# TiVo Edge won't start up



## Leah D

We just got a new Edge - 2TB, upgraded to be a 3TB by weaKnees - and we hooked it up to our tv and everything connected and started up and was working fine and then it got to the cable card part of the set up and we realized we hadn't put that in. 
So we unplug the Tivo, put the cable card in, and replug everything in. 
Now the Edge won't start up. 
The cable card was from a previous TiVo, and when it wouldn't start up, we took the cable card back out to rule out that as the issue. 
The lights keep starting up on the front as if it's booting up, but the tv doesn't register it as putting out any signal. 
The input screen will flicker black as if it's retrieving the signal, but then it quickly goes back to no signal. 
I've unplugged and replugged everything multiple times. 
Does anyone have any ideas??


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## buildersboy66

You should always set up a TiVo unit and activate with TiVo without cablecard first. The menu prompts will allow you to activate without the card first. Then unplug and install the card and activate card.


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## Pokemon_Dad

Leah D said:


> We just got a new Edge - 2TB, upgraded to be a 3TB by weaKnees - and we hooked it up to our tv and everything connected and started up and was working fine and then it got to the cable card part of the set up and we realized we hadn't put that in.
> So we unplug the Tivo, put the cable card in, and replug everything in.
> Now the Edge won't start up.
> The cable card was from a previous TiVo, and when it wouldn't start up, we took the cable card back out to rule out that as the issue.
> The lights keep starting up on the front as if it's booting up, but the tv doesn't register it as putting out any signal.
> The input screen will flicker black as if it's retrieving the signal, but then it quickly goes back to no signal.
> I've unplugged and replugged everything multiple times.
> Does anyone have any ideas??


Maybe try a new HDMI cable? But most likely that unit is going back to WeaKnees. I've bought an upgraded TiVo, drive kits, and fan kits from them. Their support is first class.


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## Pokemon_Dad

buildersboy66 said:


> You should always set up a TiVo unit and activate with TiVo without cablecard first. The menu prompts will allow you to activate without the card first. Then unplug and install the card and activate card.


The problem here seems to be hardware-related. But just out of curiosity, why do you say it's better to activate without a CableCARD first? I've done that a couple times because I didn't have the card yet. But why is that better?


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## JoeKustra

In my opinion, running all the setup configuration pieces, including guide & channel options, gives me a good feeling that everything is working. There may be software update when a unit is first connected to the network. Finding problems before installing the card and pairing it just seems logical. All I do is say "install later" and let the TiVo do its thing. But it's your choice.


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## buildersboy66

Abruptly powering it down or unplugging in the middle of setup likely caused the problem. Usually a TiVo can recover and move on as usual. In this case it did not. Proper setup is always important in any case.


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## keithg1964

I do not believe you need to power down to insert and/or remove an cable card. I have done it in the past.


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## JoeKustra

keithg1964 said:


> I do not believe you need to power down to insert and/or remove an cable card. I have done it in the past.


I'm old and don't like to rotate a spinning hard drive. But those laptop drives must be built for it.


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## tarheelblue32

keithg1964 said:


> I do not believe you need to power down to insert and/or remove an cable card. I have done it in the past.


You certainly don't have to. CableCARDs are designed to be hot-swappable. There is no need to power down a unit to insert or remove them. And it's probably ill-advised to do so, as this case demonstrates.



JoeKustra said:


> I'm old and don't like to rotate a spinning hard drive. But those laptop drives must be built for it.


There are no spinning hard drives inside of a CableCARD.


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## dianebrat

tarheelblue32 said:


> There are no spinning hard drives inside of a CableCARD.


Picking up and moving the Tivo to place the CableCARD in it will rotate the/move/jostle the HDD in the Tivo and that's where he was going.


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## tarheelblue32

dianebrat said:


> Picking up and moving the Tivo to place the CableCARD in it will rotate the/move/jostle the HDD in the Tivo and that's where he was going.


Ah I understand now. The CableCARD on my Roamio Plus just shoves in from the back, so moving the unit isn't required. I know other TiVo models require you to pick up the unit and stick it in from the bottom. That's a poor design choice on TiVo's part.

Still, if you move slowly and are careful it shouldn't be a problem. Laptops used to use spinning hard drives and I was always jostling my old laptops in college with spinning hard drives and it never caused a problem.


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## Pokemon_Dad

tarheelblue32 said:


> Ah I understand now. The CableCARD on my Roamio Plus just shoves in from the back, so moving the unit isn't required. I know other TiVo models require you to pick up the unit and stick it in from the bottom. That's a poor design choice on TiVo's part.
> 
> Still, if you move slowly and are careful it shouldn't be a problem. Laptops used to use spinning hard drives and I was always jostling my old laptops in college with spinning hard drives and it never caused a problem.


For the Bolt we need to turn the unit upside-down and pry off a door to the CableCARD compartment. Like a big battery door. Sometimes it releases with a sudden snap. And while you're doing that, the whole Bolt may see-saw across its dumb design. So I can understand why some would be hesitant to do that while the little beast is running.


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## tarheelblue32

Pokemon_Dad said:


> For the Bolt we need to turn the unit upside-down and pry off a door to the CableCARD compartment. Like a big battery door. Sometimes it releases with a sudden snap. And while you're doing that, the whole Bolt may see-saw across its dumb design. So I can understand why some would be hesitant to do that while the little beast is running.


Fair enough. If I were going to attempt it, I would probably open the door before powering on the unit and then prop it up on its side. Spinning hard drives work perfectly well vertically.


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## cdbndp

hello, did you find a solution to your issue? i had the same problem and JUST discovered how to work it.
everytime you want to shut off your tv FIRST put the tivo edge into STANDBY MODE. that way you do not have to shut off and then on again each time you want to watch.
here are the steps i discovered on my own. tivo support was NO HELP and only offered to replace the box which meant i would lose ALL my recorded programs 
the steps are:
1. press TiVo button
2. press arrow left to MENU
3. press arrow left to the green power symbol 
4. press arrow down to ENTER STANDBY
5. press OK and while it is shutting down (it will take a little while to do so) turn your TV POWER OFF
then your TV will power off, the audio should turn off (we have a surround unit) and the TiVo Edge will go into standby and STILL record programs while it is.
Then the next morning or whenever you want to watch TV again turn your TV POWER ON, your TV will come on, your TiVo Edge will wake up and the sound will come back on. You may need to press the TiVo button or channel change button to get the picture back on. It beats having to unplug the unit and wait every morning for it to reboot!


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