SDS100/SDS200: "Breaking" the Scan feature after Database Update.

[da-Peter]

OK, let's get absolutely basic here.

In the main menu scroll to SETTINGS and select it
In the SETTINGS menu, scroll to SEE SCANNER INFORMATION. and select it.
Now go down to FIRMWARE VERSION and select it.

What does it say?

Next, on your PC

Do not attach the scanner to the computer yet.

Startup Sentenial, select HELP-> ABOUT

IT should show:

BCDx36HP Sentinel
Version 2.02 (revision 01)

Next, under TOOLS->Target Model
SDS100 should be checked

Let us know what you get

Ok.

Here the information requested.

Sentinel is 2.02 rev1
Target is correct, it is SDS100. However the folder on the memory card rewards something BCHP5x34 or something like that. I don't have access to my computer. It's the same name as witch is used for the sentinel shortcut on windows to start the software. The same ID is also used in all the config files.
That's just what i noticed.

Scanner:
Original firmware after opening the package was
Main: 1.05.01
Sub: 1.01.05

After firmware update through sentinel.
Main: 1.10.00
Sub: 1.02.01

However, i did the firmware update through sentinel but i didn't touch write to scanner yet. After the firmware update was done. The behavior is still normal and it scans the right services, systems and departments like it should and did out of the box.

After that. I replugged it to sentinel and i created a new profile as well. I didn't touch anything in sentinel. I only got update database which gives me a message that the database is already up to date.
Then i went to write to scanner and did force write full database.

After that i tried the scanner again and it was done. It only scans three systems in LA and it tells me nothing selected when i set the zip code to Seattle. However scan full db is on and every single service is activated. For Seattle it still shows nothing to scan and in LA it scans only railroad, fish and wildlife and forest service over and over and over again.

Btw you guys are great in helping me out. I really appreciate it and way more helpful as Uniden.

I really want to figure this issue out and get scanning. If you need any other information from me, let me know. I am happy to provide it.

 

[RMason]

< posted too soon >

 

[mc48]

Try setting the location to auto locate in the scanner and see what happens. Where are you actually located?

 

[donc13]

Since you are not near Seattle, it would not show anything to scan. If you set your zip code setting to Seattle, it should scan.. Although very unlikely anything will be received unless some system nearby uses the same frequencies and/or control channels.

Yes, there was a similar database issue back in 2019 where the master database was pulled. I do know that today, I just downloaded the master database and updated my SDS200 and everything is fine.


If it were me, at this point, I would reformat the SD card outside of the scanner using my PC and make sure it was Fat32 formatted. Put back in scanner, leave scanner off.

I would remove ALL the local stuff on my PC as described in an earlier post by someone else. That way, when you startup Sentinel (without the scanner attached!) you should see no favorites listed.

NOW

attach the scanner with the newly formatted SD card and turn it on. Let it connect and use Sentenial to update the master database. You MUST write to the scanner. The update only updates Sentinel. Force overwrite of full database only.

Wait 30 seconds, shutdown the computer and then turn off the scanner.

Disconnect the scanner from the computer, turn the scanner on and set your zip code and service types.

Set lists to scan to only the full database

See what happens.. It should scan

 

[JANFINE]

I didn't read every word of the previous posts but just scanner through them.
DO YOU HAVE THE FULL DATABASE TURNED ON?

 

[da-Peter]

Hi,

I did all that already. The only thing I didn't do is actually formatting the sd card. I only erased everything from it. Installed sentinel from scratch with no profiles. I turned the scanner on without being connected and it just showed that i have to do clean user data through sentinel. Which i did. This creates all the folders on the scanner.

I then did a force write database with the empty profile (Stock from sentinel installation) and again. Same thing.

Just scans three systems.

Auto locate works and it shows Los Angeles which is correct at the moment. Also i tried to use my areas zip code and setv range to 50 miles, which is maximum and still only scanning the same three systems. Out of the box i just set my zip code, i didn't even touch range and it scanned through everything in my area. By the way, the zip code was the same every time.

Where is the full db located on PC? I saw an HPDB folder but it was empty.

Oh i just got another idea. I haven't tried running sentinel as admin. That's what I will try as well tonight.

 

[da-Peter]

I didn't read every word of the previous posts but just scanner through them.
DO YOU HAVE THE FULL DATABASE TURNED ON?

Yes, scan full database is ok. Scan with search is off and no favorites are either in sentinel nor the scanner.

 

[Ubbe]

I replugged it to sentinel and i created a new profile as well. I didn't touch anything in sentinel. I only got update database which gives me a message that the database is already up to date.
Then i went to write to scanner and did force write full database.

It only scans three systems in LA and it tells me nothing selected when i set the zip code to Seattle. However scan full db is on and every single service is activated.

When you create a new profile it will only have those 4-5 default service types enabled when you write to the scanner. But you mentioned later that you have all service types enabled. Just double check that directly on the scanners menu system that it is actually the case that all service types are enabled.

/Ubbe

 

[da-Peter]

When you create a new profile it will only have those 4-5 default service types enabled when you write to the scanner. But you mentioned later that you have all service types enabled. Just double check that directly on the scanners menu system that it is actually the case that all service types are enabled.

/Ubbe

Yes, i forgot to mention that. All service types are enabled. All of them. Out of the box it had only ems and a few others enabled and i was able to pick something up right away. It also scanned through all the cities and it doesn't do that anymore. Just the same three all the time. I am leaning heavily towards database corruption. I am just curious where it is located on the PC and if it's in the same file format as on the scanner. Then i would just completely bypass sentinel and copy the complete database manually.

 

[Ubbe]

I am leaning heavily towards database corruption. I am just curious where it is located on the PC and if it's in the same file format as on the scanner.

It's the same format. It's text files that are copied exactly as is and used on the scanner.

The database are probably at C:\Users\All Users\ and then the Uniden install name folder will have the database.

/Ubbe

 

[RMason]

I’ll suggest doing everything on the scanner for now – keep it simple. The SDS/HP scanners make you jump through all kinds of hoops to get things enabled - it can be tricky. We can go to Sentinel after we get you going….

You have already done some of these steps, but please walk through them again from start to finish.



1) Confirm the version of the database on the scanner

• MENU -> Manage Full Database -> Information

2) Select to scan the database only

• MENU -> Set Scan Selection -> Select Lists to Monitor
• Set Full Database = On
• Set all other lists (if any) to Off

3) Set your location

• MENU -> Set Your Location -> Enter Zip Code -> USA
• Enter ZIP Code = 91702

You should see message:
Now Loading … Load Full Database (unless it is already loaded)


4) Set Range

• MENU -> Set Your Location -> Set Range
• I suggest setting this 0miles until you get it running. You can adjust this later.

5) Set Service Types

• MENU -> Select Service Types
• I’ll suggest starting with only the LAW* service types enabled. (You can enable others later)
• Set Law Dispatch, Law Tac, and Law Talk to ON
• Set all other system types to OFF

Start scanning. You should see it scanning through the full database for the LA area for the LAW services. Here is a sample if what I get.


Here is a sampling of systems you should be scanning at this point:



Let us know what you get. Good luck!


If you still have trouble, you may want to check the AVOIDs on the full database:
MENU -> Manage Full Database -> Review Avoids

 

[da-Peter]

I’ll suggest doing everything on the scanner for now – keep it simple. The SDS/HP scanners make you jump through all kinds of hoops to get things enabled - it can be tricky. We can go to Sentinel after we get you going….

You have already done some of these steps, but please walk through them again from start to finish.



1) Confirm the version of the database on the scanner

• MENU -> Manage Full Database -> Information

View attachment 106482



2) Select to scan the database only

• MENU -> Set Scan Selection -> Select Lists to Monitor
• Set Full Database = On
• Set all other lists (if any) to Off

View attachment 106483


3) Set your location

• MENU -> Set Your Location -> Enter Zip Code -> USA
• Enter ZIP Code = 91702

View attachment 106484


You should see message:
Now Loading … Load Full Database (unless it is already loaded)


4) Set Range

• MENU -> Set Your Location -> Set Range
• I suggest setting this 0miles until you get it running. You can adjust this later.View attachment 106486

5) Set Service Types

• MENU -> Select Service Types
• I’ll suggest starting with only the LAW* service types enabled. (You can enable others later)
• Set Law Dispatch, Law Tac, and Law Talk to ON
• Set all other system types to OFF

View attachment 106487
Start scanning. You should see it scanning through the full database for the LA area for the LAW services. Here is a sample if what I get.
View attachment 106488

Here is a sampling of systems you should be scanning at this point:
View attachment 106489


Let us know what you get. Good luck!


If you still have trouble, you may want to check the AVOIDs on the full database:
MENU -> Manage Full Database -> Review Avoids

I just did that. Database date is the same as yours.

However, it scans through the same three systems, railroads, fish and wildlife and forest but less channels. It takes less then 2 second to cycle trough them all. There is nothing showing up anything related to police... I followed your instructions exactly as mentioned. I am sure the database gets corrupted and systems are assigned other categories or something like that

 

[donc13]

Humor us all.

Format the SD card or put a brand new one in it.

 

[RMason]

Here is a Favorites List that includes everything within 50miles of 91702. This was created in Sentinel using Edit -> Add Channels on Range. ZipCode = 91702; Range=50miles; All service types selected.

You should be able to unzip the file, import it into Sentinel (File -> Import from hpe file) , and write it to your scanner (Scanner -> Write to Scanner). Be sure to select the Favorite List to scan. While not solving issue with the database, this should at least get you started scanning.

What type of computer are you using to run Sentinel?

I am curious what you get when you save the database on your scanner to a favorites list. On the scanner:
MENU -> Manage Favorites -> New Favorites List -> Add Current dB Channels
This will create a FAVORITES on the scanner with what is in the db. This *might* help to determine whether the db on the scanner is corrupt. Does the resulting Favorites List contain just the 3 systems you are able to scan?

 

[da-Peter]

Hi,

Scanning works if i do create favorite lists in sentinel myself.

I have another unused memory card somewhere but there current card can be written to and it would be two scanners and two sd cards. I don't have that much luck. 😉

But i have a couple more things i want to test.

 

[RMason]

Even with e.g. Railroad turned off, I can still see it popping up. Now just shorter as it only scans BNSF before it did BNSF, Amtrak,...So it seems the database update corrupted the database and assigned channels, systems and departments to the wrong services.

To help explain why BNSF and other railroad channels show up when Railroad service type is turned off:

• California Railroads : Union Pacific -Police includes Law Talk service type
• California Railroads : Railroads - Amtrak includes Law Dispatch type
• California Railroads : BNSF Railway - Police includes Law Talk type

So, yes. The number of railroad channels scanned will be significantly reduced when the Railroad service type is disabled. But there are a handful of channels in the California Railway system that are not tagged as Railroad service type.

Maybe this helps to clarify one potential source of confusion that you are seeing.

 

[RMason]

Hi Peter
I sent a Personal Message .....

 

[da-Peter]

OK i have some updates to report after hours of testing and i am still confused.

So the problem is a corrupted database and yes it happens while writing to the scanner. The problem is however related to my laptop 🤷

I used a different laptop from work and installed sentinel and it works. I did the same exact procedure on both devices on updating the database.

I also copied my sentinel profile and all files from all the different directories to the second laptop and it works there just fine. So it's not a sentinel "setting".

Both devices run windows 10. I tried even running mine in admin mode but nothing. Still corrupts the database.

Any ideas what could cause that issue? Because now i can't update the database until i but a new PC eventually.

 

[sfb88]

You may want to run sfc /scannow to check your OS for corruption.

 

[ProScan]

OK i have some updates to report after hours of testing and i am still confused.

So the problem is a corrupted database and yes it happens while writing to the scanner. The problem is however related to my laptop 🤷

I used a different laptop from work and installed sentinel and it works. I did the same exact procedure on both devices on updating the database.

I also copied my sentinel profile and all files from all the different directories to the second laptop and it works there just fine. So it's not a sentinel "setting".

Both devices run windows 10. I tried even running mine in admin mode but nothing. Still corrupts the database.

Any ideas what could cause that issue? Because now i can't update the database until i but a new PC eventually.

Try deleting the database on the new laptop per the steps below. When Sentinel loads afterwards, it will rebuild the database.
1. Unload Sentinel
2. Using the Win File Explorer, navigate to the 'C:\ProgramData\Uniden\BCDx36HP_Sentinel' folder
3. Delete the 'Database' folder
4. Run Sentinel. A message will appear 'Reconstructing full database'