Adding new harddrive and service account

[charlesd81]

When adding a new harddrive after using Weaknees or InstantCake, how does your hard drive know your tivo account and all other info?

[rsnaider]

You need to run Clear and Delete Everything once you have restored your image and the box will reset to a brand new state.

You will be prompted to run Guided Setup at this point and essentially start over.

Your TSN (TiVo Serial Number) is stored on a chip and the software knows to look there for it.

[davemcs]

When adding a new harddrive after using Weaknees or InstantCake, how does your hard drive know your tivo account and all other info?

Account and subscription info is contained on the motherboard...swapping drives will not affect your account. It will be brought up to date when you connect to the Tivo Servers

[weaknees]

All of our "replace" drive kits are pre-cleared so the clear and delete isn't necessary. You just plug it in and go, and you'll be in Guided Setup. The drive reads the electronic TSN on the motherboard and transmits that to TiVo.

[charlesd81]

Thank you! I will be trying either Weaknees or InstantCake tonight. I am going to pick up a 250gb drive at compusa for like $60. Hopefully that will hold a few more hours for best quality than the 80gb drive. I think I am going to need Best Quality with my 52in Toshiba HD Projection. Thanks again.

[rsnaider]

Just make sure any HD you buy is IDE and not SATA.

[charlesd81]

I will thank you rsnaider!

[classicsat]

Account and subscription info is contained on the motherboard...swapping drives will not affect your account. It will be brought up to date when you connect to the Tivo Servers
Not at all. That data is stored on TiVo's (or DirecTV's) servers, tied to the TSN on the mainboard, which gets married to the OS with C&DE and retrieves you account status with GS.