volcs0
08-24-2009, 08:15 AM
This might help someone else and save them time, so I'm writing up a quick post.
My Series 2 TiVo with Lifetime Service died a slow lingering death. Finally, it was stuck at "Powering Up," and I figured it was the hard drives.
MFSTools failed to backup the drives, saying something about a corrupt header. So, I was left using an old backup from 2003. I know there are images out on the 'net and that I could purchase one for $20 from InstantCake, but I didn't want to spent the money.
So, I found the old CD with the tivo.bak on it and tried to install it onto a working 500gb hard drive. The install went well, but the TiVo would not boot - stuck at the same screen.
I spent the next six hours trying to troubleshoot the TiVo - but to no avail.
Finally, I read this tidbit: http://www.dvrplayground.com/article/14029/How-to-pick-the-right-TiVo-DVR-hard-drive-/
Most older standalone Series 2 TiVo DVRs require software 7.1 or newer to use hard drives greater than 137GB. On newer standalone Series 2 TiVo DVRs, software 5.1 or greater supports hard drives greater than 137GB.
A ha! So, I installed the 2003 tivo.bak to an old 120gb hard drive, and it worked. I upgraded the system to the current software (version 9) and made another backup. I imaged this backup onto the 500gb hard drive, and everything works now.
Anyway, perhaps this is obvious to all, but it took me a long time to figure it out...
My Series 2 TiVo with Lifetime Service died a slow lingering death. Finally, it was stuck at "Powering Up," and I figured it was the hard drives.
MFSTools failed to backup the drives, saying something about a corrupt header. So, I was left using an old backup from 2003. I know there are images out on the 'net and that I could purchase one for $20 from InstantCake, but I didn't want to spent the money.
So, I found the old CD with the tivo.bak on it and tried to install it onto a working 500gb hard drive. The install went well, but the TiVo would not boot - stuck at the same screen.
I spent the next six hours trying to troubleshoot the TiVo - but to no avail.
Finally, I read this tidbit: http://www.dvrplayground.com/article/14029/How-to-pick-the-right-TiVo-DVR-hard-drive-/
Most older standalone Series 2 TiVo DVRs require software 7.1 or newer to use hard drives greater than 137GB. On newer standalone Series 2 TiVo DVRs, software 5.1 or greater supports hard drives greater than 137GB.
A ha! So, I installed the 2003 tivo.bak to an old 120gb hard drive, and it worked. I upgraded the system to the current software (version 9) and made another backup. I imaged this backup onto the 500gb hard drive, and everything works now.
Anyway, perhaps this is obvious to all, but it took me a long time to figure it out...