# Welcome! Powering up... Blues



## tfellad (Jul 7, 2006)

I have had my Tivo Series 2 for about a year and a half now lifetime membership of course and now all of a sudden it is stuck. This morning when I went to watch tv. I kept seeing all of these pixelation problems and it would get stuck and freeze. So I unpluggd the unit for a few minutes and when I turned it back on. It is stuck!!!! I got to have my TIVO MAN. Help ...


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

The symptoms point the problem being the disk drive.

Have a qualified tech pull the drive and check it in a pc with non-destructive diagnostics like the drive's manufactures diagnostics.

If you find the problem is the drive the Lifetime is tied to the mother board not the drive so you can purchase a pre-loaded replacement drive for your model TiVo from WeaKnees or DVRUpgrade. DVRUpgrade also sells "Instant Cake" a do it yourself boot cd complete with an image for your TiVo. both options will keep the lifetime intact.


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## tfellad (Jul 7, 2006)

I think it is my hard drive as well. Do I need a qualified tech.? I am so of a DIY person. All I need is to be pointed in the right direction. If I purchase a HD locally, how big of one do I need? What type of Hard Drive? And how do I format it with instant cake or the other MS thing and which is best instant cake of the Ms thing? Also will me doing thins ruin my relationship with TIVO?


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

tfellad said:


> I think it is my hard drive as well. Do I need a qualified tech.? I am so of a DIY person. All I need is to be pointed in the right direction.


 A lot of users upgrade the drive in the TiVo's themselves it just depends on your electronic/PC skills if you can replace a hard drive in a PC there should be no problem. Just be aware there is dangerous voltages in the TiVo and some may still be present even after the TiVo has been unplugged. You did not mention which model of Series2 that you have, some have a white ribbon cable that goes to the front panel make sure the cable is plugged in squarely if the TiVo is powered on with that cable partially disconnected damage will occur.



tfellad said:


> If I purchase a HD locally, how big of one do I need? What type of Hard Drive?


 At least the size of the current drive up to how big a drive you can afford I think the optimal price is currently at 500G (around $99) however that was several months ago and has probably changed. For the Series2 TiVo you need a EIDE (PATA) drive. Speed and cache are not important for the TiVo's there are special drives designed for media DB35 they are quitter and don't obsess over error correction over video stream starvation. If money is a problem standard drives will work fine.



tfellad said:


> And how do I format it with instant cake or the other MS thing and which is best instant cake of the Ms thing? Also will me doing thins ruin my relationship with TIVO?


 Because your drive is bad you need an image for your model of TiVo Instant Cake costs about $20 and has the TiVo image on the bootable CD. Follow the instructions on how to mount the drive in the PC then boot the CD to run the special scripts that do the rest of the work for you.

For MFSLive or WinMFS see the MFSLive web site you will need an image there are several threads here in the underground about getting an image.


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## tfellad (Jul 7, 2006)

Thanks HomeUser you have given me tremendous confidents. Like you mentioned I have taken apart a PC and put in new HD on my PC. So I am comfortable around the computer. I just have to find a hard drive. Do I have to have the Instant Cake Cd or is there an alternative(Free)? Also will the people at Tivo know that I have changed out my HD?


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## T1V0 (Jun 14, 2006)

tfellad said:


> Do I have to have the Instant Cake Cd or is there an alternative(Free)? Also will the people at Tivo know that I have changed out my HD?


You can get an image off of your original drive using mfslive, but if the drive is failing, I wouldn't recommend it. Maybe if you would post your exact model number someone might be able to help. Tivo would technically know, since it logs the hard drive model fairly often, but they won't really care. It won't affect your subscription status at all.


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## tfellad (Jul 7, 2006)

T1V0 said:


> You can get an image off of your original drive using mfslive, but if the drive is failing, I wouldn't recommend it. Maybe if you would post your exact model number someone might be able to help. Tivo would technically know, since it logs the hard drive model fairly often, but they won't really care. It won't affect your subscription status at all.


T1VO my model number is (TiVo TCD240140) Series 2.


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## T1V0 (Jun 14, 2006)

tfellad said:


> T1VO my model number is (TiVo TCD240140) Series 2.


your lucky day. (check your pm in a few minutes). you can use the boot cd and guide from mfslive.org to restore an image to a new drive. don't worry about formatting the new drive beforehand, and just get the biggest IDE/PATA drive you can afford.


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## tfellad (Jul 7, 2006)

T1V0 said:


> your lucky day. (check your pm in a few minutes). you can use the boot cd and guide from mfslive.org to restore an image to a new drive. don't worry about formatting the new drive beforehand, and just get the biggest IDE/PATA drive you can afford.


T1VO I messed up and looked at the model number incorrectly will this image still work? My Model number is (TiVo TCD540140) Series 2-- not TDC240140. Ooops

So will that image work? Also were can I fine some good drives?


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

tfellad said:


> T1VO I messed up and looked at the model number incorrectly will this image still work? My Model number is (TiVo TCD540140) Series 2-- not TDC240140. Ooops
> 
> So will that image work? Also were can I fine some good drives?


No, the 240 and 540 are different models. It may be worth a try to copy the failed drive to a new drive there is a slim chance that there might be enough intact data for the TiVo to recover it depends on how the drive failed.

This is the drive I purchased Newegg.com - Seagate Barracuda a couple of months ago I see the price has dropped. I chose this drive because of the 5 year warranty so far (knock on wood) no problems yet.


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

tfellad said:


> I don't think I will copy anything from that old drive. I need a fresh install. So does anyone have a image to use for this 540 model Tivo.


 Checkout the thread created by rcobourn Need an image? Don't PM me.


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## thecorb (Jun 25, 2008)

HomeUser said:


> The symptoms point the problem being the disk drive.
> 
> Have a qualified tech pull the drive and check it in a pc with non-destructive diagnostics like the drive's manufactures diagnostics.
> 
> If you find the problem is the drive the Lifetime is tied to the mother board not the drive so you can purchase a pre-loaded replacement drive for your model TiVo from WeaKnees or DVRUpgrade. DVRUpgrade also sells "Instant Cake" a do it yourself boot cd complete with an image for your TiVo. both options will keep the lifetime intact.


Where exactly is the unit service number stored on the MB? I assume this is the identifier that the lifetime service is tied to. I have a series 2 machine with lifetime service that is exibiting problems unrelated to the HDD. I know this because I pulled the HDD and installed it in an old machine I had and it works fine. I'd like to marry the two machines together and still preserve my lifetime service status.

Thanks


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## dwit (May 5, 2004)

thecorb said:


> Where exactly is the unit service number stored on the MB? I assume this is the identifier that the lifetime service is tied to. I have a series 2 machine with lifetime service that is exibiting problems unrelated to the HDD. I know this because I pulled the HDD and installed it in an old machine I had and it works fine. I'd like to marry the two machines together and still preserve my lifetime service status.
> 
> Thanks


This unit service number you are referring to is technically called the Tivo Service Number. TSN for short.

It can be found in three places that I know of:

1. On the rear of the Tivo.

2. On the "System Information" screen found by starting at the Messages and Settings selection of the Tivo Central menu.

3. On the side of the box in which the Tivo was originally sold when new.

4. If you have set up accounts online with Tivo.com for your units, then the TSN may also be on record there. 

That said, if the problem is not related to the drive, obviously, marrying another drive is not the solution to the problem. Maybe that "old machine" has some other parts you could swap out.


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## unclemoosh (Sep 11, 2004)

thecorb said:


> Where exactly is the unit service number stored on the MB?
> Thanks


The TSN is stored on an EEPROM on the motherboard.


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## T1V0 (Jun 14, 2006)

unclemoosh said:


> The TSN is stored on an EEPROM on the motherboard.


nope. atmel crypto chip. prom is almost always the same on matching models.


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## unclemoosh (Sep 11, 2004)

T1V0 said:


> nope. atmel crypto chip. prom is almost always the same on matching models.


Crypto chip is an EEPROM, because you can change the TSN by running a simple command. 

See Atmel website for description of chip:
http://www.atmel.com/products/securemem/default.asp


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## tfellad (Jul 7, 2006)

unclemoosh said:


> Crypto chip is an EEPROM, because you can change the TSN by running a simple command.
> 
> See Atmel website for description of chip:
> http://www.atmel.com/products/securemem/default.asp


Who cares!!?? Stop arguing and start TIVOING. Kiss and make up you silly kids.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

You cannot change just the TSN. There is also a set of crypto keys and other data there (tied to the TSN). That all said, mucking with the crypto chip is OT on this forum.

The chip is in fact a crypto chip, contains the identity of the DVR, and is for all intents and purposes not user adjustable.


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## unclemoosh (Sep 11, 2004)

tfellad said:


> Who cares!!?? Stop arguing and start TIVOING. Kiss and make up you silly kids.


I didn't mean to come across as arguing. I was just sharing information that I have found to be very useful in certain situations. I apologize if I offended anyone.



classicsat said:


> You cannot change just the TSN. There is also a set of crypto keys and other data there (tied to the TSN). That all said, mucking with the crypto chip is OT on this forum.
> 
> The chip is in fact a crypto chip, contains the identity of the DVR, and is for all intents and purposes not user adjustable.


Classicsat, you're are right about this type of discussion being verboden on _*this *_forum.


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## thecorb (Jun 25, 2008)

T1V0 said:


> nope. atmel crypto chip. prom is almost always the same on matching models.


Is this the chip located at board location U25?

I'm not looking to reprogram the chip, just remove it from the bad board and put it on the board from an old machine of mine that the HDD crapped out in.

Thanks


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