A few weeks ago I tried to download some videos from my GoPro to my PC.

Unfortunately the Bermuda Triangle that is our house has ‘disappeared’ the proper USB cable that came with the camera, so I used one I found in a drawer. The GoPro then chucked a tizz, started displaying the USB symbol in the window, and stopped responding to any kind of button pressing. Since then, the symbol has gone, but the camera no longer switches on or does anything, no matter what I try.

Is it totally screwed, or should I buy a new ‘official’ USB cable and try to charge/download again in the hope that it miraculously comes back to life?

Anyone else had this problem?

Try a different battery, or try charging your battery in an external charger. You can get them cheap off Amazon etc.

I suspect the problem is the battery is drained too much, so the camera is unable to charge it from the USB. I had a similar thing happen to mine.

You can also try a hard reset:
1. Remove the memory card and battery
2. Hold down the shutter button
3. While holding down the Shutter Button, replace the battery, and press the power on button