# MFT add command & the -r 4 command



## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

If you make a copy of a TiVo orignal say 80 hour disk to a 500G disk using the DD command, then to use the rest of the disk space you have to do a mfstool add -x /dev/hd? . Does this mean that the -r 4 command can't be used and you may have problems with the new 500G disk ??


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

The -r 4 command is needed for 500G drive If you get V2 of MFSTools use mfsadd (mfstool add -r 4 -x /dev/hd?) 

NOTE: You should look into the swap file size you need 250M for a 500G drive. Mfstools can make a swap partition of that size however the partition needs to be repaired using tpip.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

HomeUser said:


> The -r 4 command is needed for 500G drive If you get V2 of MFSTools use mfsadd (mfstool add -r 4 -x /dev/hd?)
> 
> NOTE: You should look into the swap file size you need 250M for a 500G drive. Mfstools can make a swap partition of that size however the partition needs to be repaired using tpip.


I know about Mfstools but if I want to save all the recordings by using the DD command can the -r 4 command be put in ?


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

Yes, you can expand the drive using MFSTools with the r4 option after copying the factory 80hr with dd.

I would suggest that you use the MFSTools "Pipped" backup restore instead of dd. The pipped method will allow you to increase the default swap partition size (you really should) and keep recordings + settings. see Interactive tivo upgrade instructions.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

HomeUser said:


> Yes, you can expand the drive using MFSTools with the r4 option after copying the factory 80hr with dd.


How

After the DD copy I am using MFStool add -x /dev/hd? where do you put the -r 4 command


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

lessd said:


> How
> 
> After the DD copy I am using MFStool add -x /dev/hd? where do you put the -r 4 command


mfstool add -r 4 -x /dev/hd? should do it. To see the options type mfstool add --help

*YOU DO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE SWAP PARTITION PROBLEM?* and why you should use the mfsbackup | mfsrestore instead of dd while you can.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

HomeUser said:


> mfstool add -r 4 -x /dev/hd? should do it. To see the options type mfstool add --help
> 
> *YOU DO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE SWAP PARTITION PROBLEM?* and why you should use the mfsbackup | mfsrestore instead of dd while you can.


Thank you the MFStool add -r 4 -x works great

I have updated about 10 TiVos in the past with 300G drives and not done anything about the swap file, some have run over two years with no problems. From my understanding the swap only gets into play when you get a GSOD. In that case the hard drive probably has some problems and should be replaced, GSOD may save the day for a while but you would be getting close and with 400G drives sometimes on sale for about $109 and 300G drives for under $100 I will take my chances and not use the larger than 127m swap. I have read sometime people have had problems using the TIP or whatever to get TiVo to use a larger swap.


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