# Upgrading Series 2



## pythagoras (Feb 20, 2006)

Hi there-

I've been reading this site to help me upgrade my TiVo, and I had plan to go without a hitch...well..that didn't turn out well.

I have a TiVo TCD540040 Series 2 40Hr, and I'm installing an additional HDD, Maxtor 80GB using the weaKness bracket and powertrip.

I used the MFS tools to add my 80gb to my current 40gb storage, and when I plugged the TiVo back in, all it does is get all the way to "Almost there, just a few minutes" screen goes blank, TiVo appears to go into stand by mode, and restarts with the "Welcome, powering up" screen. And it does this so far 3 times in a row...

And all the cables are secure, and the jumpers are correct--I fix computers for a living...

What is wrong with my upgrading...?
I'm going to attempt to restore the original image to the 40GB, and get everything back to normal...cause 24 is on tonight and I want it recorded... or maybe I should bust out the good'ol VCR...

Thanks for your help, I'll be looking around the forum is someone else had this problem.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

IMO, you have no buisess adding any drive to a 40 GB system. You probably should replace the 40 GB drive with something substantial, if not just the 80 GB drive, which I find a little tight even.


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## funtoupgrade (Mar 15, 2005)

Hard to know whether any steps were screwed up without your listing step by step the Linux commands you used. Meanwhile you plan about starting over seems good.


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## pythagoras (Feb 20, 2006)

I'm using the following commands from Hinsdale How To Guide.

mfsbackup -f 9999 -6so /mnt/dos/tivo.bak /dev/hdc

mfsadd -x /dev/hdc /dev/hdd

umount -f -a -r

CTRL+ALT+DEL

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classicsat said:


> IMO, you have no buisess adding any drive to a 40 GB system. You probably should replace the 40 GB drive with something substantial, if not just the 80 GB drive, which I find a little tight even.


Umm dude...you are not helping me. And for your info, I plan to build a Windows MCE machine next year, this upgrade is just to get me by until then. And my MCE machine will have a 1TB solution...

--------------

Well, now it's behaving the same way as with the additional 80gb..with just the 40gb, and restored the image before I even started this upgrade process, it's now doing the reboot again and again...after it says "Almost there, just a few minutes more..."

Any thoughts or suggetsions...????

-------------

It's not a bad HDD or Pwr cable...


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## funtoupgrade (Mar 15, 2005)

Just confirming your primary hard drive with FAT32 partition is master on primary channel (hda) and CD drive is slave on secondary channel (hdb)?


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## pythagoras (Feb 20, 2006)

funtoupgrade said:


> Just confirming your primary hard drive with FAT32 partition is master on primary channel (hda) and CD drive is slave on secondary channel (hdb)?


Hey thanks for your help and yes that is correct

hda = Win98SE, FAT32
hdb = CD
hdc = Tivo A (current 40GB)
hdd = Tivo B (Adding 80GB)

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I'm breaking out the ol' VCR, Tivo won't go to Tivo central, and it's constantly rebooting--even when in it's original configuruation before I started the upgrade. I'm starting to believe that I've corrupted my OS somehow, unless someone else has a different idea.

Anyone got a Tivo OS disk laying around I could have...??


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

May be A little late. You do know that with some drives the jumper position is different when it is a Single drive vs a Master with Slave drive combo.


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## pythagoras (Feb 20, 2006)

HomeUser said:


> You do know that with some drives the jumper position is different when it is a Single drive vs a Master with Slave drive combo.


Yea, I know about that....


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## funtoupgrade (Mar 15, 2005)

PM Stan Simmons for link to the image you need.


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## pythagoras (Feb 20, 2006)

funtoupgrade said:


> PM Stan Simmons for link to the image you need.


What is Stan's Screen name...????


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## mick66 (Oct 15, 2004)

pythagoras said:


> I'm using the following commands from Hinsdale How To Guide.
> 
> mfsbackup -f 9999 -6so /mnt/dos/tivo.bak /dev/hdc
> 
> ...


Wheres the mfsrestore command line?


> Umm dude...you are not helping me. And for your info, I plan to build a Windows MCE machine next year, this upgrade is just to get me by until then. And my MCE machine will have a 1TB solution...


Many people highly recommend not using a two drive system especially when one of the drives is that small to begin with. 
and about your Windows MCE machine - who cares? if you want to talk about that find another forum for it. It has no relevance here.


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## pythagoras (Feb 20, 2006)

mick66 said:


> Wheres the mfsrestore command line?


mfsrestore -bzpi /mnt/dos/tivo.bak /dev/hdc

This is the command line I'm using.

Now, I've tried it both ways with the "-s 127" and without it, but with no avail.



mick66 said:


> Many people highly recommend not using a two drive system especially when one of the drives is that small to begin with.


Now, this is a slighty better argument (though not through) why not to use a two drive system... I have yet to see why people explain to me why using a two drive system is bad, backed by actual evidence or through explaination..which is why I was annoyed by classicsat's statement, because it was arrogant and it didn't explain why his opnion is the right way. And further more, I believe that 120Gs is good enough for me, besides I got the 80gb for free from a friend, so I'm putting it to good use.

And for those who were offended by mentioning of my Windows MCE machine, I apoligize.


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## AV_Novice (Jan 19, 2006)

There are varying opinions on using one drive vs two in a Tivo box. Basically the problem is that the two hard drives act like 1 when they are married together. Most people don't think it is worthwhile to add a 2nd drive on top of the original 40 hour drive. With the price of larger HDD coming down in price, the common thinking is only use 1 large drive and keep the original intact as backup. This keeps the heat load inside the box lower and you have the original drive in case of a drive failure.

Since you have already tried to restore your backup image to your original drive, it sounds like you may have a corrupt file. I believe I saw someone post on another thread that the mfsbackup compression (-6s I believe) can sometime cause problems. You are way past worrying about that.

I think most people are struggling to help you here because you aren't listing all the commands in the exact order that you ran them. It may be a mute point if your backup is corrupt.

BTW, Stan's screen name is StanSimmons. I found it by using the search function and he has this thread http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=62430&highlight=stan+simmons

Good luck!


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## pythagoras (Feb 20, 2006)

AV_Novice said:


> There are varying opinions on using one drive vs two in a Tivo box. Basically the problem is that the two hard drives act like 1 when they are married together. Most people don't think it is worthwhile to add a 2nd drive on top of the original 40 hour drive. With the price of larger HDD coming down in price, the common thinking is only use 1 large drive and keep the original intact as backup. This keeps the heat load inside the box lower and you have the original drive in case of a drive failure.
> 
> Since you have already tried to restore your backup image to your original drive, it sounds like you may have a corrupt file. I believe I saw someone post on another thread that the mfsbackup compression (-6s I believe) can sometime cause problems. You are way past worrying about that.
> 
> ...


Hey thanks for the info on a two drive setup---while I do understand why everyones opinion on purchasing a new drive all together and replace the old 40GB, I cannot, I have a lot of bills to pay...and I'm just trying to get on by...and I get a free brand new 80gb, I'm not going to complain.

Oh, and here's how I'm doing the Tivo upgrade


```
hda = Win98SE, FAT32
hdb = CD Reader
hdc = Tivo A, Original 40GB
hdd = Tivo B, Adding 80GB



mkdir /mnt dos
mount /dev/hda1 /mnt/dos


mfsbackup -f 9999 -6so /mnt/dos/tivo.bak /dev/hdc


mfsrestore -s 127 -bzpi /mnt/dos/tivo.bak /dev/hdc 



mfsadd -x /dev/hdc /dev/hdd
```
Now on the mfsrestore line, I've tried it with and without the "-s 127" switch but to no avail.

Another further information would be appreciated..! I'm going to PM Stan and see if I can get the image from him.


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## windracer (Jan 3, 2003)

It's probably too late for this, but if you were just adding a second drive, all you really needed was the 'mfsadd -x /dev/hdc /dev/hdd' command. Granted, it wasn't a bad idea to make a backup of the stock drive, but you didn't need to immediately restore it to the same drive and then expand.

But it does sound like your original backup is corrupt.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

It is good practice when upgrading a TiVo to backup the original drive, then restore the system on another drive as big or bigger the the original, boot up that drive on your TiVo (you don't have to mount it ) and see if all goes well. If it does your backup file is ok, if not then you still have the original to work with. With v7.2 software two drives can a little tricky, I do both at the same time but with the low price of drives today I think you should use only one drive keeping the original for backup.


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## pythagoras (Feb 20, 2006)

Thanks for those that helped me out, I've figured out what was wrong and my Tivo is currently in the progress of reseting it self. Thanks "Tivo Community"


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## AV_Novice (Jan 19, 2006)

Let us know what you found. It may help someone else in the future who is having problems.


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