Need to replace drive but don't have much time

[Podgy Dad]

I have a 2 120GB setup at the moment, my B drive is failing. Is it possible to move the settings but not the recordings to a single 200GB drive.

If people could give me some quick pointers that would be appreciated as I'm up to my neck in work and don't have much time to research things.

Thanks for your assistance.

[cwaring]

www.tivoheaven.com
www.tivoland.com
or DIY (http://www.newreleasesvideo.com/hinsdale-how-to/index9.html)

:)

[Podgy Dad]

Thanks, I'm aware of those pages. Is it possible to replace two 120GB drive with a single 200GB one? The areas I'm unsure of are the 137GB disk size limit and what version of utilities am I supposed to be using.

[frogster]

Need to replace drive but don't have much timeCome off it, there's another 3 hours before Doctor Who. Plenty of time.

[Podgy Dad]

:-)

[cwaring]

Thanks, I'm aware of those pages. Is it possible to replace two 120GB drive with a single 200GB one? The areas I'm unsure of are the 137GB disk size limit and what version of utilities am I supposed to be using.

You will probably need these two sections:

OPTION #2: BACKING UP A Two-Drive TiVo

and

UPGRADE CONFIGURATION #2:
From: Any Single or Dual Drive TiVo
To: New A with B Drive |or| New Single Larger A Drive

You will need to source the LBA48-enabled version of the CD. I thought it was on Tivoheaven but it's not there now.

[blindlemon]

It's here (www.tivoheaven.com/download/ptv-mfstools2-large-disk.iso) :)

Going from 2x 120 to 1x 200 is possible but only if you don't mind dumping your recordings. In that case, just do a minimal piped backup->restore, eg.

mfsbackup -l32 -so - /dev/hdX /dev/hdY | mfsrestore -s 300 -r4 -xzpi - /dev/hdZ

where hdX and hdY are your source drives and hdZ your target, then run copykern, specifying hdZ and kernel option 1.

[Podgy Dad]

Went to install the 200GB drive and realised it was SATA, doh :-)

Got a 320GB from PC World and after a few problems restoring the backup got it sorted, or so I thought. Getting an error about not being able to record because there was no video signal. Have been searching the forum and I think this is because I failed to use the copykern. Is that a correct assumption?

[blindlemon]

Unlikley. Try power-cycling the TiVo while leaving the STB powered on and connected.

(You will need to use copykern for a 320gb drive though;))

[Podgy Dad]

That's what is odd though, I hadn't used copykern and yet it was reporting the correct recording capacity. I've now run it so we'll see how we get on. I used the MFSlive disk if that sheds any light on things.

Thanks for your help.

[blindlemon]

MFSLive doesn't include copykern (or an equivalent) AFAIK - at least not the version I have - although it does correctly initialise the swap partition header for swaps > 127mb, unlike the older MFSTools CDs.

Any LBA48-aware boot CD will allow you to create partitions past 137gb - and hence your TiVo will report the full capacity for the drive size - but if you don't add an LBA48 kernel using copykern or tpip (or copy it from your previous drive), then you will run into problems as soon as the TiVo OS tries to access something past 137gb.

[Pete77]

You would probably have found life easier following the large hard drive upgrade instructions at www.steveconrad.co.uk/tivo/upgrade3.html. As you didn't want to keep your recordings Steve's instructions covered this scenario perfectly.

I see Carl actually pointed you towards the now antique Hinsdale instructions, which I would personally regard as being a form of cruel and unnecessary human suffering. :eek:

If you wanted to keep your recordings in theory it is possible but only using the Beta version of www.mfslive.org which is currently tricky to get hold of and not guaranteed to work.

[Podgy Dad]

Ran the copykern command and everything is fine. Thanks for the help everyone.

[mikerr]

So a reduction is possible? (2x120) 240 => 200GB

I always thought you could go bigger, or same size, but never reduce.
Or is this a special case since its a 2 drive reduction?

[cwaring]

Yes. You can (as far as I know) always go from 2 drives to 1.

[mikerr]

Yes, I mean the total partition size reduction (240gb->200gb)

I can't for instance move my 400gb drive to a 200gb drive, can I ?

[cwaring]

D'oh! Sorry :o

I don't think so if you want to take your recordings with you. If you can get a divorced backup then it won't matter what size drive you move from and to.

I think :) (Where's the sight-impaired citrus fruit when you need him? ;))

[blindlemon]

Decorating :p:D

Pretty much - if you can get a divorced backup then you can reduce to any drive >= the original "A" drive. If you had a twin-drive machine this will be 30gb, otherwise 40gb.

[mikerr]

So can you go back for single drives?

I'd like to transfer settings back to a smaller disk from my 400gb drive...

[blindlemon]

No problem, as long as you can get a divorced backup.

If that proves difficult then you may need to clear out your recordings with my DeleteAll (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=4658244#post4658244) script first.