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  1. Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    I have a Pioneer 531H and it keeps freezing up. I have tried reseting it and unpluging it also. Whenever you turn it on, it will work for about 5 minutes and then locks up. It will immediately lock up if you try to enter the TV Guide menu.

    Does anyone have any suggestions? Pioneer customer service was useless.

    Thanks,
    Chris
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  2. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    ..
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  3. wabjxo had the best recommendation for the first two options: do a hard overall reset as he described, and/or within the five minute window that the machine is operational, erase some titles from the hard drive to make more headroom for the system, especially if you have under 5 hours left in SP mode (try to keep 6-7 hours free).

    If those options don't help, your TVGOS is probably corrupt and failing and will soon take the recorder completely down with it (the 2005 Pioneers have an atrocious TVGOS design that is prone to failure and is tied into the recorder a hundred different ways). Some people find success in extending the life of their 531-533-633 machines by performing a software reset of the TVGOS system itself. The following instructions for this were copied from a much older VideoHelp thread, I'm sorry I no longer have a record of who originally posted it:

    1-Go to TVG "SETUP" in top Service Bar ("go to Service Bar" in side Menu, then left in Service Bar to "SETUP").
    2. Down arrow once to "Change system settings" and HIGHLIGHT. DO NOT press Enter button.
    3. With "Change system settings" highlighted, Enter 1st code with number keys: 753159852.
    4. When grey menu screen appears, enter 2nd code: 653274147.
    5. Turn unit OFF.
    6. Turn unit ON.
    7. Redo TVG Setup. Go to SETUP again and, this time, select (Enter) "Change system settings."
    8. Select the bottom choice, "No, repeat Setup process."
    9. Enter your system/location info. again, even if it's there from before.
    10. Turn unit OFF.
    11. Wait 24-48 hours for results.
    12. If this doesn't work, call Pioneer again and ask for "Advanced" help. They will "escalate" your problem (whatever that entails).

    Unfortunately a great many 531-533-633 units experience HDD failure within 2-3 years. If the above tips don't get your 531 working again, the only way to repair it is to replace the hard drive with a new one that has a fresh copy of the TVGOS application embedded on it. This process is so ridiculously complicated that even Pioneer now avoids doing it since all these units are well past their warranty expiration. (At one point they just started exchanging 531s for 640s, it was easier and cost them less.) You have nothing to lose by trying a do-it-yourself repair, but it is very very tricky and difficult. Complete instructions can be found at the pioneerfaq.info website (a great DIY resource not affiliated with Pioneer Corporation).
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  4. Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    I have tried the hard shut down and let it sit overnight will it says "wait one moment." And it didn't do anything. I think we only had about 5 hours of shows or less on the hard drive, so it shouldn't be full.
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  5. Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    I was finally able to do the hard reset and then followed up with the software reset and everything is working now. Thanks for all your help.

    Chris
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