3955 Random Soft Reset??? (Update - Is it worth saving???)

[dougma]

I have a 3955 that has been well cared for. Recently it has taken to randomly doing what I think is a soft reset.

- Sandisk 128MB SD card is in.
- Battery is approximately 96% charged (almost full).
- Using PocketInformant 5.0.3 I tap an icon to do something and the screen fades to black. (I don't think this is necessarily related to PI - that's 90% of what I use the PDA for, so statistically that's what I'm doing when it dies).

On subsequent powerup, I get the red/white 1.00 screen for a few seconds and it dies again.

If I just put it on the cradle it does not appear to begin charging or power up and try to sync.

If I time things carefully, power it up, and place it on the cradle it will typically return to normal.

Any ideas?

Thx

dougma

[Janak Parekh]

That sounds like a hardware problem. 8O

You can verify that when you have some time by running a full backup and sync, hard resetting the device, and seeing if you can simulate that behavior without your usual contingent of apps. There's a small possibility it's software, although I've never heard of any Pocket PC software exhibiting such weird behavior.

--janak

[dougma]

Thanks for validating my thoughts.

I'll do a hard-reset and see how it goes.

dougma

[dougma]

OK... No cards or peripherals - just the naked IPaq, with a 98% battery level.

Hard Reset followed by a soft reset (to power up).

Red/White V1.00 screen for a few seconds, a chirp from the speaker, and the screen goes dark.

Power button, Red/White V1.00 screen for a few seconds... same deal.

Tried a few more Hard / Soft resets, to no avail.

So... Is this thing worth sending to repair (i.e. Pocket PC Techs), or is it done.

The unit has been well cared for. Never dropped. Screen is great. I did notice a crack in the dark plastic below the power button (starts at the bottom tip of the power LED, arcs up to about 1mm below the power button, and arcs back down to about 1mm above the bottom of the dark plastic about 12mm from where it starts).

If it's not worth sending in (and thus essentially worthless) are there any recommendations on what to look for (besides entertainment value and a questionable use of valuable time) taking it apart myself?

Thx.

dougma