TiVo Backup question

[AsSiMiLaTeD]

I want to backup my TiVo boxes, and have a couple questions:

1 - To do this I think I need to remove the drive and hook it up to the computer and make an image, is that correct?
2 - I know upgrading to a bigger drive in your TiVo voids the warranty. From what I'm reading, when you install a new drive, it sends TiVo a message. What if I pull the drive out, make a backup, then put the same drive back in the machine? Does that void the warranty as well?

I know I can buy a CD with the image, the reason I'm doing this is so that if one of the drives goes out I don't have to pay Time Warner to come back out and spend 30 seconds to install the cable card again.

That is the whole reason I'd be doing this, to avoid the extra expense in the event that it crashed. Can someone validate my thinking, or does the hard drive have nothing to do with the cable card?

Thanks

[dlfl]

Not a bad move -- I assume you'd be using WinMFS right? And doing a "truncated backup" (i.e., not backing up recordings) too? (You can also back up the recordings but it takes a lot of time and hard drive space.)

My understanding is TiVo can look into your TiVo and tell you have installed a different Hard Drive. If you open the box and then re-install the SAME drive, I don't believe they would be able to tell anything happened. Their policy is that just opening the box invalidates the warranty. But how would they know? Note: This may not apply to the Premiere. I've seen references in some posts to some extra tamper detection in those models. (?)

I've also seen several posters claim that TiVo is lenient about the warranty even if they see you've installed a new hard drive, presumably in cases where the problem couldn't possibly have anything to do with the drive -- but YMMV.

Also, restoring a back up via WinMFS does prevent you having to have your CableCARD(s) reinstalled, which requires a truck roll in most cases.

[mattack]

Originally Posted by AsSiMiLaTeD

2 - I know upgrading to a bigger drive in your TiVo voids the warranty. From what I'm reading, when you install a new drive, it sends TiVo a message. What if I pull the drive out, make a backup, then put the same drive back in the machine? Does that void the warranty as well?

Just opening the box voids your warranty...

[AsSiMiLaTeD]

I talked to Time Warner yesterday and they said that as long as I have the cable card already in my posession, I can move it from one box to another and just call in to them to have it activated, so don't need to have a truck roll for that.

That was my primary reason for considering this, to prevent another $40 charge if the box should crash. Now that that's not an issue, I'm less inclined to do this.

Thanks for the info guys