# Can Anyone Recommend A Replacement Hard Drive?



## dsapadin (Jan 31, 2007)

Hi:

Appears the Hard Drive in my Toshiba RS-TX20 is failing. It is a Maxtor Diamond Max 16 120GB ATA/133 and appears to be good old IDE interface, not SATA. I think Maxtor is kaput, and I don't see anything on the Seagate DB35 site that matches ATA/133 I really don't need a larger hard drive, because this unit has a DVD burner built in, and if there's stuff I really want to keep and watch, I just write it to a DVD so this hard drive has never gotten full. I could probably even get by with an 80 GB hard drive. 

Problem is some drives are made for DVR's and some aren't. I have seen some listed on this site, but nothing that matches ATA/133. Any help appreciated. I plan on formatting it and loading the software myself, just for grins.

Thanks,

Dave


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## lafos (Nov 8, 2004)

Just about any ATA100 or ATA133 drive will work fine. Some, such as those from Hitachi and WD, can control the drive acoustics. Seagate can't, and the Segate drives I have in TiVos are noticeably louder than the WD. You can use a DB35 drive without issue. See www.mfslive.org for software and instructions.

I put a WD 160 GB drive in my RS-TX20 and set the acoustics to 128 (quiet). Works great.


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## dsapadin (Jan 31, 2007)

Do you mean the Seagate that is Ultra ATA? I don't see any other DB35 that isn't SATA.

Dave


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## dwit (May 5, 2004)

dsapadin said:


> Do you mean the Seagate that is Ultra ATA? I don't see any other DB35 that isn't SATA.
> 
> Dave


Yes, U-ATA(also called PATA or just ATA).

dvrupgrade.com
thenerds.net

Among others.


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## dsapadin (Jan 31, 2007)

Thanks,

Can you tell me if need the 8mb cache or is the 2mb cache enough?

Thanks again!

Dave


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## scb28 (Nov 27, 2007)

I'm a complete novice at tivo drive replacement. That said, I just replaced a maxtor 40gig in my rca40 dtv tivo with the cheapest maxtor 160gig hd I could find at the local Frye's. After I bought it I started reading forum posts about loud hard drives and such. I was a little concerned but went ahead with the switch anyway. I can't notice any discernible difference in the operation or noise of my unit except that it now has 4 times the recording time. 

So, from my limited experience, I'd say that just about any eide/ata drive would probably work okay. My new maxtor does have 8mb cache, but most I see nowadays do.

My novice 2 cents. scb28


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## dsapadin (Jan 31, 2007)

Hi & Thanks:

I am a novice too. OK I got the drive and I went to www.mfslive.org looking for instructions. I am having a great deal of trouble trying to find step-by-step instructions that I can easily follow -- the website seems to be all over the place with its directions, but not one clear set of instructions to follow from beginning to end. I originally hoped to copy what's on the old hard drive to the new one, but I am having a heck of time trying to follow the instructions there. Do you know of any other sites that have an easy to follow set of instructions on how to do this?

Thanks,

Dave


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## spike2k5 (Feb 21, 2006)

dsapadin said:


> Hi & Thanks:
> 
> I am a novice too. OK I got the drive and I went to www.mfslive.org looking for instructions. I am having a great deal of trouble trying to find step-by-step instructions that I can easily follow -- the website seems to be all over the place with its directions, but not one clear set of instructions to follow from beginning to end. I originally hoped to copy what's on the old hard drive to the new one, but I am having a heck of time trying to follow the instructions there. Do you know of any other sites that have an easy to follow set of instructions on how to do this?
> 
> ...


Try

http://www.mfslive.org/quickstart.htm

or

http://www.mfslive.org/winmfs/quickstart.htm

Those are the latest guides along with the latest upgrade softwares.

If you find that too difficult, you are better off getting an already prepared drive from dvrupgrade.com or weaknees.com


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## dsapadin (Jan 31, 2007)

Thank you, will give it a try.

Dave


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## dwit (May 5, 2004)

Looks like Newegg has the 500gb Wd IDE drives back in stock.

AAJB oem $105

JBRTL retail $110


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## maimin_matty (Jan 6, 2008)

So is the 'special' feature offered only on some WD and the DB35 series worth the extra money? (the feature where the hard drive keeps moving forward for smoother video playback)
I'm up here in Canada and have had a real problem finding the special PVR hard drives. Sounds like I should just grab a regular old hard drive and should be good.


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