# Tivo Series 3 (not HD) hard drive failure



## BillL (Oct 6, 2004)

I have a Tivo Series 3 (not HD) purchased in February 2003. I upgraded the hard drive to 750GB and have had very good luck up to this point. Twelve years later it seems that the hard drive is finally failing. The Tivo freezes and even when I pull the plug and force a reboot, it restarts but immediately freezes again. 

I just purchased a 2 TB WD AV-GP WD20EURX from Amazon and hope to replace the old drive.

Since my last upgrade, there seem to be more upgrade choices. I am comfortable using either linux based MFSLive or WinMFS, but am not sure which would be more appropriate for what I am trying to accomplish. What is confounding my decision even more is that it seems mfslive.org is down, so downloading those files and accessing those forums are difficult/impossible.

I would prefer to try to keep my recordings and cable card serial numbers if possible, so I prefer to clone my failing drive. But if necessary, I still have my backup image from when I initially upgraded.

I can easily download MFSLive v1.4 and it seems that I may be able to get v2.0 off of sourceforge, but 3.2 does not appear to be available. Also I have an old version of WinMFS on my computer that I downloaded in 2008.

Which tool and version do you think would help me best achieve success?

Thank you


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Series 3 not HD? Since when? Unless its not a series 3.

What model is it? The software is very specific. 

If the drive had failed, then the recordings are lost. If you were to clone it, then the errors may clone with it. The recordings are encoded in the drive and the only way to get at it is to have it running in the original Tivo it recorded from.


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## BillL (Oct 6, 2004)

TCD648250B. It is high definition but not the Tivo HD. It's the original Series 3.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Do you need an image?


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

BillL said:


> I have a Tivo Series 3 (not HD) purchased in February 2003. I upgraded the hard drive to 750GB and have had very good luck up to this point. Twelve years later it seems that the hard drive is finally failing. The Tivo freezes and even when I pull the plug and force a reboot, it restarts but immediately freezes again.


Bill,

The S3 OLED wasn't released until late 2006 so maybe you meant February 2007 (I bought mine in December and January myself). You can use WinMFS to upgrade to a 2TB drive now.

Scott


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## BillL (Oct 6, 2004)

HerronScott said:


> Bill,
> 
> The S3 OLED wasn't released until late 2006 so maybe you meant February 2007 (I bought mine in December and January myself). You can use WinMFS to upgrade to a 2TB drive now.
> 
> Scott


Correct you are! Not sure where I got the 2003 from. Which version of WinMFS do I need? Is there a way to download it now that mfslive.org is down? *I have WinMfs Beta Build 9.3f.*


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## BillL (Oct 6, 2004)

ThAbtO said:


> Do you need an image?


Here is where I get fuzzy. I still have the image that I created in 2007.

Where I get confused is the difference between the software version and the image. I read somewhere on here that you need the more recent software in order to be able to expand a series 3 to the full 2TB drive.

If the image that I created contains the old software(without the updates), will that hamper my ability to utilize the entire 2TB drive? If it does, then I guess I need an image. But if the software updates are contained on flash memory on the Tivo itself, then I suppose I can use the image I have. This seems less likely.


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

Would also recommend looking at the capacitors. Would strongly consider replacing them especially if you run your current drive through some diagnostics and it passes. (Even if they look just fine)


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Tivo will always update to the current software whenever it connects and its available. So, just connect the drive (if it works) and connect to Tivo several times until it says Pending Restart. You should have 11.0m. Older versions than 11.0h, will only limit to about 1.2 TB.

WinMFS version is current as it has not had an update.


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## BillL (Oct 6, 2004)

So if I can not take a more recent image of my drive, my old image will not allow me to expand beyond 1.2TB?


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Its the Tivo software on the drive that is limiting the space. If it has been used and updating, the software should be 11.0m and can handle the 2 TB.


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## BillL (Oct 6, 2004)

I am doing a terrible job explaining this. The current drive which is failing is obviously current software. 

I bought a new 2 TB drive which is currently blank. The image I have is from 2007, so that image has the old software. 

When I extract that old image of pre - 11.0m software onto my new 2TB hard drive and place it into the Tivo, even if I then allow it to call home to the mothership and update, will it recognize the full space?


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

BillL said:


> I am doing a terrible job explaining this. The current drive which is failing is obviously current software.
> 
> I bought a new 2 TB drive which is currently blank. The image I have is from 2007, so that image has the old software.
> 
> When I extract that old image of pre - 11.0m software onto my new 2TB hard drive and place it into the Tivo, even if I then allow it to call home to the mothership and update, will it recognize the full space?


Update, then expand.


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## BillL (Oct 6, 2004)

ggieseke said:


> Update, then expand.


Update, pull.the drive, then expand?


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

BillL said:


> Update, pull.the drive, then expand?


Yes, and then Supersize.


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## BillL (Oct 6, 2004)

The hardest part about this whole process will be trying to talk Cox Cable out of rolling a truck out to match up the new numbers after the C&E. lol


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Most do not need the CableCo to re-pair, just a call to the right person.
If the drive was copied from the current setup, the card would still be paired (or the backup still had it.)


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## rainbow (Feb 8, 2008)

BillL said:


> The hardest part about this whole process will be trying to talk Cox Cable out of rolling a truck out to match up the new numbers after the C&E. lol


try this phone # for Cox to request re=pair 1-877-820-8202.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

jmbach said:


> Would also recommend looking at the capacitors. Would strongly consider replacing them especially if you run your current drive through some diagnostics and it passes. (Even if they look just fine)


Can you replace just the capacitors? How do you go about doing such a thing? Or is it simpler to just purchase a new power supply?

My OLED S3 is working just fine running on the original 250GB drive. But I am having no luck getting it to get past the welcome screen with any other drive I've tried putting an image on (using WINMFS):

WD10EVCS (Have been using this one for years until it failed me this week - it will at least go to the Almost There message before restarting.)

WD20EURX (just purchased with intention of putting 11.0m image on it)

Other drives I've tried:
32000AVVS
WD10EARS

Either I am doing something terribly wrong with WINMFS or perhaps my capacitors are failing? Is it possible that the capacitors would still work with the 250GB, but not any of these others? Doesn't sound logical, but not sure the signs of failing capacitors.


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

It all depends on how much power the other drives demand over the drive that works. 
The simplest is buying a power supply from someone like Weaknees. 
The cheapest is to buy your own capacitors and replace them. It is a single layer board so it is pretty straight forward but does require a little skill with a soldering iron.

With your symptoms my bet is on your capacitors.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

So I see Weakness wants $199 for a refurbished one (with $100 refund after sending them the old one). 

Think I am going to try and power it via external power first for some testing. I guess if that works then it must be the power supply.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

Appears the problems IS the capacitors. Runs fine powered externally.



http://imgur.com/uyH8OSr


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## pl1 (Jan 18, 2007)

greg_burns said:


> So I see Weakness wants $199 for a refurbished one (with $100 refund after sending them the old one).
> 
> Think I am going to try and power it via external power first for some testing. I guess if that works then it must be the power supply.


I bought one (a refurb) off of ebay and it was a lot less, like $80 after $10 for the swap, free shipping. Works fine.


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## pl1 (Jan 18, 2007)

greg_burns said:


> Appears the problems IS the capacitors. Runs fine powered externally.
> 
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/uyH8OSr


I'd leave it running like that.


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

There are a few posts on TCF that gives a list of quality capacitors you can purchase for a complete replacement set for 10 to 15 dollars. (Digikey or Mouser) Find a real electronic repair place that knows what a soldering iron is and ask them to replace the capacitors for you. Most people I have seen can get that done for $50 or less.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

greg_burns said:


> http://imgur.com/uyH8OSr


Is that a Tivo coaster you have there? Never seen those.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

ThAbtO said:


> Is that a Tivo coaster you have there? Never seen those.


I won a drawing Dave Zatz held years ago. He sent those to me. :up:


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