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Sometimes you really need to get down and dirty. The
basic tests aren’t enough. You need the real information.
DIRECTV receivers have three built-in tests that can
help you understand what is going on inside that sleek
black box.
Disclaimer :These tests are designed for ADVANCED
users. It’s pretty hard to do any permanent damage
with them but as with any high-level tests it is possible
to get yourself into a pickle, so be careful. If you don’t
think you’ll be comfortable with using these tests, don’t
do them. Neither DIRECTV nor SolidSignal.com or its
associated companies are responsible for any damage
or lost data resulting from the use of advanced tests. If
you undertake any tests not designed for the regular public you do so at your own risk.
TESTING YOUR RECEIVER OR DVR
STEP 1: DIRECTV’s own automatic tests
When you boot up a DIRECTV receiver, it does a lot of its own tests. When you see the screen
above, it’s starting its test cycle. The next screen, which says “Running Receiver Self-Check”
completes a lot of the same tests you can run manually. If errors are found at that point, you’re
told that the drive needs to be checked for errors and the receiver could be down for quite a
while. This is a good thing. This test usually finds problems before they get serious.
Less serious errors like corrupt files can be fixed quickly with a simple reboot. Rebooting twice
within 30 minutes will clear out a lot of the temporary stuff on the DVR like guide data and that
sometimes makes a difference.
A lot of people ask... is it better to
reboot with the red button or should
you go through the menus?
For years, the conventional wisdom was that the
red reset button was only for emergencies and
that it was better to do a “graceful reboot” by
pressing {MENU} then going to Settings&Help,
Settings, Reset, Restart Receiver. Folks at
DIRECTV have recently changed their tune and
now say that pressing the red button isn’t likely
to make any difference, especially if you already
suspect a problem. So, the choice is up to you.