Unhack Tivo - Allow Software to update

[ODEEBEE]

Hi,

i had my series 2 tivo hacked by a "pro" on ebay back when I first purchased it. His operation has sinced gone out of business. I'm stuck on an old software version now and all the hacks he gave me are now obselete or redundant with the latest tivo software. In addition, the tivo keeps downloading the newest software updates and restarting nightly but the software never chages.

What I would like to do is let the tivo update to the latest software and forget about all the hacking stuff!

The problem is that I only have laptops so I cannot pull the hard drive to restore it.

I can connect to the tivo trough smartftp/telnet.

Is there a way to "unhack" this tivo? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Details below:

Model #: TCD240080
Software version: 4.01b-02-2-240
I'm using a laptop running windows XP and the tivo is on my home network.
I don't know unix. I'm not a technie but not a total noob as I tend to pick things up quickly.
I attached what I see when I ftp my tivo. I can give details about folder contents if it helps.

THANKS!

[ODEEBEE]

-

[Yog-Sothoth]

http://www.ptvupgrade.com/ is always an option.

[Adam1115]

This is the problem when you don't learn the 'right' way to hack a tivo.

I suppose you could just buy a replacment drive from Weaknees.com and pop it in, or an instant cake image http://www.ptvupgrade.com/products/instantcake/

[ODEEBEE]

This is the problem when you don't learn the 'right' way to hack a tivo.

I suppose you could just buy a replacment drive from Weaknees.com and pop it in, or an instant cake image http://www.ptvupgrade.com/products/instantcake/


Is paying someone to hack your tivo when you lack the necessary equipment and time to DIY somehow not the 'right' way? Geez, where's the smiley face with the nose way up in the air?



Anyway, I'm aware of the Weakness and ptvupgrade options. I'm hoping to not pay 120 bucks for essentially a software upgrade. I already have a CD with the original image but I'm assuming it's useless unless i have a nonlaptop computer to connect the tivo's hard drive to. Is this correct?

[Gunnyman]

correct

[lew]

Did the seller give you any information as to how the machine was hacked?

[Luv2DrvFst]

Find a friend with a PC. Maybe do it at work?

[ODEEBEE]

Did the seller give you any information as to how the machine was hacked?

No, I've run into some of the info on different hack methods in my online searches but the guy didn't tell me. That's partially why I attached the pic of what i see when i ftp to it. I was hoping that can be discerned from the presence of certain folders or the contents of certain files. If you (or anyone) know a way to find out that would be very helpful. I can look at certain folders or files or whatever. Thanks.

[Gunnyman]

to upgrade to current software....
look up some info on the bootpage utility
if you have access to the unit via bash you can unblock the blocked upgrades from there with that utility
but be extremely careful a mystyped line will render tivo unbootable.

[ODEEBEE]

Might there be a way to change whatever modified command is on there that prevents the downloaded update from actually being performed? Or would that just wreak havok?

[ODEEBEE]

to upgrade to current software....
look up some info on the bootpage utility
if you have access to the unit via bash you can unblock the blocked upgrades from there with that utility
but be extremely careful a mystyped line will render tivo unbootable.

I'm going to risk embarrassment . . . I've seen it used in posts a million times . . . What's bash ?

I've used telnet and ftp programs to access the tivo and grab some files. Is there something else?

[ODEEBEE]

to upgrade to current software....
look up some info on the bootpage utility
if you have access to the unit via bash you can unblock the blocked upgrades from there with that utility
but be extremely careful a mystyped line will render tivo unbootable.

a quick google found:

------------------------------------------------------
TiVo bootpage utility
The TiVo uses a utility called bootpage to set parameters in the boot disk's boot block. Since there's no documentation on this, I whipped up the following quick usage info for my own benefit. Perhaps others will find it useful as well.

usage: /sbin/bootpage options... device

-p dev - print existing args
-P string dev - set args to "string"
-D dev - create default boot page on dev
-B num - set primary boot to partition num
-A num - set alternate boot to partition num
-b dev - print current value of primary boot
-a dev - print current value of alternate boot
-f dev - swap (flip) values of primary and alternate boot partitions
-q dev - ???

example:
bootpage -p /dev/hda
bootpage -P 'root=/dev/hda4 pppondss=true' /dev/hda

Note that the TiVo bootpage differs in usage from Tridge's version for which source is available.
Personally, I rarely do anything other than print/set the boot arguments and check which is the primary boot partition.

If you find this stuff useful you can show your appreciation by listing my address, <Todd.Miller@courtesan.com>, as a referral when you activate a new TiVo.

-------------------------------------------------------------

em , er, now what I am supposed to do with this?

[Gunnyman]

I'm going to risk embarrassment . . . I've seen it used in posts a million times . . . What's bash ?

I've used telnet and ftp programs to access the tivo and grab some files. Is there something else?
when you telnet in you are using tivo's shell aka BASH aka Bourne Again Shell

[ODEEBEE]

when you telnet in you are using tivo's shell aka BASH aka Bourne Again Shell


I suspected that. Thanks. So now what folder am i trying to telnet to and what am i trying to get bootpage to do?

[Gunnyman]

telnet in type bootpage -p and report back here the results.

[ODEEBEE]

telnet in type bootpage -p and report back here the results.

<none>:/var/tmp$ bootpage -p
No device name given, assuming /dev/hda
root=/dev/hda4 dsscon=true console=2,115200 monte=true
<none>:/var/tmp$
<none>:/var/tmp$

[Gunnyman]

ok
you've been sleeper hacked. Without going into obnoxious details as to why, just take my word that buying an image from ptvupgrade and finding a computer to use for imaging will be the easiest option for you.

[lew]

ok
you've been sleeper hacked. Without going into obnoxious details as to why, just take my word that buying an image from ptvupgrade and finding a computer to use for imaging will be the easiest option for you.

AGREED--Even if the OP wants to look for the other site and do a lot of reading one typo or missed step will be a problem.

[Adam1115]

Is paying someone to hack your tivo when you lack the necessary equipment and time to DIY somehow not the 'right' way? Geez, where's the smiley face with the nose way up in the air?

Not in my opinion.. The reason is, that when you 'hack' something to make it do something it was not designed, often times there is an eliment of ongoing support required to keep it 'hacked'. So as you found, you end up with an outdated unit that may lack certain features (new satellites, new software enhancments, etc.) or a unit that stops working all together and you have no way to fix it. Whereas if you invest the time to do it right up front, your able to troubleshoot and repair the unit on your own.

I'm not looking down on you as you imply, but right now your out time and money trying to get this thing on the right version of software. If you had spent the same time up front you'd be way ahead.

Only my opinion, but just giving you my recommendation that you spend the time to learn it instead of paying someone to do it..

[PortlandPaw]

Adam, your points are well taken, but do you feel the same way about the plumbing in your home? Or the electrical system? It makes sense to hire an expert to do what you're not qualified to do and don't choose to learn on ones own. The problem arises when the expert disappears and leaves no replacement.

BTW, I concur with the opinion that ODB should start from scratch.

[Adam1115]

Adam, your points are well taken, but do you feel the same way about the plumbing in your home? Or the electrical system? It makes sense to hire an expert to do what you're not qualified to do and don't choose to learn on ones own. The problem arises when the expert disappears and leaves no replacement.

BTW, I concur with the opinion that ODB should start from scratch.

They key is 'hacking'. Your trying to make the TiVo do something it's not designed to. I would call a plumber because I'm not going to do something with my plumbing that it isn't designed to do.

If you want to apply my logic to other things, should you pay someone to reprogram your car so that it will go faster? NO, because when it suddenly doesn't work and you can't find the guys, and the dealership won't support it your SCREWED. Should you pay someone to overclock the CPU on your PC when you don't know the first thing about computers? Same thing..

[lew]

This site accepts banner ads from companies that sell pre-hacked drives. There are threads that tell people how to "zipper" their tivo. Weaknees has an inter-active guide. Unlike the "other" board TCF has a lot of information to help people hack their tivos even if they have almost no knowledge and don't want to do much more than install a drive, use a script or blindly follow a guide.

The OP doesn't own a suitable computer and has expressed a willingness to learn. I can hire an electrician to run an extra line. If there is a problem and my electrician went out of business I'll have to find a new electrician. That's basically what the OP is doing.

If we were allowed to post a link to the other forum I might direct him to the thread on how to de-sleeper a drive BUT one typo or missed step will require a PC so my advice is to find a PC and start from scratch. Unless he wants to keep a hacked machine or save recordings starting from scratch is much easier.


They key is 'hacking'. Your trying to make the TiVo do something it's not designed to. I would call a plumber because I'm not going to do something with my plumbing that it isn't designed to do.

If you want to apply my logic to other things, should you pay someone to reprogram your car so that it will go faster? NO, because when it suddenly doesn't work and you can't find the guys, and the dealership won't support it your SCREWED. Should you pay someone to overclock the CPU on your PC when you don't know the first thing about computers? Same thing..

[ODEEBEE]

[QUOTE=Adam1115] Your trying to make the TiVo do something it's not designed to. I would call a plumber because I'm not going to do something with my plumbing that it isn't designed to do.

QUOTE]

You make it sound like i tried to turn my tivo into a toaster and want to figure out how to cook soup with it.

Hacking your tivo is like modding your car, man. If you got the time, tools, etc you can pimp your own ride. If not, a million detail shops will do it for you. My car wasn't "meant" to have a tv in it but if that's how I wanted to roll . . .

Years ago when I got my tivo I intended to hack it myself until I read that i needed a tower computer. I saw that there were companies that did it for you and since this one was cheaper and closer than weaknees I went with it. I was supposed to be able to update the software anytime for free by sending it back but after tons of positive feedback on ebay this guy/company just disappeared. Oh well. I don't think there's anything the least bit problematic with people handling the situation like I did. If you really have a problem with it then I suggest that you contact all the people selling the programs mentioned all over this site and swapping out hard drives for folk and tell them to stop their businesses because there're part of "the problem"



Thanks to EVERYONE who posted helpful comments to this thread (read: all except adam1115). I appreciate it much. Since it looks as though Tivo is pretty much giving away boxes now when you commit to the service I don't think I'll be investing much more time/money into this unit. Peace

[MungoJerrie]

Listen, if you want to pay the two-way shipping, I'd do it for you...I've done this many times with other "240's", have all the tools, etc. If you don't care about the recordings, I'd do it for a nominal fee. Think about it, PM me if you're interested...up to you.

[Adam1115]

Oh well. I don't think there's anything the least bit problematic with people handling the situation like I did. If you really have a problem with it then I suggest that you contact all the people selling the programs mentioned all over this site and swapping out hard drives for folk and tell them to stop their businesses because there're part of "the problem"

I have no problem... just giving my opinion that people should do the hacks themselves. Obviously others disagree. You should make your own call... that's why they call this a "FORUM"!

[Scott D]

I find it quite interesting that people out there can act ugly towards other people and not care about it at all.

Unless, of coarse, it happens to them.

It's fine by me if nobody answers my questions but I would feel much better it those people would remain silent instead of finding just the right words to insult me giving the impression that they are better than, well, you know.

Sorry, but I can't help you. I have DirecTiVo's. You're a stand alone. I agree that the best way is to find an image that is not tampered with or just buy a new hard drive from one of the dealers in here previously mentioned with the original factory software installed. Hey, look at the bright side. You'll get extra recording hours that way! :D