TiVo Roamio Hard Drive Upgrade, PART 1

I have replaced three Roamio hard drives and two fans. I use metal putty knifes. Once you do one, the rest are easy. On my first I broke one clip. Now I know what the inside looks like.

 

From Western Digitals web site

"The WD Purple drive is designed specifically for 24/7 DVR and NVR surveillance solutions and is optimized with AllFrame™ technology for system playback and performance."

I am using 2 of the purple drives in my Roamio OTA's (one in each) and being they were designed for DVR's, they work fine in my Roamios.​

 

I only mentioned guitar pick because I got one in a Phone kit, as well as an ABS plastic pry tool that looked like a guitar pick with a thick center. Once you know where the tabs under the cover, all you need to do is apply pressure there to unlatch the clip. Plastic credit cards also work but sometimes you just need a sharp edge to get into the seems.

 

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i've upgraded lots of tivo's over the years- including a cable card roamio a few years ago.
I now need to upgrade a OTA roamio- what's the biggest hdd i can put in it? I understand the 3TB would be the simplest-
I don't have access to a desk top - so i just have the ports on my laptop usb2&3, hdmi and a thunderbolt 3. I'm trying to figure out if it's easily possible to do a larger upgrade with my laptop.
I don't have any extra time so the simplicity of dropping in a 3TB drive is appealing


eta: i just realized i'm coming up on my 15 year anniversary for joining this board....LOL wow

 

I have not seen anyone try using a hard drive larger than a single 3TB, or if they do they will only be able to access 3TB. I work with CCTV systems and there was a 3TB limit a couple years back on h.264 DVRs. I'm fairly new to the Tivo community, but I've had a few ReplayTV units in the past, and they are very similar. As long as you don't need to backup you old Tivo HD, you just drop in the New drive and Go. If there is a way to access the old HD with dock, I'm all for that. I'm still trying to get PyTivo to work.

 

i was able to install a 6tb in to a cable roamio a few years ago - If i remember correctly i was able to do that using connections off my MOBO. I just am not sure it's possible with an OTA 4 tuner tivo Nor can i find the thread/ process in the help area.... /sigh/ but i haven't looked hard yet.

 

I just read on Tivo repair and upgrade website, that the Series 5 846500, 846510, and 846000 models can take up to 10TB drives.

 

The TiVo Upgrade Center forum is where you want to go to find information on drive upgrades but I think the specific thread you want for upgrading a Roamio to a drive larger than 3TB (4TB-8TB) is below:

MFS Reformatter (mfsr)

Scott

 

thank u scott! yes mfs reformatter is the process. i could not remember the name.

and it's possible to do it with a usb 3.0.....now for time & cost benefit analysis. Thankfully i have a few days before the tivo arrives.

 

MFSR Notes:

Some USB 2.0 docks will work as well, but many of them only support drives up to 2TB. Most USB 3.0 docks can handle larger drives even if you run them on a USB 2.0 port.
The current limit is 8TB. I think I know how to break through that limit now, but I don't have any 10 or 12 TB drives to test with.

 

Thanks for all you've done! MFS reformater is w great tool- Apparently I did an upgrade 2 years ago. I remember it being super easy to use. Especially after the earlier DYI upgrades for Series 3 i seem to remember even donating to the cause. I gotta say having 6TB of storage has been wonderful -

I don't know if i can be a test subject for the 10TB as tempting as that might be tho- I've just started back to school in Networking & Server Admin and am on a tight budget both time & money wise. I don't even know if i can do a 6TB upgrade.... or 8TB

 

I just checked the specs for a few 3.0 docks. A few of the cheaper docs only supported drives up to 4TBs

 

Probably just old specs, but keep looking. You can find good ones for about $25 or even less. I've used this one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00APP6694/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I just upgraded my Series 5 Roamio OTA VOX, The back screw is a Hex 2.0mm but a T8 will work, as for the drive brackets and drive screws they are both T10.

 

oh I found a doc at Frys. I was just letting folks know that they'd need to check the specs if they need to use a dock.

For folks who are considering the upgrade from a stock hard drive to a 3tb, the extra effort to double the final hdd is really very very easy. Basically take the old hdd out,
drop the new drive into the tivo,
take it out
attach it to your computer
Download & unzip a file, (my remembrance of the software is that it's super easy to use!)
run that file on the attached hdd,
reinstall the new 6tb drive into the tivo

now to sell my 6tb cable only roamio tivo

 

A slight tweak on my Roamio OTA:

Tivo Central->My Shows->Devices->PC name->Documents->My Tivo Recordings...
But thanks. Getting the shows restored was the last piece of the puzzle.

 

Thanks to everyone for such a great community. I am new to Tivo as of 2 years ago when we cut cable. I have been reading this thread and others and and probably missed it but, if I replace my stock HDD, the lifetime guide subscription is still accessible, correct? Is that information stored on the Roamio bios or at Tivo HQ? I just want to make sure I don't lose that when I upgrade the HDD for much need extra space. Thanks in advance for the assistance

 

Your lifetime subscription will not be affected in any way by changing the hard drive. The box identity is tied to a chip on the main board.

 

I finally received the the famous WD30EFRX and it had bad sectors. I am hoping the rma will send a new one of the same model. Is it just me or are these 3TB Red models becoming scarce?