What kind of server maintenance resets a device?

[CatHeartsBooks]

My NC decided to reset as well around 3:30ish (maybe?)... I turned it on while at work to see IF I had received the update yet. Instead I was greeted with the "Setting up your Nook!" video. So it appears to be affecting all NC users connected to wifi, whether you're running 1.1 or 1.2.

[KnitGirlinIdaho]

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riffrafff wrote:

Yeah, servers don't wipe out client data. Servers are either online or they are not.  Something had to tell the NC to delete those files. 

I wonder how widespread this is?  Is it only 1.2 NCs?  How about the 1.1 and 1.0.1 versions?  Any rooted NCs get hit by this?

Just trying to figure out where the trigger mechanism is.

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Someone started this thread that asks more specific questions about which Nooks were affected (or infected)...

[Bookworm8765MC]

im keeping my wifi off for now and i probally wont turn it on all afternoon till i know whats going on and if the problem is over and if it happens to me how to fix it...

[Solo4357]

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riffrafff wrote:

The mere fact that a remote reset has even been incorporated into these is troubling. 

Why, B&N?  Why would you do that? 

The only reason I haven't rooted this thing into a total Android tablet with no B&N apps at all is because of the magazines I subscribe to (no B&N magazine reader in the Android Market).  I'm going to wait and see what the reason/excuse for this fiasco is, and personally, if it's bogus, I'll just cancel those mag subscriptions and never look back.

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It might be a "dead mans switch." Lose connectivity, the nook thinks it's unauthorized and blows itself up. Whatever the mechanism, it's pretty inexcusible.

[dfehling]

I beleive they were finally pushing the wifi update and it caused the nookcolors to reset. It's not really server maintenance that is the problem, it is whatever they "pushed" to our devices.

I am an internet developer and I can say I am ONE HAPPY CAMPER that it wasn't ME that did this big oops!!!! Can't even imagine how the guy that messed all this up feels right now.

[dtkpmom]

I think its the pepsi syndrome

[riffrafff]

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dfehling wrote:

I beleive they were finally pushing the wifi update and it caused the nookcolors to reset. It's not really server maintenance that is the problem, it is whatever they "pushed" to our devices.

I am an internet developer and I can say I am ONE HAPPY CAMPER that it wasn't ME that did this big oops!!!! Can't even imagine how the guy that messed all this up feels right now.

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If that's the case, then they were pushing it to NCs that already had the 1.2 installed.  That doesn't make sense.  And since when does an update force you to re-register?   That in itself is going to be problematic, since no one un-registered first.  Prolly going to have to log on to B&N.com and un-register there, before the NC can re-register (once the servers come back).

[krighton]

the guy responsible for this is feeling unemployed right now.

[PeterDe]

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dfehling wrote:

I beleive they were finally pushing the wifi update and it caused the nookcolors to reset. It's not really server maintenance that is the problem, it is whatever they "pushed" to our devices.

I am an internet developer and I can say I am ONE HAPPY CAMPER that it wasn't ME that did this big oops!!!! Can't even imagine how the guy that messed all this up feels right now.

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What were they pushing to updated nooks?

[revkev313]

I understand your frustration, but come on to take an hour of your time to get so frustrated and worked up over something that's happening to thousands.  

Seems you could have shut off the device and taken a walk, spent time with friends or family, or something else that you may never be able to do again.

Did B & N do this just to ruin your day???? NO.  Technology breaks, needs to be tweaked, and countless other things I'm sure we have the foggiest idea about. 

So tired of people complaining abut every dang thing in the Universe when they're not even sure they be here in the next few hours.  Live now and stop wasting time on small concerns.

[gkaiseil]

Some privately owned Blackberry's reset when linked to corporate email server and the the server is reset.

Maybe the NC database of registered NC is lost or the record in the DB data for the specific NC is different from the NC data on the NC. Like the side loaded update value does not match what BN has.

[adamrx]

Finally...the voice of reason!

[garskiff]

Last time I saw something like this was when one of my network admin. types was installing a new pc on our network and used a virus infected disk to do the install.  The tech was logged in as "root" which infected the login script for all our servers.  The next morning everyone that tried to login was infected with the virus.  Took quite awhile to clean up several hundred PC's and 20 servers.  Murphy is always out there waiting to strike  

[flyingtoastr Scribe]

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riffrafff wrote:

If that's the case, then they were pushing it to NCs that already had the 1.2 installed.  That doesn't make sense.  And since when does an update force you to re-register?   That in itself is going to be problematic, since no one un-registered first.  Prolly going to have to log on to B&N.com and un-register there, before the NC can re-register (once the servers come back).

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For all we know they weren't pushing the actual update, but pushing the flag that allows your device to download the update OTA. It would explain why some devices were bricked (the ones who were having the flag pushed to them) and some (like mine) are perfectly fine.

Point remains, we don't know why it happened, but it isn't as if BN came over and burned your house down. It sucks, but take this as a oppertunity to get outside and go get some exercise or something. Give the techs a chance to fix it before screaming bloody murder.

[donc13]

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mwarthur wrote:

B&N has to have the absolute WORST customer service ever.  Once they wipe my product out and force a manual reset over wi-fi, they then don't have the capability to allow the product to complete the registration process over wi-fi.  How convenient that they can swipe my product wirelessly and render it completely useless, but then they can't allow my product to reset itself.

To add insult to injury, you call 1-800-THE-BOOK as directed on the NookColor device, and after waiting an exorbitant 27 minutes, your call is finally answered by rude and useless operators like the one I talked to named "Paul".  Within 20 seconds of answering the line, he tells me that their IT department is working on things and I'll just need to be patient and wait for another hour before I'll be able to fix my NookColor.  When I complained about the fact that the B&N website has no indication of any problems and the B&N telephone line has no voice-directed message to indicate that this problem cannot be fixed by a customer rep, Paul just gives me silence and then wants to know my serial number.  Oh so helpful.

I then asked to be transferred to his supervisor.  He put me on hold for 20 more minutes then came back online, thanked me for my patience, and told me that he couldn't direct me to a supervisor because they were too busy registering complaints.  Nice, indeed. 

Maybe next time B&N decides to "upgrade" their device (which should have come with this full functionality in the first place on the Android platform), they'll do so in a more organized and functional manner.  Very disappointed in their performance--or lack thereof.  Thanks for nothing, Paul.

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You'll probably never read this...but:

This was an accident.   Something, somewhere, somehow went wrong and it caused problems.   No question there.   It was not some B&N executive's plan, "Let's have some fun and screw with people today...let's set all their nooks back to factory!  It'll be FUN!"

I guarantee you, it was NOT INTENDED.

But yes, something happened.

Now, since it wasn't intended, how could Customer Service know about it?    It was as much a surprise to them as it was to you.    Yes, on systems with multiple servers, maintenance is done during the day...on servers that should be offline.    And I'm sure that Customer Service has a "canned" reply for computer issues...."system maintenance"

Also, guess what....if their servers are down, you CAN'T re-register your device!    That too is done via a server!   

So...chill.    Stuff happens.   If it starts to happen often, you bet....get upset.   But for a very isolated incident like this.....cool your jets.    Wait until stuff gets back to normal, re-register your NC and all will be well.

[justsayyes]

True story:  At a keynote address by Scott McNealy (founder of Sun Microsystems) at CES in Las Vegas, the WiFi connection for his on-stage demo failed leaving Scott ad libbing.  So Scott calls the guy on stage to fix things, and just as the poor guy is on stage fixing things, someone's cell phone rings really loudly.

Scott then says, "Must be (IT guy name here)'s headhunter since he's looking for a job now..."

It was pretty funny at the time, but I imagine that the B&N software development or IT guys are not feeling so special right about now.

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krighton wrote:

the guy responsible for this is feeling unemployed right now.

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[misschriss]

I have had my NC plugged up with wi-fi on since yesterday.Didn't use it all day yesterday. I just got home from work and got on the msg boards and have been reading about the NC resetting for people. And causing lost data. So I checked mine and it is perfectly fine. Everything that is suppose to be on it is on it. My apps work and everything. Am I just lucky?  Is this problem related to turning on or off the wi-fi? Do I need to leave it alone and slowly back away from it?

Christine

[thirdegg]

In a tornado warning so I am taking my kid, laptop, phone and my nice shiny new brick into the bathroom!

[BrianMcE]

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thirdegg wrote:

In a tornado warning so I am taking my kid, laptop, phone and my nice shiny new brick into the bathroom!

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Be safe! Rough weather out there today.

On topic - If this was an actual mistake it amazes me that they would have software that would be capable of mass resetting what could most likely be thousands of nook colors(if not more).  Why would anyone need to be able to do that? 

[akaCat]

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revkev313 wrote:

I understand your frustration, but come on to take an hour of your time to get so frustrated and worked up over something that's happening to thousands.  

Seems you could have shut off the device and taken a walk, spent time with friends or family, or something else that you may never be able to do again.

Did B & N do this just to ruin your day???? NO.  Technology breaks, needs to be tweaked, and countless other things I'm sure we have the foggiest idea about. 

So tired of people complaining abut every dang thing in the Universe when they're not even sure they be here in the next few hours.  Live now and stop wasting time on small concerns.

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The dude (dudette?) with the broken back will have a little trouble with the whole taking a walk thing, and it's a good guess that their family and friends are all at work. Ditto for anyone else who was relying on their NC to keep them from getting cabin fever while housebound.

Some of the complaints since the update have been pretty silly, and the poster's time could have been better spent elsewhere. But honestly, if having a relatively new $250 gadget appear to be bricked with no warning because of something the seller did isn't worth complaining about, what is?

Note: I don't have a horse in this race, I'm lucky enough that I was at work with office wireless that hates my NC for some obscure reason.