# Can I use (1) 2TB Partitioned into (2) 1TB sections?



## synchrony (Dec 22, 2008)

I've upgraded several TiVo HDs by using an internal 1TB drive and an external 1TB drive. I'm pretty sure the answer is "No, stupid!", but I have to ask. 

Is it possible to just use ONE 2TB drive and partition it in half -- then do the upgrade and get the 2TB space with just one drive? In effect, tricking the TiVo HD into thinking it's using two 1TB drives. I would disable (take out) the external SATA connector so that no one would try to add another drive.

That's not gonna work, is it? 

So, if that doesn't work, what about installing the second 1TB drive INSIDE the TiVo HD. I'm sure I could make it fit and (again) I would disable the external connector. Any thoughts on that idea? I just want to have a maxed out HD without a cumbersome external drive to mess with.

TIA

-Sync


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Not for partitioning the HD, but others have used a single 2Tb using JMFS and then supersize with WinMFS to gain 318 HD Hrs.


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## synchrony (Dec 22, 2008)

Cool! Remind me (since I haven't done this in a while) -- The max hours using 2 supersized 1TB drives gives me how many HD hours? Just want to make sure I'm getting the same amount. 

Also, if I go with the JMFS/WinMFS method, does the external SATA port need to be removed (i.e. what happens if you plug in another drive since 2TB is the limit for the HD)?

Thanks for the info!

-Sync


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Doubt plugging in an external will work after the upgrade, since both drives must be hooked to the PC and under WinMFS run MFSadd.

The Hours are only estimated so +/- a few hrs won't make much of a difference, for either single or dual drive system. The only drawback is, if either drive fails, recordings are lost.


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## synchrony (Dec 22, 2008)

Gotcha! Thanks a ton for the info. It's exactly what I needed to know. 

Cheers!

-Sync


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

synchrony said:


> I've upgraded several TiVo HDs by using an internal 1TB drive and an external 1TB drive. I'm pretty sure the answer is "No, stupid!", but I have to ask.
> 
> Is it possible to just use ONE 2TB drive and partition it in half -- then do the upgrade and get the 2TB space with just one drive? In effect, tricking the TiVo HD into thinking it's using two 1TB drives. I would disable (take out) the external SATA connector so that no one would try to add another drive.
> 
> ...


Allow me to recommend the method I used, which is documented somewhere else around here.

Start with original 160GB drive.

Use WinMFS to copy to 1TB drive, specifying 1000 for the swap partition size.

That's 1000MB, about 15 minutes worth of video. Cheap insurance if the TiVo ever needs a swap partition larger than the one on the original drive.

When WinMFS finishes copying it'll ask if you want to expand onto the other 840GB.

(it won't use those exact words, but that's what it means)

Tell it yes, you'd like to expand.

Then take that 1TB drive and use jmfs to copy it to a 2TB drive and then expand.

Using WinMFS instead of the MFS Live cd avoids having any unused space at the end of the 1TB drive that jmfs would see as an Apple Free partition.

It's important to avoid that because after adding partitions 14 and 15 on the 1TB, you only have one more partition available before you hit the TiVo limit for a single drive.

If you have that extra space which jmfs will see as an Apple Free partition, it'll be partition 16 and the almost 1TB partition that jmfs will add will be the 17th partition and the TiVo will see it as a "problem-ed" external drive, and insist on "divorcing" it, which leaves you back where you started with only 1TB available on a 2TB drive.


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