# HR10-250 won't boot - drive clicking - any hope to save programs?



## jnelaine (Dec 31, 2001)

I have an HR10-250 with the original drive and I'm guessing that the drive is toast. When I try to power it up, it gets stuck on the "Welcome - Powering Up" screen but it never boots. The drive will click loudly 10 times, pause and then start clicking again.

Is this a sign that the drive is completely dead, or is there any hope on hooking it up to a computer and somehow saving the programming? It's not a huge deal since I haven't used this unit in a few years and I don't think there is anything critical on there, but it would be nice if I could salvage something.


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## Wil (Sep 27, 2002)

jnelaine said:


> it would be nice if I could salvage something.


Run the drive manufacturer's "long" diagnostic, which will replace bad sectors. It may then boot up and run.

If you decide you just want to find a new home for it, for shipping cost or plus a few bucks, PM me.


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## jnelaine (Dec 31, 2001)

Wil said:


> Run the drive manufacturer's "long" diagnostic, which will replace bad sectors. It may then boot up and run.


Thanks, I'll give that a shot. I've also heard that SpinRite is a good drive diagnostic utility, so I'll try that too.

But if it turns out that I can't get the drive to boot in the TiVo (but I can access it from a PC), is there any way to copy the programming off of it?

(Edit: Nevermind about that SpinRite comment. I just realized it was $89!)


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## Wil (Sep 27, 2002)

jnelaine said:


> Thanks, I'll give that a shot. I've also heard that SpinRite is a good drive diagnostic utility, so I'll try that too.
> 
> But if it turns out that I can't get the drive to boot in the TiVo (but I can access it from a PC), is there any way to copy the programming off of it?


Do some searches on the other forum, the other technical forum. It is very difficult; I know dozens of hacking-level DirecTivo users and only a couple have even tried it. Just not worth it. Obviously, if your unit is not already hacked and the shows are encrypted it's even harder.


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## Matt L (Aug 13, 2000)

Oh come on, every time I upgraded my TiVo I copied all the content to the new drive, it's not that complicated. Lots of info online on how to do it. The use of a Linux based software program is all that's needed and careful typing. along with a bare minimum of computer expertise. Note - I'm not saying pulling the info off the drive to your computer or such, only replacing the drive in the TiVo.

That said, a clicking drive offers little hope, do as suggested and run the diagnostics and see if you can get it running, if so copy it very quickly as it won't last long.


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## jnelaine (Dec 31, 2001)

Matt L said:


> Oh come on, every time I upgraded my TiVo I copied all the content to the new drive, it's not that complicated. Lots of info online on how to do it. The use of a Linux based software program is all that's needed and careful typing. along with a bare minimum of computer expertise. Note - I'm not saying pulling the info off the drive to your computer or such, only replacing the drive in the TiVo.


Thanks, I know that (and even did the same with my Series 2 quite a few years back), but I'm not planning on buying a new drive to keep the TiVo alive. I was hoping there was some way I could get the programming off onto a PC and then burn it to DVD. I don't think there is anything critical on there, so it's not worth buying a new drive to me. And it sounds like it's very difficult (if not impossible) to get the recordings off and onto a PC, so if the drive utilities don't fix the drive, I'm not going to worry about it.


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## tivoboy (Jan 14, 2002)

I'm having a similar issue now, just came home from a week away, POWERING UP on solid and constant. I replaced a faulty power supple several months ago, but this seems to be different. If I remove the drives (I have a second drive in there) what is the best way to test the drives without destroying the tivo software load and or the programming? Which drive IS the primary boot drive, the regular bay drive?


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

You can use drive-vendor software to do a non-destructive test on the drive, but these typically miss significant problems. The error could be on either drive, but the OS is on the drive jumpered as IDE master.


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## tivoboy (Jan 14, 2002)

Thanks for both replies. I'll try the manufacturer first, then will maybe try spinrite. I think a colleague has a copy.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

tivoboy said:


> Thanks for both replies. I'll try the manufacturer first, then will maybe try spinrite. I think a colleague has a copy.


You might want to wrap the drives in a couple of thicknesses of paper towel and put them in the freezer overnight first, and if you're going to let spinrite work on them for a day or 2 have a fan or 3 rigged up to blow directly on them the whole time as well.


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