# Please Help...Roamio Upgrade Advise Needed



## ToDoList (Nov 13, 2007)

Hello Tivo Community:

I want to update the internal 500GB Seagate Hard Drive (Model St3500414CS) that was installed in my Tivo Roamio (Model: TCD846500) (4 Tuner With Cablecard). I sifted throught the hard drive upgrade suggestions on this site, and went with the WD Red 2TB NAS Drive. (Model WD20EFRX) (NASware 3.0 Date: May 03, 2016) I currently have a Windows 7 64bit PC with an available internal SATA connection.

This site says I should be able to simply drop a 3TB (and under) drive into my Tivo, and get rolling. Before I do that, I just wanted to check and make sure I didn't have to do anything to the drive prior to installation. If you guys could answer the following questions, it would put my mind at ease.

01. Do I have to use the WD SMART Load/Unload Utility (WD5741) to adjust the timing on my drive? (I'm thinking this program is an alternative to WDIDLE) If so, what should it be adjusted to?

02. Should I run a diagnostic test before, or after installing the drive in my Tivo? I want to make sure there are no bad sectors, so I'm going to use WD Data Lifeguard Diagnostics For Windows and run the extended test. My concern is that if I hook this brand new drive up to my computer, Windows 7 might take over and try to do something before I have a chance to run the WD Software.

03. Should I run the WD Diagnostic Test, or adjust the timing first? (If at all)

04. After I install the new drive into my Roamio, should I power it on with the cablecard in, or remove it and then insert it later after the setup process? I'm trying to keep it paired with my tivo...if at all possible. (Motorola Cablecard with Verizon FIOS)

Thank you in advance for all of your help. This is my first post so please bear with me.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

1. No. WDidle timer is not an issue with Roamios any more, but PUIS setting is, if you use the WD Green drives. (I recommend WD Red.)
2. You could test it prior. 
3. same as 2.
4. When you swap the drive, the Tivo will be as if it was new (except for the Tivo Software version) with no shows. Yes, you can just swap drives up to 3 TB without a PC as long as the software is the latest. With a 2 TB, it will get filled up pretty fast, depending on how much you record.

I recommend you download shows to PC (as a backup) with KMTTG and transfer back afterwards, PyTivo is recommended.

I have a WD Red 4TB drive and just use OTA. Its kept at 1/2 full, with downloads of shows to PC.


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## ToDoList (Nov 13, 2007)

Thank you for your help ThAbtO.


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## bungi43 (Sep 6, 2016)

ThAbtO said:


> 1. No. WDidle timer is not an issue with Roamios any more, but PUIS setting is, if you use the WD Green drives. (I recommend WD Red.)
> 2. You could test it prior.
> 3. same as 2.
> 4. When you swap the drive, the Tivo will be as if it was new (except for the Tivo Software version) with no shows. Yes, you can just swap drives up to 3 TB without a PC as long as the software is the latest. With a 2 TB, it will get filled up pretty fast, depending on how much you record.
> ...


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## bungi43 (Sep 6, 2016)

Sorry....this is what I was asking about in post above.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008JJLW4M/ref=twister_B008VQ8IKY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

bungi43 said:


> So I just bought a new Roamio OTA...which I haven't really recorded anything on. I can take out the 1 TB HD that came with it, stick this one in and it'll just fire right up? As simple as plug-n-play?


If you hope that swapping drives from 1 Tivo to another will preserve your shows, then no. The shows are encoded to the specific Tivo it was originally recorded from. You can copy/transfer shows between the Tivo to another PC/Tivo.


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