NAVIGATR UPDATE **WIPED MY DRIVE**

[theClubHopper]

The new Navigatr PVR software rolled out this morning, in select areas (Newmarket, Oshawa, Ajax, Brampton, Mississauga and Milton). I live in Aurora, and I guess that lumps us in with Newmarket, because my 8642HD's update started around 3:10AM this morning, and completed about 40 minutes later.

I should be happy, right?

Nope! The update WIPED MY DRIVE. It now shows "0% full". And none of my Scheduled Recordings were carried over.

I rebooted.. because you never know, might just be a first-time startup glitch. Nope, they're gone.

In anticipation of the update happening this AM, shortly after midnight, while still on the old Guide software, I took a video with my phone of me scrolling through my Recordings, so I'd know what I was missing (so I could try to find as much of it as I could online, if the need arose). My 500GB drive was 84.8% full, with over 100 recordings. Now it's empty.

I was able to do an online chat with a Rogers tech (@4:45AM) to alert them to the issue, and to implore them to stop the rollout of the software immediately - for everyone's sake. Of course, my complaint was the first they'd heard of it. "The software was tested extensively..." I was told. They always say that though..

Screenshots:

Before the Navigatr update:

4 hrs later, after Navigatr was installed:

Don't know what will happen next, but I will be amazed if they can somehow recover my drive.

Post if the same happened to you.

[OLDYELLR]

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@SpeedyC wrote:

I wonder what Rogers meant by "Human Error" cased the problem in the rollout?

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That also got my attention. Clearly, these firmware updates can't be entrusted to humans, who are too dumb to follow basic protocol and test it on the boxes it will be deployed to.

[OLDYELLR]

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@dawnfernandes wrote:
 Finally got through to customer care. The rep said this is the first she's heard if this. Well why the 30 minute wait on hold then? Fishy.

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It's hard to believe a rep has not heard of this after Rogers officially acknowleged it on their website, putting it down to "human error". They must be hiring new reps faster than they can train them to address this problem.

[molly222]

Unfortunately I am unable to participate tomorrow in your live question period.  I would like some answers as to why my Nextbox PVR was wiped clean of ALL of my recorded shows.  Yesterday at 3:00 p.m. your customer service said that someone would call me back as to a solution.  I have not had a call back yet...I've now been waiting 26 hours.  I am assuming you have a list of customers that you wiped clean of their PVR's.  I believe at the very least someone should be calling us back and telling us what the next steps are.

Also, the new guide has a few perks, but the small font and the way recorded shows are listed is terrible.  Seeing that you are not now rolling this out to other customers, where does that leave the unfortunate customers that are now stuck with no recorded shows and a very hard to read program list?

it is unfair that you forced us to take an untested upgrade.  You also promised there would be no interuptions to our service.  I had to go to the store last night to rent a movie to watch with my out of town visitors...I'll be doing the same tonight.  I guess my $500 Nextbox is not good for anything now but collecting dust!

[neilpalmer400]

The Navigatr FAQ web page at

>www.rogers.com/web/support/tv/nextbox/9087?setLanguage=en

has been changed.

There is now mention of the update problem at the top of the page:

Why am I having issues with the NavigatrTM upgrades?

As a result of human error, if you have an older set-top cable box you may not be able to see your recorded shows. As well, in some cases, you may be prompted for a PIN to access your guide.

We sincerely apologize to you for this inconvenience. As soon as we discovered this problem, we immediately stopped rolling out the upgrade to additional customers.

If you are having a problem with your PIN, you can reset it by logging in to your MyRogersTM account or by calling Customer Care at 1 888 ROGERS1 (764-3771).

Also, this FAQ item has been removed from the web page (verified by comparing with the PDF copy of the web page I took yesterday for archive purposes):

Will these upcoming changes affect my current TV settings or recordings?
No, your recordings and settings will not be affected.

[neilpalmer400]

Molly said:

Also, the new guide has a few perks, but the small font and the way recorded shows are listed is terrible.  Seeing that you are not now rolling this out to other customers, where does that leave the unfortunate customers that are now stuck with no recorded shows and a very hard to read program list?

Molly - that issue was addressed immediately by wiping out all your recorded programs during the update.

It was so you wouldn't have to worry about the small font they (would) appear in on the program list.

😉

[lgarey]

I figured they'd remove that. I took a screen shot.

[theClubHopper]

So, an update of sorts. I could very easily expand on #3 below and make some suggestions on how others proceed, but I'd do myself no favours so I'll make this brief:

1. A correction: in Post #1, I wrote that my PVR had a "1GB drive that was 85% full". Although I meant to write 1TB (as pointed out in the thread), I have since discovered it was a 500GB drive (that I installed after the original died). The post has now been corrected.
2. I received a call back this afternoon as a result of the letter I wrote and submitted Tuesday evening. Unfortunately, my phone service was out (ironically due to a brief Rogers complete outage this afternoon that hit my street) so the caller only left a brief message and said he'd call back tomorrow.
3. This evening, I received a phone call in reply to the 4:45AM Tuesday tech support chat session I had (see Post #1). This was Rogers Customer Service, and they were calling:
   
   • to apologize
   • to CONFIRM THAT THE RECORDINGS ARE LOST, THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO RECOVER THEM. (just as I expected)
   • to OFFER COMPENSATION for the "problems":
     Compensation offered was:
     1) SIX (6) FREE Rogers On Demand Movies, and
     2) $15 bill/month credit (for 3 months, I think she said) towards our PVR rental*
     
     * note: that was a bad mistake to make, as WE DON'T RENT OUR PVR, WE OWN IT. And Rogers knows this!
     
     I said "No!" to ROD Movies, as that has 0 value to us (we get our movies free, legally, from the local library), and when I said we owned the PVR and that this was just another example of Rogers not doing their homework, she said could offer me a one-time bill credit (not sure on the amount as I wasn't interested.. I think she said $35). I replied I would accept a no-cost exchange for a Nextbox-3. She said she couldn't do that (no surprise there!).
     
     We agreed that she would be unable to offer me an agreeable resolution and that her (direct) superiors would also be unable to. Seeing a note on our file that the "Office of the President" had called in the afternoon and would try again tomorrow (a note that, if there, she obviously wasn't aware of before calling), we agreed it was probably best if we left it to that.

[kso]

No-cost exchange for a Nextbox-3? For a pvr that isn't broken and the only thing that happened is you just lost the recordings of? Thats just silly to even ask for. Some recordings were lost, that's it. The PVRs aren't made to be storage forever, it's made to record shows, watch and then get rid of them. To even think of asking for a $400 new pvr just cause the recordings were erased is so stupid.

[Meowmix]

Hello @kso

Its not really stupid. It's the fact that Rogers doesn't even carry the 8642 box anymore and promotes the NextBox 3. Also the 8642 box has had MANY bugs and issues like this all the time so I do see this a fair thing to do. U might not because u think it's " stupid" but many of us see it fair. Remember it doesn't matter that it's recordings they lost, its the service also ur paying for.

[shoffman]

Explorer 8642 HD wiped as well. Not impressed. came home from vacation and have losted it all. Recordings and anything scheduled to record. 

[Gregg_B]

I agree, it is not "stupid", it is incompetence. The same incompetence Rogers has always shown with the software on the Nextbox.

[kso]

@Meowmix

It's not fair, it's very outrageous to ask for a at cost NB3 to replace a purchased box that doesn't have anything wrong with it other than the software update wipe.

iPhone sends new i0S updates. If I have an older 4S and the new update broke my phone, you think anyone would ask Apple to hey, give me the iPhone 6 as a replacement? No way. Apple would laugh at you, it's no different than this.

They still carry the 8642's you can go to the store and still rent them too.

[ipalrosic]

The customary business policies in software development include BACKWARD COMPATIBILITY for all supported devices.

Devices that are not supported should be declared out of support.

Nothing complicated or ambiguous about that!

[ipalrosic]

The difference is -In your scenario you CHOSE to update the old - unsupported by new OS device; what happened here is forced download to a device without the customer consent, and by the looks of it, without testing if the device is compatible with the change

[Meowmix]

Hello @kso

Completely different senerios and different things. Apple let's it's users upgrade to the new update anytime they wish after its been released and also I have never heard of a outrage like this where Apple released a update and erased ur device. So ur the story of it being the same isn't. Some Apple genius bar reps will allow u to change ur device if anything has happened. I have seen it multiple times. Also if something like this happens, ur phone backs up on iTunes so u can gain everything back.  If u do that or on icloud.  

Rogers forced the update on the boxes thus losing recordings. The update seems like it was NEVER tested on those boxes either.

Also one thing to add. Rogers stopped selling the 8642 PVR Boxes officially after the release of the NextBox 3. That's why u don't see it on their site. Third party stores and some Rogers store will have stock due to then pushing the NextBox 3 instead.

Again i go by what I say and it's not stupid or outrages in anyway.

[Gregg_B]

Apart from the wiped HD, anyone else missing channels? Many channel are now just blank. No apparent logic - 7 (City), 42 (Discovery), 44 (Comedy) and many more.

[SpeedyC]

Cheap, lying weasels! Yesterday I wrote the Rogers rept. I spoke to will give me a $25 credit for the mess-up.

Today, I see I only got $15.

It looks like different people get different compensation ... I find it sad that we have negotiate for this ... like negotiating my rates every 2 years isn't painful enough.

Maybe I should switvch to the NB3, if I want to pay a higher rental see/month ... but I read that there may be problems with the NB3 and my SONY equipment not synching ...

[shan-man]

In response to my complaint in this thread or to a copy that I sent directly via the Rogers "Share a Concern" feedback form, I received a telephone call from a Rogers rep this morning. I was impressed that they reached out to me to resolve this, after reading my feedback.

As I have a NextBox 3.0, my complaint was limited to missing scheduled recordings, and feedback on how terrible the new guide is. As such, I was happy to accept the rep's offer of 6 ROD movies and a single $15.00 bill credit. Had I lost hours of recordings like some of you (which I very much sympathize with - it happened to my own mother), I may have pushed for more.

Hope your experience resolving this goes well.

I also hope to hear that Rogers either restores the old guide (without losing additional content) or restores the missing functionality to the new guide.

[neilpalmer400]

SpeedyC,

Although the Nextbox 3 (9865) has some issues of its own (my main annoyance is it is slow to start recordings so you often miss anywhere from 10 to 75 seconds at the start of a show, depending on how many are recording at the same time, which is one problem I never had with the 8642 that always starts ecordings on time), it IS probably a better choice for most.

There is also the distinct possibility that a future RTN software update may wipe your NextBox 2 again (though the NextBox 3 isn't immune to that either there's probably a bigger chance that would happen with older 8642 boxes).

It is in no way out of line to call Rogers and request a replacement of your NextBox 2 with a NextBox 3 (assuming you are renting) and ask for an ongoing credit to cover the difference in rental rates.

I would also suggest that instead of accepting a few movies as compensation that you would be better off requesting a period of free access to Shomi instead.

[timreuel]

sounds like i got off lucky

i got my pvr last summer  must be a new model

minor problems so far 

when playing a recording you cannot tell how much time is left

used to be able to press ok/select  doesnot work now       who wants to pause to find this out ?

cannot access my series recordings

don't know if they are still there or not  ?

tech support says it will all be cleared up by the weekend 

longtime rogers customer      i have heard that before !!

the new update sucks

especially my recordings

no info    just a big tab with a very truncated title 

programs to be recorded do not give you the time of the recording just the date

rogers does this with their internet also

they never learn to leave well enough alone 

[park]

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@kso wrote:
No-cost exchange for a Nextbox-3? For a pvr that isn't broken and the only thing that happened is you just lost the recordings of? Thats just silly to even ask for. Some recordings were lost, that's it. The PVRs aren't made to be storage forever, it's made to record shows, watch and then get rid of them. To even think of asking for a $400 new pvr just cause the recordings were erased is so stupid.

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Not really.

The NB2 is a seriously flawed machine and IMHO should have never been on the market.

So offering a NB3s in exchange for NB2s is the only resoanable thing for Rogers to do.

(Instead of flogging them them on the shopping channel for $250)