starview box pvr flashing?!?

A friend downloaded the recent software for my pvr box xmas time. 1 evening it switched it's self off and lost the channels. tried autoscanning no luck. he then flashed it and the channels were back. once again a couple of weeks passed, the box switched its self off and no channels.tried burning the software from the hdd but no luck. he wont help again. how can i flash the box to gain the channels back svp?help!