# What is the favorite replacement hard drive in 2020?



## genebopp (Dec 12, 2008)

I have looked over the old drive threads, but haven't seen a recommendation for a drive in a long time. I have a drive that is probably on the way out. What is the favorite drive of today?


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## RegGuheert (Mar 16, 2019)

Great question!

And to those who will make recommendations, please tell us whether you are running TE3 or TE4. TIA!


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## JayMan747 (Nov 10, 2008)

RegGuheert said:


> Great question!
> 
> And to those who will make recommendations, please tell us whether you are running TE3 or TE4. TIA!


Yes, please.
My External Drive just died.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Often recommended from early on: the Toshiba 3TB 2.5" hard drive, Toshiba model no. MQ03ABB300. Toshiba - MQ03ABB300 - Festplatte - 3TB - intern - 6,4 cm (2.5\") - SATA 6G NEW | eBay Note that this drive has been EOL'ed and so palatable prices can be harder to find.

It's sibling 2TB drive has been on sale through Amazon.com for a whoppingly low $49.99--if I needed a new drive, I'd run and grab it. https://www.amazon.com/TOSHIBA-MQ03...SQHKYRZ1CJ8&psc=1&refRID=G7MHJB178SQHKYRZ1CJ8

Have been using the 3TB drive in my Bolt box for almost 11 months, now, with no issue; TE3.*

* What is this "TE4" thing of which you speak?


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## My Cape is a Recliner (Oct 5, 2019)

My recommendation is to go back and actually read the threads again. What do you think has changed? These aren't smartphones that come out with new features every year. There is no 2020 Spring season line for hard drives.


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## justen_m (Jan 15, 2004)

I second Mikeguy's recommendations. I don't think anything has change in the past few months. I've had the 3TB Toshiba in my Bolt for 7 months, no issues, TE3. If I was replacing the drive now, I'd go with the 2TB Toshiba, for reasons mentioned above.


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## RegGuheert (Mar 16, 2019)

Mikeguy said:


> Often recommended from early on: the Toshiba 3TB 2.5" hard drive, Toshiba model no. MQ03ABB300. Toshiba - MQ03ABB300 - Festplatte - 3TB - intern - 6,4 cm (2.5\") - SATA 6G NEW | eBay Note that this drive has been EOL'ed and so palatable prices can be harder to find.
> 
> It's sibling 2TB drive has been on sale through Amazon.com for a whoppingly low $49.99--if I needed a new drive, I'd run and grab it. https://www.amazon.com/TOSHIBA-MQ03...SQHKYRZ1CJ8&psc=1&refRID=G7MHJB178SQHKYRZ1CJ8
> 
> Have been using the 3TB drive in my Bolt box for almost 11 months, now, with no issue; TE3.*


Thanks for the recommendations!


Mikeguy said:


> * What is this "TE4" thing of which you speak?


It's that TiVo UI which is the only option for my Bolt OTA. 


My Cape is a Recliner said:


> My recommendation is to go back and actually read the threads again.


RTFM is never an enlightening reply, but that is particularly true on a forum which does not have a wiki associated with it containing only information which has been fully vetted.


My Cape is a Recliner said:


> What do you think has changed?


Here are some things that HAVE actually changed:
- Toshiba has EOLed the most-highly-recommended drive for Bolts, as Mikeguy pointed out in the post just above yours. I'm sure many other drives recommended here for the Bolt over the years have also been EOLed.
- TiVo has added a whitelist of drives to the TE4 software on their equipment, meaning that the vast majority of drives that can be purchased and tried WILL NOT WORK. I know where to find a list of hard drives which will NOT work under TE4, but I have yet to find a concise list of drives which WILL work under TE4.



justen_m said:


> I second Mikeguy's recommendations. I don't think anything has change in the past few months. I've had the 3TB Toshiba in my Bolt for 7 months, no issues, TE3. If I was replacing the drive now, I'd go with the 2TB Toshiba, for reasons mentioned above.


Thanks! That is what I have just done! I will keep the 1TB that came with the unit as my spare.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

RegGuheert said:


> Thanks for the recommendations!It's that TiVo UI which is the only option for my Bolt OTA. RTFM is never an enlightening reply, but that is particularly true on a forum which does not have a wiki associated with it containing only information which has been fully vetted.Here are some things that HAVE actually changed:
> - Toshiba has EOLed the most-highly-recommended drive for Bolts, as Mikeguy pointed out in the post just above yours. I'm sure many other drives recommended here for the Bolt over the years have also been EOLed.
> - TiVo has added a whitelist of drives to the TE4 software on their equipment, meaning that the vast majority of drives that can be purchased and tried WILL NOT WORK. I know where to find a list of hard drives which will NOT work under TE4, but I have yet to find a concise list of drives which WILL work under TE4.
> 
> Thanks! That is what I have just done! I will keep the 1TB that came with the unit as my spare.


It would be great to hear back how the Toshiba 2TB behaves with TE4--there seems to have been such scattered reporting on replacement hard drives and TE4, especially with the seeming rash of malfunctioning that seemed to occur at one point a year+ ago.


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## RegGuheert (Mar 16, 2019)

Mikeguy said:


> It would be great to hear back how the Toshiba 2TB behaves with TE4--there seems to have been such scattered reporting on replacement hard drives and TE4, especially with the seeming rash of malfunctioning that seemed to occur at one point a year+ ago.


I will do just that. My Bolt OTA is new, so I won't lose too many recordings by swapping the drive right now.

Perhaps OP can compile a list of 2.5" drives which work in Bolts under TE4 in the top post.


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

RegGuheert said:


> TiVo has added a whitelist of drives to the TE4 software on their equipment, meaning that the vast majority of drives that can be purchased and tried WILL NOT WORK.


Nobody knows why some drives work under TE4 and others don't.


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## JimmyDean (Jun 19, 2019)

I put the 2Gb Toshiba in my Bolt OTA tonight and it is working fine. I replaced the OEM WD 1Tb which failed. Only few hours on the new drive working fine.


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## ShoopDog (Jan 22, 2003)

*DID NOT WORK* ... Initially purchased WD - Mainstream 1TB Internal Serial ATA Hard Drive for Laptops Model:WDBMYH0010BNC-NRSN at BestBuy. Never came off the "Starting Up" screen.

*DID WORK* ... TOSHIBA MQ03ABB200 2.5 2TB 5400RPM SATA - 3 yr factory warranty Toshiba MQ03ABB200 (Renewed) from Amazon.


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## jlb (Dec 13, 2001)

It’s not completely germain but rather just factoids, but I’ve had the 3tb drive running in my bolt (TE3) since app. Summer 2018. Running fine

I suppose if it does start to fail I’ll just toss in the 2TB Tosh. I’m running well below capacity on the 3TB at this time anyways with us streaming far more content than recording content.

As always, thanks to this forum for the solid information!


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## Runch Machine (Feb 7, 2002)

I have a Series 6 Bolt Vox for OTA with 4 tuners on TE4. Will the 2 TB Toshiba drive linked to above, work in this model?


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