# Expanding Bolt Storage



## JTHOJNICKI (Nov 30, 2015)

I'm getting ready to purchase a Bolt and am trying to decide whether to buy the 1TB version or the 500GB version and attach one of my spare 2TB SATA drives with an eSATA or USB drive dock. Do the external drives fully integrate with the Bolt's internal drive? Which is better eSATA or USB? (I'm assuming the USB ports are not USB 3.0 or 3.1 - so the eSATA would be faster.)


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

You can only attach TiVo approved external drives from western Digital. And only to the eSata port.


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## Robbo1 (Oct 31, 2015)

Get the 500GB version, and buy this 2TB HD for $95 -- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I8O6OQ4?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s01 or this 3TB one for $180 -- http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Toshiba/MQ03ABB300/

Watch this video and upgrade the drive --


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Or the 4TB drive for $140/$150. Although you need to remove it from the external case. I use two of them.

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Porta...&sr=8-1&keywords=seagate+backup+plus+slim+4tb


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## ufo4sale (Apr 21, 2001)

Do u need to format the drive to TiVo standards or does it do it automatically when you install the bigger hard drive?


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## wscottcross (Dec 24, 2014)

It takes care of it for you if you use up to a 3TB drive. If you use a 4TB drive, it will format it to 2TB unless you prepare the drive before installing it.


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## bogeyman (Apr 3, 2002)

I just got my 500GB Bolt today and have already replaced the original drive with a 2GB that I got as an external drive. I bought the Seagate Backup Plus Slim external drive for $80 and just took the 2GB Seagate ST2000LM003 drive out of the enclosure. 

Do not do this with a Toshiba external drive, the one I tried had the USB connectors soldered to the drive board and no SATA connectors.


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## lew (Mar 12, 2002)

aaronwt said:


> Or the 4TB drive for $140/$150. Although you need to remove it from the external case. I use two of them.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Porta...&sr=8-1&keywords=seagate+backup+plus+slim+4tb


You'll be voiding your Bolt warranty and your hard drive warranty.

That probably wouldn't bother me but it will bother some.

edited to add The PP makes a good point. Mfg sometimes make changes without changing the part number. Buy an external drive and you run the risk of finding out it can't be easily adapted for internal use. Opening the case might make it difficult or impossible to return (if you're honest).


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## big0mike (Oct 27, 2015)

The first thing I did was replace my 500g drive with a 2g. Wondering what happens now if I plug in a 2g external? I've read other threads that talk about a 3g "limit" of sorts making me think I might be able to get away with a 1g external but 2g+ might not work?


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## wscottcross (Dec 24, 2014)

The 3TB "limit" is the max size that the Tivo will automatically format on it's own for an internal drive. I think that only WD approved external drives are supported currently and I don't think there are any higher capacity models of those at the moment. Weaknees sells some larger external drives but they need your Tivo to make them work.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

there is no plug and play 2tb drive available to be added.


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## lew (Mar 12, 2002)

jrtroo said:


> there is no plug and play 2tb drive available to be added.


There are no plug and play external drives other then the approved WD drive. Replacing the internal drive with up to a 3 T drive is plug and play. Replace the drive and tivo will download the software


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## JoE 15 (Nov 19, 2015)

Man, I wish I did this before setting up my Bolt when I got it. I was under the impression that external drive support was pretty universal


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

lew said:


> You'll be voiding your Bolt warranty and your hard drive warranty.
> 
> That probably wouldn't bother me but it will bother some.
> 
> edited to add The PP makes a good point. Mfg sometimes make changes without changing the part number. Buy an external drive and you run the risk of finding out it can't be easily adapted for internal use. Opening the case might make it difficult or impossible to return (if you're honest).


I destroyed the enclosures removing the 4TB drives. There is no way the enclosures can ever be used again. Replacing the internal hard rive of any TiVo technically voids the warranty. I've owned over thirty TiVos over the last 14 years and I've opened up just about all of them to replace the hard drive..


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