Home Center 2 won't start! Bricked?!?

[eug2000 1]

Hi all,

 

Thank-you in advance for help and advice.

My Home Centre 2 has stopped working last night, and I have sooo much z-wave stuff and am dependant on it, I'm desperate to try and get it fixed.

I noticed last night my phone couldn't connect to it, then I couldn't access it via the browser - server not found error.

 

I then went to look at it, and I think the 4 lights on the right were on. I powered it off and then on, but it wouldn't start up. What happens, is when I unplug it and replug it, it starts the flashing lights sequence from right to left for a few seconds, then it stops (i.e. it doesn't complete the boot up). I then press the power button on the back, and it will go through the boot-up sequence till all 10 lights are lit, but then all the LEDs go off, and nothing happens. It is then unresponsive to trying to power it on again. The LAN cable remains lit (green light only)

 

I have tried entering recovery mode too, but it goes through the boot sequence with lights flashing from left to right until they are all lit, and then all the LEDs turn off and it is still unresponsive.

 

I have tried removing the recovery USB and doing it, with the same result. I have removed the LAN cable as well with the same result.

 

I don't have a VGA cable (but will see if I can pick one up) so can't tell you what the BIOS is doing.

 

I was wondering if you guys have any suggestions, or is it truly bricked? I haven't done the full reset yet (i.e. holding the recovery button for 10 seconds as I'm trying not to have to do a full reinstall).

 

Really is a bit of a disaster given all the z-wave stuff I have and are pretty reliant on it. Any advice greatly appreciated!!

 

Thanks again,

 

Eugene.

[matt1981 37]

Same thing happened to me, after I had to restart it during it freezing during an update. As long as you've updated to 4.5xx with the option to restore, either via cloud or local, you should be fine. You need to press the button with the plus sign next to power button on the back of the HC2. It will then load up to a recovery screen allowing you to restore to a previous saved restore.

[Tony270570 107]

Hi, I also had several times this issue in one of my boxes, I was thinking my box was dying, as the other box never had any similar issue. After having tried several things, I just power unplugged/re-plugged and it was booting ok. It happens to me after backups or  restarts. 

I didn't had anymore this issue after 4.512 update don't know if it fixed the problem or just if I was lucky. @annhan91 what firmware version are you running?

[Snowman28 1]

Hi Guys, thanks for continuing to offer support, but i have tried to get to the point of recovery, but the box does not get that far into the boot sequence. The issue is exactly the same is as the post by "

Please login or register to see this link.

 

Please login or register to see this link.

" the lights do not complete the boot sequence. If i try to hold in the recovery button until the boot sequence completes the lights follow the same sequence as before.

[Jamie mccrostie 82]

Have you tried using a third party app like Fing to see HC2 appears on network?

[eug2000 1]

I run a managed Unifi switch, and so I can log into the controller and try to see it on the network - unfortunately, not showing.

 

I got myself a VGA cable, however as far as I can tell, there is no output from the VGA at all, even during the start-up sequence. Is this normal behaviour?

 

I also tried to do a full hard reset (i.e., hold down the recovery button for >10 seconds), but still no better.

 

I guess I have two options

1. Try to restore a new HC2 from a cloud backup

2. Send the HC2 back to Poland

 

Does anyone have any advice on which is better/preferable?

 

I can't recall my last cloud back-up, maybe 2-3 weeks ago I think. Is there any way of checking to see if I have valid cloud backups??

 

Thanks again,

 

Eugene.

[fkruis 14]

Hi,

 

when the light of the home center comes on  you  should  see  a  bios boot.  in  a few seconds followed by a linux  boot that will start fibaro.

it can help to remove  the powerconnector for a few seconds for the hc II, plug in back  and try again

 

 

Edited September 20, 2018 by fkruis

[eug2000 1]

Thanks for the info. Very strange, my screen shows no input during the whole process - not sure if the home centre 2 is at fault, or something else weird like I have a defective cable or my TV doesn't accept the signal appropriately. I've contacted fibaro support, and they've asked me to send the unit back to Poland.

 

Anybody have an opinion on whether recovering via cloud backup is easy and reliable? For some reason, I can find very little on it on the internet. Obviously a lot faster getting a system locally, than having to send it back and forth from Aus to Poland.

[coolxt 0]

I have exactly the same problem. My system stopped in the middle of the night. I cant find al solution on the internet. I am afraid that I have to send it to Fibaro Poland. 

[RH_Dreambox 189]

Have you tried another PSU?

If the box shuts down at boot time, it may be due to a defective PSU.

[peranet 0]

SAme problem, any solution?
This video shows the same prpoblem trying to boot. In this video the problem is booting in recovery mode:

 

[DarrenB 1]

+3

I have the exact same problem since a few weeks back, after upgrading to the latest version of the firmware.

I thought I was the only one having this problem since all other info on the web refers to ALL LEDs being lit and problems with the USB drive being corrupt, while mine behaves just like in the video i.e. pumping sequence first, then dies out just like the power ran out.

 

I sent the video to Fibaro support who just told me to send it to Poland, which I'm not a fan of. I would've want them to help me trouble shoot remotely first.

I bought a new PSU today, and connected a VGA. Same problem. Will not boot up. I see nothing appearing on the screen.

 

My Fibaro HC2 has been working reliably for years, all of a sudden after a simple upgrade it stops working all together? Can it have something to do with them removing the need for the USB stick?

Can you other guys tell me approximately when you started seeing this problem, and if you had installed the latest version of the firmware?

Kind of strange that 3 people are experiencing exactly the same thing happening to their hardware within a few weeks apart in that case. If this has something to do with their firmware upgrade bricking my HC2 I'm sure not willing to pay to have it fixed.

[peranet 0]

On 10/26/2018 at 11:03 AM, DarrenB said:

+3

I have the exact same problem since a few weeks back, after upgrading to the latest version of the firmware.

I thought I was the only one having this problem since all other info on the web refers to ALL LEDs being lit and problems with the USB drive being corrupt, while mine behaves just like in the video i.e. pumping sequence first, then dies out just like the power ran out.

 

I sent the video to Fibaro support who just told me to send it to Poland, which I'm not a fan of. I would've want them to help me trouble shoot remotely first.

I bought a new PSU today, and connected a VGA. Same problem. Will not boot up. I see nothing appearing on the screen.

 

My Fibaro HC2 has been working reliably for years, all of a sudden after a simple upgrade it stops working all together? Can it have something to do with them removing the need for the USB stick?

Can you other guys tell me approximately when you started seeing this problem, and if you had installed the latest version of the firmware?

Kind of strange that 3 people are experiencing exactly the same thing happening to their hardware within a few weeks apart in that case. If this has something to do with their firmware upgrade bricking my HC2 I'm sure not willing to pay to have it fixed.

 

I have replaced bios battery, and the problem continues... Now _I dont know what more can I do

[DarrenB 1]

21 hours ago, peranet said:

 

I have replaced bios battery, and the problem continues... Now _I dont know what more can I do

 

When did you update to the latest HC2 firmware? Did you upgrade to the latest beta before the HC2 stopped working?

[Snowman28 1]

Hi Guys, looks like I'm in the boat.... Exactly the same situation... Has anyone been able to resolve the failure?

 

[matt1981 37]

I had this exact same issue with mine, when i tried updating to the latest beta firmware.  it froze at "stopping services".  i attempted to restart the HC2 via the power button on the back and i had the exact issue with the lights and the HC2 wouldn't start up.  i pushed the recovery button on the back, next to the power button. it loaded to the recovery page and it allowed me to reinstall a previous cloud backup.  this solved the issue.

Edited November 10, 2018 by matt1981
Edit

[Snowman28 1]

Hi Matt1981, tried getting to the recovery page, but it will not get there. Lights go out and its dead.

[annhan91 16]

+1 I turn off HC2 by power button and turn ON by power button then HC2 work. But disconnect Power  HC2,The HC2 can't autostart.

 

Bios OK

Edited November 13, 2018 by annhan91

[[email protected] 2]

Hi guys

I read ALL the problem description and my problem is as the same  as you.

 

REMEDY :
As the power problem for laptop charger, maybe PSU or its cable doesnt work true. So I tried to unplug the power and changed its power cable and after 3-4 times turning on again, after passing the sequence, after 10secs off LEDs, suddenly the power led has been turned on !! Then I didnt Turned it on again. Also the firmware is updated to 4.510 and the hc2 is new and its the second time is been turned on.

 

All of you guys, allow take some mins after starting and led turned off, okey ?

then repy the post

Sincerely you

 

 

[annhan91 16]

hi, i'm using ver 4.512Beta and i think this issue board HC2.
I replaced Cmos PIN -> plug power HC2 -> Turnoff HC2 by button power -> Turnon HC2 by button power and HC2 work ok.
I unplug and plug power HC2  again and The HC2 work ok

 

The orange light of RJ45 jack turn ON -> HC2 work OK

[[email protected] 2]

3 hours ago, annhan91 said:

hi, i'm using ver 4.512Beta and i think this issue board HC2.
I replaced Cmos PIN -> plug power HC2 -> Turnoff HC2 by button power -> Turnon HC2 by button power and HC2 work ok.
I unplug and plug power HC2  again and The HC2 work ok

 

The orange light of RJ45 jack turn ON -> HC2 work OK

 

 

 

So You just unplug the CMOS and pluged CMOS ?

With out changing it ?