Omnimaga
Calculator Community => TI Calculators => General Calculator Help => Topic started by: Blagus on June 26, 2012, 11:07:43 am
-
I have a big problem with TI-83 Plus. Suddenly it got black screen without any special reason. I thought the low-contrast screen blinking was due to low batteries but I changed to new ones and it still displays black screen.
I tried everything, holding DEL, CLEAR, removing batteries, backup battery, setting contrast, flashing OS - it didn't work and TILP reports:
"Error writing to the device" and in console: "A device connected is not functioning"
I use Silver Link with properly installed drivers.
Then suddenly, it displayed some garbage for a second, then normal "Ram cleared" message, returned me to normal blinking cursor screen, but it quickly turned back to black screen.
I was googling a lot but I didn't find any solutions. All tips that worked for others don't work for me.
Also, unlike others, I'm not able to turn off my calc. It does react to DEL and ON button, also contrast gets lower when pressing 2nd key, but I can't turn it off.
What should I do?
-
remove all batteries including backup and let it for a night or so.
What was the last thing you did before the screen went black? (did you drop it or did you run an asm program or something else?)
-
One of my friend had this problem too with his black 83+. So if your 83+ is black, maybe it is a hardware problem.
Now the stupid question I'll ask seems less stupid: What color is your 83+ ?
-
@aeTIos: A friend was playing Sokoban. I don't know, given the technical knowledge of my friends, maybe they put something in archive, run Garbage collect which showed up once before, or something else that would screw up RAM/archive... but that should be reset by removing battery/holding CLEAR, isn't it?
@Hayleia: It's black.
-
One of my friend had this problem too with his black 83+. So if your 83+ is black, maybe it is a hardware problem.
Now the stupid question I'll ask seems less stupid: What color is your 83+ ?
yes it happen to one of my friend.
once he crash is calc with an asm prog, and after he turn on, teh screen alternate black and white
it's was a black ti 83+
edit : maybe mem clear ???
-
I tried mem clear, and full clear too, 2nd, 7, etc.
-
Before we start making up new key combinations, I'll refer you here (http://wikiti.brandonw.net/index.php?title=83Plus:OS:Secret_Key_Combinations).
My suggestion:
1. Hold DEL while inserting the 4th battery, the boot screen will appear, if this doesn't black out, then you have an OS/Archive related issue.
2. Hold CLEAR while pressing ON, this will boot the calculator without looking in the archive, see if this still blacks out
-
@aeTIos: A friend was playing Sokoban. I don't know, given the technical knowledge of my friends, maybe they put something in archive, run Garbage collect which showed up once before, or something else that would screw up RAM/archive... but that should be reset by removing battery/holding CLEAR, isn't it?
Well things that go wrong in archive can screw up your calc pretty badly.
-
@thepenguin:
1) Still leaves me with black screen.
2) Doesn't work. Actually I can't test it properly since I can't turn off calc to turn it on by CLEAR+ON, only when inserting battery, but it doesn't change anything. MODE+battery also leaves me with black screen.
@aeTIos:
So what's the solution?
As I said, once, while testing all random combinations, it actually displayed "RAM cleared" but it quickly returned to black screen.
-
Blagus, wiping the WHOLE memory, including OS. Which I don't know a way for, sadly. (that is, w/o connectivity or input)
-
So blagus, when you did the battery + DEL, did you see the boot code "Waiting..." message? Because if you did, then you clearly have a hardware issue. The only thing you could do in this situation is what was suggested above which is to leave all 5 batteries out for a while.
-
Before we start making up new key combinations, I'll refer you here (http://wikiti.brandonw.net/index.php?title=83Plus:OS:Secret_Key_Combinations).
That is one amazing list O.O
I didn't even know some of that stuff even existed
-
So blagus, when you did the battery + DEL, did you see the boot code "Waiting..." message? Because if you did, then you clearly have a hardware issue. The only thing you could do in this situation is what was suggested above which is to leave all 5 batteries out for a while.
As I said, that combination still gives me black screen. None of combinations give me anything but full black screen, or slowly contrast-increasing black screen.
It was only one random occurrence when I got normal display, and I can't get to it anymore.
I guess it's a hardware issue, but which one?
-
This is the error when I boot in DEL+battery mode, screen black, and try to flash OS via TiLP2:
(tilp.exe:2288): ticables-WARNING **: usb_bulk_write (libusb0-dll:err [_usb_reap_async] reaping request failed, win error: A device attached to the system is not functioning.
And error message box:
Msg: error occured while writing to the device.
-
Ok, so an easy way to determine what the calculator is doing when the screen is off is to press some buttons.
Boot into the calculator with battery+DEL and then:
1. Press any button besides ON - if the screen turns off, then the boot code is immediately throwing a link error
2. Press ON, then press any button besides ON - if the screen turns off, then the boot code is indeed waiting to receive an OS
3. If no amount of button mashing can get the screen to turn off, then you've got some serious problems (or you incorrectly entered battery+DEL)
-
OK, from screen blinking/turning off I concluded that my calc is crazy.
* The contrast is suddenly much lower.
* Only button that makes the screen blink/turn off is the DEL key.
* If I insert the battery with no buttons pressed, DEL key turns off the screen after it's released. No other buttons will do it. When trying to flash OS in this mode, TiLP gives the "not connected/timeout" error.
* If I insert the battery with DEL button pressed, DEL keys turns off the screen after it's released. No other buttons will do it. When trying to flash OS in this mode, TiLP gives "error writing to device/device not functioning error" which happens much faster after clicking "Forward" button in OS flash window than the delayed timeout message.
-
I hope this isn't a sign of broken calc? O.O
-
Is your warranty still valid?
-
I hope this isn't a sign of broken calc? O.O
Unless taking the batteries out for like a week fixes it. I must admit I think it's dead.
-
But would it be due to corrupted flash or would it be due to hardware issue? Anyway I hope you still have the receipt and that the warranty is still valid.
-
I think it's due to bad hardware. There's nothing in the boot code that could possibly turn the screen black, so that's caused by an outside source. Also, it doesn't respond to key input, so it's not running the code properly.
Either his boot code is corrupted (next to impossible), his certificate is corrupted in a very specific way (next to impossible), or his calculator has some random hardware issue.
-
Ah ok thanks for the info. I was wondering since the black screen seems like a rather common problem on that model.
-
No, I don't have the warranty. I got French version of TI-82 Stats last summer, sold it and bought TI-83 Plus for the same money, second hand.
I took it apart and removed all batteries. I'll check it out next week.
-
Ok, so an easy way to determine what the calculator is doing when the screen is off is to press some buttons.
Boot into the calculator with battery+DEL and then:
1. Press any button besides ON - if the screen turns off, then the boot code is immediately throwing a link error
2. Press ON, then press any button besides ON - if the screen turns off, then the boot code is indeed waiting to receive an OS
3. If no amount of button mashing can get the screen to turn off, then you've got some serious problems (or you incorrectly entered battery+DEL)
I am having the same black screen problm with my ti-83+. i do not have a problem turning off my calculator. I tried steps 1 and 2. When I tried step 1 it did not turn off. When i tried step 2 the screen did turn off. Do you know how I can fix my calculator?
-
reinstall the os with ti-connect?
-
Hey guys, I just want to let you know my calc is OK.
After I tried all possible key combinations I just put the calc in the drawer and forgot about it.
Today I thought that I could try HW flashing of NAND (asking for a backup here) to see if that would help.
So I inserted fresh batteries, junk appeared on screen as before, "RAM cleared" message as before, but this time, after I pressed Clear button, it kept working!
My guess is that some friend in class did something that froze the calc while playing a game, and the batteries were low already, so it just couldn't reset completely or something, causing the junk on screen. Although I did try replacing batteries for the first time, looks like I really needed fresh ones, straight from the pack :P
-
Nice. I thought is had something to do with the ribbon connector which connects the main board to the lcd driver. Glad to hear your calc is okay.
-
Hey guys, I just want to let you know my calc is OK.
After I tried all possible key combinations I just put the calc in the drawer and forgot about it.
Today I thought that I could try HW flashing of NAND (asking for a backup here) to see if that would help.
So I inserted fresh batteries, junk appeared on screen as before, "RAM cleared" message as before, but this time, after I pressed Clear button, it kept working!
My guess is that some friend in class did something that froze the calc while playing a game, and the batteries were low already, so it just couldn't reset completely or something, causing the junk on screen. Although I did try replacing batteries for the first time, looks like I really needed fresh ones, straight from the pack :P
Good to hear that you don't need to buy a new one. :)
-
Ok, so an easy way to determine what the calculator is doing when the screen is off is to press some buttons.
Boot into the calculator with battery+DEL and then:
1. Press any button besides ON - if the screen turns off, then the boot code is immediately throwing a link error
2. Press ON, then press any button besides ON - if the screen turns off, then the boot code is indeed waiting to receive an OS
3. If no amount of button mashing can get the screen to turn off, then you've got some serious problems (or you incorrectly entered battery+DEL)
When I do step number two and mash a couple of buttons the screen turns off. What does this mean?
-
maby low baterries...
no just fun
you turn it on and send a new os (ti connect is in sending os better then TiLP)
-
maby low baterries...
no just fun
you turn it on and send a new os (ti connect is in sending os better then TiLP)
I let the calculator said about a week without any batteries including the hidden one. I bought all new batteries and place them in and I get the black screen. I don't know how to fix this. What do I have to do?
-
maby low baterries...
no just fun
you turn it on and send a new os (ti connect is in sending os better then TiLP)
I let the calculator said about a week without any batteries including the hidden one. I bought all new batteries and place them in and I get the black screen. I don't know how to fix this. What do I have to do?
Taking it back to the store seems to be the best option, assuming you still have the warranty. This looks like a hardware problem.
-
Ok, so an easy way to determine what the calculator is doing when the screen is off is to press some buttons.
Boot into the calculator with battery+DEL and then:
1. Press any button besides ON - if the screen turns off, then the boot code is immediately throwing a link error
2. Press ON, then press any button besides ON - if the screen turns off, then the boot code is indeed waiting to receive an OS
3. If no amount of button mashing can get the screen to turn off, then you've got some serious problems (or you incorrectly entered battery+DEL)
When I do step number two and mash a couple of buttons the screen turns off. What does this mean?
maby low baterries...
no just fun
you turn it on and send a new os (ti connect is in sending os better then TiLP)
I let the calculator said about a week without any batteries including the hidden one. I bought all new batteries and place them in and I get the black screen. I don't know how to fix this. What do I have to do?
Taking it back to the store seems to be the best option, assuming you still have the warranty. This looks like a hardware problem.
Just so we can get some clarification. Is this what happened?
1. You have the same black screen issue
2. When you followed my instructions, you were greeted with a black screen that could be eliminated (calc turned off) by pressing a few buttons
If this is the case, then everything on your calculator works except the screen. I don't think any amount of software fixes are going to correct your problem. So yes, find some way to get money for it. (Store, warranty, ebay (people buy broken calcs), etc.)
-
Although I think broken screen calcs are usually sold for only $20 and a new one costs $80-120 x.x. The best thing is if you still have the warranty and take it back to the store.
-
Although I think broken screen calcs are usually sold for only $20 and a new one costs $80-120 x.x. The best thing is if you still have the warranty and take it back to the store.
it depens where you are looking...
-
Hello all.
I followed the above instructions to solve my instantaneous black screen on TI-83.
For a split second I was able to see some digits before the "screen crash" would occur.
Nothing changed.
My solution is the following.
* remove all batteries including the memory coin cell
* return the AAA's in position
* press On
* check if it works
* press 2nd On
* return coin cell
Hope I have been of service.
Ciao Now Aim
-
One of my teachers had the same problem (the screen was black no matter what when the batteries are in). He gave me the calc, and it turns out that one of the traces was broken because of battery acid. It wasn't protected by the silver thing because the acid had leaked up near the top, by the backup battery. I soldered the trace back shut and it's fixed.
-
The best way to fix this is to take all batteries out. The chances of a non-ASm programmer/mess arounder (as are moi) causing a sfotware problem which causes this are like a trillion trillion to 1. So help related to an ASM bug isn't going to help most people.
If a community member comes here, we'll know it was his own fault. Whoever programs for these things is obvs a member of a community somewhere.