BREAKING NEWS: The fix described below appears to only partially resolve the GoPro freezing issues when playing back videos on the LCD touch screen. I’ve submitted another request so we’ll see what happens next!?

(Note: Those directed here for a fix to freezing issues on the GoPro Hero3 see the steps at the bottom of this post). 

In January … I excitedly purchased a GoPro Hero3 (Black Edition) …

By February … I was wondering why I rushed into the latest version of their high def, super-small action camera. It was freezing up regularly and I couldn’t even play videos back on the touch screen. Waste of money?

By March … I’d learned to put up with the camera freezing and start using it. It’s insanely great and my kids love it too. Here’s some evidence of our very beginning efforts to shoot and edit action footage … cheesy I know!

And on May 1st … The GoPro help desk just me a “possible” fix to the issues I was having. I just shared this procedure on a few of the Forums and I hope it works for others like it did for me.

POSSIBLE FIX to GoPro Freezing Issues! Hi everyone, the instructions (pasted below) that I just followed from GoPro support actually fixed a significant freezing issue I was having when using the LCD touch backpack for video playback – the touch screen would blank out and the camera would freeze and needed a battery in/out procedure to unfreeze. I am hoping that the other random freezing issues I’ve been having are resolved as well!

This procedure (which is complex and very long) required me to re-format my 32G (x10) Sandisc SD Card on my GoPro first and then on the computer before upgrading the firmware to the latest (April 2013) version. Here goes and good luck everyone:

Before you proceed, please make sure that the battery is fully charged.

1. Format the SD card in the camera, using the Delete All/Format option in the settings menu, so it acknowledges the card and builds it’s info on top of it. This step also removes the current version of the Firmware. Even if you have upgraded already, re perform the upgrade! (Also note that you’ll need a Class 10 SD card from a reliable brand, poor performing SD may result in freeze up issues or corrupted files)

2. Turn off GoPro and remove micro SD Card

3. Then format the SD card (using the adaptor) in your computer, either in FAT32 if its 32 GB or less, or exFAT if it’s 64 GB. For Mac users watch this super quick video to see how (using the Disc Utility App – found in your Utilities folder in Applications) –

4. Then follow these steps to perform a hardware reset:
– Remove SD card and Battery.
– Press and Hold Shutter Button (it will need to be kept pressed throughout the whole process)
– Insert the Battery … and insert the SD Card (keep holding down the shutter bottom!)
– Click the Power/Mode Button.
– Once the camera has powered up you may release the Shutter Button

Then follow these steps to try and do a manual update in order to re-flash the firmware. Before starting the procedure write down your camera’s serial number, that can be located on a silver sticker inside the battery compartment on one it’s side panels, and is composed of the two rows of numbers present.

1. Connect you camera to your computer with the USB cable and power it on.

2. To manually update the HERO3’s firmware you’ll need to have JAVA disabled on your Browser (for Mac users goto Safari Preferences … click Security Tab … untick the “allow java” option … that’s it)

3. Go to http://gopro.com/support/product-registration/hd-hero3-cameras

4. You’ll get a message ‘install Java’ on your screen, please don’t do so. (I didn’t get this instruction when I did it?)

5. Please click the manually update camera link on lower-right. (you’ll need to click it twice to confirm). Fill in the registration fields.

6. On the next screen you’ll need to type in the camera’s serial number (it’s case sensitive, so make sure that you have Caps Lock ON)

7. Following will be the registration information for the WiFi connection. The Name and Password chosen must have 8 characters, only Numbers and Letters, no other type of characters.

8. You’ll then have the link the download the firmware update files, which are downloaded in a standard zipped folder.

9. After you have the zip file on your computer, unzip it and place ALL files that came inside the zip onto the root of your micro-SD card. (You should noticed that the Root Folder is completely empty because you re formatted the SD card completely in the first step above)

10. Power Off the camera, and unplug it from the computer.

11. Power On the camera, the update process will begin automatically. Please do not press any buttons at this stage.
The firmware update can take between 5 to 10 minutes, and the camera may power off and back on by itself.

It worked for me guys and gals. Hoping the other issues are fixed along with it!