Hard Drive, Modem, or Both?

[Glostagal]

I have a Series 2 TiVo with lifetime service that is almost 4 years old.

Three months ago, I experienced freezing/stuttering problems. It happened almost daily for at least a week. I searched this forum and decided that I should replace my hard drive. I ordered one from Weaknees but while it was en route, the problems went away. Since I am a world-class procrastinator, and because the machine hasn't frozen once since then, the new hard drive is still in the box.

I get internet service from the cable company and I have a wireless network in the house. I would like to connect TiVo via broadband but I haven't done so - as I said, I am a procrastinator. So I'm still connecting via the telephone.

I just noticed that TiVo has not been able to make the phone connection for 5 days. The message is p08 - service not answering. We have made no recent changes in electronic/telephone equipment/service. I searched this forum and did all of the troubleshooting steps - no luck.

My first question is basic but I did not see it explicitly addressed: does connecting via a wireless adapter bypass or utilize TiVo's modem? ie, assuming my current problem is modem failure, if I make the broadband connnection, will I resolve this problem?

My second question is how would you suggest that I proceed? Should I replace the HD first or do the wireless connection first or what?

Thank you very much for your advice.

[steve614]

IIRC, connecting via broadband does bypass the modem. I reach this conclusion since, on the Tivo itself, you have to change the settings to switch from phone connection to network connection.

IMO, you should try to get the wireless connection first, to rule out the possibility that the modem caused glitches as it was going out.
Then, if that doesn't work, go ahead and change the HD since you already have it, and try again.
If it turns out to not be a bad HD, then no worries -- you'll have an emergency backup for later on when the new one eventually fails. :)

[Glostagal]

Steve, Thanks for your reply.

My phone status is now "pending restart" - it says last successful was 4/27 7:30 am, and next attempt is 4/27 at noon. (it is now 4/27 10 pm) - why is "next" attempt in the past? and if it was successful, why hasn't the program info been updated?

[mick66]

That call didn't get program info, it got the 8.3 update.

[Glostagal]

Mick, you're right. This morning I found that I got the service update AND my program info has all been updated. I went ahead and made another phone connection just to be sure- it's all fine.

So is my experience (a five day period where phone connections fail just prior to a service update) business-as-usual? To recap-

Thurs nite - noticed that I had not had a successful TiVo phone connection since last Sunday. Message was P08 - service not answering. I tried all the recommended troubleshooting (chg phone number, settings, phone cord, reboot tivo/modem)... I was unable to make a phone connection.

Fri nite - noticed that status of last connection was now pending restart. TiVo would not let me make a phone connection without a reboot (which I didn't want to do at the time - too much stuff recording.)

Sat morning - I have a service update AND all my program info is updated.

I am just happy that I didn't notice this until Thursday night or I would have been a wreck all week! :o

[mick66]

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So is my experience (a five day period where phone connections fail just prior to a service update) business-as-usual? To recap-



Your tivo knows nothing about any update until it calls in and actually gets it. So that's a no.