# Bolt External Storage Recommendation Request



## Herb EN (Sep 3, 2020)

I have a Bolt 1 TB unit. I want to add an external storage unit in the range of 2 to 4 TB. I note that Tivo site stresses "a Tivo certified" unit. However, these do not seem to be available and I have noticed from various threads people are using various hard drives. If I want to connect a 2TB external hard drive, what would be recommended? What are the desired specs? Does the Bolt automatically reformat the drive or should it be previously formatted and if so what format?


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## kpeters59 (Jun 19, 2007)

Don't do that.

Do this instead:

Bolt with 3TB, want to upgrade to 8TB or more.

-KP


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## Herb EN (Sep 3, 2020)

Thanks for the tip! If I go to a 4 TB drive internal, any recommendation on brand model?


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## kpeters59 (Jun 19, 2007)

There's a lengthy thread on Drive selection, too...

-KP


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## V7Goose (May 28, 2005)

I do not think you will find any 4TB drives that will work or be reliable in the small format needed for an internal drive in a Bolt - you will need to use a 3.5" drive externally, but connected INTERNALLY (do NOT try to use the eSATA external connection for ANYTHING). You also need to consider which version of the TiVo software you are using - you will have fewer drive choices if it is running the terrible TE4 software.

All of this is well documented in other threads; I just thought I'd give you a few pointers on what to look for. Personally, I'd buy either a WD Purple or Seagate IronWolf drive. You must avoid any SMR technology drive in any size!


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## Herb EN (Sep 3, 2020)

Thanks for the input! Considering the Purple WD40PURZ. Also considering throwing in the towel and buying a Weaknees external/internal conversion but it is pricey considering the hardware costs. Too many projects not finished and this seems like it will become a blackhole for time! If I do this I suppose the latest MSF tools is available at Sourceforge.


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## UCLABB (May 29, 2012)

Herb EN said:


> Thanks for the input! Considering the Purple WD40PURZ. Also considering throwing in the towel and buying a Weaknees external/internal conversion but it is pricey considering the hardware costs. Too many projects not finished and this seems like it will become a blackhole for time! If I do this I suppose the latest MSF tools is available at Sourceforge.


I wouldn't go with Weaknees. That's expensive and costly. Spend an hour opening the box and connecting a 3.5" drive via a sata cable.


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## Herb EN (Sep 3, 2020)

Maybe I am not understanding this process correctly, namely the MSFTools usage. If it is simply connecting a 3.5" HD via a SATA cable to the MB that is simple. No problem modifying casing for cable feedthrough. I can first download all existing content on the original 1 tb internal drive to my PC and then upload it back to the new drive and temporarily transfer the Onepasses to my Roamio and then transfer them back. Do I need the MSFTools software or will the Tivo format the new 4 TB drive? Does the TiVo Bolt boot off MB memory and not require a pre-formatted drive to boot and run. I began looking into this in detail yesterday and reading different threads gets confusing and people seem to have problems. Maybe I am hung up on procedures for copying files and formatting that I don't need.
I appreciate your input.


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## shwru980r (Jun 22, 2008)

V7Goose said:


> I do not think you will find any 4TB drives that will work or be reliable in the small format needed for an internal drive in a Bolt - you will need to use a 3.5" drive externally, but connected INTERNALLY (do NOT try to use the eSATA external connection for ANYTHING). You also need to consider which version of the TiVo software you are using - you will have fewer drive choices if it is running the terrible TE4 software.
> 
> All of this is well documented in other threads; I just thought I'd give you a few pointers on what to look for. Personally, I'd buy either a WD Purple or Seagate IronWolf drive. You must avoid any SMR technology drive in any size!


I thought it was mentioned in another thread that the latest version TE4 would format drives over 3TB to their full capacity up to 14TB.


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## Herb EN (Sep 3, 2020)

Wow! I did not understand that from the threads I saw that TE4 formats the new drive up to 14 TB, probably because people were trying to copy content to larger drives and the focus was on that. I can get around copying directly to the new drive by using the Roamio as a bridge to move content from my PC via Tivo Desktop to my Roamio and then transfer to the Bolt. That's only computer time, not mine. The TE4 doing the formatting is certainly a horse of a different color. Thanks for setting me straight on this. Your right, this becomes an hour or so. By the way, I have not opened the Bolt. Does I need a standard motherboard to SATA HD cable like in a PC or is there a different connector to the MB in the Bolt? Also, I understand the TE4 eliminated the PC to Bolt "publishing" feature which is one of the reasons I want to blow out the storage on the Bolt. Do you know a way to directly upload content from the PC to the BOLT TE4? I did not see a way using KTMTTG or pyTivo. Thanks again!


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## UCLABB (May 29, 2012)

Herb EN said:


> Wow! I did not understand that from the threads I saw that TE4 formats the new drive up to 14 TB, probably because people were trying to copy content to larger drives and the focus was on that. I can get around copying directly to the new drive by using the Roamio as a bridge to move content from my PC via Tivo Desktop to my Roamio and then transfer to the Bolt. That's only computer time, not mine. The TE4 doing the formatting is certainly a horse of a different color. Thanks for setting me straight on this. Your right, this becomes an hour or so. By the way, I have not opened the Bolt. Does I need a standard motherboard to SATA HD cable like in a PC or is there a different connector to the MB in the Bolt? Also, I understand the TE4 eliminated the PC to Bolt "publishing" feature which is one of the reasons I want to blow out the storage on the Bolt. Do you know a way to directly upload content from the PC to the BOLT TE4? I did not see a way using KTMTTG or pyTivo. Thanks again!


It's a standard SATA cable. I use a bare 3.5" drive with it's own power supply and a MOLEX connector brick to the drive. I did use a 18" right angle SATA cable. I forget why the right angle. 
























Not positive about the power supply, but I think it is something like this. All pics from eBay.


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