# MFSBACKUP Question



## laddanator (Nov 23, 2012)

I know how to use mfstools but one question. Will mfsbackup not create a backup.bak bigger than 2 gig? I have a Terabyte Tivo drive with 115gig of recorded shows and such. No matter how I format or don't format my backup drive (250gig), mfsbackup always stops the backup at 2gig. Just need to know if mfstool has a version that will support creating a backup bigger than 2gig?


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## laddanator (Nov 23, 2012)

Figured out how to bypass the 2 gig file size and ended up with a 120gig .bak file but having trouble restoring the image.



> mfstool mfsbackup -Tao - /dev/sdc > /mnt/Tivo/mybackup.bak


Using Linux Mint.


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## laddanator (Nov 23, 2012)

value too large for data type is the error I get when I try to restore the large 120 gig bak file but I think that is a Linux error and not mfsrestore


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

You can back up the TiVo software and your settings with either the MFS Live v1.4 cd or with WinMFS, and get a backup file considerably smaller than the space it takes up on the TiVo drive itself, but backing up the recordings (or more accurately, the partitions containing the recordings) is whole different kettle of fish.

The TiVo uses computer hardware and some of Linux for some of the OS, but when it comes to the MFS partitions, it's a proprietary appliance, not a Linux computer.

As I indicated elsewhere, use TiVo Desktop to copy the recordings to computer and then copy them back once you change out the TiVo's hard drive.

Or, if you don't like Desktop, start reading here:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=35

about the other show copying options.


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