# Can I still upgrade to latest firmware



## porkenstein (Aug 11, 2002)

I have several Tivos including my Tivo Roamio Pro that has been out of the stream for a few years. I recently started using it again and it works perfect but I am one of the possibly few people that like the latest menu system and wanted to upgrade to it. My Tivo is at version 20.7.4.RC42 at this time and though I have selected in the menu to upgrade to I guess it's called Hydra nothing happens. Is this no longer available and if so anyway to upgrade to it. Hope that all makes sense.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

My current version is 20.7.4d.RC15 and yours is about as up to date as it seems. You are on TE3 and any updates needed is done automatically through Tivo service connections.

TE4 (Hydra/v21.x) is totally different in appearance and some/most users do not like it. It is done through 'Get The New Experience" app. Be warned that if you update to the New Experience, some functions are removed (Show transfers from PCs, Etc.), tivo-to-Tivo has to be started from online.tivo.com, more ads show up before playing shows.

If you want to revert back to TE3, you have to do a (undocumented) Tivo reset that will revert back, but you will lose everything already there (shows, passes.)


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## porkenstein (Aug 11, 2002)

Yes I have TE4 on other tivos and love it. My problem is I have gone through the "Get the new experiences" in the apps several times but it doesn't update to it on this Tivo. That's why I am asking is it no longer available to upgrade.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

porkenstein said:


> Yes I have TE4 on other tivos and love it. My problem is I have gone through the "Get the new experiences" in the apps several times but it doesn't update to it on this Tivo. That's why I am asking is it no longer available to upgrade.


I used a BF promo to get a Roamio OTA to use as a backup. It came with TE4. I dropped it to TE3 for a while, then decided to move it back to TE4. It didn't have the app for "Get New Experience" for some reason. TiVo was clueless. I bought the VOX remote and dongle. Then I hit the blue voice button and it asked me if I wanted to run TE4. It worked and the box still runs TE4. Just a thought.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

There used to be an online form through which a user could request a given TSN be upgraded to TE4, but I expect that's long since been disabled. That said, calling TiVo and requesting the upgrade might be an option?

edit: p.s. yeah, early access link appears dead/disappeared:


TiVo_Ted said:


> Hi everyone, as promised, here is the URL you need to visit in order to request our latest on-screen user experience.
> 
> Early Access Request


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## porkenstein (Aug 11, 2002)

Just an update. talked to Tivo support and they said it must be a hard drive problem which I doubted but since I have several I am not using tried another drive and exactly the same problem. won't update to Hydra so guess I am stuck with experience 3 which isn't a big deal.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

The option suggested by @JoeKustra &#8230;

https://www.amazon.com/TiVo-Remote-Upgrade-Roamio-C00301/dp/B07635R5JB/

If it works, optionally keep the remote & dongle, if the VOX-specific features are worthwhile.

edit: Or perhaps request TiVo ship you a VOX Remote & dongle, as a troubleshooting step.


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## porkenstein (Aug 11, 2002)

By the way when I select the manual update for maybe 1/2 second it switches to the hydra update screen then immediately switches to the normal screen if you wanted to do manual update of the data.


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## lhvetinari (Jun 24, 2019)

porkenstein said:


> By the way when I select the manual update for maybe 1/2 second it switches to the hydra update screen then immediately switches to the normal screen if you wanted to do manual update of the data.


this is normal. At the end of the update, a restart pending message should show up and a reboot will apply it.

Are you sure you’re running 20.7.4.RC42? There’s been a few updates since, you should be on 20.7.4d.RC15 now.


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## porkenstein (Aug 11, 2002)

I have tried so many times and it never updates. Never get a pending restart message and manually restarting does no good either. It is not downloading update. Yes it is at 20.7.4.RC42 . It has been out of the stream for several years due to it not being supported by my tv provider. Now it finally is supported. I wonder if it may never update due to the old version even though in the menu it shows how to do it. As I said so far tivo support is no help at all.


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

porkenstein said:


> I have tried so many times and it never updates. Never get a pending restart message and manually restarting does no good either. It is not downloading update. Yes it is at 20.7.4.RC42 . It has been out of the stream for several years due to it not being supported by my tv provider. Now it finally is supported. I wonder if it may never update due to the old version even though in the menu it shows how to do it. As I said so far tivo support is no help at all.


Consider trying a Kickstart 58 on boot up.

Are there recordings you want to save on it or can we try resetting back to factory defaults? 

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk


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## porkenstein (Aug 11, 2002)

Nothing that important so could reset though when I installed another hard drive it basically was set back to factory defaults then. I tried 51 52 and 56 but not 58. At this time I guess I will try anything. I am retired and have nothing but time.


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## porkenstein (Aug 11, 2002)

Ok just an update. I thought that was the answer. When I did the routine I got the message installing an update this will take a few minutes. After it finally rebooted it was the same as before. So no idea what it installed since nothing changed and at the same software revision.


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

I just updated my Roamio from TE3 to TE4 today. I had to select Get New Experience three times, then do a manual restart through the menu after the last time when it kicked me right back to the main TE3 screen.


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## porkenstein (Aug 11, 2002)

I have tried probably 50 times selection get new experience but it never does. I guess I am stuck with 3 which is fine but I real like te4 which I have on my other Tivos. Support elevated my problem and said a specialist would get a hold of me but it has never happened so far. Tivo support is not what it use to me.


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## lhvetinari (Jun 24, 2019)

porkenstein said:


> I have tried probably 50 times selection get new experience but it never does. I guess I am stuck with 3 which is fine but I real like te4 which I have on my other Tivos. Support elevated my problem and said a specialist would get a hold of me but it has never happened so far. Tivo support is not what it use to me.


Are you attached to your recordings? The fact that it won't even do the update to the latest TE3 version makes me think your OS is buggered up. Might be worth putting in a new drive, or running a kickstart to reload the OS from scratch (or a C&DE)


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## porkenstein (Aug 11, 2002)

nope tried a new drive with the same results. Also tried kickstart from scratch. Tried everything I know and it still ends up at original TE3. Since the operating system is not stored on the hard drive from what I understand but on an internal chip I don't think the hard drive has anything to do with it. This is different than earlier versions. I think I am just stuck but still like any suggestions anyone might have as I doubt Tivo so called experts will ever get back to me.


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## lhvetinari (Jun 24, 2019)

porkenstein said:


> nope tried a new drive with the same results. Also tried kickstart from scratch. Tried everything I know and it still ends up at original TE3. Since the operating system is not stored on the hard drive from what I understand but on an internal chip I don't think the hard drive has anything to do with it. This is different than earlier versions. I think I am just stuck but still like any suggestions anyone might have as I doubt Tivo so called experts will ever get back to me.


Makes sense. I was hoping a new drive triggering the format process would wake something up and make it download the update.

I'm honestly completely stumped. Advanced support helped me with my weird problem, but it was hell getting to an advanced support rep.


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

porkenstein said:


> nope tried a new drive with the same results. Also tried kickstart from scratch. Tried everything I know and it still ends up at original TE3. Since the operating system is not stored on the hard drive from what I understand but on an internal chip I don't think the hard drive has anything to do with it. This is different than earlier versions. I think I am just stuck but still like any suggestions anyone might have as I doubt Tivo so called experts will ever get back to me.


Have you tried Kickstart 76543210
This is as close to a factory reset you can get to in a TiVo. 
Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk


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## hapster85 (Sep 7, 2016)

I bought a used Mini about a year ago that was still on TE3. Had no trouble getting it activated but it didn't seem to want to update to TE4 either. I spent hours messing with it, and looking for answers here and elsewhere. I was ready to give up. Since my Roamio OTA was on TE3, the Mini was useless to me if I couldn't upgrade it. Walked away, came back a couple days later, and it had updated.

Looks like you've been at this for me than a week. I assume you've forced connections many, many times already, so I'm not sure what else to suggest you try.


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## porkenstein (Aug 11, 2002)

Yup have forced connections so many times I have lost count. I think I am stuck at TE3 unless by some miracle Tivo gets back to me but not holding my breath.


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## porkenstein (Aug 11, 2002)

Holy crap. That's one code (76543210) I had never heard from. I will report my results. It definitely cleared more than a regular clear as before the name of my Tivo was still in there and now it's gone. Right now I am just in the process of re-doing it again, Glad I am retired as I have nothing but time.  Will report the results when it done. Either way I am filling my day with more than watching tv, riding around on my golf cart or swimming. Don't have a lot of hope but should know soon. Thanks for the advice.


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## porkenstein (Aug 11, 2002)

Well back to square one. I am still at te3. I am trying the code 58 again to force an update. It shows installing the update now which it has in the past. Waiting a few before I post this.  Ok done and to my shock, not really still at TE3. I guess I have done all I can do. Now maybe magically it will update on it's own someday. Not counting on it happening.;


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