# Best Hard Drive to use for bolt 2020?



## Johnwashere (Sep 17, 2005)

So my brothers Bolt drive died I believe (he said flash lights up front , and wont boot). It seems like you can replace the drive with almost anything. Now that the bolt has been out for many years, is there a drive that works better than others? I just remember people posting lots of ones that would die. I dont feel like going through the hundreds of pages of old info. Was hoping there was a updated list of good drives now. 
Seems like I can just remove his old bad one and plug in a new one and be good to go?


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

See: 2nd failed Bolt+ HD, posted ~4 hours before yours.  A replacement hard drive 3TB and under is plug-'n-play--the TiVo box handles all the formatting, etc. automatically.


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## Johnwashere (Sep 17, 2005)

Mikeguy said:


> See: 2nd failed Bolt+ HD, posted ~4 hours before yours.  A replacement hard drive 3TB and under is plug-'n-play--the TiVo box handles all the formatting, etc. automatically.


Thanks, I was mostly looking in the upgrade forum for it. I read the reviews for the 3tb version and it seems like lots of people reported failures after some time, hopefully its just bad luck. I guess Ill roll the dice with the 2TB version for $50


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## V7Goose (May 28, 2005)

Personally, I think it is just plain foolish to use ANY 2.5" drive to repair/upgrade a Bolt. It is no more difficult to use a reliable 3" drive, you have MANY more choices, you can go much larger, and it is almost always much cheaper. My suggestion is to just buy a 3TB WD Red or Purple drive.

UPDATE: If buying a WD Red drive, make sure it is NOT an SMR drive - they have started sneaking that garbage into the Red line this year!

As for the reliability of any available large capacity 2.5" drive - do not count on it. I had the vaunted Toshiba 3TB MQ03ABB300 in one Bolt, and it crapped out at 38 months. That is NOT an acceptable life in my book.


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## justen_m (Jan 15, 2004)

I have the 2.5" 3TB Toshiba in my Bolt. Working perfectly... for the 6 months I've had it. So I have no idea about its reliability. I've seen the Amazon reviews. Backed up all shows on my server. Hope it keeps working.

I won't comment on what V7Goose said, 'cause I'll get banned again. Sorry that... Sorry, can't even say that. Do your research and don't listen to everything you hear on the net, or amazon reviews. Lots of people have an axe to grind.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Knock wood, almost 10 months with a Toshiba 2.5" 3TB replacement internal drive, no issues; on TE3.* 

* It's unclear if it's TE4/Hydra that causes issues with some/many replacement hard drives, after an update last year or so.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Johnwashere said:


> Thanks, I was mostly looking in the upgrade forum for it. I read the reviews for the 3tb version and it seems like lots of people reported failures after some time, hopefully its just bad luck. I guess Ill roll the dice with the 2TB version for $50


That hard drive is a steal of a deal--good luck!


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## Davelnlr_ (Jan 13, 2011)

I am using an Arris X1 Xfinity DVR next to my Tivo Bolt. The X1 uses an SSD and is quiet except for a small fan blowing air out the top. The SSD is fast. No issues. If I had to replace the drive in my Bolt (which Ive had to replace 4 times already...the Bolt, not the drive), I would just slap a 2TB SSD in it after rolling it back to TE3, since TE4 seems to dislike most drives and slap you with unwanted ads.


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