# DvrBARS vs MFStools to minimize downtime (TCD758250)



## gary80920 (Jan 10, 2002)

Hello,

I think my drive is starting to go bad as it is 7 years old (original drive). I'm wanting to minimize downtime as I am working from home.

Can I use the DvrBARS tools to create an image on a 4tB drive (no recordings needed) while using MFStools to move to a 6tB drive with recordings? The 6tB drive will replace the original Tivo drive.

Thanks,
Gary


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

DVRBars does not expand. It only will backup and restore. MFSTools 3.x will copy/restore and expand at the same time. Its slow because its a bit by bit process.


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## gary80920 (Jan 10, 2002)

Let me clarify my question based on the above response.

GOAL - *minimize Tivo downtime* while getting to 6tB
In other words, I want to minimize the amount of time that I am without my Tivo.​
Which of the following options is faster? Time estimates?
1. Use DvrBARS to make an image on a 4tB drive(no recordings, no expansion)? Will be used temporarily while I image the 6tB drive using MFStools.
2. Use MFStools to go directly to the 6tB drive.​
Regards!


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

To temporarily use the Premiere until you can get the 6TB up and running... Use another drive, and copy the image (with DVRBars) from the Tivo drive to it and use that in Premiere while you are using the same image to upgrade to the 6TB (see 8TB Premiere, use 4000 not the 6000 shown.)

This can be an overnight process with MFSTools 3.3.

DVRbars does not expand only backup and restore Premieres.


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## gary80920 (Jan 10, 2002)

ThAbtO said:


> use that in Premiere while you are using the same image to upgrade to the 6TB (see 8TB Premiere, use 4000 not the 6000 shown.)


When I move to the 6tB drive, the source drive will be the original Tivo disk.
- In step 2 I would use the command, "mfsadd -xM *4000* /dev/sdY"?
- And then stop after step 4?


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

It should be already be filled after that.


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## gary80920 (Jan 10, 2002)

When I issued the "mfsadd -xM *4000* /dev/sda", I got the error, "Expand of /dev/sda would result in too many partitions." sda is the 6tB drive.

When I put the drive into the Tivo, everything works. 
- I'm now showing 25% used rather than 52%.
- I was able to view the last show I recorded.

How do I fix the too many partitions error?

I have attached the output from "mfsinfo -d" for the 6tB drive. Here is the partition table. Please note that this is the first time upgrading this Premier XL4.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
partition table for /dev/sda
---------------------------------------------------------------------
[##]: Name 1st Sector Sectors Next
==================================================================
[01]: Apple 1 63 64
[02]: Bootstrap 1 4187406352 8 4187406360
[03]: Kernel 1 4187406360 16384 4187422744
[04]: Root 1 4187422744 524288 4187947032
[05]: Bootstrap 2 4187947032 8 4187947040
[06]: Kernel 2 4187947040 16384 4187963424
[07]: Root 2 4187963424 524288 4188487712
[08]: Linux swap 4188487712 2097152 4190584864
[09]: /var 4190584864 1048576 4191633440
[10]: MFS application region 4197924896 1638400 4199563296
[11]: MFS media region 64 4187406288 4187406352
[12]: MFS application region 2 4199563296 1638400 4201201696
[13]: MFS media region 2 4201201696 4187406296 8388607992
[14]: SQLite 4191633440 6291456 4197924896
[15]: Extra 8388607992 3332437176 11721045168

Regards


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Look in System Information, you should have over 800 HD hrs on a 6TB.


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## gary80920 (Jan 10, 2002)

ThAbtO said:


> Look in System Information, you should have over 800 HD hrs on a 6TB.


As I expected, I do not have 800+ hours. I have a recording capacity of 686 HD hours. This is what I expected since "My Shows" show 25% utilization. Had I expanded to the full 6tB, I would have expected "My Shows" to be somewhere around 12%. In my previous post I attached the output from a "mfsinfo -d".

Regards.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

gary80920 said:


> I have a recording capacity of 686 HD hours.


That is certainly expected for a 4TB. I think you need to continue with the steps in the 8TB Premiere, if you had stopped at step 4 as noted.


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## gary80920 (Jan 10, 2002)

As I stated in my earlier post,


> When I issued the "mfsadd -xM *4000* /dev/sda", I got the error, "Expand of /dev/sda would result in too many partitions." sda is the 6tB drive.


The "mfsadd" is step 2 of the 8tB note.


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

gary80920 said:


> As I stated in my earlier post,
> 
> The "mfsadd" is step 2 of the 8tB note.


I do not think you are following the directions in the 8 TB Premier. I would have you reread them.

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk


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## gary80920 (Jan 10, 2002)

From the 8tB instructions.
1) mfscopy -aiM 4000 /dev/sdX /dev/sdY
2) mfsadd -xM 6000 /dev/sdY
In note #4, you said to use 4000 rather than 6000.
In note #5, I asked to confirm to use 4000 in the mfsadd command as you had not provided context.​
*Step 2 is where I get the error.*

Now, how do I fix this?


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Have you tried 4000 for mfsadd? When I quoted that 4000, it was meant for both lines.


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## gary80920 (Jan 10, 2002)

Sorry, I cut and pasted the mfsadd command straight from the 8tB instructions.

I did use 4000 because I wrote the instructions out.


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## gary80920 (Jan 10, 2002)

So basically, I have 2 extra partitions if I'm reading the information in step 1 correctly.

So it appears that there are 3 options.
1) Delete extra partitions
2) Resize the partitions
3) Redo the work


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

@jmbach would be better help than me.


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

gary80920 said:


> So basically, I have 2 extra partitions if I'm reading the information in step 1 correctly.
> 
> So it appears that there are 3 options.
> 1) Delete extra partitions
> ...


Please confirm what what drive you are working and what steps you to get to the output you posted.

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk


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## gary80920 (Jan 10, 2002)

I'm using a Western Digital 6tB WD60EFRX.

I was able to successfully issue the "mfstool copy -aiM 4000 /dev/sdb /dev/sda". The Tivo thinks its a 4tB drive.

I get the "too many partitions error" when I issued the command "mfsadd -xM 4000 /dev/sda".

In note 7, I posted the full output of the "msfinfo -d" command.

Regards,
Gary


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

gary80920 said:


> I'm using a Western Digital 6tB WD60EFRX.
> 
> I was able to successfully issue the "mfstool copy -aiM 4000 /dev/sdb /dev/sda". The Tivo thinks its a 4tB drive.
> 
> ...


Use mfsadd -x /dev/sda
Then apmfix

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## gary80920 (Jan 10, 2002)

The plain mfsadd command worked! And the apmfix command was successful as well. I now have 900+ HD hours.

Bottom line is that if I had followed the 6tB entry, I would have been okay.

Thanks @jmbach!

---------------------------------------------------------------------
partition table for /dev/sda
---------------------------------------------------------------------
[##]: Name 1st Sector Sectors Next
==================================================================
[01]: Apple 1 63 64
[02]: Bootstrap 1 4187406352 8 4187406360
[03]: Kernel 1 4187406360 16384 4187422744
[04]: Root 1 4187422744 524288 4187947032
[05]: Bootstrap 2 4187947032 8 4187947040
[06]: Kernel 2 4187947040 16384 4187963424
[07]: Root 2 4187963424 524288 4188487712
[08]: Linux swap 4188487712 2097152 4190584864
[09]: /var 4190584864 1048576 4191633440
[10]: MFS application region 4197924896 1638400 4199563296
[11]: MFS media region 64 4187406288 4187406352
[12]: MFS application region 2 4199563296 1638400 4201201696
[13]: MFS media region 2 4201201696 4187406296 8388607992
[14]: SQLite 4191633440 6291456 4197924896
[15]: MFS application/media region 3 8388607992 3332437176 11721045168

Estimated hours in a standalone TiVo: 7166
This MFS volume may be expanded 3 more times


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

gary80920 said:


> The plain mfsadd command worked! And the apmfix command was successful as well. I now have 900+ HD hours.
> 
> Bottom line is that if I had followed the 6tB entry, I would have been okay.
> 
> ...


Glad you got it working.

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk


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