C-More trouble

We pulled a C-more touch panel from a customer's control panel that was freezing on boot up. It would start at a screen that said "Loading..." and would sit there until you get tired of looking at it. Apparently the control panel had water inside but we're not sure exactly how that affected the C-more since it doesn't look like it has any water damage. Also the CPU light on the back blinks red. I'm not familiar at all with these, so the red light may be normal. We called AD and the technician basically said we don't manufacture these and if you can't get on it we can't get on it. The conversation was over in about 2 minutes. We want to get the old application off the screen since the customer bought a new one, so we can reload it. We can create a basic application to get them by but would rather not.

So my questions are:

1. Is there any way to extract the application with the screen in this condition? It can power up but never fully runs.

2. Is there anyone else besides Automation Direct that can provide some type of phone or factory support?

Thanks in advance.

Jay

You could try connecting to the HMI with the C-More software for upload while the unit is displaying that "Loading" message. Normally when you transfer a project file you don't have to stop the unit. The software interrupts it for you. Whether or not that will work with your unit probably depends on how for into the bootup process the C-More has gotten when it displays the message.
You can also get to a setup/maintenance menu by touching and holding the upper left hand corner of the screen. Again, I don't know whether or not that will interrupt the message you're seeing and get to the maintenance menu but it is worth a try.
Have you tried contacting the company that supplied the machine with that HMI to get a copy of the project file from them?

Don't know C'More. This is general advice for a PC based HMI.
1) Verify supply voltage.
2) Check CMOS battery.
3) Check for moisture damage. Look for green edges on traces. If found, clean with a stiff bristle brush and Isopropyl Alcohol. If you can't get 99.5%, buy 91% at the drug store.
4) Store it for a few days with desiccant bags.
5) Dry it with a Nitrogen purge.
6) Reseat memory cards.

This is one of the most painful conversations that we have to have with customers. I really wish that there was a magical project restoration wand, but there isn't.

If the CPU light is blinking the panel is usually toast. While we would love to try and restore projects for people that don't have backups, it is prohibitively expensive to do so. Trying to restore a single project can take literally weeks of time even if the project was not corrupted by what ever caused the panel to fail in the first place.

Both Steve and Keith have good advice and it is worth a shot, but it is likely that the project will need to be re-written.


TLDR; Half the time the project can't be recovered, even if it can the cost is typically so high that no one wants to pay for the recovery.

Thanks for the replies. I found out C-more has a recovery tool. I tried to use it with no luck. It wouldn't recognize the panel connected via USB. I think it was done in house (SCADA department for a large water and wastewater contractor) that added the C-more. The person involved is no longer with that company, but although working on his own, won't return communications with our customer. I think he's hard to work with.

I took the panel apart and there isn't any sign of moisture damage. I suspect water dripped on the power supply somehow shorting the AC and DC sides resulting in the C-more receiving an AC surge. I won't bother with any more troubleshooting.

Thanks again.