Second time hard disk replacement

[Mike Jones]

I replaced my hard disk three years ago and put in a cachecard etc. The hard disk is now failing and needs replacing. I've bought a new Samsung T133 400GB U133 7200RPM 8MB hard disk and have been reading Hinsdale etc.

I want to copy everything across, and I think that this is command I type in (hda - Primary Master - new hd, hdc Secondary Master - existing TIVO hd, hdd Secondary Master - CD ROM drive):

mfsbackup -Tao - /dev/hdc | mfsrestore -s 127 -xzpi - /dev/hda

Is this right? I read somewhere that second time around you had to do it differently than a first time upgrade.

Does this deal with the increase in the disk size? (Tivo threshold at 274GB)

DO I need to do something to increase the cache size?

I presume I then need to patch the tivo to increase the kernel size - I was going to use the Steve Conrad instructions for this.

[Mike Jones]

I've been googling and think I have the answer!

mfsbackup -Tao - /dev/hdc | mfsrestore -s 127 -r 4 -xzpi - /dev/hda

Google found that in TIVO post from Jan 06. My original search on the forum did'nt find it? Google also found the "-r 4" on Weaknees.

But I would be really grateful if someone could tell me if this is right. I don't have the faintest clue what I'm doing in Linux, and it scares me!!!

[Mike Jones]

It's getting even more complicated. My head hurts...

For a 400gb I apparently need to change the "-s 127" to "-s 200" to increase the swap size, but I then need to run something called tpip. Is this right? Or does the kernel change "copykern" fix this?

[AMc]

The swap size part looks right to me, I used 300 for a 250GB drive recently - there is so little difference in capacity vs. the chance it will help if the Tivo needs to rebuild itself I wouldn't scrimp.
I don't know about tpip
The 'copykern' command as referenced in Steve Conrad's guide updates the Tivo Linux kernel to 'see' over 137GB of the disk as far as I know that's all you need.

[blindlemon]

Yes, copykern will do what you need. It copies the kernel and initialises the swap.

I would suggest 450mb swap for a 400gb drive as that will allow you to expand easily by adding a 500gb drive at a later stage. However, if you're sure you'll never want to do that then 200 or 250mb will be fine.

[Mike Jones]

Ive got the TIVO disk out and in my other PC.

The drives are all connected up correctly, and I’ve used the boot CD from Steve Conrad's large disk upgrade page. Boots up okay. Shift + Page Up and:

Hda is 400,088 MB
Hdc is 160,042 MB

So that all seems good.

At prompt:
Mfsbackup –Tao - /dev/hdc | mfsrestore –s350 –r4 –xzpi - /dev/hda

Starts doing something then reports, Uncompressed back up size 118,931mb. Restore failed. Backup target not large enough for a true backup by iteslf. # king up 1 of 188,931mb (0%).

Any ideas?

[yungee]

Mfsbackup –Tao - /dev/hdc | mfsrestore –s350 –r4 –xzpi - /dev/hda

Don't know 100% if this will sort you out, but try:

Mfsbackup –Tao - /dev/hdc | mfsrestore –s 350 –r 4 –xzpi - /dev/hda

I think you need spaces there, and maybe it's getting upset. Don't see why that should cause the space problem really. Possibly the "-r 4" bit which is needed for large drives. I believe so it doesn't run out of inodes.

Edit: Actually something a bit more fundamental is likely.
You need to use "restore", NOT "mfsrestore" ... read Steve's page again .. easy one to skipread over! ;)

[Mike Jones]

Hi I'd tried pretty much every combination, but I've just tried your suggestion again, just in case - but get the same results.

[blindlemon]

by iteslf.You have run out of MFS partitions on your A drive.

You will need to drop your recordings or not use all the space on the new drive, or drop the -x and try the -f option from the boot cd at www.mfslive.org

[yungee]

Did you see my post after the the edit?

By my reckoning, the correct command for your system should be:

mfsbackup –Tao - /dev/hdc | restore –s 350 –r 4 –xzpi - /dev/hda

Edit: I know who I'd put my money on, me or blindlemon. Hint, it's not me! :p

[Mike Jones]

Decided to give up on my recordings. So went for

backup -l 32 -6so - /dev/hdc | restore -s 200 -r 4 -xzpi - /dev/hda

Reported:
Source drive size is 30hrs
Upgraded to 44 hrs
Upgraded to 147 hours
Backup image will be 147 hours
Uncompressed back up size 1333 mb.
Restore failed...... 49 of 1333mb(3.67%)

[blindlemon]

No need for the compression. Just do

backup -l 32 -so - /dev/hdc | restore -s 200 -r 4 -xzpi - /dev/hda

[Mike Jones]

Tried that but still get the same error?

Out of interest if I just decided to use the new disk as if it was only 120gb, what command would I use?

[blindlemon]

That will be because your backup is not divorcing.

You could try without the -x (to just clone your drive as you suggest) then use the -f option from mfslive. I can't vouch for it though as I've not had time to test it myself.

Alternatively, rerun the command without the -x then boot the new drive in your TiVo and run my DeleteAll (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=4658244&&#post4658244) script to delete all recordings (which will only be stubs in the database anyway) before making a new (hopefully divorced this time) backup to a spare FAT drive - eg.

mfsbackup -l32 -so /mnt/dos/tivo.bak /dev/hdc

and restoring that with

mfsrestore -s 200 -r 4 -xzpi /mnt/dos/tivo.bak /dev/hda

[Mike Jones]

I know this is a stupid question but should I be doing "mount /dev/hda /dev/hdc" before I do the backup/restore command?

I have'nt been doing this, but Hinsdale still mentions it in his how to??

[Pete77]

I know this is a stupid question but should I be doing "mount /dev/hda /dev/hdc" before I do the backup/restore command?

I have'nt been doing this, but Hinsdale still mentions it in his how to??

I really think you ought to try the www.mfslive.org CD and their options which will allow you to keep all your existing recordings from your current hard drive. There are several people who have used the www.mfslive.org CD in the Tivo Upgrade Centre Section of the forum.

See www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=334459

[blindlemon]

should I be doing "mount /dev/hda /dev/hdc"Not unless you are backing up to/restoring from a FAT drive.

In that case, assuming your FAT partition was the first (or only) partition on the drive attached to /dev/hdd (secondary slave), then you would enter

mkdir /mnt/dos
mount /dev/hdd1 /mnt/dos

before issuing the backup or restore command.

[Mike Jones]

But the website says MFSlive is US only machines?

I've followed there work through as if it was a Series 1 TIVO and get the following instruction (although the command line is the same for a Series 2)

backup -qTao - /dev/hda | restore -s 200 -r 4 -fzpi - /dev/hdc

-fzpi actually had an n at the start with a note saying you can leave this out and run a kernel fix instead. Only said this for series 1, not series 2.

I then presumably run the Kernel fix from Steve Conrad's page.

Hsa anyone actually done this on a UK TIVO?

[Pete77]

But the website says MFSlive is US only machines?

I've followed there work through as if it was a Series 1 TIVO and get the following instruction (although the command line is the same for a Series 2)

backup -qTao - /dev/hda | restore -s 200 -r 4 -fzpi - /dev/hdc

-fzpi actually had an n at the start with a note saying you can leave this out and run a kernel fix instead. Only said this for series 1, not series 2.

I then presumably run the Kernel fix from Steve Conrad's page.

Hsa anyone actually done this on a UK TIVO?

No reason not to expect it to work on a UK Tivo S1 though as our Tivo S1 and the US Tivo S1s are the same machines apart from the NTSC stuff and the different sockets on the back. And those differences are irrlevant to this aspect of the upgrade process.

The normal MFSTools CD we use is exactly the same as the one used by Tivo owners across the pond on their Tivo S1 machines as I understand it?

Why not try it as you suggest substituting the kernel fix in the way you propose and see what happens. Surely the only thing you have to lose is your time but with the benefit of potentially saving all your recordings and thumbs data (thumbs data not being backed up by the TivoWeb SP and Wislist backup module). Also if you succeed the pressure then increases on blindlemon to begin full scale testing of the www.mfslive.org CD

[blindlemon]

backup -qTao - /dev/hda | restore -s 200 -r 4 -fzpi - /dev/hdc
Looks OK to me.
I then presumably run the Kernel fix from Steve Conrad's page.Just run copykern from the LBA48 CD.
Has anyone actually done this on a UK TIVO?You could be the first :up: :)

As Pete77 says, it won't affect your current drive so you have nothing to lose by trying it (unless you type the command the wrong way round:eek: )

[Mike Jones]

Download of mfslive doesn't recognise the f command?

It also fails with the x command.

But it works without the x, which I presume will mean TIVO only uses 120gb of the new disk?

[Pete77]

Download of mfslive doesn't recognise the f command?

It also fails with the x command.

But it works without the x, which I presume will mean TIVO only uses 120gb of the new disk?

Did you use the mfslive command configurator page which allows you to pick your precise drive setup and drive sizes and also gives you the exact command you need to run?

www.mfslive.org/cgen.php

It asks you to select whether you have a Philips or Sony S1 machine but the commands it gives are the same with either model selected so I don't think that is actually a relevant issue.

[Mike Jones]

I did that to get the line I used, and it does tell you to use the f. But when you download from the download page, and then boot from that CD it doesn't like the f - treats it as an error, and lists all the possible variables you can use, which has no mention of f???

[Pete77]

I did that to get the line I used, and it does tell you to use the f. But when you download from the download page, and then boot from that CD it doesn't like the f - treats it as an error, and lists all the possible variables you can use, which has no mention of f???

I suppose you could send the MFSLive guy an email at info@mfslive.org or try posting a query in their Forum under either Bug Reports or Series 1.

http://mfslive.org/forums/

[Mike Jones]

Got a response. Version 1.0 is stable. f is experimental, and not yet in the copyright version, but he is working on it. Downloads of the experimental version got out of hand, so he pulled it. So for the moment f doesn't work.

[Pete77]

Got a response. Version 1.0 is stable. f is experimental, and not yet in the copyright version, but he is working on it. Downloads of the experimental version got out of hand, so he pulled it. So for the moment f doesn't work.

Is he prepared to let you try the f switch version on a "no promises given" basis?

Rapid response - which he does seem to reknowned for. Perhaps he and blindlemon should combine forces to create a new transatlantic Tivo upgrading service. :) :up:

You might also like to mention to him that he has omitted to include the Thomson Tivo PVR10UK S1 machine from the list of Tivos on his site.

[Mike Jones]

He gave me a link to download, but said "Please don't share the url. I want to close Beta testing". I'm going to buy a second 400gb hard disk and try the Beta version next week - my wife get's very irate when I keep pulling the TIVO apart and operating a computer with the innards exposed. My youngest son (aged 4) really wants to start tugging at all the cables!!

If it works I will swap the disk with the 400gb that thinks it is 120gb, and reuse that one in my other TIVO.

I asked him to add the UK TIVO to his list.

[Pete77]

If it works I will swap the disk with the 400gb that thinks it is 120gb, and reuse that one in my other TIVO.

I asked him to add the UK TIVO to his list.

Hope it all works out in due course.

[Mike Jones]

It worked :)

I now have the full use of the 400gb hard disk in one TIVO. I guess I will have to look at Mode 0 now, and maybe get TIVoweb working again.

Thanks to everyone for their help.

I will email the MFSLive guy and ask him to let me know when the version with the f switch will be available for download. I will then put it on here and tell Steve Conrad so he can add it to his page.

[Pete77]

It worked :)

Good to hear. Let us hope the MFS Live guy will release the next version of his software to the world at large soon. :up: