770 WSOD - White Screen of Death [Archive] - maemo.org

bobm

2007-07-16, 20:24

Cool....now I too have fallen the NOKIA SUPPORT BLACK HOLE. Yep, had the unit for a few days when the dreaded WSOD struck. I called NOKIA "Support" and was chistised for buying the unit at BUY.COM. The rep kinda blamed BUY.COM for selling me a broken unit. What? Yep....I should have recorded the conversation....unbelieveable!! Anyway, the "L2" "Support" rep told me that they (NOKIA) was never heard of the screen controller issue. My, my...I guess I should count myself lucky for having reached someone of her stature in the company. WOW....to be able to speak for the entire company...now that's really something!!! Er...or not. Anyway, the 3 days that it did work it looked promising, but I'm glad I only wasted the $139.00 I paid or should I say 'rented' the device. Oh well, from the other posts regarding the WSOD it looks like it will be a reoccuring problem. Sigh! Wise up NOKIA management....selling bricks is often a bad business move. Hugs & Kisses NOKIA...I'm going back to my HP!!! Btw, HP offers advance replacements for their defective products. (I guess they don't have cash flow issues):mad:

wanton007

2007-07-17, 16:38

So they're not doing anything about it? Isn't there some sort of warranty on these devices?

danny_w

2007-07-17, 17:59

So they're not doing anything about it? Isn't there some sort of warranty on these devices?

http://www.nokiausa.com/A4410055

One year for US purchasers only. Others are probably covered under a different warranty.

Mara

2007-07-17, 18:19

bobm: Most likely you paid your purchase with credit card. Some cards have accidential damage/loss insurance, thus you may be able to file a claim with the CC company and get your money back...

bobm

2007-07-17, 18:51

BUY.COM stepped up to the plate and is sending a new replacement unit AND a pre-paid UPS shipping label to put on the return box. Now that's first class customer service!!! I'd like to point out that BUY.COM's NOKIA 770 site clearly states that ALL RETURNS must be handled thru the manufacturer. Something I clearly understood and that's why I tee'd it up with NOKIA first. Since NOKIA couldn't get their collective act together I tried BUY.COM and they didn't blink an eye to make the sell right. Anyway, I look forward to receiving the replacement unit and will report back here if the WSOD strikes again. I'm really hoping not, b/c I truly want to play with this tiny box. However, I can say that it's going to be a tough user adoption road if other folks :eek: get yanked around like I was. Wake-up Nokia or another industry player will have you for breakfast.

Milhouse

2007-07-17, 20:18

Be aware that the "white screen of death" is due to a design fault... if it happens again persist with Nokia and don't accept "no" for an answer, they are 100% responsible.

Good job that Buy.com stepped in though, saves you a lot of hassle as Nokia will only repair your unit.

jrock2004

2007-07-20, 16:28

jerryo1

2007-07-20, 18:11

I wish I could say the same. I called buy.com and they told me that they have to email the return dept to get permission. They told me it will take 3-4 days to find out their answer. Is this what you had to do?

I also called Buy.com, and they issued a return label and RMA# while I was on the phone. My WSoD 770 was sent yesterday, and scheduled for delivery to them today. I guess they could always deny the return once they receive the item, so I've got my fingers crossed.

Wish me luck!

bac522

2007-07-20, 18:59

Ouch, seems that the mid-batch of production runs for 770's had problems with WSOD. Early and very late models didn't have that problem or at least don't appear too. I'm guessing buy.com is blowing out old stock that appears to be mid-production stock since quite a few people have had WSOD from there with the recent price drop.

jrock2004

2007-07-22, 00:03

yep I emailed BBB cause they wont swap mine they want me to send to nokia. I did but I am extremely dissatified with buy.com nor will I ever use them again

bac522

2007-07-22, 01:30

yep I emailed BBB cause they wont swap mine they want me to send to nokia. I did but I am extremely dissatified with buy.com nor will I ever use them again

Well, it sucks that you have to deal with nokia's support, but in defense of buy.com, it clearly states on thier page that they don't accept returns on the 770, not sure why you think that you should be treated different from what's listed on their web page :confused:.

armel.deb

2007-07-22, 05:09

Well, it sucks that you have to deal with nokia's support, but in defense of buy.com, it clearly states on thier page that they don't accept returns on the 770, not sure why you think that you should be treated different from what's listed on their web page :confused:.

I bought my N800 at CompUSA and had to pay extra $35 or so for a 1 year extended warranty in order to be able to get a replacement from them if something goes wrong; returns to Nokia seems to be the default policy.

jrock2004

2007-07-22, 13:10

well when you get a device out of box that is bad and turn around and have to get it refurbished. I think you would not like it. Nokia will not take it back or replace it. See they are putting up false information.

bac522

2007-07-23, 02:21

jrock2004

2007-07-23, 20:01

they will repair it but 2 things come to my mind

1) It is brand new and before I could even use it, it will be refurbished

2) It will probably take about a month to get it

pakman

2007-07-28, 03:18

Yeah, i am having the exact same issue with Buy.com and Nokia support. My brand new Nokia 770 WSOD item's serial number shows INVALID, so they are NOT even repairing it. I am very disappointed by NOKIA's support and Buy.com's support.

ren31

2007-07-28, 04:33

I got the same thing happen to my nokia 770 after flashing the new 2007 hacker edition. I got a white screen of death! luckily i bought mine from amazon.com and replaced it for free. Any idea why i got a white screen of death after flashing the OS 2007 hacker edition?:)

Milhouse

2007-07-28, 16:00

Any idea why i got a white screen of death after flashing the OS 2007 hacker edition?:)

Random chance. The WSoD is caused by a race condition that occurs at boot - it's got nothing to do with the software you had just flashed on to the device, and it might have happened the next time you had booted OS 2006.

The WSoD flaw should have been fixed on the production line for later units (it didn't affect the original units either) so hopefully your replacement will have come from a later run.

cthindi

2007-08-16, 01:24

I also bought it from buy.com. It worked fine couple of days before WSOD.

I called nokia since buy.com had special Manufacturer return policy. Nokia rep could not locate it using wifi mac id.

I eventually called buy.com. CSR had to get supervisor approval due to special return policy. In two days I had paid return label. And few days later I got my money credited back.

With experience of so many, I did not want to go for an exchange. Unlike shipping to nokia, I didn't even have to pay shipping. I would have liked to use it though when travelling.

How can a company like nokia market a product with such a fundamental design issue and then disown the reponsibility.

Northerner

2007-09-22, 19:01

The WSoD flaw should have been fixed on the production line for later units (it didn't affect the original units either) so hopefully your replacement will have come from a later run.

I keep seeing people say this but haven't seen any firm evidence to support it. As far as I can tell, every batch that has been released (via Buy, Woot, Play, Amazon, or Expansys) has had its fair share of failures. One would think that now these stores have sold off the last of their inventory, they would have been from late production runs?

If the "doesn't affect early or late units" claim is true, is there a list of serial number ranges anywhere so owners check if their model is vulnerable or safe?

Do the repair people do any mods or use an alternative part, or do they just replace like for like and hope that the next failure is out of warranty?

Have any people that have had their device repaired had a further WSOD?

If there isn't any proof that this issue has been fixed, (or that the repair is permanent), why give people false hope that they are immune from waking up their tablet to instant brickdom?

Milhouse

2007-09-24, 00:02

If there isn't any proof that this issue has been fixed, (or that the repair is permanent), why give people false hope that they are immune from waking up their tablet to instant brickdom?

It's only my opinion, based on what I've seen posted in the past 2 years. It may well be inaccurate - I've never suggested it is the truth (hence the use of words such as "should have" and "hopefully"). I've asked for confirmation from Nokia about the early/middle/late batches, but received no response.

I'm having to guess at this based on limited information, similar to how you are guessing when you assume the cheap 770s sold via Woot, Buy etc. were late production units - who is to say they weren't purchased from a warehouse at a knock down price, and had been sitting in the warehouse for the past 12+ months?

jaharkes

2007-09-24, 02:38

I got a 770 from woot, and it came out of the box with the latest firmware installed. Which, to me, indicates that it hadn't been sitting in a warehouse for a year. Got a WSOD last week, after about 2 months of use.

Milhouse

2007-09-24, 19:19

Fair enough - that suggests it was made during or after January 2007, which debunks the early/mid/late theory! :)

kmalfa75

2007-10-21, 11:43

Is it possible to use 770 after wsod for anything else as it seems unusable at all ;
any idea ;

convulted

2007-10-21, 12:27

If you had installed SSH on it, you can still use it remotely... as a server for example (well, the 770 can easily be used in USB Host Mode so you can use it to custom build a WiFi-enabled NAS system :)... but it depends on how much free time you have on your hands).

kmalfa75

2007-10-21, 18:37

It could be used as an embedded development system or as an embedded web server .
However the lcd does not work at all .Thus how we can install a "light" httpd without seeing at all ?
I tried a fast search about usb to vga converter.A few converters are around but for windows platform only.

cybe

2007-10-26, 18:22

My trusty old 770 just had it's second WSOD (the first time I had it warranty repaired - they replaced the screen... apparently not the WSOD cause)...

Now I've been checking out those cheap N800 prices, 260€ seems ok, but I wonder what the WSOD situation is on those nowadays? Do they have the WSOD fault?

Milhouse

2007-10-26, 20:51

No, they do not.

Northerner

2007-12-29, 14:32

N800's don't have WSOD, they just don't power up :mad:
Fortunately it's not permanent, but it just shows how cr*p Nokia are.

n770-u1

2008-01-06, 17:08

Did buy a N770 in December 2007. Did work fine 8 days. Got a WSOD last week.
Now in the Nokia repair pipeline...
I read in this forum that WSOD could happen again. Is that true?
------ after 20 days---------
my N770 is repaired and working. :) warranty: yes. Found my data on it so same OS.
screen hardware changed?
I will not shut down the system...

bunanson

2008-01-06, 17:48

With the larger RAMs, 2 SD slots, camera and FM radio, faster CPU and now 2008Os, the 770 has to be dirt cheap to be attractive. How low can one get a 770 nowaday? The last one I saw was $105 from Woot.com. And, the going $ for a N800 remains $228.99 from Buy.com. I am still looking for one N800 and a N810 for the next 6 month. I am holding my horse to see if the new N800 will come in a different outfit, softwarewise or hardwarewise. The 770 does NOT has the power on problem, I admit.

bun

Northerner

2008-01-06, 20:35

Did buy a N770 in December 2007. Did work fine 8 days. Got a WSOD last week.
Now in the Nokia repair pipeline...
I read in this forum that WSOD could happen again. Is that true?

If they replace the unit, as opposed to repairing it, then yes. If you've had it less than a month I'd be tempted to push for a refund from the dealer and invest in a discounted N800, which is a much safer bet all round, particularly as it runs the latest OS and apps.

arlene681

2008-01-08, 01:40

Well I'm annoyed. My 770 is bricked by the WSOD. I've only had the thing for 2 weeks, too.

I'm going to ship it off to Nokia to fix but I've heard some frightening things about their turn around times. Is it still taking them 6 weeks to fix the LCD problem? If that's the case I'm going to be raving irritated by the time I get it back.

Tomorrow is my birthday, too, and my husband gave me copious amounts of money to play with on fictionwise. So much for e-book shopping. Plus when I get it back I will have to reinstall Garnet VM and all the maemo stuff like Xterm I've spent the last two weeks getting arranged to my satisfaction. Phooey. :mad:

Kaervak

2008-01-08, 03:30

boblinds

2008-01-08, 06:10

My 770, which I've had since the Woot last summer, just went south today. While it otherwise appears to be working, the screen colors are smeared, something like a VERY badly tuned analog TV broadcast which makes some screens nearly impossible to read.

Reflashed, pulled the battery and waited -- tried the usual stuff -- but it's still messed up. Sigh.

Milhouse

2008-01-08, 06:26

Well I'm annoyed. My 770 is bricked by the WSOD. I've only had the thing for 2 weeks, too.

Two weeks - aren't you covered by the retailer? Take it back and get a new one, or a refund (put it towards an N800!) :)

Seriously, something which fails in the first two weeks should be replaced by the retailer or refunded in full (at least that's how it works in the UK - statutory consumer rights).

racky

2008-01-08, 07:17

The turn around time for my 770 was a little under three weeks from the day I sent it in to Nokia for repair. They replaced it with a new unit instead of repairing it which was fine by me.

I just sent and they received it, now they said they are waiting for parts to repair. Hope they will send me a new one. I love my 770, smaller than N800 and N810. And I like the hard case. It does what I need and more. When they sent you a new one, did they send you a full new box with everything? I hope they will send me a new battery, I still have the old battery with me. An extra one would be nice for a long trip.:D
Here is the status from Nokia:

Repair History:

Status Date Status
01/04/2008 Awaiting Parts
01/03/2008 Received
12/25/2007 Pending Receipt by the Repair Center

This information is provided as a courtesy. The online information reflects the latest status update provided by the repair center for customers and is the same information available to the Nokia Care Contact Center.

Kaervak

2008-01-08, 14:32

When they sent you a new one, did they send you a full new box with everything? I hope they will send me a new battery, I still have the old battery with me. An extra one would be nice for a long trip.:D

Mine sat for a week with "Awaiting Parts" before they issued a replacement. The replacement wasn't a full retail package, just the 770 with a new stylus, battery cover & hard cover. No new battery unfortunately, that would have been nice. :) I highly doubt they'll repair your 770, it seems easier for them to just replace it.

suitti

2008-01-08, 18:20

I had reflashed OS2006 in October with success. Since I'm into repeatability, i saved a script at the time with exactly what i'd done.

In the mean time four things have happened. First, i got a 2 GB Kingston MMC card. It is very slow to write to it, and sometimes it even fails. Also, a new kernel patch came out which is supposed to fix corruption which is supposed to happen sometimes while connect to WiFi. I never experienced this issue. Then, the repository on my unit became corrupted, and i could not install new applications. I had not broken root, and it seems that you need to break root before you install much else, so it looked to me that i'd have to start from scratch to get root, which i'd need to fix my broken repository anyway.

:(So, i reflashed, using my script. On reboot, the screen has become mostly white, though you can kind of make out outlines of NOKIA, and even the hands bit. The chime sounds as in a normal boot, and there is a ghost outline of the final booted setup. However, i can't read anything, and you need to see what you are doing to get anything into it. I've since tried a variety of reflashes, under the idea that it can't hurt. But it appears to be dead, and i'll have to send it back. It was an accident waiting to happen. I'd been putting off reflash, but could no longer make progress without it.

Have i described the typical WSOD?

As an aside, i'd been evaluating languages, python, guile, and C with an eye towards development on the unit. I'd come up with several candidate projects, all of which would eventually require root. I'd really like to have the unit 1) have a fast driver for the 2 GB Kingston (or get a 1 GB Sandisk for it), 2) have a swap file or swap partition on the card, 3) have an ext3 filesystem on the card, 4) have a relaible backup system that copies everything over WiFi to my Linux host, 5) have a database, like Mysql or Postgres with backup, import and export tools, so that i can write 6) a calendar program that can wake up the unit and beep.

dbenne00

2008-01-08, 18:44

...Have i described the typical WSOD?

As an aside, i'd been evaluating languages, python, guile, and C with an eye towards development on the unit. I'd come up with several candidate projects, all of which would eventually require root. I'd really like to have the unit 1) have a fast driver for the 2 GB Kingston (or get a 1 GB Sandisk for it), 2) have a swap file or swap partition on the card, 3) have an ext3 filesystem on the card, 4) have a relaible backup system that copies everything over WiFi to my Linux host, 5) have a database, like Mysql or Postgres with backup, import and export tools, so that i can write 6) a calendar program that can wake up the unit and beep.

Sorry to hear about your WSOD. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't happen to mine. I try not to power it off unless absolutely necessary, and just let it go into sleep mode when I'm not using it. I got it brand new off eBay, and I'm 95% sure I'll have trouble getting the warranty honored in Canada. :-(

When you get your tablet repaired/replaced, I would strongly recommend you install the Wi-Fi fix from an MMC card before you enable the Wi-Fi connection. I also strongly suggest installing the high-speed MMC kernel patch by fanoush that hugely improves the stability and speed when reading/writing to the memory card. I noticed a great performance improvement when I enabled the 64MB swap file on the MMC card after applying fanoush's kernel patch.

racky

2008-01-08, 18:51

Mine sat for a week with "Awaiting Parts" before they issued a replacement. The replacement wasn't a full retail package, just the 770 with a new stylus, battery cover & hard cover. No new battery unfortunately, that would have been nice. :) I highly doubt they'll repair your 770, it seems easier for them to just replace it.

Thanks. Even a second hard case will be nice. I have been looking for a good car mount for a while, either they are too big or too expensive. Now I can just put a magic tape on the back of my old case and put it anywhere in my car as a car mount, and then put it back in the new case and go. That is a good idea. :D

arlene681

2008-01-09, 06:48

Two weeks - aren't you covered by the retailer? Take it back and get a new one, or a refund (put it towards an N800!) :)

Seriously, something which fails in the first two weeks should be replaced by the retailer or refunded in full (at least that's how it works in the UK - statutory consumer rights).

I likely am, however there are two problems with involving the retailer. First, I bought it online and second, I bought it from Satan's Lapdog, otherwise known as Walmart.

I live in the middle of nowhere California. As in there are people with livestock two blocks away. While Satan's Lapdog does have a fairly decent return policy the one closest to here is not likely to have a replacement in stock and the employees there tend to be of the sullen, have two brain cells to rub together variety. I've had issues with returning electronics to them before. Ones that involve me squinting and informing them that I, in fact, have all day and am more than happy to camp out and make them wish I'd never been born so they might as well find someone who does know how to go about getting me a replacement. So...

On the whole, I'd rather not deal with Satan's Lapdog. I'm not in the mood. There could be bloodshed.

Three weeks I can live with. :)

kjsdoghouse

2008-06-03, 18:09

my 770 WSOD'd and has been at a nokia repair facility since april 24, 2008. the status since they got it has been "repair in progress". they refuse to provide any updates on it other than they are waiting for parts (that was 3 weeks ago). in fact they refuse to acknowledge the WSOD is a problem and their policy is not to comment on 3rd party websites like this one.

please post over on the nokia discussion forum ( http://discussions.nokiausa.com/discussions/board/message?board.id=accessories&message.id=1225&query.id=180441#M1225 ) if your device WSOD'd. fat chance, but maybe they'd acknowledge comments on their own message board.

jeromin

2008-06-04, 09:20

I experienced wsod (I think) a few days ago after less than a month (and before even having set the 770 up properly). Having purchased from Nokia UK's online shop my experience (so far) was better than what most people here seem to experience:

1. located a store from the Nokia web site and called them but they referred me back to Nokia
2. called up Nokia and they promised to exchange the unit at no cost and sent a returns label

I'll see what happens next.

In the meantime I have a question before sending the 770 back:

how do you remove all personal data or reset the unit to factory state (the unit boots up but the screen doesn't show a thing, so I can't start up wlan)?

Cheers, jeromin.

racky

2008-06-04, 10:28

Just reflash it, you don't need to see the screen on your IT. All the process will show on your computer.
Well, sending back is never a problem, they will replace it. It just doesn't know how long. Now they run out of all the 770, and may be N800 too. I sent my IT 770 for repairing on 5/12 and this is the second time I sent it back. This time is not WSOD, but something wrong with the zoom in key. Yesterday I sent them a email since they never update the status online and got a response:

"A Nokia technician has determined that your Nokia 770 Internet Tablet should be replaced, and a replacement device has been ordered. At this time, we do not have an estimated time of arrival for your replacement device; however, please be assured that when it is received, it will be sent to you."

What that means is it can be days, weeks or months. No one knows.

kjsdoghouse

2008-06-04, 12:58

reflashing does not work. i tried that and have read numerous other posts where people have tried it and it didn't work.

tso

2008-06-04, 13:39

The reflash is to wipe any data of the device, not attempt to restore the display.

dbpaddler

2008-06-04, 18:25

Mine has had the WSOD for about 4 months now. I just forgot about it as I bought a new laptop. I called about warranty and the guy told me that buy.com wasn't an authorized dealer and I was SOL. I asked for a supervisor and he said he'll tell you the same thing. I said that's fine. Let me hear it from him. The supervisor got on. Asked me for my wlan # and info again. She couldn't find it. She asked me to fax over the receipt and said that there seemed to be a bunch of problems with the units that went to woot and buy.com. I wish I would have recorded it. So it seems like they'll take care of it. Just don't know how. Have to follow up now. I bought it a year ago on June 26th so I was running out of time to get it taken care of. I never did anything but basic web browsing with it when I got my WSOD.

jeromin

2008-06-04, 19:25

Just reflash it, you don't need to see the screen on your IT. All the process will show on your computer.

Thanks. I've read somewhere though that flashing does not get rid of some settings (such as the lock code)?

Also: is there any way to recover data from the device (e.g., get a terminal) via usb?

...hope they'll send my new unit faster than you are describing...

racky

2008-06-04, 21:07

Thanks. I've read somewhere though that flashing does not get rid of some settings (such as the lock code)?

Also: is there any way to recover data from the device (e.g., get a terminal) via usb?

...hope they'll send my new unit faster than you are describing...

If you booted from MMC, then all your data should be on your MMC. If not, then sorry:(. since you can't enter any command without seeing the screen.
Yes, flashing will not reset the lock code, but it will get rid all the other data.

tso

2008-06-04, 21:18

or you can run into what i did, no help because expansys sold me a us one, and i live in norway...

jeromin

2008-06-05, 09:38

If you booted from MMC, then all your data should be on your MMC. If not, then sorry:(. since you can't enter any command without seeing the screen.
Yes, flashing will not reset the lock code, but it will get rid all the other data.

All right, too bad. So, for the future, working mostly with MMC will be a good idea (I suppose the main thing is to mount the home on MMC, the OS isn't so important, just make backups of the altered config files).

Meanwhile waiting another question: is there any sensible way to reduce the risk of getting wsod? It seems it is caused by an event during shutdown or early in the bootup process (as it always occurs after reboot)? Are there any observations whether or not charger plugged in during reboot has an effect (after what I read on the forum it seems a power peak in the lcd controller that causes the wsod)?

racky

2008-06-06, 05:52

All right, too bad. So, for the future, working mostly with MMC will be a good idea (I suppose the main thing is to mount the home on MMC, the OS isn't so important, just make backups of the altered config files).

Meanwhile waiting another question: is there any sensible way to reduce the risk of getting wsod? It seems it is caused by an event during shutdown or early in the bootup process (as it always occurs after reboot)? Are there any observations whether or not charger plugged in during reboot has an effect (after what I read on the forum it seems a power peak in the lcd controller that causes the wsod)?

Most likely you will get a N800 as a replacement, because they ran out of all the 770. So, WSOD is not an issue anymore. They just can't keep replacing the 770 with another 770.

jeromin

2008-06-07, 20:47

igor

2008-06-07, 22:32

So, it would still be of interest to me whether there are any ideas
of how to avoid the wsod.

Don't switch it off. The WSOD situation can happen only at poweroff. If you really have to turn it off, then perform a clean poweroff, never remove the battery, use the power button instead. The power button works also in many cases when for some reason the device seems to be stuck, just keep it pressed and it should switch the unit off.
This is not 100% safe, but can increase your chances of keeping the device healty.

dbpaddler

2008-06-08, 00:22

Well I got the go ahead to send my back for replacement. Will be interested in seeing what I get in return. I'd prefer to get the 800 just for stability purposes. I don't want to use a device where I worry about bricking it all the time. It may be smaller with the nice hard case, but I'll take the stability and the increased memory card options of the 800.

racky

2008-06-08, 05:05

I very much doubt that:

a) at shop.nokia.co.uk it says "in stock" for the 770
b) the N800 costs about 64 GBPs more than the 770
c) I prefer the 770 (apart from the wsod feature, of course)

So, it would still be of interest to me whether there are any ideas
of how to avoid the wsod.

Too bad for you in UK, but in US here, they did replace the 770 with N800 for some people. Here is another thread that people are also talking about WSOD of 770, maybe you find some other useful info.

http://www.internettablettalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14838&page=4

I like my 770 too, I might receive my replacement earlier than you and will let everyone knows what I get.

rcsteiner

2008-06-10, 20:58

Meanwhile waiting another question: is there any sensible way to reduce the risk of getting wsod?
I never turn mine off unless it actually freezes. If you don't reboot, you won't expose your hardware to the bootstrap sequence. Or that's how my own thinking goes. :)

dmphzhopjrbffx

2008-06-13, 01:27

jeromin

2008-06-21, 22:41

Re backing up your files after WSOD, I believe you can do it via USB. Note...
Windows + USB + 770 = you only see the MMC
Linux + USB + 770 = you can see the Linux partitions too
...so create a Live Linux CD or try VMware within Windows.

Thanks a lot for the suggestion, that's the sort of thing I was hoping for. Sadly it doesn't work for me (I use linux) - well, I can see the ext2 partition of my mmc card but not the internal flash.

And, as you can tell, I got my replacement device. Times weren't so bad:
4 days until I got the returns label after calling (wasn't able to print it);
12 days until I got the replacement device after sending the broken one in.

Of course, can't beat the experience with my broken HP some years ago: went to the shop I bought it from and got the replacement right away after someone sat down with me to transfer the data...

Now, I'm hoping that I don't get a wsod again (and, of course, I'll make sure to power down/reboot the "proper" way, i.e., shutdown -r|h now). Still, if we knew what exactly causes the wsod we might be able to take some better precautions than just that?

T-Rave

2008-06-30, 04:41

Well I've had my 770 for about a week now and I just got the WSOD today. I've tried numerous things like removing battery, reflashing and none of it restores it of course.

So is the bottom line here that we contact Nokia about this? I got mine from Zendoo.com through eBay. The unit appeared new and came with box and all accessories, manual was even shrinkwrapped. The MAC checks out on Nokia's website to allow downloads. So I don't think I got taken other than I got one of the faulty batch 770s (or maybe they're ALL faulty.)

The 770 came with the OS2006 update 1 and I flashed it to the latest OS2006 with update 2 through Nokia auto software. Then after a few days of messing around with it I got curious and installed OS2008HE and after a day of messing got that running decent. However there were enough hiccups with 2008HE that I decided to flash it back to OS2006. Well as I held down the home key and pushed the power button I got the WSOD and have had for about the past 6 hours now.

The etailer I bought from does a 20% restock regardless. I can get a warranty trough Square Trade but I've got to wait 61 days for it to take effect. (Said so on the site). That'll cost $15 for the warrantly and at least 2 months of waiting to get $130 bucks back.

At this point if Nokia won't replace it I'm fairly certain I can open it up and at least reset the bootstrap issue for at least another time of use before the next WSOD (sigh). But I'd rather not go that route.

I really don't like wasting money....I was really looking forward to this device helping me with my work admin duties and on the side Linux development.

racky

2008-07-01, 20:51

I got my replacement today, it is a N800 (I live in the US). It took a total of about 1 & 1/2 month for Nokia to send me a replacement and I have already gotten a used 770 from ebay after 2 weeks of withdrawal symptoms. I haven't tested too much of the power of my N800 yet. But I am glad I have one now before they are sold out everywhere. Now I have a 770 and a N800, I should be able to test all the new programs for NIT out there , except those only for N810.
So if you have a WSOD on 770, better send it back to Nokia to get a replacement if it is still under warranty.

BoredOOMM

2008-07-04, 07:21

And So It Goes.....

I have WSOD on my 770. I will be at Staples tomorrow anyway and will be sending in mine to Alabammy. Since some others have received N800 from Warranty repair, this may not be a bad thing....

Do the 770 Batteries fit the N800?!?

fanoush

2008-07-04, 07:56

Do the 770 Batteries fit the N800?!?
Yes, they are same, N810 is different.

jrock2004

2008-07-07, 17:08

Well add me to the list. I have to send my 770 in again (second time) for repair. After receiving it I am giving them 2 weeks and I am calling in and I want my device fixed. I am not going to wait a month like I did last time.

shortkid1101

2008-07-09, 02:44

Can someone post a link to the nokia customer service. I got the WSOD today and i am quite angry. I had few flights next week with a couple hours layover. I was looking forward to using it. I go it last august and it has worked fine until now.

BoredOOMM

2008-07-28, 15:05

krisse

2008-07-28, 16:55

Do the 770 Batteries fit the N800?!?

They fit in the E61 smartphone too (not the E61i though).

jrock2004

2008-07-28, 17:32

Well to give an updateI just called in after the 10th business day and talked about how long it is taking for the repair. Guy put me on hold and came back who transfered me to a executive who asked if they could swap me to the 800. Woo hoo

racky

2008-07-30, 05:08

You might still miss some good features of 770, especially the hard case and better battery life. I still use my 770 more than my n800.

tom61

2008-07-31, 00:50

Awesome, my 770 is still under warranty. WSOD a few days ago. :( I was going to play with X sessions over VNC using it, but after a fresh charge (I didn't use the 770 much, so the battery was probably dead by that point) it turns on to an all white screen with stripes. It was not plugged into the AC adapter when turned on, for those that wanted to track that. It was running a fairly new OS2007HE (with functional screen turn off), but I haven't kept up with the scene to no how new.

dbpaddler

2008-08-02, 16:39

At the one month mark, I called up executive services. They told me my 770 was going to be replaced. Have a feeling I wouldn't have heard anything till much longer if I didn't call. The guy asked for my fax # and sent me the paper to sign authorizing the upgrade. I had it less than a week later, literally as I was running out the door to hop a flight to cali. So I popped open the box, grabbed the n800, case and charger and took it along. Now I have to switch over to the n800 forum and see what to do. Can't complain for the $120 I spent on the 770 to end up with the n800.

tom61

2008-08-18, 04:22

I've been busy with moving until now, the webpage linked now shows 'Not Found', even if I go to the Support site, click on 770, and then repair. A few other sections dealing with the 770 don't work either, anyone else experiencing any trouble?

Edit: Seems it was a temporary glitch.

emelliti

2008-08-23, 02:31

tom61

2008-08-28, 01:56

Got mine from Zendoo through Ebay...3 weeks ago...the description said new but I do not have any proof of purchase. My screen died a couple of days ago...After some research, found out about the WSOD. Not sure what to do.

Your device may still be under warranty, check at (use the WLAN number on the sticker under the battery for serial number):
http://www.nokiausa.com/A4410053

If it is under warranty, go to:
http://www.nokiausa.com/A4410046

toml

2008-09-04, 14:39

oli

2008-09-14, 10:43

Hi

I want to ask you how often does the unfamous WSOD happens?

My school is running a hotspot so I want to buy a small, portable and cheap device to use www, mail and instant messaging. I think that the best choice for me is 770, but I'm scared of a WSOD. Is it really often 'feature' in this model? I want to buy a new device, but if something bad happens I can do nothing - i live in Poland and there is no official nokia support for tablets. (my friend is now in USA and he can buy 770 for me)

Please help me, I am also thinking about iPod touch, it's a little bit more expensive and provides similiar capabilities.

Thanks in advance.

PS. Sorry for my english, I am from Poland, (some ******s think that there is no water in WCs and people live in small, wooden houses with no windows) ;) :D

Greetings.

XTC

2008-09-15, 06:54

Oli - I would recommend You not to buy n770.
It's cute but at prices in Poland - I wouldn't spent $150 for this
when I can get n800 - sometimes there are nice priced ones on allegro.

It's sad thing to wake up with n770 wsod'ed (I find hardware design of n770
just great - I can't get used to n810 which is both MUCH heavier and less robourst to carry
around in a pocket).

I've got smal idea to make WSOD'ed n770 a bit usable.
I've got it working this way (to be able to use it as internet radio and to install at least few things using GUI).
I've found that in my case the failure of the screen prevents me from viewing color images - there's a mess if color is being displayed.
So I've selected theme "Balaton" (OS2007HE) - crucial is to set the background color to white. After that tuning - screen is bit readable.
I've found that (using sketch) - some color/intensity combination is not affected by vertical stripes.
I wonder if creating proper theme (b/w mostly) would help.

This setup allowed me to install becomeroot, xterm and openssh via browser pointed to gronmayer.com/it - and of course to configure PSK password for my network connection.
Other things I install remotely (as well as changing paswords for both "root" and "user").

oli

2008-09-15, 12:07

Thanks for advice...

Now I will choose between iPod touch 8GB (229$ for a new one) and n800 - probably used.

150$ is not much, but it's better to spend more and get a working device. ;)

Bye.

XTC

2008-09-15, 18:21

for me it's quite simple.
If You are not - neither intend to be - familiar with ANY *nix system - stay away from tablets.
Friends will laugh at You that You bought PDA and can't run cracked AutoMapa on it :)
In other cases - to have linux in Your pocket is outstanding :)

oli

2008-09-15, 19:31

Don't worry about this - i am using Linux for a few years, lot of distros, lot of experiences, but never on a mobile device, IMO it's a great idea - having all functions of a desktop PC into a pocket, with a ssh and VNC.

BTW, XTC where are you from? :D allegro and automapa are rather local specials ;)

And.. should I look for an new or used n800? does it break down or is it undestructable, when properly used :D

tom61

2008-09-17, 23:26

first, I want to thank this forum for helping me figure out what went wrong. My 770 experienced WSOD a few weeks after the warranty expired. I'd purchased it using an credit card with the extended warranty deal and sent it back to Nokia to see what would happen. Well after a few days of not being able to find it on the repair status page and an email or two to Nokia support I got a message telling me to call and speak to exec support. The email also had the correct LAN number (I couldn't decipher Ds from 0s and Bs from 8s). I called last night and was told it would be replaced with an 800 as soon as they came in -- to check back at the end of the week.
Am I being strung along?
(I happen to be a shareholder of Nokia ADRs so could escalate to shareholder relations if necessary.)
Thanks

Any luck? I got really delayed in sending it off, and today is the seventh day of them having it. I checked the online status and it is:
"Unfortunately we were unable to repair your device and are currently awaiting delivery of a replacement device for you.

Please check back for the latest status information.

Repair History:
Status Date Status
09/15/2008 Awaiting Replacement Device"

JonJon

2008-10-12, 02:45

I'm not in warranty anymore and I have WSOD... Is there anything I can do or it's time to just trash it?

tom61

2008-10-13, 04:40

Apparently, putting to an all black & white theme will let you use it, sort of. My vote is make a video you smashing it to bits with a hammer, much more fun. (I was never a big fan of the 770)

I'm waiting on the forms in the mail to get a N800 as replacement, which I have to fax back (gah, Nokia, not everyone has a fax machine).

In case anyone was wanting the number for the Nokia Executive Care (I recommend calling two weeks after they have a WSOD 770 in their care):
"You can reach the Executive Resolution Team, directly at 1-800-255-0239, Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time." (US number of course)

tom61

2008-10-17, 22:21

I got the form in the mail... With no fax number on it. Anyone happen to have the relevant number for faxing a trade up sheet to Nokia in the US?

JonJon

2008-10-20, 02:11

I'm not in warranty anymore and I have WSOD... Is there anything I can do or it's time to just trash it?
So I guess there is no other option...

fanoush

2008-10-20, 08:22

So I guess there is no other option...
It may still have some use for someone. Either as some sensor or home automation device or for spare parts. If you want to trash it, send it to me, I'll pay S/H fees :-)

tom61

2008-10-21, 19:03

The relevant fax number for sending in the "Request for Exchange of Nokia Phone Model and RELEASE" form is <potentially incorrect number deleted>, in case more people get the form through the mail, or to a fax without caller ID.

kmalfa75

2008-10-25, 18:38

So I've selected theme "Balaton" (OS2007HE) - crucial is to set the background color to white. After that tuning - screen is bit readable.
.

How you change theme to "Balaton" if the screen is not readable because of wsod ?

XTC

2008-10-25, 21:18

How you change theme to "Balaton" if the screen is not readable because of wsod ?

I'm aware of that. I suppose that there can be different effects related with this failure. Mine allows to read something, I got used to hildon layout so that I can do almost anything blindfolded - not so long ago I've reinstalled flash with apps and so on :)
But when it comes to debian on n770 I was blind - because of colorful background and my lack of experience with it's window manager.

tom61

2008-11-10, 22:15

Gah, called today to see what's up, and they apparently never got the form. I don't know if I got the fax number wrong or what. Also, for some reason, they had my cell instead of my land line on the account, no idea why I gave that to them, and the form has the land line number on it...

mudfrog

2008-11-13, 18:42

Hello, I too have experienced the WSOD on my 770. Unfortunately, it is out of warranty. Called Nokia but couldn't get anywhere with them as far as what it would cost to repair. What's really sad is that the person i talked to could give no info on how much it would cost to even have the unit looked at. Has anyone had their's repaired after warranty? How much for the estimate to repair and how much for the total cost of repair would be appreciated. I have a feeling that it isn't worth fixing since i can probably get another unit for around $100 these days.

I really like this device but if i can't get it repaired at a reasonable cost, then i'd rather put that $100 towards another device of better quality instead of taking a chance on another 770. What other devices are out there that do basically the same thing. I like this wide screen so i'm not really interested in a regular pda type device. Of course, i might be interested if i could get one pretty cheap!

tom61

2008-11-13, 22:15

mudfrog

2008-11-13, 23:15

I doubt they can even repair it, as everyone lately has been getting a trade-up to N800 if they have a warranty.

There really isn't any other device currently on the market that's directly comparable to the Nokia 770, particularly when you factor in price. What are looking for in a replacement? It might be easier to match your needs than coming up with a directly comparable device.

I pretty much want a basic unit to look up a few websites that i frequent at home or when at wifi hotspots. I also upload html files to the device where i used the opera browser to open them with. Other than that, i don't really need an IM or skype capability, bluetooth, or to be honest, any of the other built in programs.

tso

2008-11-14, 00:23

makes me think of tthat thing that showed up recently:
http://www.internettablettalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24429

tom61

2008-11-14, 18:18

I pretty much want a basic unit to look up a few websites that i frequent at home or when at wifi hotspots. I also upload html files to the device where i used the opera browser to open them with. Other than that, i don't really need an IM or skype capability, bluetooth, or to be honest, any of the other built in programs.

A few canidates:
Dell Axim X50v and X51v (VGA Pocket PC)
iPod Touch (a fair bit more expensive, but it has a nice web browser)
Nokia N800 (I haven't heard of any issues with WSODs on that model, though it also is more expensive)

If you're willing to consider things outside the range of pocket sized, a netbook would be able to fill that role.

mudfrog

2008-11-14, 19:17

A few canidates:
Dell Axim X50v and X51v (VGA Pocket PC)
iPod Touch (a fair bit more expensive, but it has a nice web browser)
Nokia N800 (I haven't heard of any issues with WSODs on that model, though it also is more expensive)

If you're willing to consider things outside the range of pocket sized, a netbook would be able to fill that role.

Thanks, I never really thought about the ipod but i just now looked it up and it might be something to consider. This may be a dumb question but, Can an html file be uploaded to it and opened with the Safari browser?

I thought that a netbook type device would be the ticket but i already have a laptop with 12 inch display which is small compared to most but is still bulkier than what i want to carry around with me. I looked at the smaller 7 and 8.9 inch Asus and other brands and have found that the case dimensions aren't that much smaller than what i have so i'd basically end up with another device that i didn't want to lug around. I really want something pocketable, with around 4 or 5 inch display, in a widescreen that you look at in landscape mode. The 770 was ideal in this respect!

billj

2008-11-14, 23:18

So, my N770 has suffered a fatal WSOD. To be honest, I feel Nokia screwed me and others with a deliberately uncorrected WSOD design flaw. Bummer. :( No use throwing good money after bad.

billj
William T. Johnston
Soyrunner

billj

2008-11-15, 00:10

Actually I could be wrong. Not long ago I was troubleshooting production failures of a board that included fine pitch surface mount LSI's. Some pins were not getting a good solder flow so a decision was made to increase the heat slightly in the machine. A few weeks passes, another product line was running through the machine and there were a great number of board failures. Mostly due to a tolerance change in 79L15's but then additional failures of an SMT chip that had a particularly small package. It seems the additional heat was causing a hex inverter to have a short life span. It could be that Epson chip with the mirrored surface was ill effected by the heat it took in its soldering process.

So, if they lower their soldering temperature and increase the flux paste the failure to start problem on later versions may clear. Too late for the N770.

billj

tom61

2008-11-15, 22:46

Thanks, I never really thought about the ipod but i just now looked it up and it might be something to consider. This may be a dumb question but, Can an html file be uploaded to it and opened with the Safari browser?

I thought that a netbook type device would be the ticket but i already have a laptop with 12 inch display which is small compared to most but is still bulkier than what i want to carry around with me. I looked at the smaller 7 and 8.9 inch Asus and other brands and have found that the case dimensions aren't that much smaller than what i have so i'd basically end up with another device that i didn't want to lug around. I really want something pocketable, with around 4 or 5 inch display, in a widescreen that you look at in landscape mode. The 770 was ideal in this respect!

I'd guess that the iPod Touch is capable of doing so, but I don't have one.

Yeah, a nice small 12" notebook is not that different in size from a netbook for practical purposes.

tso

2008-11-16, 00:03

but the cost will be 10x...

XTC

2008-11-21, 20:44

Horay - I've brought my little one (n770) back to life :)
I bought one for circa 30$ - probably some memory issue since It booted to "NOKIA" and there was no possibility to run flasher.
I've exchanged displays and after screen calibration - my cute n770 works like in the old days :)

To sum up - exchanging whole display - works, there was no malfunction of epson chip in my device.

I've found that I'm able to reflash device successfuly but it doesn't start.
Boots only to Nokia logo, I'll try to test what flasher says in debug mode.