# mfsbackup target not large enough - Any options?



## ImaginaryNumber (Dec 14, 2006)

Help please! I upgraded my Tivo Series 2 540040 with a Maxtor 160GB 2 years ago and the disk is loud, stutters, and probably starting to fail. So I attempted to upgrade with a new Seagate 160GB from CompUSA, not realizing the Seagate was 160,042MB whereas the Maxtor was 163,929MB. Mfsbackup downloaded from weaknees informs me: "Restore failed: Backup target not large enough for entire backup by itself". 

Currently both old and new disks are cabled in a PC booted into linux from the downloaded CD. I read that mfstools has a "shrink" option, but am not sure I have mfstools or if this will help. Anyone have any guidance on a way to move tivo and the recorded shows over to the new disk?

Thanks for any help!


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## wscannell (Dec 7, 2003)

You will not be able to move the shows over to a new disk if the disk is smaller. Get a 200GB disk and you should be OK. However with the standard mfstools package, you will not be able to expand any further. Take a look at mfslive.org. This guy has done some work to mfstools to allow you to upgrade again and use the whole drive.


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## ImaginaryNumber (Dec 14, 2006)

Thanks for the info. I probably should have looked more closely at the exact drive capacity before buying the Seagate, but it is a much quieter drive and I don't need the extra capacity.


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## ImaginaryNumber (Dec 14, 2006)

I reconnected the old Maxtor disk in my Tivo for now since I get the impression there is no way to transfer the Tivo software and saved recordings to a smaller hard drive, even if the used area of the source drive is smaller than the capacity of the target drive. Can't this be accomplished in the linux command shell?


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## wscannell (Dec 7, 2003)

No there is no way to do this. The recordings are saved in mfs partitions that are not standard linux partitions. Your only other option would be to TiVoToGo transfer to your PC, then back again to the new drive. But this would be slow and tedious.


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## ImaginaryNumber (Dec 14, 2006)

I appreciate the explanation and guidance, and understand why mfsbackup fails with the error message: "Restore failed: Backup target not large enough for entire backup by itself" when trying to mfsbackup the following combination:

Source: Maxtor 160GB 163,929MB
Target: Seagate 160GB 160,042MB 

And before giving up, I tried the following combination using a Hitachi 164 GB drive I found lying around the house:

Source: Maxtor 160GB 163,929MB
Target: Hitachi 164 GB 164,697MB

But I get the same "Restore failed: Backup target not large enough... " error message even though the backup target is larger than the source. Any idea why the upgrade failed using the command:

mfsbackup -Tao - /dev/hdd | mfsrestore -s 127 -r 4 -xzpi - /dev/hdb

I tried with -s values down to 64MB and the command still fails. I hope the mfsbackup/restore operation does not fail with the new Seagate 200GB drive I ordered or the kids are going to have to get by without all their cartoons.

Thanks again!


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

The Hitachi is larger and should work. Remove the -x from the restore or just do a direct binary copy with dd. The standard MFSTools can expand (add the extra partitions) a series 2 primary drive only once.


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## wscannell (Dec 7, 2003)

The error message is a little misleading, but HomeUser's answer is the reason this happens. Remove the x in the restore and it will work.


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## luder (Sep 7, 2006)

wscannell said:


> The error message is a little misleading, but HomeUser's answer is the reason this happens. Remove the x in the restore and it will work.


Ahh we meet again...

So let me get this right mfsbackup command changes allocation size for my 160gb?
I'm actually taking steps of learning how Linux works for the last 24 hrs has been pretty fun went from throwing disk at my bro to drinking coffee do you know that going to starbucks they charge a drink for 5 bucks.. I like my grande coffee please.. sorry going off track what is a good range to use for the allocation size for say a 160gb hardrive?


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

> what is a good range to use for the allocation size for say a 160gb hard drive?


The defaults will work fine you do not need the -r 4 until you get beyond a 250G drive.


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