# Series 3 HD Disk Image



## beleynn

I have a Series 3 HD (The "652" model). 

A year or two ago, I replaced the internal drive with a 1TB using the instructions on this forum and WinMFS. Everything worked perfectly.

Several weeks ago, due (I suspect) to sudden power loss to the device, the TiVo started acting weird - shows would freeze and stutter when I was watching them (and/or during recording), sometimes forcing the device to reboot suddenly. I suspected that the drive was either damage or merely corrupted and in need of a reformatting. 

So today I took apart my TiVo and connected the drive to my Windows PC. However, in order for Windows to run a disk check, I was forced to initialize the drive, which created an MBR table. This apparently screwed up the TiVo partitioning, and I hadn't thought to use WinMFS to create a backup first. So now WinMFS says my drive isn't a valid TiVo drive, and the TiVo won't boot.

If I'm reading the original "how to upgrade your TiVo" thread correctly, all I need is the "Truncated Backup" (.tbk) file appropriate for my model, so I can use WinMFS to set up my "new" drive (Essentially I want to do what is in showthread.php?t=370784#instructions from steps 16 on, treating my existing drive as if it were the "new" drive.)

Does anyone know where I can download one (a .tbk file for my model), or does anyone have such a file sitting around? I can provide a place to upload it to if necessary. I don't care that my settings and season passes are gone; I can fix all of that easily enough.

Before anyone suggests it, I am looking to spend precisely $0 on recovery disks, new drives, new drives pre-loaded with software, etc, etc. If various disk check and repair utilities (and / or a complete reformatting) don't fix the drive, I'll have the manufacturer replace it - it is still under warranty.

Thanks.


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## ThAbtO

Put the drive back in the PC and bring back up WinMFS. Find Fix Boot Page in the menu.

Unless you had formatted the drive, that should fix the drive back so Tivo should work.


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## unitron

beleynn said:


> I have a Series 3 HD (The "652" model).
> 
> A year or two ago, I replaced the internal drive with a 1TB using the instructions on this forum and WinMFS. Everything worked perfectly.
> 
> Several weeks ago, due (I suspect) to sudden power loss to the device, the TiVo started acting weird - shows would freeze and stutter when I was watching them (and/or during recording), sometimes forcing the device to reboot suddenly. I suspected that the drive was either damage or merely corrupted and in need of a reformatting.
> 
> So today I took apart my TiVo and connected the drive to my Windows PC. However, in order for Windows to run a disk check, I was forced to initialize the drive, which created an MBR table. This apparently screwed up the TiVo partitioning, and I hadn't thought to use WinMFS to create a backup first. So now WinMFS says my drive isn't a valid TiVo drive, and the TiVo won't boot.
> 
> If I'm reading the original "how to upgrade your TiVo" thread correctly, all I need is the "Truncated Backup" (.tbk) file appropriate for my model, so I can use WinMFS to set up my "new" drive (Essentially I want to do what is in showthread.php?t=370784#instructions from steps 16 on, treating my existing drive as if it were the "new" drive.)
> 
> Does anyone know where I can download one (a .tbk file for my model), or does anyone have such a file sitting around? I can provide a place to upload it to if necessary. I don't care that my settings and season passes are gone; I can fix all of that easily enough.
> 
> Before anyone suggests it, I am looking to spend precisely $0 on recovery disks, new drives, new drives pre-loaded with software, etc, etc. If various disk check and repair utilities (and / or a complete reformatting) don't fix the drive, I'll have the manufacturer replace it - it is still under warranty.
> 
> Thanks.


Never use Windows tools (not counting WinMFS) on a TiVo drive. Windows doesn't speak TiVo.

(TiVos use a version of the old Apple Partition Map)

If you need to test a drive, do it the right way, boot from a cd with the drive manufacturer's diagnostic software and run the long test.

If you have to have it, an image is here

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=8831301#post8831301

(okay, a link to an image)

But let's try to save what you've got first, using WinMFS.

You may have to check "show mounted drives" in the select drive screen.

The fix bootpage tool in WinMFS has two options, both of which should write a new bootpage and overwrite the MBR Windows put on the drive.

Option 1 sets it to boot from partitions 3 and 4, which is the way they come from the factory, and probably the way yours was. Try it first.

Option 2 sets it to boot from the alternates, 6 and 7. If the first one doesn't do the trick, try it.

You may also benefit from running Kickstart 58 after you get it to boot.

While you've got the cover off of the TiVo, examine the capacitors on the power supply closely.

Read the wikipedia article on "capacitor plague", and then see this thread

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=8824275

for an excellent picture of how subtle the signs of capacitor disease can be.

Power supply problems can lead to all sorts of strange symptoms, and the HDs are starting to have them.


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