# install xp on tivo box



## unixguy (Oct 6, 2003)

I upgraded to tivo hd and have a an older s2 dual tuner tivo. 

I would like to know if i can install windows xp on the tivo box.


Thanks


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## StanSimmons (Jun 10, 2000)

no


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

Well, first you'd need a MIPS version of XP... which I don't think exists... though there is a MIPS version of NT 4.0. But I doubt it would work.

You _can_ install a more standard distribution of Linux. I've read of people running Debian on TiVos. However, it's of very limited use -- it doesn't support the video in/out. Which leaves the TiVo as a headless server... which it's not very good at. But I guess if you had some low-bandwidth, low-CPU servers to run, it might be OK.


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## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

wmcbrine said:


> Well, first you'd need a MIPS version of XP... which I don't think exists... though there is a MIPS version of NT 4.0. But I doubt it would work.


And even if, miraculously, it installed and the drivers could figure out the very non-standard TiVo hardware (video for example), you'd still be trying to run on a 166-266Mhz MIPS CPU (depending on exactly which model Series 2 you have).

"Painfully slow" springs to mind.


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## Leadership (Jul 3, 2009)

Linux would really be your only option if you want an O/S


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## Worf (Sep 15, 2000)

Hey, Windows CE runs on MIPS .

You just have to write a board support package for it, or adapt one from whoever supplied the reference design hardware that was adapted to become the TiVo... (chip manufacturers produce a board with all sorts of hardware attached to demo their chip - called a reference design, then write software (Linux, Windows CE, etc) to show off. Companies like TiVo come around and see what they got, then adapt the reference design to their needs. Often times, very little actually changes - small parts added/removed as appropriate, etc. to reduce development time).


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