Charging Forma bricked it

talaivan · 05-09-2023, 08:38 PM

The other day, I plugged my Forma into a USB cable attached to a charger overnight. I suspect the capacity of my charger and cable were much more than a computer with the Kobo cable, but that shouldn't matter. In the morning, the screen read "sleeping, 100% charged," and the computer was bricked -- wouldn't start no matter what I did. The light doesn't come on with the charging cable in, and holding the start button in had no result. I'm pretty sure the charging cycle is to blame, since it was working perfectly before I charged it. I'm wondering whether anyone else has had this happen and whether someone knows a way to unbrick my Forma.

Quoth · 05-10-2023, 06:10 AM

The cable rating is largely a myth (some are just bad cables). Cables that allege to charge fast are often lying as I've not seen one USB-A to USB-C cable in a shop with the extra USB 3.0 pins on the USB-A connector. Cable has no effect if Host socket, charger or gadget is USB 2.0.

A 0.5A charging gadget over USB will still only take 0.5A on a 2A charger.

It's likely a co-incidence that it bricked while charging. If it was a malicious USB charger you'd get the "Connect to PC?" pop-up.

Try a factory reset.

Quoth · 05-10-2023, 06:14 AM

Of course a wrongly wired cable can destroy a gadget (+5V and 0V swapped). But if so it will do it first time and to most gadgets.
A badly designed USB-C charger that can output more than 5V by default will destroy almost all regular 5V USB gadgets. Even USB-C ereaders are all 5V.
Only a few power tools and some laptops use USB-C charging at more than 5V (usually either 12V or 20V). A 20V 5A USB-C charger is supposed to only do 5V unless the USB 3.0 signalling wires ask for more. I think most USB-C ereaders are USB 2.0 and a Forma is micro USB-B 2.0 anyway.

talaivan · 05-10-2023, 12:36 PM

I checked my charger -- 5V. It must have been something not caused by charging. Fortunately, I also have a Sage. Thanks for feedback.

Quoth · 05-10-2023, 01:38 PM

Did you try the specific incantations for a full factory reset?

05-09-2023, 08:38 PM	#1
talaivan Groupie Posts: 188 Karma: 4710362 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Sony prs-505	Charging Forma bricked it The other day, I plugged my Forma into a USB cable attached to a charger overnight. I suspect the capacity of my charger and cable were much more than a computer with the Kobo cable, but that shouldn't matter. In the morning, the screen read "sleeping, 100% charged," and the computer was bricked -- wouldn't start no matter what I did. The light doesn't come on with the charging cable in, and holding the start button in had no result. I'm pretty sure the charging cycle is to blame, since it was working perfectly before I charged it. I'm wondering whether anyone else has had this happen and whether someone knows a way to unbrick my Forma.

05-10-2023, 06:14 AM	#3
Quoth Still reading Posts: 13,653 Karma: 103503445 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Of course a wrongly wired cable can destroy a gadget (+5V and 0V swapped). But if so it will do it first time and to most gadgets. A badly designed USB-C charger that can output more than 5V by default will destroy almost all regular 5V USB gadgets. Even USB-C ereaders are all 5V. Only a few power tools and some laptops use USB-C charging at more than 5V (usually either 12V or 20V). A 20V 5A USB-C charger is supposed to only do 5V unless the USB 3.0 signalling wires ask for more. I think most USB-C ereaders are USB 2.0 and a Forma is micro USB-B 2.0 anyway. Last edited by Quoth; 05-10-2023 at 06:18 AM.

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05-10-2023, 06:10 AM	#2
Quoth Still reading Posts: 13,653 Karma: 103503445 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	The cable rating is largely a myth (some are just bad cables). Cables that allege to charge fast are often lying as I've not seen one USB-A to USB-C cable in a shop with the extra USB 3.0 pins on the USB-A connector. Cable has no effect if Host socket, charger or gadget is USB 2.0. A 0.5A charging gadget over USB will still only take 0.5A on a 2A charger. It's likely a co-incidence that it bricked while charging. If it was a malicious USB charger you'd get the "Connect to PC?" pop-up. Try a factory reset.

05-10-2023, 12:36 PM	#4
talaivan Groupie Posts: 188 Karma: 4710362 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Sony prs-505	I checked my charger -- 5V. It must have been something not caused by charging. Fortunately, I also have a Sage. Thanks for feedback.

05-10-2023, 01:38 PM	#5
Quoth Still reading Posts: 13,653 Karma: 103503445 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Did you try the specific incantations for a full factory reset?