# Converting Tivo hard drive into an external drive for your PC



## granpoh (Aug 12, 2007)

Is this possible? 

Thanks for all help


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## kschauwe (Sep 17, 2003)

Yes, just format and use.


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## granpoh (Aug 12, 2007)

What do I format it with, since the disk never pops up in the Windows Explorer menu?


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

granpoh said:


> What do I format it with, since the disk never pops up in the Windows Explorer menu?


You need to partition it first.
"Disk Manager" Control Panel-->Administrative Tools-->Computer Management --> Disk Management


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## granpoh (Aug 12, 2007)

HomeUser said:


> You need to partition it first.
> "Disk Manager" Control Panel-->Administrative Tools-->Computer Management --> Disk Management


Thanks.


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## Lakehouse (Oct 20, 2011)

Hi,
I just got a TiVo premier and I also have a 500g external hard drive that I'm not using. 

Can someone tell me how to hook this up(if possible) and record and save shows from either the TiVo "now playing list" or from "live" tv.

Thanks in advance!!!!


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

Lakehouse said:


> Hi,
> I just got a TiVo premier and I also have a 500g external hard drive that I'm not using.
> 
> Can someone tell me how to hook this up(if possible) and record and save shows from either the TiVo "now playing list" or from "live" tv.
> ...


You can not easily use any external drive you can only use a TiVo certified DVR Expander. in a unmodified Series 3 or 4 TiVo.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

Lakehouse said:


> Hi,
> I just got a TiVo premier and I also have a 500g external hard drive that I'm not using.
> 
> Can someone tell me how to hook this up(if possible) and record and save shows from either the TiVo "now playing list" or from "live" tv.
> ...


Better to replace the internal drive on the TiVo with a larger one.

2 drives, twice the chance of failure.

Also, when an external drive is added to a Series 3 or 4, each recording thereafter is "spanned" over both drives, so the loss of either drive is the loss of the recording (Apparently it's one of those pains in the posterior the "content providers" put them through for fear of "pirating").

And, as noted, the S3 HD and HD XL, and all the S4s, will only work with a particular model of Western Digital external drive.

On the original S3, there was some software that they hadn't intended to actually activate which allowed other models and brands once the hackers figured out how, but I think it's not officially supported, so any problems, don't bother calling TiVo about it.


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