My f900bt won't boot. I have read just about every piece of info here on this issue and don't know what the next step would be at this point so i need a little help/guidance. I have tried the following....

soft restart

hard restart

reload 2.0 software update

loaded testmode.zip and could not reach test mode

tried a hard reset via reset+eject and still couldn't reach test mode.

attempted to reload 2.0 and THEN tried to enter test mode.

when no SD card is present in the HU the system shuts off after 15-20 seconds, it never makes it past "Pioneer" and shuts down. with an SD card present loaded up with the 2.0 update or the testmode files the unit with reboot over and over but more rapidly then when no SD card is in (say every 5 seconds). i haven't given up and am not ready to throw in the towel, i just don't know what to do next. if someone has any suggestions and don't mind helping a little i'm all ears. also if it's time to send it to Pioneer please just lmk that also. Thanks in advance.

":3ro88rrh]My f900bt won't boot. I have read just about every piece of info here on this issue and don't know what the next step would be at this point so i need a little help/guidance. I have tried the following....

 

soft restart

hard restart

reload 2.0 software update

loaded testmode.zip and could not reach test mode

 

tried a hard reset via reset+eject and still couldn't reach test mode.

 

attempted to reload 2.0 and THEN tried to enter test mode.

 

when no SD card is present in the HU the system shuts off after 15-20 seconds, it never makes it past "Pioneer" and shuts down. with an SD card present loaded up with the 2.0 update or the testmode files the unit with reboot over and over but more rapidly then when no SD card is in (say every 5 seconds). i haven't given up and am not ready to throw in the towel, i just don't know what to do next. if someone has any suggestions and don't mind helping a little i'm all ears. also if it's time to send it to Pioneer please just lmk that also. Thanks in advance.

any mods you have done prior to unit acting up like this

I've had the unit installed for 6 months. 2 days after i had it installed i had the parking brake mod done and a week later i did the 2.0 update. I had no knowledge of any mods that could be done to it other than those and had not touched it other than that. Both mods were done by a professional and worked PERFECT for 6 months. Nothing was done prior to this happening, just normal use.

":1zkahn9q]I've had the unit installed for 6 months. 2 days after i had it installed i had the parking brake mod done and a week later i did the 2.0 update. I had no knowledge of any mods that could be done to it other than those and had not touched it other than that. Both mods were done by a professional and worked PERFECT for 6 months. Nothing was done prior to this happening, just normal use.

then i guess your best bet is to send it back to pioneer, probably a hardware failure or something

pioneer will, and has already, blamed mine and all the other boot problems on the parking brake bypass. i'm not buying that because i know that's bullshit and there has to be something happening and i'm the type of person to try and figure it out.

i can accept a hardware malfunction but i would like to eliminate all options before having the massive hole in my dash for probably 2 weeks and paying the bastards to fix it.

can ANYONE think of ANYTHING else to try? i will try anything at all before i send this off. i'm actually about to pull the unit and check the fuses in the back because i haven't done that yet and try to disconnect the battery terminal again.

Get the test mode files and boot the unit into windows and delete the 4 files named GpsparaX.bin X= 0-3. That fixings things for a decent number of folks. Don't worry the system will recreate the files.

The unit will not go into test mode. Just goes into a rapid loop of restarting over and over.

Are there any tricks or tips to get it into test mode? The card is a 2 gig that I made sure was properly formatted.

bump...

do u have an ipod hooked up?

i do have a cable to hook one up that is always plugged in. but my iphone isn't plugged in during any of this.

":2yqrud9h]pioneer will, and has already, blamed mine and all the other boot problems on the parking brake bypass. i'm not buying that because i know that's bullshit and there has to be something happening and i'm the type of person to try and figure it out.

 

i can accept a hardware malfunction but i would like to eliminate all options before having the massive hole in my dash for probably 2 weeks and paying the bastards to fix it.

 

can ANYONE think of ANYTHING else to try? i will try anything at all before i send this off. i'm actually about to pull the unit and check the fuses in the back because i haven't done that yet and try to disconnect the battery terminal again.

First off, why would you tell Pioneer that you did the bypass? That has nothing to do with anything.

Make sure your ground is COMPLETELY grounded. Make sure the positive connection is hooked up.

If it doesn't at least power up after both of those, it is something wrong with the device itself, in which case, you contact Pioneer, say your device stopped working, and you send in the DEVICE, not the harness, so how would they even know you did the bypass??

":3cfw19vh]pioneer will, and has already, blamed mine and all the other boot problems on the parking brake bypass. i'm not buying that because i know that's bullshit and there has to be something happening and i'm the type of person to try and figure it out.

 

i can accept a hardware malfunction but i would like to eliminate all options before having the massive hole in my dash for probably 2 weeks and paying the bastards to fix it.

 

can ANYONE think of ANYTHING else to try? i will try anything at all before i send this off. i'm actually about to pull the unit and check the fuses in the back because i haven't done that yet and try to disconnect the battery terminal again.

First off, why would you tell Pioneer that you did the bypass? That has nothing to do with anything.

Make sure your ground is COMPLETELY grounded. Make sure the positive connection is hooked up.

If it doesn't at least power up after both of those, it is something wrong with the device itself, in which case, you contact Pioneer, say your device stopped working, and you send in the DEVICE, not the harness, so how would they even know you did the bypass??

i didn't TELL them i did the bypass. if you call pioneer with this sort of problem, they are blaming it on a bypass, PERIOD. i've even read this on here quite a few times.

now about the problem...

the unit is powering on. but like i stated it is rebooting just when the screen the reads "please wait, system startup in progress" (or something) should come up. right after "Pioneer".

so back to my original question cause somehow you missed the point. I"m not trying to send it to pioneer, disregard what they said, i'm wondering if i have exhausted all my options to fix it on my own. if i have i will unmount, unplug, and ship it off. but i'm out of warranty and it will cost a minimum of $200 to get it fixed plus shipping charges. so far i have....

soft restart

hard restart

reinstall 2.0 update

tried to boot with test files (would not go into test mode)

i don't want to give up on it. i'm still awaiting suggestions and i'm pretty sure my ground and power lead are fine since it is coming on and starting to boot but is dropping out.

and i know the bypass dont' have anything to do with anything and can't believe they are handing that out as an answer as to why shit loads of ppls units just take a shit for no reason. i can't accept that and that is why i refuse to send it in and want to fix it myself.

i want to try the fixes some had success with in test mode such as deleting the 4 files GpsparaX.bin X= 0-3 but i can't get it into test mode. there was a thread around here somewhere that i am currently searching for that tells a way to get into test mode a little easier.

TJ,

I read on this forum somewhere that somebody else had a similar problem and traced it to a fluctuating voltage output. Not sure if he had a bad battery or bad alternater. Apparently the AVIC is sensative enough to see a low voltage and that triggers it to reboot. Autozone will do a loaded battery test for free. Something to think about.

I have a brand new battery only about 2 months old installed by the dealership. But i am taking it to Autozone now anyways to rule this out. I will post my results.

Attempting to repair the device yourself will likely void the warranty on it :-\ Especially if you open it up.

It's weird that Pioneer would just make a rash assumption that everyone has done the Parking Brake Bypass, considering the vast majority of owners probably don't know about this forum, and frankly probably don't care to modify their headunit.

Checked the battery at Autozone and it is perfect.

Attempting to repair the device yourself will likely void the warranty on it :-\ Especially if you open it up.

It's weird that Pioneer would just make a rash assumption that everyone has done the Parking Brake Bypass, considering the vast majority of owners probably don't know about this forum, and frankly probably don't care to modify their headunit.

Right, but you don't have to know about this forum to do the bypass. I shop did mine. And if you call up Pioneer with this problem, weird as it may be, they will assume that you have done the bypass. It is written all over this site, nevermind they said it right to me on the phone. They asked if i did the bypass as soon as i said what was going on. I asked if i could fix it on my own and they said no to send it in.

But anyhow that is all irrelevant. Anyone else have any other ideas short of taking my unit apart? That is where i'm gonna draw the line and send it back or if a cpl more experienced members on here say i'm out of options.

just tried the v2.3 test mode. still can't get it into test mode to delete the files. =/

Me neither I get my "splash screen" to come up and then the screen is just blank/black... Cant do a damn thing! I dont know what else to do... I really would hate to have to send this out!

i got 2 more questions and then i'm giving in and sending it to pioneer.

1. I got a blue screen to come up by pressing the menu + map buttons. it allows me to press buttons to attempt to put in a "code". is there something i can do with this "code" during the blue screen to get some funtions back??? I feel like if i get one function and can get others. but my unit is locked up, no updates, no test mode, no nothing. can anything be done at this blue screen?

2. i want to undo my parking brake bypass but it was done by a shop so i don't know what wire it is. pioneer is blaming everyones problem of the unit not booting on this mod so i want to undo it real quick and see if that clears it up. this is my last chance and last attempt at fixing this on my own and its gettin unplugged and boxed up. what wire is this? do i just basically unground it or what.

after i try this i will either be fixed hopefully or be sending it in. either way i'll be out of yalls hair.

TJ, take a look at this post. It sounds like you are going into service mode.

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=25068&p=171872&hilit=menu+map+button+code#p171872

TJ, take a look at this post. It sounds like you are going into service mode.

 

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=25068&p=171872&hilit=menu+map+button+code#p171872

THANK YOU FOR YOUR POST! i just found this 20 minutes ago, but def. appreciate the help. this look promising.

yea i was just reading that thread. i found the code to enter and got fully into "service mode". i'm reading now about service mode to see if i can do my updates via the SD card. so far it will not let me because i don't have the files winceimage.bin and winceimage.cks loaded on my SD. i'm gonna locate those files and throw them on there and post my results. i feel like i'm making some headway.

":1xeio1za]

TJ, take a look at this post. It sounds like you are going into service mode.

 

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=25068&p=171872&hilit=menu+map+button+code#p171872

 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR POST! i just found this 20 minutes ago, but def. appreciate the help. this look promising.

 

yea i was just reading that thread. i found the code to enter and got fully into "service mode". i'm reading now about service mode to see if i can do my updates via the SD card. so far it will not let me because i don't have the files winceimage.bin and winceimage.cks loaded on my SD. i'm gonna locate those files and throw them on there and post my results. i feel like i'm making some headway.

TJ, I am having EXACTLY the same problem as you. Will try out service mode first thing tomorrow. Please let us know your progress.

--Rom

there may be a fix to this thanks to tail24. i'm working the bugs out right now and as soon as they're worked out i'll post up a link.