When should I upgrade my S3 hard drive?

[dbong1021]

S3 is still new in box. I am already a Comcast Digitial + HD subscriber using a set top box. Going to change to S3 + cablecards now.

Should I ...

A) Open box, do guided setup with standard cable for now, upgrade HDD and THEN do the cablecard installs?

B) Open box, do guided setup, do cablecard install, then upgrade HDD's?


The end goal would be to have my S3 ( w/ cablecards of course ) and the 750gb drive in there, WITH my original drive safely tucked away and handy in case my bigger drive dies.

Will the Tivo or cable cards complain if I swap hard drives around? or upgrade again further down the road?

[pashasurf7873]

definitely option B. there have been various issues with some boxes (like mine), so test it out for a week before you void the warranty.

[greg_burns]

definitely option B. there have been various issues with some boxes (like mine), so test it out for a week before you void the warranty.

I can see your point about the warrany, but some people are having problems swapping HD after their CC are installed.

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=327661

Shouldn't be a problem if you are going to copy your CC configured drive to the new 750GB. But if you are putting in a virgin 750GB beware! YMMV.

[Amnesia]

I'd say definitely A.

I didn't notice any sticker or anything that shows that the case was opened. Therefore, if there's some problem, you can always reinstall the original drive.

Turn it on and do guided setup to make sure it works. Then replace the hard drive and do the cablecard install...

[greg_burns]

I didn't notice any sticker or anything that shows that the case was opened. Therefore, if there's some problem, you can always reinstall the original drive.

There was a poster a little while back that said the CSR knew he had upgraded his drive by the data available to them. Just saying...

[dbong1021]

argh! Conflicting replies that all make sense!

I guess the lesser of two evils would be option B, where I leave the system as is and install cablecards. Test and use for a few weeks or a month, then go ahead and do the HDD upgrade.

Calling to re-authorize cablecards each time I swap HDD's is alot easier than arguing with Tivo about a busted machine due to me opening the Tivo up.

Thanks for all the replies guys.

[ruinah]

I have sort of the same question. (I did a search which is why I am resurrecting an old thread instead of creating a new one). Just bought a Tivo HD which gets here today. I ordered a western digital 500GB esata drive off Buy.com for $83. The drive is one of the ones in the sticky thread of drives that work.

I'm unclear about the OP and when he said re-authorizing cards? If I read all the procedures correctly then it seems you are just copying one drive to the other and it's a clone. Why would you need to re-authorize a card in that respect?

My general gameplan is to get the tivo HD and run guided setup and get it up to 9.4, have comcast come out and install the card, run for a day, and then upgrade the original internal drive to this new 500Gb drive. I am not doing anything external. Simply pulling old drive and replacing with new. Does that sound about right? Thanks in advance folks. This place is a wealth of knowledge. I've upgraded both my S2's before to larger drives so this doesn't phase me.

[jlib]

Yes, your plan is correct. It is also a good idea to write down the serial numbers off the back of the cards and associated data IDS from the cable card cofiguration menu so that you will know if they ever change hence requiring a reconfiguration at Comcast.

Note you ordered a SATA not eSATA drive.

[ruinah]

Yes, your plan is correct. It is also a good idea to write down the serial numbers off the back of the cards and associated data IDS from the cable card cofiguration menu so that you will know if they ever change hence requiring a reconfiguration at Comcast.

Note you ordered a SATA not eSATA drive.

I looked at the FAQ for upgrading and it lists WD5000AVJS as a valid 500Gb drive for the upgrade. You are correct that on buy.com it says SATA, so did I order the wrong drive?

this is what I ordered (and the price went up since I ordered it?!@??!?@)

http://www.buy.com/prod/western-digital-av-wd5000avjs-hard-drive-500gb-7200rpm-serial-ata-300/q/loc/101/206577090.html

*confused*

[ruinah]

wait, is esata just "external" sata then? If so, I think I am safe?