2100 stuck in screen calibration loop.

[Hrududu]

I've got a nice 2100 thats been kind of borked up since I got it.  The unit powers on and brings you to the screen calibration screen.  The screen responds to the touch of the stylus, but will never complete the calibration.  It'll just look back to the first point and keep going indefinitely.  I can bypass the sceen cal and all the old owner info is there, but the screen doesn't respond to ANY input at all.  Not even misaligned.  Physically the screen is in VERY good condition, and I've cleaned around the edges to try and remove any gunk that may be irritating the calibration.  Anyone had an issue like this before?  Is it solvable without replacing the screen?

[unity]

Did you try a hard reset? Sometimes when they sit and the power gets really low they act up - even though its a flash based setup. A hard reset will often help. I have a unit that works fine, but if I let it sit it boots into a test screen with the name LINDY on it - not sure what that is about. But a hard reset always fixes it.

[morgant]

Attempting a "reset with extensions off" can't hurt, but I would try a "deep reset", then a "power drain reset", and finally a "brainwipe" as a last resort (stopping at whichever solves the problem, if one does). See this question & answer in the Newton FAQ for explanations and how to perform each.

Edited December 18, 2014 by morgant

[TheWhiteFalcon]

When in doubt, brainwipe.

[Hrududu]

Attempting a "reset with extensions off" can't hurt, but I would try a "deep reset", then a "power drain reset", and finally a "brainwipe" as a last resort (stopping at whichever solves the problem, if one does). See this question & answer in the Newton FAQ for explanations and how to perform each.

I'll have to give this a try.  Hard reset doesn't work because you need to be able to tap the "Yes" button to give it the go to clear.  I'd never seen this Extensions Off before.  Thanks!

[morgant]

I'll have to give this a try.  Hard reset doesn't work because you need to be able to tap the "Yes" button to give it the go to clear.  I'd never seen this Extensions Off before.  Thanks!

 

It is very interesting that the stylus works at all within the calibration tool, but nowhere else. If not for that, I'd think you had a damaged digitizer (and you still might).

[Hrududu]

And it could be damaged too.  The screen is in beautiful shape, and that might be misleading.  It could be just so far outta wack that it is calibrating the input way out of the range of the screen or something and it knows better, so it doesn't ever complete the calibration.  Once I get my hands on it again I'll give an update.  Hopefully I can make this thing useful for the first time in the 8 years I've owned it.

[TheWhiteFalcon]

If not, Frank Guendel can probably fix it.

[beachycove]

I think I'd just resort to the "let's take it apart and put it back together" approach at this stage, hoping for a loose/ oxidized cable or the like. Plus, the backup battery can be renewed that way.

 

You're not going to make the machine any less usable, are you?

[Hrududu]

No it sure couldn't ruin it. I took it apart when I first got it looking for an obvious problem, but didn't go into a really good tear down and cleaning. If I don't hit a good software fix, it'll probably get taken apart again.