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Sylvania SYNET7WID Netbook Issue

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Sam626 Page Icon Posted 2015-04-04 12:21 PM
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My niece purchased one of these from a local store, it was a customer return and got it pretty cheap, but so far it's basically a brick so since it wasn't free it's not cheap enough. Goes into the boot sequence, and a window pops up saying something about it running into a serious problem with Explorer.exe and needs to shut down.

Things I've found online that I've tried and all have failed...

Formatted a SD card to Fat 32, downloaded several versions of Windows CE and moved just the Script Folder to the SD card, restarted Netbook and it starts rebooting just as it did before not reading off the SD card.
Found a comment online about having to hit the Space Bar to get it to read the SD card at bootup, no effect
Found another comment saying to hold down the f11 key to read off the SD Card, no effect and I'm assuming since there isn't a regular F11 key they mean hold down the fn key and f1 key which appears to be the combination for F11

Can't get it to read off the SD Card

Pushed in and held the RESET Button on back for a minimum of 10 seconds dozens of times and it does absolutely nothing, just reboots as it always does, same error.

Tried the same process using a USB Flash Driver also formatted to Fat 32 plus just Script Folder to that, tried it in each USB Port, no success.

Am I missing something obvious to anyone, or does anyone have any suggestions of other things I could try? I thought of going to Linux on it, but until I can get it to boot up off the USB or SD card that's not an option either as far as I can see.

Is there a specific key or key sequence to force it to boot off the SD card or should it do it automatically with the SD card installed?

Thanks for any hints or tips.
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Rich Hawley Page Icon Posted 2015-04-04 2:01 PM
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I hope you got the image file to flash from this website...we have the default 8505 CPU build for that exact netbook in the Devs & Spec area.

Sounds like you did the correct thing...just format an SD card, copy the script folder to the root level, insert it and then turn the netbook on.

I wonder if perhaps the SD card reader in the netbook is faulty...hence the reason for the return. You shouldn't have to hit any key...it should just load the new firmware if it is reading the card correctly.

Only suggestion: open it up and check to make sure the SD card reader is properly soldered to the motherboard and make sure none of the contact pins are damaged.
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Sam626 Page Icon Posted 2015-04-04 3:49 PM
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I was thinking the same thing such as a cold solder joint or something to that effect, but figured I'd double check on the other things before started to take it apart, and yes I downloaded the image file from here. Ok, then it looks like that will be my next step to tear it down to the board and start traciing the solder joints and line traces to see if there are any breaks. Thanks again.
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CE Geek Page Icon Posted 2015-04-04 4:20 PM
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Before you open it up, one question: how big is the SD(HC) card? I've heard stories that sometimes the reflash doesn't work with cards bigger than 2 GB (ie, SDHC as opposed to the older SD, which should work). Even if it's the right size, the card could still be faulty. Try another card if you can.
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Sam626 Page Icon Posted 2015-04-05 1:23 AM
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This is a 8 GB... I haven't got it completely disassembled yet so maybe I'll try the smaller chip before I go any further.
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Sam626 Page Icon Posted 2015-04-05 2:26 AM
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Got 2GB chip and tried that, still no success.

The other thing that concerns me and makes me wonder if it might be something other than the SD Card is the fact that when I push in the reset button on the bottom of the Netbook, it's suppose to go to a text screen, I believe, that then allows you to erase the old settings and install a fresh copy of the OS. I hit the reset button a number of times, it shut down and came up and immediately started the boot process without ever going to a text screen. When I have the SD Card in, it does the same thing just trying to boot up whatever the existing OS and settings are on the Netbook.

Also the ribbon cables for the keyboard connects to the mainboard, how are those disconnected? I pried up the tabs, so what's the next step? Are the connectors hinged? Do they pull straight up or slide towards the front of the case? I've only worked on one newer laptop that used connectors with the ribbon cables and in that lapt they were all zif connectors so it was a matter of flipping up a bar and removing them. Thanks again.
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CE Geek Page Icon Posted 2015-04-05 5:58 AM
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The reset button is doing what it's supposed to do. The reflash process with the SD card is supposed to bring up a text screen.

I'm assuming that you have the \script folder in the root of the SD card rather than inside another folder on the card.
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Sam626 Page Icon Posted 2015-04-05 6:05 AM
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The only thing on the SD card is the folder labled Script and the files that were included in the download inside of that, nothing else.

Format was in Fat32

Edited by Sam626 2015-04-05 6:05 AM
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Rich Hawley Page Icon Posted 2015-04-05 3:15 PM
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Sounds like you did the right thing with the SD card and folders...

The script folder should be as you have it...at the root level. Inside that folder should be another folder title system disk. Also in the script folder should be a few files such as autorun.exe, logo.bmp, normal_nk.nb0, safe_nk.nb0, and a scriptcmd file.

If you removed the keyboard screws, and then lifted the keyboard up along the top edge, and can see the cable connector, lift the two tabs at the left and right of the ribbon connector and then pull the cable towards the front of the netbook to remove it.

Lots of videos on '7" netbook disassembly' on Youtube showing how to do it all.
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Sam626 Page Icon Posted 2015-04-06 2:38 AM
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In the Script Folder is:

Folder labled System Disk
Files:
AutoRun
Logo
normal_nk
safe_nk
scriptcmd

Found some videos on YouTube which verbally said what to do, but didn't show the actual removing of the cables so wasn't sure which way to apply pressure, whether to pull, push, or lift.

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CE Geek Page Icon Posted 2015-04-06 5:04 AM
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You don't lift the tabs on the keyboard ribbon cable connector, Rich - you pull them gently toward the front of the device (and I do mean gently, since they're easy to break) and then slide out the cable. (All the ribbon cable connectors on the motherboard work this way.)
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Sam626 Page Icon Posted 2015-04-06 6:23 AM
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Got the tab thing figured out, and removed the cable for the keyboard,which is now out and lay aside. Got the metal tray the keyboard was sitting on out and down to the mainboard. Will wait till tomorrow to remove mainboard as set my small screwdriver down when I had to go run an errand earlier tonight and now I can't find the stinking thing. Sort of in the process of getting things packed to move as well and finding things disappearing earier and easier, usually they fall into a box and too many boxes to dig through to find it right now. Easier to just go buy another one, and saves frustration as well.
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