Gmini wouldn't start up

[most]

Hi folks,

just bought a brand new Gmini500 yesterday - already in trouble.

I charged it half way up, then flashed the system from 1.2.20 to 1.3.11 as downloaded from Archos. This went flawless. I then uploaded a couple of files and some albums and played around with it for another 2 hours. In the afternoon I had to do some housework and put it (meanwhile fully loaded) in my pocket.

Just after 4 or 5 songs it stopped dead in the middle of a song (maybe it doesn't like Alanis Morissette??).

I tried:
- press & hold stop button for 3, 5, 30 sec. (also once for 2mins)
- press & hold start button for 3, 5, 30 sec.
- press & hold both for 3, 5, 30 sec.
- attach to the Archos AC adapter
- attach to computer USB with battery only and with bat + AC
All above wasn't good.

I observed:
- on first connection to the AC adaptor the adaptor faintly made a faint squeezing noise. I know this noise from a cheap AC travel adaptor for my mobile - it's squeezing but working okay. I think it's just a flaw.
- with AC attached, the Power-LED begins flashing for 10secs, then stops ca. 4 secs, then the flashing cycle begins again. Very very faint, the Gmini makes noises in the flashing frequency.
- when I press the play-button, the Power-LED lights up for half a sec, but then remains dead
- there is absolutely no noise coming from the hard disk, under no conditions => I think it's no HDD prob because it even doesn't spin up
- I measured the battery, connector pointing to me: between 1 (left) and 2 ca. 3,9V, between 1 and 3 also 3,9V => I think it's not the battery, seems its perfectly loaded!

The Gmini wasn't objected to extrem temperature, it didn't rumble on the desk or floor at not time. I was really very careful with it!
Let me emphasize again: I used it for a couple of hours after flashing, so I think it wasn't a bad upgrade.

The shop where I bought it can not exchange it for another one - they're sold out. So I probably have to RMA it, which might take me weeks. Instead, I'd like to try all I can without unscrewing it.

Anyone having observed similar issues and solved it?
Anyone got a hint like "undocumented button combinations" that I could try?

thanks!
most

[FSki]

You could e-mail the Archos technical support, but it sounds like you've got a faulty unit and it's best to replace it.

I've got an AV560 and its been OK, on another forum I read of somebody having a similar problem to you and they tried several "fixes" without success. I'd get it replaced while it is still very new.