# Tivo Desktop - "The Parameter is Incorrect"



## AbMagFab (Feb 5, 2001)

Okay, so I've googled this one to no avail. I've got two machines - one this works fine on, the other it doesn't. Both Vista Ultimate 32-bit. And I have it working in a Virtual PC (XP Pro) on the same machine that it won't work on natively.

I get an error when it tries to start Tivo Desktop or Tivo Server, saying "The Parameter is Incorrect".

Weird, huh? I've uninstalled, cleaned the registry of anything with the word Tivo, zapped the User/Tivo directory, etc.

Any ideas on this one? I've never seen it before, and I have no idea how to fix it.


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## bfdhe (Jan 1, 2003)

I have two Vista Ultimate machines that I cannot get any version of Tivo Desktop to work on. 

Downloaded 2.5.1 last night and still get "Tivo server error" "access denied" when I try to run Tivo Desktop.

I have searched for over an hour but cannot find a fix.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

I installed TiVo Desktop 2.5 last night on my Vista Ultimate machine and it works fine for me. 

Do you have User Access Control disabled in Vista? That might cause some problems if it isn't.
The first thing I did after the Vista install was to disable UAC since it seems to be a pain allowing access when something externally needs to access the PC or the PC needs to access something on the network. It was just too many hoops to jump through to work properly.


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## bfdhe (Jan 1, 2003)

I do have UAC turned off. I am also running as an administrator.


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## [email protected] (Oct 23, 2007)

Had the same problem last night. I did a force connect to Tivo and received some updates. After the update completed It all worked. Make sure that you check the "transfers allowed" on the tivo site in your account manager. It also states that it can take up to 24 hours to take effect. I had done this earlier in the day and I believe that the force connect to Tivo services brought the settings down because after the update a new option was added under system and messages screen that had a tag to display your media key. Wasn't their prior to the updates.


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## bfdhe (Jan 1, 2003)

The transfers are working fine between the 3 Tivos. 

I am discussing the TivoDesktop software. The software will not run on Vista and the server service ends with "access denied".


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## [email protected] (Oct 23, 2007)

So am I. After installing the desktop software. I could transfer pictures and music down to the series 3 but everytime I tried to get the now playlist from the desktop software I got the same message "access denied" My desktop is running on Vista also.


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## bfdhe (Jan 1, 2003)

My error occurs before the TivoDesktop software even runs. It occurs when the service is starting. 

I don't think we have the same problem.


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## [email protected] (Oct 23, 2007)

I'm going to make a suggestion. Disconnect your PC from the network (wired and wireless) and try bringing up the Tivodesktop. The error message that you posted actual comes up when selecting "Pick recording to transfer" which actually is trying to conect to a Tivo box. If the media key is not set or is incorrect you will get the message ""Tivo server error" "access denied". If your disconnected from the network you will get the message "there are no Tivo DVR's avaliable" 

Try it and see if you get the same message "Tivo server error" "access denied" or different one.


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## bfdhe (Jan 1, 2003)

I went back to version 2.3a which works fine. 2.5 and 2.5.1 give me the error.

The media key is correct as TivoDesktop works fine at 2.3a. 

I will give your suggestion a try.


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## wkc (Oct 26, 2001)

I had 2.3a months ago and it was working fine. 

I just tried 2.5.1 on a new computer and it gave me "The Parameter is Incorrect". Uninstalled it and install 2.3a and it works fine.


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## ericgoldy (Dec 27, 2007)

Hello - 

Credit to Greg Burns on another thread for posting this, but although I am STILL sitting on hold with Tivo (been on hold for over 45 minutes now as they supposedly try and fix the problem), I found the info that I'm reposting below. 

I made this change in my registry and BANG - no more stupid error:

::::

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-2025429265-492894223-1343024091-1004\Software\TiVo\Desktop\Modules\TivoNowPlaying\config\Loc alRootPath

The value here was E:\\My Tivo Recordings

Changed that to be E:\My Tivo Recordings and everything started right up w/o error. 


My directory is "F", but bottom line, I took out the second "\" and I'm good to go.

Thanks again to Greg.


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## DoneThat2 (Jun 29, 2008)

ericgoldy said:


> Hello -
> 
> Credit to Greg Burns on another thread for posting this, but although I am STILL sitting on hold with Tivo (been on hold for over 45 minutes now as they supposedly try and fix the problem), I found the info that I'm reposting below.
> 
> ...


I've had one PC running "T-Desktop" for quite a while with no problems. Today I installed to another PC and ran into the same problem as others mentioned above, even with downloading the most recent Desktop installer available. I would have spent hours running around in circles trying to identify what the problem was. Instead, did a google for : "the parameter is incorrect +tivo" and came right to this forum response. The fix was all of 30 seconds and it worked perfectly. Thanks!!

(I can't believe Tivo has not made a simple fix to the installer to correct this error. Can you imagine how many man-hours have been wasted not only by consumers in the past 6 months, but also the Tivo support staff, attempting to fix this problem? The lack of an updated installer speaks volumes about Tivo's management priorities-- obviously, quality isn't high on the list.)


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## liamnoel12345 (Jul 13, 2008)

ericgoldy said:


> Hello -
> 
> Credit to Greg Burns on another thread for posting this, but although I am STILL sitting on hold with Tivo (been on hold for over 45 minutes now as they supposedly try and fix the problem), I found the info that I'm reposting below.
> 
> ...


I just did this today and it worked like a charm. Thanks for the info.


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## monkeyhouse (Sep 6, 2008)

The registry fix worked like a charm for me too. I was thinking there was an issue with it running on XP64. I'm also astonished that Tivo haven't issued a fix for such a daft error. 

Thanks to Greg Burns and ericgoldy for sharing!


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## cogitovici (May 5, 2008)

The registry fix worked for me. I have a screwy system, with My Documents on an H drive, as I was using one of those 10K RPM drives as a C drive, and I did not have enough room for all my stuff. I finally got aggravated about that and used Acronis True Image to replace my C with a 750GB. After I did that, with no other changes made by me, I got that Tivo server error. I changed the entry to h:/blahblahblah\My Tivo Recordings and boom, it worked.

Thank you for the fix!
Cogito


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## Tivo Roxx (Jan 14, 2006)

ericgoldy said:


> Hello -
> 
> Credit to Greg Burns on another thread for posting this, but although I am STILL sitting on hold with Tivo (been on hold for over 45 minutes now as they supposedly try and fix the problem), I found the info that I'm reposting below.
> 
> ...


Props to Greg (for posting) & ericgoldy (for reposting here) for this fix - it also worked for me. (FYI, the folder directly under HKEY_USERS consisted of some different numbers than what's posted here - may be due to a newer version of TTG? But it's pretty easy to figure out which folder is the one to go to, if your numbers differ, too.) (I have moved the My Documents location from my C drive.)


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## taronga (Nov 16, 2006)

Another solution is to rename the "My Tivo Recordings" folder and restart the Tivo Server. It'll prompt you to select a folder. You can choose the same one or move it elsewhere.


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## AbMagFab (Feb 5, 2001)

taronga said:


> Another solution is to rename the "My Tivo Recordings" folder and restart the Tivo Server. It'll prompt you to select a folder. You can choose the same one or move it elsewhere.


Not if you get this error it won't.


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## taronga (Nov 16, 2006)

Well, I got that error and it worked for me. I'm running XP though.


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## sstankus (Jan 5, 2011)

Nearly 6 and a half years after ericgoldy posted that registry edit, and it is still helping people.

I just installed a new hard drive and moved all my data from the old drive to the new. After rebooting, TiVo Desktop wouldn't run ("The Parameter is Incorrect"). There was no option to uninstall it and running the installation script failed. 

Making that simple registry edit solved the problem. 

Thanks!


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## threephi (Jan 16, 2002)

Make it two weeks shy of six and a half years and counting 

I just encountered this problem after dealing with a few disk problems, and the reg fix worked like a charm :up:


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## eskovan (Sep 30, 2002)

Make that nearly _*13 years!*_ Just used this reg edit myself in *Windows 10*, bingo!


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