Although I am somewhat of a newb, i have used Avic411 before for some other issues.

This morning, i get in my vehicle - my splash screen starts as normal and then goes black.. wtf i thuogh and did a soft reset - NOTHING

I stuck my stylus in the reset - NOTHING

frustrated and pissed i go home and use Avic 411.

I dont have any hacks and my only mod is a splash screen so i dont have a back up disk - till now

I am running V2.0 and never encountered such an issue before.

I DL'd all the files necessary from here - viewtopic.php?f=33&t=25424 and got to the blue screen, i insert my SD card and if i'm quick enough i can get the unit to read up to 100% but then it shuts off. I cant get any further than this.

I don't know what else to do - no warranty left.

I have pressed buttons galore hoping it was the rear camera issue, but i cant get in to the main menu. Only black or blue.

Its on for about 20-30 seconds and then nothing.

NOW WHAT?

First, take a deep breath, your unit turns on and you can get into the service menu which means your unit is fine and can be restored.

The reason it doesn't stay on for long and shuts off is because you are not pressing the buttons at the right time to enter the service menu for an unlimited time.

Try this:

1. Immediately after turning your car to accessory (and the unit just turns on) you want to hold the Menu, Map, Reset and Eject buttons.

2. Then after about 3 or 4 seconds, you need to let go of the reset button. The blue service menu will appear and you can then let go of the eject button.

3. After you release the eject button, you can release the Map and Menu buttons simultaneously.

That will give you a service menu with no time restriction.

Ok, so far you are right.

But test mode will not load.

It reads the two images fine.

I insert the sd with test mode, put my stylus in the reset hole and reset the unit,

but it loads back to my splash screen and then shuts down again?

i only have the testmode rar file on there. am i doing soemthing wrong?

You could be using the wrong testmode file. There are two floating around, one for 2.0, 2.01 and one for 2.006, 3.xxxx

I know i am running an old version as i got it with the 2.0 update and never updated nothing (my led on the front flashes blue).

This is where i just downloaded the for the second time, the older version for testmode

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=18977.

Now I'm sort of out of ideas as my knowledge on this only extends so far.

also,

I think i have copied the images like 10 times already can i pose any harm in this?

No, updating the WinCE image with the new image files many times in a row will not harm the unit at all, I've done it many times myself.

i only have the testmode rar file on there. am i doing soemthing wrong?

Did you unzip the testmode file before putting it on the SD card? There should be a testmode folder and MiTACAP folder, both of which need to go onto the top layer of your SD card. You don't actually want a ZIP or RAR on the top layer as the unit cannot read these files.

.....

I was ubale to get to the main menu, and can only select the service menu or system options.

Backup camera is off and veriosn is 2.0006

.....

I'm ready to give up on this pioneer unit - any if anyone can direct me to what i'm doing wrong i would sincerely appreciate it.

I literally followed the F90 reboot thread, step by step.

I got into testmode yesterday - copied all 17 RAR files (downloaded from tuboss) on to a USB drive.

I formated the flash disk as it was written, created a new partition - and copied and pasted all 17 files onto the my flashdisk drive.

Reset my unit and NOTHING.

what am i doing wrong?

oh jeez... ok you need to UNzip the RAR files... download 7zip (google it). Open zip click on the first .rar file and it should unzip the whole package. .rar files are like "bags" they hold the contents of the files you need once you run 7zip it will dump all the pieces out and put it together into 1 package that you need. That package should have several folders (apl, apl2, apl3, userdata, ect. plus several other route files) all those files need to be put on a card after you unzip them with test mode. Then copy and paste everything but testmode into your flash drive.

Done and Done.

The above post would have been helpful a day ago, but none the less thanks for the info.

Everything is working perfect again!

Thanks to all those for their input

im having this same problem but i have found no solution. I've managed to update/flash wince, then I restart with my second SD card that only has the testmode folder on it, wince starts up then the unit goes blank> Please help before ihave an expensive and broken unit.

hi, I have a somewhat similar issue. my f90bt turns on for a couple of seconds with the flash screen and then goes blank. sometimes it feels that if you press the right button at the right moment the screen turns on and i have full functionality of the unit. playing with SD card helped a few time. i still didn't figure out the exact "procedure" to turn it on and am not sure if there's one.

with the screen off the unit still works. you can back/forward and control volume, plus eject. that's about it. if i plug in ipod or SD it will start playing that source. a simple reset obviously didn't fix it.

i still run 2.0. unit is less than old. bought on ebay "brand new". not sure though how true it is,may be it was a refurb.

called today 'short circuit' place that said can fix it for about $280 (WOW!). I paid 600-700 for the whole unit. the guy said that some 'contact' gets loose on this unit. i honestly doubt it. will not be surprised if there's an easy fix and they just want to make a quick and easy buck.

please help. this looks like a very similar problem to the one posted. although i'm not sure if i have to go into setup screens and all that.

thank you.