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View Full Version : How do I format a hard drive when using the ptrvupgrade cd?

killme
04-26-2006, 05:28 AM
Sometimes I come across a corrupt tivo image and the only way I can get mfsrestore to work on my drive again is to format it. I was wondering how to do this without having to boot DOS or Windows.
azitnay
04-26-2006, 09:22 AM
That doesn't make much sense... mfsrestore doesn't really care at all what was on your drive previously.

Are you saying that formatting the hard drive as a FAT32 partition or something like that magically allows mfsrestore to work again?

Drew
killme
04-26-2006, 01:05 PM
Yes, that is what I'm saying. After restoring a corrupt TiVo image I can no longer restore any image until I format it or make some kind of change to it. I think I've even had success by just booting into Windows XP with the drive attached, but I'm not sure.

If I do not format it then I'll get the "Restore failed: Error fixing volume list" message everytime I try to do a restore.
HomeUser
04-26-2006, 02:03 PM
Did you reboot after restoring the corrupt image?
classicsat
04-26-2006, 02:39 PM
mfsrestore shouldn't care. However you can zero the drive with dd somehow.
killme
04-26-2006, 03:25 PM
Yes, I've rebooted. I know mfsrestore shouldn't care, but it does for corrupt images or at least my corrupt images. I just need for the drive to look blank again.. no need to zero the whole drive.
HomeUser
04-26-2006, 03:38 PM
I was thinking the drive was locked by an unfinished command or not re-synced properly after the failed re-configuration. Now I want to know what pdisk sees the drive as. You might be able to delete the partitions with pdisk also.

If this only happens with one drive there may be a problem with the drive, you should check the drive with the manufactures diagnostics before trusting it with data.
killme
04-26-2006, 09:49 PM
I ran WD diagnostics on it as soon as I opened it. I did a quick and extended test. It was error free. I had the same problem using a different drive so I do not think it is the drive.

When restoring the corrupt image mfsrestore doesn't give me any errors. The hard drive in question is already in my TiVo, but I will try the pdisk (forgot about that one) command on another hard drive. I wish these useful commands were all posted in once place.