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#21
...oh god...

wobbly USB! I beg you, TEST IT NOW. If there is ANY doubt over how solid the USB plug is SEND IT BACK RIGHT NOW. Holy **** man. Wobbly USBs is what kills N900s and it would be a real bummer if your 'refurbed' unit had a 'ready to break' USB port. I cannot stress this enough, CHECK THE USB PORT while you are still in the 10 day return period.

If the USB goes you will have a very expensive electronic disappointment.

Also, before you get to attached to your current set up, do a complete FULL reflash. I have never come across a vendor who understands how to properly flash an n900. Even if you connect it to PC suite and click 'reload software' or whatever it is called, this is not a complete flash. You need to flash emmc & rootfs (you will understand when you read the link above).

So in conclusion:

1. COMPLETE RE-FLASH!
2. Check USB port.

If problems still persist, get that **** sent back!
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N900: One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.
 

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#22
Originally Posted by vi_ View Post
...oh god...

wobbly USB! I beg you, TEST IT NOW. If there is ANY doubt over how solid the USB plug is SEND IT BACK RIGHT NOW. Holy **** man. Wobbly USBs is what kills N900s and it would be a real bummer if your 'refurbed' unit had a 'ready to break' USB port. I cannot stress this enough, CHECK THE USB PORT while you are still in the 10 day return period.

If the USB goes you will have a very expensive electronic disappointment.

Also, before you get to attached to your current set up, do a complete FULL reflash. I have never come across a vendor who understands how to properly flash an n900. Even if you connect it to PC suite and click 'reload software' or whatever it is called, this is not a complete flash. You need to flash emmc & rootfs (you will understand when you read the link above).

So in conclusion:

1. COMPLETE RE-FLASH!
2. Check USB port.

If problems still persist, get that **** sent back!
Yes, I have read that the usb port can be a major problem. However, I seem to have used the wrong wording --- from another post, I learned that you should file down the nibs on the usb cable, in order to make a not-too-tight fit into the N900's usb socket, in order to avoid putting undue stress on that socket. So I filed it a bit too much, so that the plug is possibly a bit too loose. And this is what I meant about the wobble that possibly caused a momentary disconnect, which possibly caused the N900 to freeze up.

The N900's usb socket itself seems to be quite solid and secure, no wobble whatsoever.

And thanks for the reminder about reflashing --- I was avoiding it, not yet confident about my own skills, and not wanting my N900 to become a brick. But I will read the instructions carefully and see about it.
 
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#23
Don't worry about re-flashing mate, it is more or less literally impossible to brick the n900...unless maybe you hit it with a brick.
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N900: One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.
 
Posts: 74 | Thanked: 68 times | Joined on Dec 2011
#24
OK, here comes a crazy post. Brace Yourselves. I'm feeling manic.

I am desperate for a N900. A NEW N900. I can't find a source that I trust to purchase one from. They are all listed at online retailers with really shady reviews (As in the ones that list under Google shopping who obviously write almost all of the positive reviews themselves) or they are being sold from Hong Kong through Ebay. I am in Canada for a year and Amazon won't ship them here (although the bulk of the sellers seem to be from Hong Kong anyway). I really don't want to pay for a new N900 and receive something used. Most of the online shops I have found are those that claim to have everything in stock in endless quantities just to get a credit card number.

I am so desperate that I will pay one of you to find this elusive creature for me. How does $50 sound? I'm not kidding. Ideally, it would be from a Nokia reseller within Canada or the U.S though I wouldn't refuse a reputable source from the UK or even mainland europe. I would like to be able to speak with a floor person on the phone. Essentially, someone without a phone sales department. I want someone to be able to say that they are holding the box to verify it is in stock.

I'm not ready for an N9. I might be when six months of community development has happened - but not yet.

I know that I am insane but I am serious. I will send you cash in the mail or pay you with card (anything but paypal - not a fan).

My sincerest thanks -

Abe
 
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#25
Originally Posted by vi_ View Post
It is more or less literally impossible to brick the n900...unless maybe you hit it with a brick.
Post of the Year.
 
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#26
Originally Posted by Old Abe View Post
OK, here comes a crazy post. Brace Yourselves. I'm feeling manic.

I am desperate for a N900. A NEW N900. I can't find a source that I trust to purchase one from. They are all listed at online retailers with really shady reviews (As in the ones that list under Google shopping who obviously write almost all of the positive reviews themselves) or they are being sold from Hong Kong through Ebay. I am in Canada for a year and Amazon won't ship them here (although the bulk of the sellers seem to be from Hong Kong anyway). I really don't want to pay for a new N900 and receive something used. Most of the online shops I have found are those that claim to have everything in stock in endless quantities just to get a credit card number.

I am so desperate that I will pay one of you to find this elusive creature for me. How does $50 sound? I'm not kidding. Ideally, it would be from a Nokia reseller within Canada or the U.S though I wouldn't refuse a reputable source from the UK or even mainland europe. I would like to be able to speak with a floor person on the phone. Essentially, someone without a phone sales department. I want someone to be able to say that they are holding the box to verify it is in stock.

I'm not ready for an N9. I might be when six months of community development has happened - but not yet.

I know that I am insane but I am serious. I will send you cash in the mail or pay you with card (anything but paypal - not a fan).

My sincerest thanks -

Abe
I just bought mine from an Amazon dealer, but since you can't do that --- otherwise, the deal that looked the best was from MobiCity in Australia. They say that they have new N900s, but I wonder about that. The phones apparently ship from Hong Kong --- however, MobiCity gets good reviews, they seem decent, and they offer a one-year warranty, upgradeable to two years. The only problem is that the price is high ($449, I think), and you have to pay for international postage for the shipment, and for any warranty shipments. In a chat session, they said that, within 40 hours after you receive the phone, you can return the phone for any reason for a full refund. After that, there is a $35 restocking fee.

With the stated guaranteed return policy, their good reputation, and the 2-year warranty, I thought that it was a pretty good bet.
And you can do it yourself, without an agent. Also, did you read the earlier post in this thread that says there are new units at a store in the Netherlands?
 

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#27
Hey, thanks Robert!

I'm about to call and talk to the Aussies. Thanks for looking into that. If it goes through I'm serious about the $50.

Abe
 
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#28
Originally Posted by robert37 View Post
I just bought mine from an Amazon dealer, but since you can't do that --- otherwise, the deal that looked the best was from MobiCity in Australia. They say that they have new N900s, but I wonder about that. The phones apparently ship from Hong Kong --- however, MobiCity gets good reviews, they seem decent, and they offer a one-year warranty, upgradeable to two years. The only problem is that the price is high ($449, I think), and you have to pay for international postage for the shipment, and for any warranty shipments. In a chat session, they said that, within 40 hours after you receive the phone, you can return the phone for any reason for a full refund. After that, there is a $35 restocking fee.

With the stated guaranteed return policy, their good reputation, and the 2-year warranty, I thought that it was a pretty good bet.
And you can do it yourself, without an agent. Also, did you read the earlier post in this thread that says there are new units at a store in the Netherlands?
Also,

Was the one you bought from Amazon brand new, unopened? Was it POSSIBLY a Hong Kong refurb with funny documentation? How long ago did you buy it and how long did it take to get to you?

Thanks again
 
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#29
Originally Posted by Old Abe View Post
Also,

Was the one you bought from Amazon brand new, unopened? Was it POSSIBLY a Hong Kong refurb with funny documentation? How long ago did you buy it and how long did it take to get to you?

Thanks again

My Amazon-bought N900 looked new, but the box was open, and there were a few discrepancies, as mentioned in an earlier post in this thread. My guess is that it is a very good refurb, probably with new casing etc. I bought it around Dec. 7, and it arrived (Pennsylvania to California) on Dec. 10. There were a few issues (bad battery, a few spontaneous reboots, the startup CD was only in Chinese), but the dealer sent a new battery, and the reboots are getting resolved.

I exchanged quite a few emails with MobiCity, also had a few chat sessions. They previously sold N900s with A-tick certification, which is an Australian seal of competence, but that was recently discontinued. Now, they say that they have the N900 in stock, but if you ask for clarification, they say that they are coming from overseas sources (probably Hong Kong). I think that they are getting well-remanufactured units that are pretty good, enough so that they can stake their warranty-commitment and reputation on them, and still come out ahead.
 

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#30
Originally Posted by Old Abe View Post
Hey, thanks Robert!

I'm about to call and talk to the Aussies. Thanks for looking into that. If it goes through I'm serious about the $50.

Abe
Thanks for the $50 offer, but no need --- just sharing information. Please see my reply to your next post.
 

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