# Recovering from a dead motherboard



## pieter5308 (Jun 15, 2006)

Hi Folks,

My Tivo just died, the motherboard faileed and I am in the process of getting a new motherboard to replace the dead one. What will I need to do to get the unit back functioning as a DirectTV receiver an is there any way to access all of the content that is stored on the hard drives? I really hate the idea of losing all of the shows that are saved on it.

Thanks

Piet


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

pieter5308 said:


> Hi Folks,
> 
> My Tivo just died, the motherboard faileed and I am in the process of getting a new motherboard to replace the dead one. What will I need to do to get the unit back functioning as a DirectTV receiver an is there any way to access all of the content that is stored on the hard drives? I really hate the idea of losing all of the shows that are saved on it.


If you had never hacked it before and disabled the encryption, you're not going to be able to recover/watch the existing recordings. You'll have to do a clear and delete everything in order to even get it functioning again with the new motherboard. There might be some ways to recover the encrypted programs using tools that aren't permitted to be discussed in this forum; someone familiar with that might PM you with further info. (I'm not saying there are such tools -- I don't know -- but if there are they fall in a category that isn't permitted to be discussed at this forum).


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

There are no tools that I am aware of that can decrypt the encrypted videos without having the unit that recorded them working. Not even we-cannot-discuss tools from we-cannot-mention forums.


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## BTUx9 (Nov 13, 2003)

that being said, there HAVE been brave souls who have transplanted the crypto chip from a dead m/b to a new one, which should allow the original HD to run on the new hardware, and the encrypted shows to be saved


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## rbautch (Feb 6, 2004)

That that being said said, it's probably cheaper and easier to buy a new Tivo from Ebay rather than messing with mobo.


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

rbautch said:


> That that being said said, it's probably cheaper and easier to buy a new Tivo from Ebay rather than messing with mobo.


Ah but that won't get you your recordings back!


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## rbautch (Feb 6, 2004)

cheer said:


> Ah but that won't get you your recordings back!


True indeed. I'm guessing an Ebay DirecTivo is still cheaper than buying a mobo. Then the crypto chip can still be transplanted at your conveniece.


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

Ah, I see what you mean. Yes, that does make sense.


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