where to get Toshiba SD-H400 image?

jayhawk · 08-13-2007, 09:22 PM

Our 3 year old Toshiba SD-H400 hard drive quit a couple of days ago. (stuck on Welcome, Powering up...). No warning, no power outages, no power spikes, no hacks, no recent software upgrades (that I know of), just wore out, I guess. Pretty pitiful life span for a disk drive, though. (I ran the Maxtor/Seagate utilities on it and after 99 bad sectors they said it was toast. )

Anyway, after searching the site, I think I can handle installing an image on a new drive. Got a new drive at Fry's ($60 for a 320Gb drive on sale, the 160Gb drive was $70. Both were way more than I needed, I just wanted the cheapest I could get that was 80Gb or more. Fry's doesn't even stock 80Gb drives any more...)

BUT, I cannot find an image for the SD-H400. A search of this site had a couple of old links that were of course bad, and I have called Toshiba support, who promised to have their "Tivo" folks call back, but so far they have not.

I certainly don't see the need to pay $20 for the Cakewalk service, since this is just a repair of my failed unit that I'm confident I can handle myself.

Anyone know where I can get an image?

Thanks --jayhawk

ciper · 08-13-2007, 09:24 PM

Perhaps someone on this thread can help? http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb...ad.php?t=62430

jayhawk · 08-13-2007, 10:26 PM

I have read through that thread. Last reference to an image for the SD-H400 is a year old. I have PM'd one poster that is the guru of these things, and I hope to get a response soon.

Still, the first post (from 2002) raises the issue that Tivo does not want these images available. I don't see what the issue is though, since this is a Toshiba unit.

Do you think Tivo (with whom I have no account, as I am only a Tivo Basic user) will provide the image? Hmmm. I'll call them tomorrow and see if they will respond.

Thanks --jayhawk

RoyK · 08-14-2007, 04:57 AM

Pop for the InstantCake. Its worth the $20 and works fine.

dianebrat · 08-14-2007, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoyK

Pop for the InstantCake. Its worth the $20 and works fine.

I agree, I'm more then capable of doing copies and updates to my S2 units, but I have InstantCake at hand because it really is that easy to work with, the $20 vs me having to strain the brain muscles on commands is a fair trade-off. I just hook up the 2 new 250GB drives, "cake'em" and then I get a shiny new OS perfectly paired.

Diane

classicsat · 08-14-2007, 10:57 AM

TiVo won't provide images. Nor will Toshiba.

Yuo have a couple choices:

1: Instantcake.
2: Access to that private server.
3: A frienly individual.
4: Try to rescut form your old drive.
5: buy a pre-imaged drive.
6: Buy another of the same model TiVo.

jayhawk · 08-16-2007, 02:16 AM

Thanks to all who replied. I finally gave up trying to get Toshiba to support their product (ie, just send an image to replace the one that that was lost when the drive failed) and reluctantly spent the $20 for the Instacake image.

I still don't know why Toshiba or Tivo won't support their boxes (and customers) with a simple download and instead wants us to spend more than the price (used) of the box at their "repair" service....

Thanks --jayhawk

classicsat · 08-16-2007, 08:41 AM

A: the software is copyrighted works.

B: TiVo does not expect, or wants to support, their customers to open their boxes. Making those images available would make it seem they support user upgrades, and open them to certain liability.

mbrown02 · 12-09-2007, 06:42 AM

If I buy a new 300G Seagate and use InstantCake, do I need to format the drive or can I run the InstantCake procedure with the drive straight out of the box?

RoyK · 12-09-2007, 06:46 AM

You can and should run it straight from the box. It works great. I've used it on 3 drives for my SD-H400s.

classicsat · 12-09-2007, 10:12 AM

Instantcake will format and prepare the drive for TiVo use.

mbrown02 · 12-09-2007, 10:21 AM

I checked my drive connections and they are already perfectly set up for the InstantCake process (no changes needed, and my system drive is in a removable mobile rack). So I am much more inclined to pick up a 300G Seagate for $80, plus the $20 for InstantCake. Only other concern, though, is the guy 'edaffron' whose TiVo Basic was no longer recognized:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb...hlight=SD+H400

Was it a fluke? If not...will I need to do "Clear & Delete Everything" or "Guided Setup" to get the TiVo Basic re-recognized on my SD-H400? [I am a new owner of a used unit.] I mean, I could probably use a nice new HD for my PC anyway, but still...

Thanks for any help.

mbrown02 · 12-10-2007, 10:07 AM

<bump> Can anyone weigh in on the above concern? How common is it for TiVo Basic no longer to be recognized when using a fresh InstantCake image?