Nano Ledger S Won't Turn On Help

[jerry0]

Hey all.  I posted this in the hardware wallet subforum but also wanted to post it here since many people read this subforum more and would get more views/replies here.  If this is a problem, moderator, I understand but I really appreciate if anyone has a nano ledger s could answer this or reply since most people rarely view the hardware wallet subforum.


I bought my nano ledger s about a long time ago.  Earlier this year, I notice it had a dimmed screen but I didn't do anything about this as I was out of the country.  I still am out of country now but will be heading back to the US soon because of this.



Now my nano ledger s does not even turn on when connecting it to my laptop.  I had mentioned months ago when I connected it to my laptop, the screen was very dim and hard to read.  This was maybe 7 months ago.



I haven't used it in some time nor did any updates to it mainly because I been out of the country for a very long time and my seed is back home in the US.  I also did not do any updates at all to my nano ledger s since November of last year... that was the last update I did... mainly because I was concerned an update would brick my nano ledger s since the screen was extremely dim light.  So basically I haven't touched it for months nor connected it to my laptop.  Someone told me they had their nano ledger s dim light as well and they bought a new one and gave that dimmed light one to a friend and they said it still works for them.  So I figure even if its dim light, no big deal and then once I get back to the US, i enter my seed my the dim light one to make sure it works... then buy a new nano ledger s .



The thing is i wrote my seed a few years ago when i first go the nano ledger s but I never entered it into my nano ledger s to confirm it but i did check it many times to make sure i wrote it correctly.  I recalled someone said a while back you could type it in the app on the nano ledger s to confirm it works but I never did it because at the time, I thought it was not safe even though the app is on the nano ledger s.



Has anyone here had their nano ledger s not turn on and if so, is there any way to get it to turn back on somehow?  I will be heading back to the US soon and getting a new nano ledger s because of it.



I had considered sending my btc to my electrum wallet on my computer in the meantime or even send it to exchange like binance months ago since I wasn't going to head back to the US for months but I figure that isn't as safe as keeping it in my nano ledger s.



This is very frustrating for me now because of this.   



Does anyone have any advice here?  I want to try everything I can to see if I can get the nano ledger s to turn on.  I will be buying a new one once I head back to the US no matter what but now I will have to go back soon to get one because of this.

[1715372977]

1715372977

[1715372977]

1715372977

[jerry0]

Has there been cases of ledger repairing the screen without wiping the device though?  If they could do that... that would be great.  If there are any stories about this, then that would make me feel better as a backup. But if they do this, well their technician better make sure to never enter a pin because i read if you do it three times wrong, well your ledger s resets.  But if they fix the screen or do something to it... that wouldn't wipe the device?  Also you wouldn't need to be concerned about a technician doing something to it right?


So right now you suggest buy a new one from ledger first.  Enter the seed to see if it works on the nano ledger s.  If it works, then great.  But if it doesn't... then ask ledger if they could repair my old one and then send it in?  But has there been any cases of them repairing it and it not resetting is the big question here.

[bob123]

I, personally, would always wipe the device before sending it in to be repaired.
And if that isn't possible, i'd first create a new seed and move all funds there before sending it in. Just to be on the safe side.

Just check your mnemonic first. Either on a new nano or on an airgapped PC.
If it works, you are fine and can wipe the nano before sending it in to repair. If they turn out to be wrong, then you'll need to hope for the best when sending it in to be repaired.

Either way.. first check your mnemonic code.

[jerry0]

Hi well i can't wipe it because it doesn't turn on.


Well i dont have my seed with me at the moment.  The only other wallet i have now is electrum on my laptop which i kept my coins in a long time ago before i transferred them to my ledger s when i got that years ago.


Yea i want to know if they do repairs as in repair it... then could send it back to you without it being reset.


Also I thought about this idea but this probably is going to sound very bad.


I could contact a person who know where my seed is.  The thing is again im outside the US now so i dont have physical access to it.  It would be an extremely bad idea if they facetime me or whatsapp or skype me on their phone and tell me the phrase right?  Then that way, i could try it on electrum to see if it works?  With all the hacking and things, there is always a chance someone could pick up what is said online or read out right even in in whatsapp or facetime?  I thought another way would be say a few phrases on facebook... a few on a phone call and a few on whatspp etc.... to spread it out... but that is a completely bad idea?  I mean i know having them email me the seed via email is about as worst as you can get.  But what about speaking to them on phone, whatsapp, skype, facebook and mention a few of the phrases each time?  Heck, email the last few phrases via email?  But that is all a bad idea right?

[bob123]

Hi well i can't wipe it because it doesn't turn on.

Well, are you sure that it doesn't turn on? Maybe only the screen is broken, but the device itself does still work?
Either way, hard to say.

I still wouldn't send in my nano (if this is even possible) without completely wiping it or moving my funds to a new wallet (with a new seed).

It would be an extremely bad idea if they facetime me or whatsapp or skype me on their phone and tell me the phrase right?
~snip~
But that is all a bad idea right?

Yes, all of that would be a bad idea.
The best would be to simply wait until you are back.

If you really don't want to wait that long, and you have a person you fully trust, let them encrypt the seed using public key crypto. Then any communication channel is fine.
Or you simply use a messenger which does that for your (e.g. signal). But keep in mind that both of your devices have to be clean. Yours and the device from the person you absolutely trust. If one of them is compromised, your seed is compromised. That's the huge risk.


Can't you just wait a week or two until you are back at home?

[jerry0]

Well what other ways can i try to see if it turns on?  I plugged it multiple times into my laptop usb port and it doesn't work.


Again i have no idea if its the screen or itself.  But like i said, screen was dimmed lights months ago. 


I could definitely wait a bit until i head back home.  The thing is during this time, its bothering me because of this situation.  I mean had i done the test a while back... i wouldn't mind waiting a few weeks since i would know for sure that seed was correct.  But any way i look at it, its going to be the same right assuming the seed now is going to be there weeks later?  Its just me now concerned about it.  Now the bigger concern would be if you lost the seed as in you dont even have the paper right?  Because if so, well hardware or device go bad, then you are screwed?  But i really wished i sent the coins to my binance account a while back. I mean have there been cases of ppl get hacked on binance if they use two factor authentication?  The ppl that i know... they dont know much about encrypting any seed back in the US.

[ABCbits]

Well what other ways can i try to see if it turns on?  I plugged it multiple times into my laptop usb port and it doesn't work.

That depends on OS you use, on Linux usually i would use command lsusb before and after plug an USB device.

On Windows, you should able to check it with Hardware Manager, but i'm not 100% sure (since i usually use Linux).

[bob123]

Because if so, well hardware or device go bad, then you are screwed? 

If there is no vulnerability to exploit, yes.
That's why a backup is always important.

But i really wished i sent the coins to my binance account a while back.

Well.. or you would have made a 2nd backup.
Since you created the backup.. why do you believe it is wrong? Without having any numbers, i'd believe this only happens in very rare cases.

I mean have there been cases of ppl get hacked on binance if they use two factor authentication?

It is not just about 2FA.
Ever heard of Mt. Gox?

That depends on OS you use, on Linux usually i would use command lsusb before and after plug an USB device.

On Windows, you should able to check it with Hardware Manager, but i'm not 100% sure (since i usually use Linux).

I was thinking about using a multimeter to measure the current flowing.. but your suggestion sounds a lot better 

[jerry0]

I typed my seed a while back when i set up the ledger.  The thing is i did look and make sure i wrote the words carefully.  Yea there are no numbers... but because i never tested it... thats why im concerned.


Yes i heard of mt gov.  Also binance hack... someone said they covered all the losses with the hack.  So binance would do that everytime?  If that is case, wouldn't binance be best exchange to keep btc in if an exchange?

[bob123]

So binance would do that everytime? 

Definitely not. Especially not if it exceeds a specific (small) amount.
If someone gains access to their cold wallet, the funds are gone.

If that is case, wouldn't binance be best exchange to keep btc in if an exchange?

The best exchange to keep your coins on, is no exchange.

[jerry0]

Well assuming you are not hacked or phished on binance... are there ppl that never got reimbursed then by binance?


The thing is what about those ppl who daytrade and have btc and altcoins then?  I mean surely they keep their coins there if they daytrade right?  I mean they aren't sending btc and altcoins to their wallets every night and resending it daily as that would be expensive?

[jerry0]

Okay so this is what ledger tells me.  They said because i bought my ledger over the two year warranty period... they cannot assist.  So ledger offered a two year warranty for all their devices?  I had no idea they did... but did they allow you to buy a longer year warranty?  Because i dont recall seeing any of that.  So basically if your nano ledger goes bad or screws up... better hope its within two years or you are out the ledger?


Anyone who returned their ledger... did almost all of you had it under two years?  Anyone had it longer and returned it back?

[joniboini]

The 2 years warranty is mentioned on their website, maybe you skip it when you buy your Ledger?
https://shop.ledger.com/pages/terms-and-conditions

I don't recall someone returns their Ledger past its warranty period, and I doubt Ledger would go back on their own word either.

[Lucius]

but did they allow you to buy a longer year warranty?

I have never read anywhere that Ledger gave the possibility of an extended warranty, which today is of course the case with some devices such as TVs, computers or some other household appliances. Usually such a benefit is obtained by additional payment, or by registering on the manufacturer's website - I don't think Ledger wanted such complications, and anyway most who bought the device gave their details when buying.

Anyone who returned their ledger... did almost all of you had it under two years?  Anyone had it longer and returned it back?

I know that over the years there have been several cases of free replacement of devices that have become completely or partially defective - but we can assume that they were covered by the warranty. You can ask a question to the user erikalui so you will find out how old his device was at the time of replacement, his case is just a month old.

[HCP]

The thing is what about those ppl who daytrade and have btc and altcoins then?  I mean surely they keep their coins there if they daytrade right?  I mean they aren't sending btc and altcoins to their wallets every night and resending it daily as that would be expensive?

Of course they leave their coins on the exchanges... and that is a risk that they take (and must accept) if they want to participate in day trading...

jerry0, it's great that you take your time and think about things, but you are really overthinking pretty much everything involved with bitcoin and ledger and wallets. People have given you plenty of very good solutions, and you just go "yeah, but what about XYZ?"...

At some point, you need to act... otherwise, you end up in the situation you have now... where you put off doing anything about your dim screen for 7 months, your ledger eventually died and now you're back here going "what should I do? But what about XYZ?" 

[jerry0]

The 2 years warranty is mentioned on their website, maybe you skip it when you buy your Ledger?
https://shop.ledger.com/pages/terms-and-conditions

I don't recall someone returns their Ledger past its warranty period, and I doubt Ledger would go back on their own word either.

Hi. I never read that and had no idea. 


Yea when i think of warranties, i think of tvs and those other things.  I didn't think something like this because back then i never heard anyone had issues with it.


But what im curious about is has anyone here or know or heard of anyone who returned their ledger nano s to ledger... and ledger either fixed the ledger and returned it back such as imagine you send a laptop back to dell and they fix it and send it back to you... or... send you a replacement screen and you somehow put it in and it worked? 

[jerry0]

The thing is what about those ppl who daytrade and have btc and altcoins then?  I mean surely they keep their coins there if they daytrade right?  I mean they aren't sending btc and altcoins to their wallets every night and resending it daily as that would be expensive?

Of course they leave their coins on the exchanges... and that is a risk that they take (and must accept) if they want to participate in day trading...

jerry0, it's great that you take your time and think about things, but you are really overthinking pretty much everything involved with bitcoin and ledger and wallets. People have given you plenty of very good solutions, and you just go "yeah, but what about XYZ?"...

At some point, you need to act... otherwise, you end up in the situation you have now... where you put off doing anything about your dim screen for 7 months, your ledger eventually died and now you're back here going "what should I do? But what about XYZ?" 

Hi HCP.  Well yea thats what i thought... if you daydrade, you have to keep coins there.


Well... the ledger just always has made me nervous even when i first got it.  The thing is with electrum... i dont recall i ever had any issue with it and its nice... but of course its not as reliable as the nano ledger hardware wallet.


Well... i was out of the country at the moment when dim screen happened.  I was in the US not long before that... and when i went out the US, this happened not long ago.  So had this happened while i was in the US, i would have fixed the issue earlier.  But im surprised devices like these can be like this.  I always thought this because ppl said there was no battery in it.

[jerry0]

HCP, i want to ask this as well so when i get the new nano ledger s, i won't ask this.


So when i get back to the US, I will check my seed.  So once i have my seed and also have the nano ledger s... you would recommend resetting the device once or twice right just in case... even though its new right?


Now once I do this, I would go and enter my seed on the nano ledger when its connected to my laptop right?   It got to take a good while since you are manually typing in the seed with the ledger?


Now... if i were back in the US and say i wanted to restore my coins into electrum wallet on my current laptop... i can still do this right?  So if i type in my seed and it confirms in electrum, then my coins will show up in my electrum wallet?  Now this is what is a bit confusing.  Then say i want to transfer the coins to the new nano ledger s.  Well.... you just have to type the seed into the nano ledger right?  But what is confusing is when you do this... what happens to the coins in electrum?  Does it go to 0? 


Because i read you can put in the seed into any hardware wallet or other compatible wallet and electrum works as well.

[jerry0]

~

All your words suggest it's all the display's  fault, nor microchips' nor microswitches' but display. The friend of mine had the similar issue and I managed to help him with that. Keep reading if you are interested how to.  But once again,  do it on your own risk!  This is a measure of the last resort.

I just look at the post you spoke about.  So you want me to blowdry it to see if that works?  But seems the issue with it in the thread by the OP in that thread isn't like mine?


Well you say do it at your own risk and last resort.  Well if it doesn't even turn on... how is it a last resort?  Because there is nothing i can do to turn it on... doesn't it not hurt to try it?

[bob123]

So once i have my seed and also have the nano ledger s... you would recommend resetting the device once or twice right just in case... even though its new right?

A new nano? No, there is no reason to do so.
Make sure to use a new seed (created by the nano) tho, not any potentially pregenerated one.

Now once I do this, I would go and enter my seed on the nano ledger when its connected to my laptop right?

Yes.

Now... if i were back in the US and say i wanted to restore my coins into electrum wallet on my current laptop... i can still do this right?  So if i type in my seed and it confirms in electrum, then my coins will show up in my electrum wallet?  Now this is what is a bit confusing.  Then say i want to transfer the coins to the new nano ledger s.  Well.... you just have to type the seed into the nano ledger right?  But what is confusing is when you do this... what happens to the coins in electrum?  Does it go to 0? 

 
Your coins are associated to your public keys.
And the corresponding private keys are derived from the seed.

It doesn't matter which wallet you use to access them. If you create a transaction, your balance obviously will go to 0 (when sending everything).
I don't get what you are asking 

Because i read you can put in the seed into any hardware wallet or other compatible wallet and electrum works as well.

You can use a BIP39 mnemonic code in electrum, but can't use an native electrum mnemonic in any other wallet (almost).