swapping harddrives

[aboz]

I am gonna get my D* installed saturday. I am gonna get one dtivo. I bought a 120gb hard drive. I only want to swap the 40gb for the 120gb. I read the instructions on the web, but I need it simplified.


Thanks,

Alex

[bills976]

Simplified:

1) Using nero, burn this (http://hellcat.tyger.org/MFS/2.0/mfstools2noJ.iso) image onto a CD. Look here (http://www.newreleasesvideo.com/hinsdale-how-to/CDreadme2.txt) for specifics on this process. You'll now have the boot disk necessary to run Linux and MFSTools on your desktop. Make sure you have your BIOS set to check the CDROM drive for a boot disk before it boots from your hard drive. Test the image by starting up your PC with the CD in the drive. If linux starts, you're in business.

2) Using Torx 10 and Torx 15 screwdrivers, remove the case of the TiVo by removing the screws holding the top of the box to the frame. Once removed, push the cover towards the back, and then lift off.

3) If you're looking straight on at your TiVo, the hard drive is in the lower right hand corner. Remove it using the screwdrivers, and remove the hard drive from the frame.

4) Attach the old TiVo drive and the new drive to the PC using open IDE cables. A backup isn't necessary in your case because images exist for DirecTiVos on the web to use if something goes wrong with your upgrade. This means you can detatch your computer's hard drive, and use that spot if necessary to attach one of the drives to if you need it. Set the jumpers properly (Usually - old TiVo as Master, New one as Slave). Make sure you leave the CD drive attached!

5) With the CD in the drive, boot up the computer. Run linux with the defaults if you're prompted, and when you get a # symbol, hit shift+pageup about seven times until you see text similar to this:

hda: XXX, ATA DISK drive
hdb: IDE/ATAPI CD-ROM 48X, ATAPI CD/DVD-ROM drive
hdc: QUANTUM FIREBALL CX13.6A, ATA DISK drive
ide0 at 0x1f0-0x1f7,0x3f6 on irq 14
hda: ______ sectors (YYY MB) w/ZZZ KiB Cache, CHS=1111/222/33, UDMA(33)
hdb: ATAPI 17X CD-ROM drive, 128kB Cache, UDMA(33)
hdc: 26760384 sectors (13701 mb) w/418KiB Cache, CHS=1665/255/63 UDMA(33)

(Note: XXX, ____, YYY, ZZZ, 1111, 222, 33 will all vary, as will the size of your drive at hda, hdb, hdc and hdd.)

Basically the drives you leave attached to your PC are labeled as hda, hdb, hdc, hdd, hde, etc. Be sure to write down which one goes with which drive (i.e. your old TiVo drive might be hdc and your new one hdd). You will need this for the next step. Now hit shift+pagedown until you get the # prompt.

6) Assuming you have no recordings you want to save (and since your unit is new, I'll assume so), enter this at the # prompt:

mfsbackup -so - /dev/hdX | mfsrestore -s 127 -xzpi - /dev/hdZ

Where hdX is your old TiVo drive, and hdZ is your new one. Simply replace hdX and hdZ with the right drive.

7) When MFSTools says it's complete, you can reboot the machine <ctrl+alt+delete>, and then power down when it attempts the beginning of the restart. Pop the new drive into the TiVo, and you're all set.

I may have oversimplified it, so you might want to check out http://tivo.upgrade-instructions.com for further info.

[aboz]

Thank you makes it easier!!

[Mark Holtz]

You may want to pack your original drive away in a safe place. Since you are just doing a straight expand, the upgrade won't take that long. If, however, you were doing a copy WITH all the recordings, then I would recommend setting it up and doing the copy overnight.

[aboz]

I just upgraded my dtivo from 35 hours to 105 hours. I bought a samsung HDD it is so quiet compared to my (soon to be ex) 501.

Thanks to all that helped me out!

[Mark Holtz]

Glad to hear it went well.

[DCSholtis]

OK question for you all.....at some point I plan on getting a DirectDVR (Tivo) however my home computers are Macs...is it even possible to do an HD switchout on a Tivo using a Mac...or should I just go the Weaknees route when Im ready....(Ive got the old Single LNB dish now and will have to complety overhaul things with the TripleLNB...new boxes)...Thanks guys

[HarryD]

Going through Weaknees is fine. They're excellent. I got the 120 gig Samsung drive for $159.00 shipped. Swapped drive and I was up and running in minutes. New drive is really quiet too. Now have a 105 hour Tivo!