! - I figured I'd avoid any repeat of my 'dropping the Cybook' incident with this very *NICE* zippered case. And it only cost $14.95 (plus s&h)!

Derek

Extremely wise decision, Derek. The CyBook is so thin I wouldn't dare to breath on mine without the case.

Hi again!

There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the screen, it just doesn't respond any more. I really hope this is something that will be covered by the warranty. I have been a lot more careful with the Cybook than with my laptop or Palm. It is always in the leather cover and I have never dropped it. If this is something I did - I don't think it's ready for the masses either :(

I phoned Bookeen today, and they haven't responded to my email because they are at a bookfare i Paris. They will be back tomorrow and I hope they will have some good news for me.

bøø

Pictures of the screen, the first it how it looked at first and now the screen is stuck at the splash screen.

Hi again!

There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the screen, it just doesn't respond any more. I really hope this is something that will be covered by the warranty. I have been a lot more careful with the Cybook than with my laptop or Palm. It is always in the leather cover and I have never dropped it. If this is something I did - I don't think it's ready for the masses either :(

I phoned Bookeen today, and they haven't responded to my email because they are at a bookfare i Paris. They will be back tomorrow and I hope they will have some good news for me.

bøø

Pictures of the screen, the first it how it looked at first and now the screen is stuck at the splash screen.

Have you re-flashed the software? Have you been using 'safely remove hardware' when unplugging it from the PC? Perhaps your filesystem is corrupted.

Derek

Have you re-flashed the software? Have you been using 'safely remove hardware' when unplugging it from the PC? Perhaps your filesystem is corrupted.

Derek

Hi Derek
No I haven't re-flashed the software. The Cybook hasn't been connected to the laptop in a week, and I read every day. I have charged it with the charger. I always use the "safely remove hardware" when I unplugg it from the PC. I was reading, turned it off and when I turned it on again I got the checkered page.

Bøø

The "checkerboard" pattern indicates that the firmware is corrupt. A reflash should fix it.

The "checkerboard" pattern indicates that the firmware is corrupt. A reflash should fix it.

No, it does not. Not being able to read the system directory will give you the "checkerboard" patter. I have tested!

Depending on how comfortable you are with formatting disks I would format the internal drive and copy the files I made available through links previous in this thread to test if it works. The only fatal mistake you can do is to format the SD card but removing that would solve that.

Depending on how comfortable you are with formatting disks I would format the internal drive and copy the files I made available through links previous in this thread to test if it works. The only fatal mistake you can do is to format the SD card but removing that would solve that.

Maybe a stupid question :o, but will I be able to format the internal drive when I cant access the Cybooks files on my PC? I use windows XP. When I connect the Cybook to the PC nothing happens. Neither the Cybook nor the SD card can be found by the PC.


Thanks
Bøø

Maybe a stupid question :o, but will I be able to format the internal drive when I cant access the Cybooks files on my PC? I use windows XP. When I connect the Cybook to the PC nothing happens. Neither the Cybook nor the SD card can be found by the PC.


Maybe. At least when you have the checkerboard pattern the disk will be seen . I do not use Windows regularly but somewhere (My computer maybe) you should be able to find a disk that is the Cybook disk. Right clicking on that disk should give you the opportunity to format it.

Bu be careful so you do not reformat a disk in the computer...

Maybe a stupid question :o, but will I be able to format the internal drive when I cant access the Cybooks files on my PC? I use windows XP. When I connect the Cybook to the PC nothing happens. Neither the Cybook nor the SD card can be found by the PC.


Thanks
Bøø

Check your private message from me.

Derek

No, it does not. Not being able to read the system directory will give you the "checkerboard" patter. I have tested!

I think we are saying the same thing, Tommy. The CyBook is unable to read the files which should be there. EITHER because the firmware is corrupt OR because the files have been manually deleted. Either way, what should be there, isn't, and reflashing should fix it.

I think we are saying the same thing, Tommy. The CyBook is unable to read the files which should be there. EITHER because the firmware is corrupt OR because the files have been manually deleted. Either way, what should be there, isn't, and reflashing should fix it.

Well, yes. But you said something else in the statement I commented. A corrupt disk will also give the same symptom. You do not have to remove the file. And I think a corrupt firmware will give another symptom.

This is my first post with my n810 :)

The fact, however, that the Gen3 will not mount as a disk via USB would indicate to me that something rather more than a corrupt file system has happened. I believe I'm correct in saying that this should still happen even if the file system has been corrupted.

The picture you posted seems to indicate a corrrupted OS.

It seems to me you are spinning your wheels discussing a different, somewhat more complicated procedure, without having first tried the most basic and easy procedure of reflashing the Cybook.

Have you received the firmware flash instructions and link from Bookeen? If so, the first thing I would try is to run the firmware reflash. It is a very simple procedure and does not require any connection to your computer. You simply copy the firmware file to your SD card and the press and hold few keys and the Cybook's firmware will be reflashed.

I've noticed that my Cybook is not recognized by my Windows XP computer unless I manually power it on. This differs from my Palm TX which is automatically powered on when I connect it via USB. However when I power the Cybook on it has always been recognized. I'm wondering if this requirement is universal with the Cybook and is what causes so much trouble with people's computers not recognizing the Cybook.

The other night I was reading in bed, set the Cybook down for a sec, and my miniature dachshund stepped on the screen as he was moving around the bed -- I was so freaked out! Turned out it was okay, but still, something this fragile is going to have to be improved before the masses are willing to shell out the kind of money these things cost right now.

Lelah

"A plebe with an expensive toy" :)

Lelah,
Glad to see that your Cybook didn't "go to the dogs."

I've noticed that my Cybook is not recognized by my Windows XP computer unless I manually power it on. This differs from my Palm TX which is automatically powered on when I connect it via USB. However when I power the Cybook on it has always been recognized. I'm wondering if this requirement is universal with the Cybook and is what causes so much trouble with people's computers not recognizing the Cybook.

Yes, that's normal behaviour. You can charge it with it switched off, but it'll only mount as a drive when it's on.

My 505 powers on when I plug it into the USB port.

:thanks:

I want to thank all of you here, who have helped me. The reflash worked and my Cybook is up and running again:D

I was a bit unsure if it would work because I couldn't even turn the Cybook off. But with a lot of help I got it to work. I used the reset button to turn the Cybook of. The battery also drained while I was waiting for Bookeen, which made it a little more complicated. I now look forward to continue reading my books.

Bookeen has still not answered any of my emails :(

Thanks again!
Bøø

:thanks:

I want to thank all of you here, who have helped me. The reflash worked and my Cybook is up and running again:D

I was a bit unsure if it would work because I couldn't even turn the Cybook off. But with a lot of help I got it to work. I used the reset button to turn the Cybook of. The battery also drained while I was waiting for Bookeen, which made it a little more complicated. I now look forward to continue reading my books.

Bookeen has still not answered any of my emails :(

Thanks again!
Bøø

I'm sure Bookeen has been playing catch-up all day long as it has been at the MARS Paris Expo since the 14th.

Derek

The fact, however, that the Gen3 will not mount as a disk via USB would indicate to me that something rather more than a corrupt file system has happened. I believe I'm correct in saying that this should still happen even if the file system has been corrupted.

Well, yes that seems obvious depending on what you mean with mount. That still does not make your statement about the "checkerboard" pattern correct.

A corrupt file system will sometimes not mount using Unix terminology.