# ReCycle Old Computer Hard Drives?



## jmoores (Sep 18, 2008)

Hi All,

Not sure where to post, but I would like to use old computer hard drives (ie a 160GB Seagate that i pulled out of my home file server when I upgraded it to 320GB).

Questions:

1) Is this advisable at all?
2) What are the specs that the hard drive must have (ie PATA/IDE or SATA, 5200 vs 7200 rpm, cache size, etc)?
3) Are there any brands of stock hard drives that work better than others?
4) What should I use to format the hard drives or with InstantCake format the hard drives (I am assuming that the TIVO Hard Drive are LINUX?)?
5) What else should I know, and where is a good source to find out what I don't know (ie the detail tech specs...)?

Jim Moores


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

1. Experts may say not. I have a drive I was using as storage (although sporadic, in a USB case).
2. PATA for Series 1/2, SATA for Series 3/TiVoHD. Other specs don't really matter. Most computer drives will exceed TiVos requirements.
3. I favor Samsung and WD.
4. MFSLive, if you have working system drives.


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## ForrestB (Apr 8, 2004)

I wouldn't put a recycled hard drive in a Tivo. Since Tivo drives are writing/reading 24/7 - they get hammered a lot more than you typical PC hard drive. I'd expect a new Tivo hard drive to wear out in 5 years - you'll get less life from one that's already got thousands of hours on it.


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

ForrestB said:


> I wouldn't put a recycled hard drive in a Tivo. Since Tivo drives are writing/reading 24/7 - they get hammered a lot more than you typical PC hard drive. I'd expect a new Tivo hard drive to wear out in 5 years - you'll get less life from one that's already got thousands of hours on it.


You wouldn't, but many people do. Just like brand new drives, some have problems after a short while and others seem to run forever.


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## Stacie Smith (Aug 29, 2019)

Hi, I have on old Tivo i haven't used in years since I got a new one. I want to drop it off to recycle but do I need to remove the hard drive the way you do with computers before you recycle them? Is there identity info inside I need to be concerned about or can I just drop it off to recycle the way it is?

Thanks.


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

Stacie Smith said:


> Hi, I have on old Tivo i haven't used in years since I got a new one. I want to drop it off to recycle but do I need to remove the hard drive the way you do with computers before you recycle them? Is there identity info inside I need to be concerned about or can I just drop it off to recycle the way it is?
> 
> Thanks.


Run a Clear & Delete Everything on the TiVo, then recycle.


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## Stacie Smith (Aug 29, 2019)

ggieseke said:


> Run a Clear & Delete Everything on the TiVo, then recycle.


Thanks, ggieseke! Appreciate it.


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