# WinMFS: Error writing media inode 1



## ktg5 (Apr 12, 2021)

Hello, I've recently wanted to restore an old TiVo Series 2 (TCD140060) with some 80GB IDE hard drive I found to restore some piece of history. The original drive is dead (or so I think), it gets stuck at the "Welcome, Starting Up" screen and doesn't do anything.

When I was trying to restore from a image I found to the random 80GB IDE drive, I tried to start the restore process but I only got back this error:

"Error writing media inode 1"

I tried multiple times, but still got the same error.

I ran WinMFS in admin, made sure it selected the correct drive, went into "File > Restore... > Tivo drive...", selected the restore image, clicked "Start" and then got the error message,

If anyone knows how to get pass this, please let me know -- thank you.

## SOLUTION FOUND ##

The issue was that WinMFS 9.3g doesn't work well -- 9.3f fixed this issue, see this reply to get the link for it. My extra IDE hard drive wasn't working the best, but I found some more recently and it works like a charm.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

What version of WinMFS are you using? If you are using the 'g' version, it would not be compatible.


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## ktg5 (Apr 12, 2021)

ThAbtO said:


> What version of WinMFS are you using? If you are using the 'g' version, it would not be compatible.


The version I have is 9.3g -- guess I need a different version?


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Winmfs


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## ktg5 (Apr 12, 2021)

ThAbtO said:


> Winmfs


Still getting the same error... The version of WinMFS you gave me was the same one I was using before.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

No, its 9.3f.


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## ktg5 (Apr 12, 2021)

Oh nevermind -- I guess it worked. Once it was "done" restoring from the image, WinMFS closed. And now I can't select the drive in WinMFS...


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## ktg5 (Apr 12, 2021)

After plugging in the drive to the TiVo and powering on, it appears to be still not booting. I hear the drive spin up, but nothing really happens. I could have screwed up at some point restoring the drive, the image could be broken in someway, or there's something up with this unit.


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

Check the Master Slave jumper on the hard drive.


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## ktg5 (Apr 12, 2021)

HomeUser said:


> Check the Master Slave jumper on the hard drive.


By looking at the hard drive intructions (WD800), it seems like the drive is set to "Cable Select". Although I don't think this would really affect anything I guess it's still good to check.


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

If I recall Series 2's cable did not support CS try setting to master / single drive see if that helps.


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## ktg5 (Apr 12, 2021)

HomeUser said:


> If I recall Series 2's cable did not support CS try setting to master / single drive see if that helps.


Just got to mess around with the jumpers on the drive -- seems to have no effect.


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

Only thing I can suggest is Start over does WinMFS show the info on the drive?


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## Larsenv (Jun 8, 2020)

ThAbtO said:


> No, its 9.3f.


For the record, it is not, it is 9.3g. The SHA1 matches the one I already had.

Here's 9.3f (I found it on a random MediaFire link).


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## Larsenv (Jun 8, 2020)

@ktg5 Maybe try this one?


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

The version I have is 9.3f.


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## ktg5 (Apr 12, 2021)

Sorry I have been active recently, just got a Philips DSR708 DirecTV TiVo and started playing around with it.

I believe the issue I have at hand with the Series 2 TiVo is a power supply issue since the lights on the front don't appear to light up at all.


Larsenv said:


> For the record, it is not, it is 9.3g. The SHA1 matches the one I already had.
> 
> Here's 9.3f (I found it on a random MediaFire link).


I've just downloaded and open the version of WinMFS you've provided -- it appears to actually be 9.3f. I will attempt the hard drive restore whenever I can, but I don't have high hopes.


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## Larsenv (Jun 8, 2020)

ktg5 said:


> Sorry I have been active recently, just got a Philips DSR708 DirectTV TiVo and started playing around with it.
> 
> I believe the issue I have at hand is a power supply issue since the lights on the front don't appear to light up at all.
> 
> I've just downloaded and open the version of WinMFS you've provided -- it appears to actually be 9.3f. I will attempt the hard drive restore whenever I can, but I don't have high hopes.


I'm not sure that DirecTV units are even useful anymore, for many reasons.

I have an image of a DSR704 image you could try to restore to your TiVo, but it might not work.

Where did you get the TCD140060 image from? Was it from here?


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## ktg5 (Apr 12, 2021)

Larsenv said:


> I'm not sure that DirecTV units are even useful anymore, for many reasons.
> 
> I have an image of a DSR704 image you could try to restore to your TiVo, but it might not work.


Oh -- it works perfectly fine, no need for an image for that old thing. Besides, it just for me to look at.


Larsenv said:


> Where did you get the TCD140060 image from? Was it from here?


Yes, the image that I used for restore was from there.


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## Larsenv (Jun 8, 2020)

ktg5 said:


> Oh -- it works perfectly fine, no need for an image for that old thing. Besides, it just for me to look at.
> 
> Yes, the image that I used for restore was from there.


What version is it on?


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## ktg5 (Apr 12, 2021)

Larsenv said:


> What version is it on?


6.4a-01-2-101


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## Larsenv (Jun 8, 2020)

ktg5 said:


> 6.4a-01-2-101


Are you able to use it to watch any TV at all (or get guide data)? I'm curious what you can use it for nowadays. Can it even connect to DIRECTV anymore?

The backup I have of a DSR704 is on v6.4a, from an old InstantCake image I found on Usenet, lol.


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## ktg5 (Apr 12, 2021)

Larsenv said:


> Are you able to use it to watch any TV at all (or get guide data)? I'm curious what you can use it for nowadays. Can it even connect to DIRECTV anymore?
> 
> The backup I have of a DSR704 is on v6.4a, from an old InstantCake image I found on Usenet, lol.


It'll most likely be able to get guide data if plugged into a Phone line or using that wireless USB thing. I'm not sure about it being able to communicate with modern TV or DirectTV since I don't have the correct equipment, nor do I use DirecTV.


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## Larsenv (Jun 8, 2020)

ktg5 said:


> It'll most likely be able to get guide data if plugged into a Phone line or using that wireless USB thing. I'm not sure about it being able to communicate with modern TV or DirectTV since I don't have the correct equipment, nor do I use DirecTV.


First, please read the last post in this thread. You're definitely better off getting a TiVo with lifetime (anything but a Series 1, as those no longer get guide data). Sorry about that.

If you persist...unfortunately, TiVo discontinued the option to use a phone line in late September 2018. (probably because less and less people are still using landlines).

You can try getting a TiVo Wireless G adapter from eBay, it can be yours for about $10. (Don't get it from WeaKnees, they have it for $40).


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## ktg5 (Apr 12, 2021)

Larsenv said:


> First, please read the last post in this thread. You're definitely better off getting a TiVo with lifetime (anything but a Series 1, as those no longer get guide data). Sorry about that.
> 
> If you persist...unfortunately, TiVo discontinued the option to use a phone line in late September 2018. (probably because less and less people are still using landlines).
> 
> You can try getting a TiVo Wireless G adapter from eBay, it can be yours for about $10. (Don't get it from WeaKnees, they have it for $40).


Huh, interesting... I wasn't planning to use it in the modern days, but it's good to know this information. I already have a Series 4 TiVo anyways if I ever wanted to watch live TV -- CableCARD, Lifetime and everything.

Although I used to have the USB adapter, but I believe it got thrown out for some reason.


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## ktg5 (Apr 12, 2021)

I tried the WinMFS version that was provided to me and attempted the restore on the drive for the TiVo Series 2 again -- it still crashed at "Restoring media partitions" in the restore and then I tried to select the drive to try and restore it again but I wasn't able to select the drive as it would crash. No message -- nothing -- it would just crash without anything.

Is this just normal for WinMFS to be doing this?...


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

No, its not normal for the drive, may have died.


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## ktg5 (Apr 12, 2021)

ThAbtO said:


> No, its not normal for the drive, may have died.


Well then -- maybe dropping a hard drive on carpet could cause some issues.

I'll try and find another IDE hard drive sometime later, but that might be the only one that I have laying around and doesn't have some installation of something I'd like to keep.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Using SATA drive will work but only with a few SATA-to-IDE adapters. (For Series 2)


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

ktg5 said:


> Well then -- maybe dropping a hard drive on carpet could cause some issues.
> 
> I'll try and find another IDE hard drive sometime later, but that might be the only one that I have laying around and doesn't have some installation of something I'd like to keep.


That would do it, dropping it on any surface no matter how cushiony and you may have the drive heads crash damaging the disks and/or the heads.


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