KOBO Aura H2O completely frozen

[throsu]

OK, meeera, it makes sense what you are saying. It wasn't exactly clear to me, so I had to ask. Thanks!

However, do you think it's better to charge it again and try a factory reset, or - given that none of the buttons seems to be responsive - to let it discharge completely, hoping that then it will become responsive? If I charge it now and it doesn't work, it will only take more time afterwards to discharge...

What would you do?

[meeera]

I am not a battery expert, but I believe that letting this type of battery run down to absolutely completely drained can damage the battery beyond repair. Someone else may kick in here.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by throsu

OK, meeera, it makes sense what you are saying. It wasn't exactly clear to me, so I had to ask. Thanks!

However, do you think it's better to charge it again and try a factory reset, or - given that none of the buttons seems to be responsive - to let it discharge completely, hoping that then it will become responsive? If I charge it now and it doesn't work, it will only take more time afterwards to discharge...

The device is unresponsive. Leaving it alone won't get it working. But, as a general rule, if a Kobo device is not responding at all, assume the battery has run down. So, start at the top and keep going until something works:

1. Plug it in. It is quite possible that after a few minutes the device will start.
2. If it doesn't, leave it to charge for an hour.
3. Unplug it.
4. Look at the power button and turn it on. Does the red LED flash? Does the screen do anything?
5. Hold the power button down for at least 20 seconds. This will force the device off.
6. Again, look at the power button and turn it on. Does the red LED flash? Does the screen do anything?
7. Do a factory reset:
   1. Hold the power button down for at least 20 seconds. Yes, I keep saying that, but do it.
   2. Hold the power button down and tap both of the bottom corners of the screen.
   3. Keep tapping until something happens.
   4. Release the power button.

If you get to the factory reset, you might need to try it a few times. The last time I tried this, it took me about 10 tries before I got the timing right.

If it doesn't come back after the above, it is probably faulty and you need to get it replaced.

[frostschutz]

Originally Posted by throsu

1. will I lose the warranty if the seller will find the 3.17 firmware on the device?

I wouldn't think so. Sure you downloaded it from here but it's still a file coming from Kobo...

Originally Posted by throsu

2. do the factory reset or the hard reset need a fully charged battery?

Not really. But it's not ideal if it ran out of juice while resetting or firmware upgrading, that would leave you in a situation where (after charging) only the "hold power button+tap both bottom screen corners" method would work to re-do the reset. Thus the recommendation to charge first.

Originally Posted by throsu

if I leave the device to fully discharge, then there is hope of it going back to life?

If it's the same problem I had - yes (except I disconnected/reconnected my battery instead of letting it discharge). But it will probably take a long time to discharge, it depends on how much power the device is using in its current state; and the only way to reliably test whether it's done is to - connect a charger, where each minute you charge will undo hours/days of discharge effort.

Also a full discharge is really bad for the battery.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by davidfor

[*]Do a factory reset:

1. Hold the power button down for at least 20 seconds. Yes, I keep saying that, but do it.
2. Hold the power button down and tap both of the bottom corners of the screen.
3. Keep tapping until something happens.
4. Release the power button.

[/LIST]
If you get to the factory reset, you might need to try it a few times. The last time I tried this, it took me about 10 tries before I got the timing right.

I don't suppose anyone experienced in this has a sufficiently sacrificial setup that they'd be willing to make a video of the procedure?

[Desdinova]

https://www.kobo.com/help/en-US/arti...r-kobo-ereader ?

"Performing a basic reset

A basic reset will force your eReader to restart properly. In many cases, this is enough to restore your eReader to normal.

If possible, turn off your eReader.
Remove the port cover, and locate the small pinhole on the bottom of your eReader.
Unfold a paperclip and slide an end into the hole.
Press gently until you feel a click.
Your eReader should restart.
Performing a factory reset

If a basic reset doesn't work, you can perform a factory reset to restore your eReader to its original settings. After a factory reset, you’ll have to set up and sync your eReader again.

If you perform a factory reset on your eReader, you'll:
Remove all books from your eReader. Any books you purchased from Kobo can be re-downloaded from the Kobo Cloud after a factory reset.
Lose any bookmarks and annotations you made in your books since you last synced your eReader.
Sign out of your account on your eReader.
Reset all of your settings and preferences.
Return your eReader to its original settings.
If possible, back up any books or documents that you added to your eReader using Adobe Digital Editions, or that you manually added using your computer. You do not need to back up any books you bought from Kobo. Any books you purchased from Kobo can be re-downloaded from the Kobo Cloud after a factory reset.
Go to your Home screen.
Tap the Menu icon at the top of the screen.
The Quick Settings panel will appear.
Tap Settings.
Tap Device information.
Tap Factory reset under Advanced.
Tap Reset now.
Performing a manual factory reset

If a basic reset and a factory reset don't work, you can try a manual factory reset to restore your eReader to its original settings. After a manual factory reset, you'll need to set up and sync your eReader again. Before you perform a manual factory reset, charge your eReader for at least four hours.

While your eReader is on, remove the port cover on the bottom of your eReader.
Insert a paper clip into the small hole beside the Micro USB slot and push gently.
You'll feel a click and your eReader will reset itself.
When you see square icons on the screen, insert a paper clip into the small hole beside the Micro USB slot and push gently.
Repeat step 3 two more times.
Your eReader's screen will turn black, and show a Critical error message. Don't worry, this is normal.
Tap the check mark icon at the bottom of the screen to reset your eReader.
Setting up your eReader after a factory reset

After you've performed a factory reset on your eReader, you'll need to set it up again.

Set up your eReader using Wi Fi or Kobo Desktop.
Sync your library to restore any Kobo books you own.
Reconfigure any settings you changed.
Add any books or documents you previously added using Adobe Digital Editions, a Micro SD card, or drag-and-drop on your computer."

[koboy]

don't open it otherwise you will void your warranty.


best wishes koboy

[throsu]

Thank you, davidfor and Desdinova, for your very clear instructions.

I've charged the reader for one hour, as recommended. After that, I have tried all the reset types, they simply don't work (no light blinking either in red or white, no thrill of the screen, nothing!).

I really don't know what could have triggered the device entering the coma, without any prior warning whatsoever. I am really so puzzled and disappointed, I have to admit (though I don't blame Kobo in absolutely any way). It was a unit very well taken care of, with protection cover from day one, as you would do for a book you really love and care about.

In the meantime, I wrote to the Italian seller, no answer up to now, but to be honest, I expect some bureaucratic obstacles and I tell this from my own experience with a previous unit (another H2O, bought from Germany) which they have refused to take back, although it had some very easily proven failures.

Koboy, don't worry, I wasn't gonna open it, but thanks a lot for the warning!

[Desdinova]

Wonder if the internal SD card has died?

[throsu]

Originally Posted by Desdinova

Wonder if the internal SD card has died?

Is there a way to check this hypothesis?

[Desdinova]

If you plug in into a PC, and switch it on - does anything happen on the PC - does it detect it etc etc?

[Desdinova]

One thought if you do end up getting the run around via warranty etc - you may have nothing to lose by replacing the internal SD card..

[frostschutz]

Originally Posted by Desdinova

Wonder if the internal SD card has died?

It's one of the possibilities.

1) the device just got stuck really bad somehow (happened to me - once - but then I'm modding my H2O in all sorts of ways)
2) bad sd card
3) bad battery
4) bad something else on the mainboard

It's not a bad display, if only the display was bad, the power LED would still light up.

Is there a way to check this hypothesis?

not without using a can opener

[throsu]

Originally Posted by frostschutz

not without using a can opener

I thought so, I know that the card is inside the device, very close to the battery
It might be the card. I am far from being an expert, but otherwise I cannot explain, in reasonable terms, the sudden failure of the reader.

The PC does not detect the device once plugged in...

[Desdinova]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bffxKvz9RhA

It can be opened, just you're going to basically have a Kobo Aura HD afterwards