# dd Copy Fails ~ S3 Upgrade



## sknaf (Nov 28, 2005)

I have 2 s3 units.
The first unit started to have some issues with locking up, and I had a sata
drive that I was going to use for backup, but will use it for my tivo now instead.

S3.1 = unit stopped working
S3.2 = unit completely fine.

I downloaded Knoppix ISO and created a CD.
So I first tried to copy S3.1 onto the new sata drive using dd.
Got to 113Gb and had a read error, figured that is probably
why the unit stopped working - orig hard drive is not working.
Took apart my S3.2 (working unit), set up to copy, ran dd and it
gets a read error 110Gb into the 250Gb. I tried it 5 times and it
fails every time in the same spot.
I tried mfstools after the failure on the new drive,
but it gave an error about block incorrect or something.

Any thoughts here ??

~Scott


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## richsadams (Jan 4, 2003)

If you're trying to save your recordings and are using (or have access to a PC) I'd give MFSCopy using winMFS a try instead.

The instructions are on the Drive Expansion and Drive Upgrade FAQ sticky thread, Section V, #18B. If you don't care about saving your recordings, Section V, #18A is very fast and easy.

It does sound like a sector failure on the first S3, but no idea why it would be choking on the second one unless the HDD also has bad sectors.


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

You could try using *dd_rescue* it is an fault tolerant version of dd.


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## sknaf (Nov 28, 2005)

I started up and tried winMFS copy this morning.
I ran MFSCopy, it was still running 2.5 hours later, and seemed to progress
ok at first. It's said 1minute14seconds to go for the last 30 minutes.
I finally clicked on close and it asked me if I want to cancel, which I did
because I think it would not have finished that last 1:14 ever.

It's a Vista64 pretty snappy machine with 8Gb.

I also tried coping from the good S3 drive onto another 250Gb drive I had, and still got the error at 110Gb. ?

I attached the winMFS info on the 750Gb Drive.
I used mfstools to expand out the drive. I installed it and it booted up fine.
The menus seem to have a slight pause on them, but maybe Tivo was just
indexing the new space or something.
Have to see how it runs tonight.

HomeUser ~ I am going to try dd_rescue on the spare 250G I have, and see if I can copy from my good s3. Thanks for the tip.

BTW ~ Are there any maintenance tools (ie fsck) that we can or should run on the drives when we have them out anyways ?

~Scott


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

sknaf said:


> BTW ~ Are there any maintenance tools (ie fsck) that we can or should run on the drives when we have them out anyways ?
> 
> ~Scott


I use Spinrite at $99 it is kind of costly. The free diagnostics from the drive's manufacture can tell if the drive is bad however it will not recover the corrupted sectors just swap them out if there are any spares available. Nothing that I know of for the file structure You might use one of the unsupported  kickstart codes with the drive in the TiVo.


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## richsadams (Jan 4, 2003)

HomeUser said:


> You might use one of the unsupported  kickstart codes with the drive in the TiVo.


Unsupported? They are part of TiVo's built-in diagnostics...so fully supported by TiVo in any case.

Here is a full list of the available Kickstarts including KS54 which will run a diagnostic.


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## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

richsadams said:


> Unsupported? They are part of TiVo's built-in diagnostics...so fully supported by TiVo in any case.
> 
> Here is a full list of the available Kickstarts including KS54 which will run a diagnostic.


 Thanks, I searched this and the Series 3 sections for your post with the S3/HD codes. I did not think to look in the TiVo Help Center. (bookmarked it again)

"Unsupported" By TiVo at least for general use. The codes are not listed on TiVo.com or in the TiVo's manual. My understanding is they are reserved for use internally by TiVo and TiVo support. The Kickstart code knowledge has been collected here by TiVo users and not officially posted by TiVo. Use the codes at your own risk do not expect support from TiVo unless someone from TiVo has instructed it's usage. And to get picky removing the drive is not really supported by TiVo either. There is lots of "Do It Yourself" support at the TiVo Community for both.


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## richsadams (Jan 4, 2003)

HomeUser said:


> "Unsupported" By TiVo at least for general use. The codes are not listed on TiVo.com


Kickstart 54 can be found on tivo.com:

http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/308/c/123/page/3/r_id/100041

The rest of the built-in TiVo diagnostic programs (AKA "Kickstarts") have been widely known and used for years and have been confirmed by various TiVo employees over the years. Here is an example:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=5621888#post5621888

There is no "risk" to running TiVo's built-in diagnostic programs. It will not affect TiVo support one way or the other.



HomeUser said:


> And to get picky removing the drive is not really supported by TiVo either.


Opening the box for any reason (including testing the hard drive) voids the warranty. However pre or post warranty unless you leave your PB&J sandwich inside or adhere strictly to the cleansing spirit of confessing everything that you've ever done to anyone that will listen (including TiVo Support) TiVo has no way of knowing providing the same drive is reinstalled.

In addition, with one known exception here, TiVo has never refused to exchange a unit providing, again, that the original drive is in place upon return.

Bottom line, it is true that if your TiVo is not functioning properly and it has the original parts inside (or authorized peripherals attached) TiVo will offer support. If not they are not obligated to offer support and may well decline to do so. Most people that spend more than a few minutes here understand that IMHO. Those that don't should quickly close their browser.


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## sknaf (Nov 28, 2005)

I created an image from my good S3, and copied that onto hard drive and did
a full system clean (delete all prefs from the menu), and all is good again.
2 working S3's.

Now my S2 is not too healthy but that is another Thread in this Forum


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## richsadams (Jan 4, 2003)

sknaf said:


> I created an image from my good S3, and copied that onto hard drive and did
> a full system clean (delete all prefs from the menu), and all is good again.
> 2 working S3's.
> 
> Now my S2 is not too healthy but that is another Thread in this Forum


Glad to hear the Series3 is back in the pink. :up:


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