# Hard Drive Recommendation



## RussF92767 (Mar 15, 2009)

I replaced the hard drive in my Tivo Premier last year to a 1 TB drive after the original drive died. Unfortunately, last year's replacement drive died.

I am looking for a recommendation to replace the drive. I have an image from the Tivo the last time replaced, so installing the software isn't a problem. I've been looking at drives for a while now and I am driving myself a little crazy trying to find the right one. I'd like to upgrade to a larger size (as large as I can afford), but I'd be willing to settle for a 1 TB again because the capacity seemed about right. And recommendations?


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

RussF92767 said:


> I replaced the hard drive in my Tivo Premier last year to a 1 TB drive after the original drive died. Unfortunately, last year's replacement drive died.
> 
> I am looking for a recommendation to replace the drive. I have an image from the Tivo the last time replaced, so installing the software isn't a problem. I've been looking at drives for a while now and I am driving myself a little crazy trying to find the right one. I'd like to upgrade to a larger size (as large as I can afford), but I'd be willing to settle for a 1 TB again because the capacity seemed about right. And recommendations?


Why spend a lot? Amazon.com: Western Digital AV-GP WD10EURX 1TB IntelliPower 64MB Cache SATA III 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive [Certified Refurbished]- w/1 Year Warranty: Computers & Accessories


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## RussF92767 (Mar 15, 2009)

No refurbished. I have never had luck with refurbished items.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Umm, ok, so: buy it new, and save a buck or 2.

Amazon.com: WD Bulk WD10EURX 1TB AV GP SATA 6Gbs 3.5": Computers & Accessories

Or (at different size and price options):

Amazon.com: WD Red 3TB NAS Hard Disk Drive - 5400 RPM Class SATA 6 Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD30EFRX: Computers & Accessories


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

RussF92767 said:


> I replaced the hard drive in my Tivo Premier last year to a 1 TB drive after the original drive died. Unfortunately, last year's replacement drive died.





RussF92767 said:


> No refurbished. I have never had luck with refurbished items


I have to wonder why last year's replacement died after only a year. Was it used as most of the WD drives would come with at least a 2-year warranty and you could get it replaced under warranty?

Scott


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## RussF92767 (Mar 15, 2009)

HerronScott said:


> I have to wonder why last year's replacement died after only a year. Was it used as most of the WD drives would come with at least a 2-year warranty and you could get it replaced under warranty?
> 
> Scott


I don't remember what I used in it. I'd have to crack it open and take a look. As of today I am nine days past warranty.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

You can use WD Red drives, WD30EFRX (Amazon, $109), WD40EFRX 4TB.

The Green AV drives are not being produced any more and if you buy one, it may be an old product.


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## RussF92767 (Mar 15, 2009)

ThAbtO said:


> You can use WD Red drives, WD30EFRX (Amazon, $109), WD40EFRX 4TB.
> 
> The Green AV drives are not being produced any more and if you buy one, it may be an old product.


Can you upgrade to a 3TB or 4TB without the latest version of the OS? I had read that anything larger than a 2TB creates a boot loop unless you have TiVo software version 20.3 or higher...and I don't remember what my image has, but probably NOT 20.3 or higher...


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## RussF92767 (Mar 15, 2009)

The culprit was a Western Digital Blue 1TB drive. It is still under warranty. I am going to see if WD will replace it.


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

RussF92767 said:


> Can you upgrade to a 3TB or 4TB without the latest version of the OS? I had read that anything larger than a 2TB creates a boot loop unless you have TiVo software version 20.3 or higher...and I don't remember what my image has, but probably NOT 20.3 or higher...


Going over 2TB on a Premiere requires 20.3.8 or later.


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

RussF92767 said:


> The culprit was a Western Digital Blue 1TB drive. It is still under warranty. I am going to see if WD will replace it.


This is the WD10EZRZ (which should have a 2 year warranty as I mentioned)? Have you run the WD drive tests on it to verify that it's showing errors or has outright failed? Assuming that's showing an issue, they should replace it under warranty.

Pretty early failure for a new drive. Anything unusual about your installation that might be a cause?

Scott


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## RussF92767 (Mar 15, 2009)

HerronScott said:


> This is the WD10EZRZ (which should have a 2 year warranty as I mentioned)? Have you run the WD drive tests on it to verify that it's showing errors or has outright failed? Assuming that's showing an issue, they should replace it under warranty.
> 
> Pretty early failure for a new drive. Anything unusual about your installation that might be a cause?
> 
> Scott


Looks like it says a "WD10EZEX". It does have a two year warranty and WD has offered to replace it.

I have not run any drive tests on it, yet. I am going to hook it up to a Linux box I have and see if I can transfer any of the shows off of it (it was at 90% capacity when the drive failed). For a few weeks I had been experiencing difficulty it transferring shows off and other minor annoyances. There were no unusual issues during installation. From February to December it worked fine. Starting in December I had some minor issues and then this past Friday, GSOD.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

You won't be able to copy shows off the drive by connecting to a PC, its encrypted to be read only by the Tivo that recorded it.

The PC would only perceive it as a blank drive and may try to format it.


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

RussF92767 said:


> Looks like it says a "WD10EZEX". It does have a two year warranty and WD has offered to replace it.


That's the 7200rpm version which is not that one that would have been recommended (more power and likely more heat which are unneeded in the TiVo).

See what the WD drive tests report. You might be able to use ddrescue to copy it to the replacement drive and see if it will boot to try and recover the shows.

Scott


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## RussF92767 (Mar 15, 2009)

HerronScott said:


> That's the 7200rpm version which is not that one that would have been recommended (more power and likely more heat which are unneeded in the TiVo).
> 
> See what the WD drive tests report. You might be able to use ddrescue to copy it to the replacement drive and see if it will boot to try and recover the shows.
> 
> Scott


Funny you should say that, because I just had someone recommend the 7200 rpm for the Tivo instead of the 5400 rpm. Would I be better off with the 5400, since WD will probably replace the 7200 with another 7200?


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

Did someone here recommend a 7200 rpm drive?? 

Not sure that I can honestly answer whether you would be better off with the 5400 but that's what TiVo uses and generally the 7200rpm drives are going to consume more power which can equate to more heat being generated. Most experienced users here will definitely point you in the direction of a 5400rpm drive since there are no benefits to using a 7200rpm drive in a TiVo.

Scott


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## paully65 (Feb 20, 2002)

RussF92767 said:


> I replaced the hard drive in my Tivo Premier last year to a 1 TB drive after the original drive died. Unfortunately, last year's replacement drive died.
> 
> I am looking for a recommendation to replace the drive. I have an image from the Tivo the last time replaced, so installing the software isn't a problem. I've been looking at drives for a while now and I am driving myself a little crazy trying to find the right one. I'd like to upgrade to a larger size (as large as I can afford), but I'd be willing to settle for a 1 TB again because the capacity seemed about right. And recommendations?


This is the perfect drive - Amazon.com: WD Purple 2TB Surveillance Hard Disk Drive - 5400 RPM Class SATA 6 Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD20PURX: Computers & Accessories


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## philco782 (Sep 28, 2014)

I've been running a 4TB WD Purple in my Premiere4 for well over a year now, it has never hiccupped once, been running beautifully! It seemed like a no-brainer decision to use a drive designed for fulltime 24 hour surveillance applications in a Tivo.


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## jdhuskey (Mar 26, 2008)

I read in the Roamio forum that you can drop a new drive into the TiVo Roamio and it will format and write everything needed on it. Then you just go through the guided setup again as if you were setting up a new TiVo. Will the Premier do this as well, or do you have to format, partition, and install the TiVo OS on the drive before putting it in the TiVo and booting it up?


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

No, Premiere needs an image placed on the drive, but you do not partition or format it.


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## randywalters (Oct 21, 2003)

philco782 said:


> I've been running a 4TB WD Purple in my Premiere4 for well over a year now, it has never hiccupped once, been running beautifully! It seemed like a no-brainer decision to use a drive designed for fulltime 24 hour surveillance applications in a Tivo.


I have been scouring TCF for hard drive upgrade info and the current recommendation seems to be the WD Red.

I had mentioned the WD Purple in a Roamio thread and some of the more knowledgeable people there said it's not good, to go with the WD Red now that the Green is discontinued.

Roamio OTA HD Replacement

FWIW.


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## AZSEWERMAN (12 mo ago)

RussF92767 said:


> I replaced the hard drive in my Tivo Premier last year to a 1 TB drive after the original drive died. Unfortunately, last year's replacement drive died.
> 
> I am looking for a recommendation to replace the drive. I have an image from the Tivo the last time replaced, so installing the software isn't a problem. I've been looking at drives for a while now and I am driving myself a little crazy trying to find the right one. I'd like to upgrade to a larger size (as large as I can afford), but I'd be willing to settle for a 1 TB again because the capacity seemed about right. And recommendations?


If you still have the Tivo program file you mention will you send it to me if I mail you a USB flash drive? My premier xl died in a power failure. I replaced power supply but still get flashing lights. Tried dvrBAr ibn a w 10 computer but it does not recognize the drive.
I have about a dozen old drives of various sizes I could put the program on.
[email protected]


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

AZSEWERMAN said:


> but it does not recognize the drive.


The drive has failed. need a new one now, and a model matching image.

Recommended models are Red Plus (ends in EFRX, EFZX models), purple.

The image would be a file that gets restored with DVRBars.


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