c284e refurb

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  • Wombat Daddy
    Junior Member
    • Jul 2025
    • 7

    #1

    [Dead] c284e refurb

    Hi all! I have been given two c284e. One has less copy count, and has a stapler/finisher. However it has an issue at startup, with "enter serial number" and call service representative. The reason these machines are with me is because KM here no longer supports them. I have a use for them, and would rather keep them out of landfill.

    I determined the serial number gripe was because the battery had failed on the motherboard (I've been a computer techy since 1994, so easily replaced that!) I also removed and checked the 320GB WD disk. I could read some of the ext3 partitions, but others were corrupt, and the drive failed SMART extended test. So I will replace it with a SSD.

    However, now to the questions:
    1. I cannot access service mode. The Menu->Counter-> Keyboard->Stop-0-0-Stop-0-1 is simply ignored. How do I get further?
    2. From reading through this forum it would appear that I require a USB stick with the right firmware on it to reinitialize the SSD. Where do I find this firmware and voodoo?
    3. Will an almost-same-size SSD (275GB) do the job? The WD had 60GB unused non-partitioned space on it anyhow, so there's more that can be used in the SSD.
    TIA
  • Synthohol
    Certified Konica Expert

    Site Contributor
    5,000+ Posts
    • Mar 2016
    • 5885

    #2
    1: hold down panel reset while turning it on, it should boot into trouble reset mode and the s00s01 should work from there. pending jobs in the queue will prevent you entering service mode.
    2: you can initialize and format the hdd in service mode if needed, installing the latest firmware usually wont hurt.
    3: 320g hdds are like 10 dollars. i wouldnt use anything smaller. the copier will make several partitions on it with roughly 170Gb in vacant space but thats what the machine expects, anything smaller could lead to unwanted trouble codes. if using a used drive put it in a computer first, wipe ALL the partitions, create a single partition but do not format it. once in the copier it should boot and ask to format the HDD, you can do a logical format in admin mode or service mode. physical format not needed, takes too long
    then install firmware and movie data. make sure the HDD is set to "installed".
    if using an SSD never select physical format, there are NO platters in an SSD so there is no "blocks" to move around, everything has its own memory cell so physical format of any SSD will just wear it out unnecessarily.
    We know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two.
    The medication helps though...

    Comment

    • femaster
      Service Manager

      1,000+ Posts
      • May 2011
      • 1519

      #3
      I've never dealt with an SSD in place of a standard HDD before, but as far as standard HDDs go, the copier only uses (or expects) 250GB. Copiers came with 250GB or 320GB drives (when the 250GB drives were no longer obtainable). When a 320GB was installed, only the first 250GB was utilized. I'm not sure how the copier would respond to 275GB, though I would hope that it would be smart enough to just utilize the 250GB that is expects.
      A Ricoh Service Tech for 7 year. A Konica Minolta Service Tech for 7 years. Now, KM service manager for 4 years.
      My Ricoh knowledge is slowly dwindling away at this point. Many things have been lost to time...

      Comment

      • Synthohol
        Certified Konica Expert

        Site Contributor
        5,000+ Posts
        • Mar 2016
        • 5885

        #4
        i would only see 250G drives in monochrome machines. honestly have never used or seen a 250g in a color box.
        We know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two.
        The medication helps though...

        Comment

        • femaster
          Service Manager

          1,000+ Posts
          • May 2011
          • 1519

          #5
          I remember a bulletin about it. It start with the 3-series machines (223, 283, etc.)if I am remembering correctly. They couldn't source the 250GB drives any longer, so they were forced to move to 320GB drives. They ended up releasing a bulletin and a firmware update as the older machines that originally had the 250GB drives would fail to properly format the 320GB drives when they were fitted into the older machines as replacements.
          A Ricoh Service Tech for 7 year. A Konica Minolta Service Tech for 7 years. Now, KM service manager for 4 years.
          My Ricoh knowledge is slowly dwindling away at this point. Many things have been lost to time...

          Comment

          • ThisPete
            Snr/troubleshoot/network

            Site Contributor
            100+ Posts
            • Jun 2014
            • 239

            #6
            Originally posted by femaster
            I remember a bulletin about it. It start with the 3-series machines (223, 283, etc.)if I am remembering correctly. They couldn't source the 250GB drives any longer, so they were forced to move to 320GB drives. They ended up releasing a bulletin and a firmware update as the older machines that originally had the 250GB drives would fail to properly format the 320GB drives when they were fitted into the older machines as replacements.
            That sounds familiar to me too..

            Comment

            • Wombat Daddy
              Junior Member
              • Jul 2025
              • 7

              #7
              Originally posted by Synthohol
              1: hold down panel reset while turning it on, it should boot into trouble reset mode and the s00s01 should work from there. pending jobs in the queue will prevent you entering service mode.
              2: you can initialize and format the hdd in service mode if needed, installing the latest firmware usually wont hurt.
              3: 320g hdds are like 10 dollars. i wouldnt use anything smaller. the copier will make several partitions on it with roughly 170Gb in vacant space but thats what the machine expects, anything smaller could lead to unwanted trouble codes. if using a used drive put it in a computer first, wipe ALL the partitions, create a single partition but do not format it. once in the copier it should boot and ask to format the HDD, you can do a logical format in admin mode or service mode. physical format not needed, takes too long
              then install firmware and movie data. make sure the HDD is set to "installed".
              if using an SSD never select physical format, there are NO platters in an SSD so there is no "blocks" to move around, everything has its own memory cell so physical format of any SSD will just wear it out unnecessarily.
              Thanks so much, that's got me a little farther. Into Trouble Reset mode, and it wants a password...is there a default? Or was this set by the original tech 15 years ago?
              Where do I find the firmware?

              Comment

              • Synthohol
                Certified Konica Expert

                Site Contributor
                5,000+ Posts
                • Mar 2016
                • 5885

                #8
                the default is usually wapawapawapawapa or just wapawapa.
                pretend you are texting it gen-x style
                We know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two.
                The medication helps though...

                Comment

                • Ziggy
                  Senior Tech

                  Site Contributor
                  VIP Subscriber
                  500+ Posts
                  • Feb 2018
                  • 799

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Synthohol
                  the default is usually wapawapawapawapa or just wapawapa.
                  pretend you are texting it gen-x style
                  Or Boomer style 😂

                  Comment

                  • copier tech
                    Field Supervisor

                    5,000+ Posts
                    • Jan 2014
                    • 8196

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Wombat Daddy
                    Hi all! I have been given two c284e. One has less copy count, and has a stapler/finisher. However it has an issue at startup, with "enter serial number" and call service representative. The reason these machines are with me is because KM here no longer supports them. I have a use for them, and would rather keep them out of landfill.

                    I determined the serial number gripe was because the battery had failed on the motherboard (I've been a computer techy since 1994, so easily replaced that!) I also removed and checked the 320GB WD disk. I could read some of the ext3 partitions, but others were corrupt, and the drive failed SMART extended test. So I will replace it with a SSD.

                    However, now to the questions:
                    1. I cannot access service mode. The Menu->Counter-> Keyboard->Stop-0-0-Stop-0-1 is simply ignored. How do I get further?
                    2. From reading through this forum it would appear that I require a USB stick with the right firmware on it to reinitialize the SSD. Where do I find this firmware and voodoo?
                    3. Will an almost-same-size SSD (275GB) do the job? The WD had 60GB unused non-partitioned space on it anyhow, so there's more that can be used in the SSD.
                    TIA
                    If you don't know the history of this device & since it was serviced by KM they may have set a CE password.

                    I would use the NVRam tool to reset the device back to factory default settings this will also clear the CE password.




                    Let us eat, drink, and be merry, because tomorrow we may die!

                    For all your firmware & service manual needs please visit us at:

                    www.copierfirmware.co.uk - www.printerfirmware.co.uk

                    ​

                    Comment

                    • Synthohol
                      Certified Konica Expert

                      Site Contributor
                      5,000+ Posts
                      • Mar 2016
                      • 5885

                      #11
                      it would be total overkill to use the reset FW, simply request a code to reset the password.
                      https://www.copytechnet.com/forum/te...48#post1625054
                      We know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two.
                      The medication helps though...

                      Comment

                      • Wombat Daddy
                        Junior Member
                        • Jul 2025
                        • 7

                        #12
                        So I have managed to track down the standard service admin password used by the original service agents, and got into the service interface. Progress.
                        However upon getting into the system2/hdd area, with the SSD installed, the button for not installed was selected, and the control board locked solid. So I tuned off, disconnected the SSD, and rebooted into service mode. I set all the serial numbers to random garbage (assuming random garbage is okay??), and checked the HDD settings again. It now said Installed., so I toggled that, and restarted again, letting it come into normal operating mode.
                        Starting into normal mode, I get a screen saying: "The functions listed cannot be used because the scanner is not available Copy / Scan/Fax.
                        Then this goes away to be replaced with: TPM chip has been changed. Initialize TPM setting. It goes no further.

                        Comment

                        • adecanmin
                          Trusted Tech

                          Site Contributor
                          250+ Posts
                          • Oct 2010
                          • 320

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Wombat Daddy
                          So I have managed to track down the standard service admin password used by the original service agents, and got into the service interface. Progress.
                          However upon getting into the system2/hdd area, with the SSD installed, the button for not installed was selected, and the control board locked solid. So I tuned off, disconnected the SSD, and rebooted into service mode. I set all the serial numbers to random garbage (assuming random garbage is okay??), and checked the HDD settings again. It now said Installed., so I toggled that, and restarted again, letting it come into normal operating mode.
                          Starting into normal mode, I get a screen saying: "The functions listed cannot be used because the scanner is not available Copy / Scan/Fax.
                          Then this goes away to be replaced with: TPM chip has been changed. Initialize TPM setting. It goes no further.
                          I think the battery on the mfpb is bad. There was a firmware update to fix this problem before it happens. Not sure what it would do after the fact.

                          Comment

                          • Wombat Daddy
                            Junior Member
                            • Jul 2025
                            • 7

                            #14
                            Originally posted by adecanmin

                            I think the battery on the mfpb is bad. There was a firmware update to fix this problem before it happens. Not sure what it would do after the fact.
                            Is the MFPB the mainboard in back/middle, with the battery in centre and the harddisk lower left? If so, then yes, I changed that battery because it was dead.

                            Comment

                            • Synthohol
                              Certified Konica Expert

                              Site Contributor
                              5,000+ Posts
                              • Mar 2016
                              • 5885

                              #15
                              when changing from not installed to installed did it beep?
                              if you get the beep ive seen it take 7 minutes to switch to installed after hitting it.
                              its a normal bullshit delay.
                              as far as the serial#s, enter in the correct serial numbers and the scanner serial number is on a sticker on the scanner frame probably under plastic.
                              i was taught the scanner serial number is important to be accurate for counterfeiting reasons mainly because every color print has a hidden watermark of the machines serial number.
                              best bet, get back into service mode and enter all the correct serial numbers, its important for more than the counterfeiting reason.
                              you may be getting TPM error because of the wrong serial numbers.
                              We know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two.
                              The medication helps though...

                              Comment

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