# Format a used hard drive before upgrade?



## dbong1021 (Dec 10, 2004)

I have an almost new 250gb Seagate ( 2 weeks old ) that I want to put into my Tivo.

Do I need to format the drive with any special tools? Simple Windows format?

Will the mfstools automatically format/write over the drive as needed?


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## rsnaider (Apr 25, 2002)

No need to format, MFS Tools with overwrite whatever was on the drive.

One thing to be aware of, is never allow your PC to boot into Windows with a TiVo drive attached. If it does boot into Windows a signature is written to the drive and makes it no longer usable in a TiVo.


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## dbong1021 (Dec 10, 2004)

rsnaider said:


> No need to format, MFS Tools with overwrite whatever was on the drive.
> 
> One thing to be aware of, is never allow your PC to boot into Windows with a TiVo drive attached. If it does boot into Windows a signature is written to the drive and makes it no longer usable in a TiVo.


Thanks!


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## wscannell (Dec 7, 2003)

rsnaider said:


> One thing to be aware of, is never allow your PC to boot into Windows with a TiVo drive attached. If it does boot into Windows a signature is written to the drive and makes it no longer usable in a TiVo.


Just to clarify, this applies only after the drive has TiVo software on it. mfstools will write over any signatures written to a drive previously used in Windows.


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