41CX died, Please Help!

[Richard Kauffman]

My 41CX seems to have died after plugging in my card reader. I am the original owner and haven't had any problems before this. The batteries and contacts are in good condition. I used the calculator today without problem before plugging in the card reader. When the calculator was turned on after plugging in the card reader, a random string of characters (mostly ones using every LCD element) rapidly went across the display. This could not be stopped by any keyboard means including the "on" button. I pulled the battery pack out. After putting the pack back in the calculator will not respond even with the card reader removed. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks - Richard

[Steve (Australia)]

Look in the archives. I posted a mesage quite some time ago that detailed 11 methods to recover a crashed HP41 in increacing order of liklihood of getting a "memory lost".

I don't have time to search for it myself now, sorry.

simple answers (the most drastic)

1) hold backarrow while turning on
2) remove batteries for a week or so

[db (martinez, ca.)]

do steves 11 suggestions in order. if they don't work and only if all 11 don't work then take the batteries out, short out the contacts, and let it sit unpowered for six months. when you turn it on it will still probably talk chineese but keep hitting the back arrow and eventually it will work. mabye. good luck.

[Richard Kauffman]

I appreciate your help. But so far, no good. I did the list (except taking it apart) without success. The batteries are out, and that is how it will stay.