Downloading data problem

[rickynumber18]

Hi, my friend (honestly my friend, not me) has a problem with his TiVo. I've thought of everything I can and it's beat us both.

He bought it from eBay recently (okay, I bought it from eBay and flogged it to him) and he's tried for over a week to get it to download programme data (or retain the data). He spent about an hour and a half on the phone to Tivo last night (again) and they have said they think there's something wrong with the box. They said the settings are fine and the calls are successful but no programme data comes through at all.

Does anyone have any ideas as to why data wouldn't be coming through?

[Pete77]

Is it a basic Tivo box without a nework card or Cachecard? Also what size of hard drives does it have?

[rickynumber18]

Hi Pete. Basic TiVo box, existing 40GB HD but the box has been opended at some point. We beleive the last owner had a bigger drive but put the smaller one back at the point of sale. It was sold as 40GB. No cachecard at present, can't be sure it's never had one. Thanks.

[rickynumber18]

Sorry, no cachecard or network card at all.

[Pete77]

Your best bet is to try re-running Guided Setup on to a different channel platform and postcode in a different part of the country from the one it is presently set to. Then let all the indexing complete up to a point where you can Pick Programs to Record.

Then once you are on the new platform reboot the box using a soft reboot (System Reset menu) and then again via cold Reboot (pulling the plug at the Powering screen waiting two minutes and then plugging in again). Then rerun Guided Setup back to the old postcode and chanel platform and package.

Also as the box has been inherited you might also want to consider a Clear and Delete everything to get rid of all the old thumbs data and season passes etc which are not relevant to the new owner.

Of course the Tivo may have a blown modem but in this case the seller would have been thorughly dishonest if they did not admit this. A blown modem can still be overcome by fitting a Cachecard and getting the data that way instead.

[rickynumber18]

Thanks Pete. I'll pass the information on to Andy to try out.

[mikerr]

Check he's not running version 2.5.5a (tivo->setup->system information).

If you run that version, and tivo servers think you run 2.5.5. the tivo gets stuck in an upgrade loop on the daily call, and never gets programme data.

Also remember when tivo first gets programme data after guided setup it can take TWO DAYS for the programme data to show up fully. It needs to be left on at the mains all that time.
If he's turning off the tivo every night, it might never index the data properly.
(When my sister first got her tivo, she had that problem - she turns off everything at the plug every night...)

[Pete77]

Also remember when tivo first gets programme data after guided setup it can take TWO DAYS for the programme data to show up fully.

In my experience it never takes more than 3 or 4 hours. Perhaps you could specify the circumstances in which it takes up to 2 days for all the program data to show up? :confused:

[rickynumber18]

When I re-ran my guided setup last week to add in a Freeview box it took around 5 hours. 2 days does seem allot, although if you had say every Sky channel it could take longer but not days.

[TCM2007]

It's been known to take days.

Have you tried doing a clear all and re-running guided setup?

[Bakdraft]

I just thought I would mention that a Tivo that does not have a valid subscription will make the daily call, go through the full process and report " successful! "... BUT you do not get any guide data.....

So maybe there is a clue there....

[rickynumber18]

Hi. Thanks to everyone for their help with this box. My mate has given up as TiVo CS are convinced that the box is faulty. The subscription is current and nothing tried fixes the problem of missing data. Expect to see it listed as 'Faulty - for spares or repair' on eBay shortly after Easter. :(

[Pete77]

Hi. Thanks to everyone for their help with this box. My mate has given up as TiVo CS are convinced that the box is faulty. The subscription is current and nothing tried fixes the problem of missing data. Expect to see it listed as 'Faulty - for spares or repair' on eBay shortly after Easter. :(
I think he would find the installation of a new hard drive and fresh software image would cure the problem. Has he tried a Clear and Delete Everything yet?

Does his box have a Lifetime subscription by the way? If it does he could always buy another unsubbed box off Ebay and talk Tivo customer services in to transferring the subscription on to that box (which they will nearly always do in a faulty box situation these days).

[rickynumber18]

He's tried 'Clear and Delete Everything', plus a complete wipe out over-and-over. Plus spent hours and hours on the phone with TiVo. No LTS, just monthly payments. Which is why I think he's willing to cut his losses at this point. It's not worth the hassle. I'd be willing to spend a few bob but I have one of my own already.

[mikerr]

Is a "complete wipe out" a restore from a blank tivo image in a pc using mfstool ?

If it isn't then that's what he needs to do.

[rickynumber18]

No. I mean't the delete everything option. Neither of us own a copy of Hooch! and to be honest £20 on the off chance of fixing the problem might appeal to me but my mate is thinking that £20 and it may or may not fix the problem or just listing it on eBay and getting some money back since it only cost him £78 on eBay in the first place. Someone will get a bargain and fix it quite quickly I'm sure.

[mikerr]

We all managed for years before hooch came along and automated it. ;)

It is free to do a restore if you post in this thread (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=113155) to get the image and burn it to a cd

Then booting from an mfstools floppy (http://www.steveconrad.co.uk/tivo/images/upgradeav3.2.zip) and typing something like:

mkdir /cd
mount /dev/hdc /cd
mfsrestore -zpi /cd/tivo.bak /dev/hda

to do the restore (assuming tivo drive on primary master, and cd on secondary master)

[rickynumber18]

Thanks Mike. Maybe I'll buy it off my mate, fix it and make a mint on eBay!! Can't hurt to try rebuilding the drive at least. But I guess I'll have to subscribe for a month to test it out, unless there's a way round that as well?

[blindlemon]

Do it before his current month's sub runs out ;)

Have you tried checking the logs onscreen via the backdoors? The tclient log might have something interesting....

[rickynumber18]

I think he's already cancelled with TiVo but maybe, as you say it'll keep running for a few days. I'll have to take a look at it when I can. I'll check out the tclient as well.

I know TiVo spent like 2 hours on the phone with him the other night, they really have tried to help.

If I thought that a copy of Hooch! would fix the problem I might invest but I'm not sure the return on eBay would be there, especially if I couldn't test it out. Had a look at the 36 page thread, looks a bit complicated for me.

[rickynumber18]

Hi guys. I don't know if any of you fancy a project but I've listed the faulty TiVo I referred to in these posts is back on eBay. I'm sure it'll be a steal and an easy fix for of you out there.

I know I'm not allowed to post an entire auction on here but hopefully it's okay to say auction no. 230124910404. Sorry in advance if it isn't!! :o

The guy I gave the refund to is my mate, Andy. He bought it off me when I got lumbered with two TiVos and I felt bad for flogging him a "dead horse" but I've put the auction in to more formal "eBay speak". :cool: