# "The TiVo Beacon service has not yet started..."



## aharris (Apr 24, 2004)

Everytime I start my computer or try to open TiVo Desktop, I get the following message:

"The TiVo Beacon service has not yet started (or may have been stopped or uninstalled). This service is required by the TiVo Desktop. Click 'Retry' to continue waiting for the tiVo Beacon service to start, or click 'Cancel' to exit."

When I click "Retry", the same message appears again.

*I have tried* the following troubleshooting steps, but nothing has worked:

- Making sure "Enable Transfers" is selected in my online account

- Right-click My Computer--Manage--Services&Applications--Services--set TiVo Beacon to "Automatic"

- Manually starting the TiVo Beacon service (when I try that, I get the message "The TiVo Beacon service on Local Computer started and then stopped. Some services stop automatically if they have no work to do, for example, the Performance Logs and Alerts service."

- Disabling my router's firewall

- Uninstalling Norton AntiVirus

- Uninstalling Google Desktop Search

- Uninstalling and reinstalling TiVo Desktop

- Pulling my hair out

And *YES, I do have 7.1* on my TiVo, and I have rebooted the TiVo box since I received the update.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance!


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## Robs67 (Dec 26, 2001)

Post deleted.


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

Part of the problem is uninstalling Tivo Desktop does not uninstall the TiVo Beacon. This means you can't really clear out that service very cleanly (so uninstalling/reinstalling TiVo Dekstop doesn't help). I have never understood why TiVo Desktop installs this service but doesn't provide a way to remove it


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## aharris (Apr 24, 2004)

Yeah, I noticed that it couldn't be removed.

Any ideas how to get T2G up and running?


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## CStone (Sep 20, 2003)

I had a very similar problem for a long time (well before the Tivo2Go stuff, which I still have not gotten the update for but ah well).

Now, what I'm going to describe involves editing the windows registry. If you are unconfortable, or unsure, DO NOT DO THIS. You can cause some serious problems if you damage the registry.

I will not be held accountable for anyone doing anything that causes any damage. The information is provided on an AS IS basis, with no warrentee of accuracy.

Now that's out of the way...

Click Start, go to Run, and type in without the quotes "regedit" and hit ok. The first thing we will do is make a backup of the registry, just in case. Click File, Export. Choose a folder that you can find this in if you ever need to restore it, and give it a name that makes sence (like backup1-29-05). Also make sure that the export range is set to ALL and not Selected Key.

In the list on the left, find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and expand it out (hit the plus sign next to it).

Next, expand out SYSTEM, then CURRENTCONTROLSET, then SERVICES. You should have a folder called TivoBeacon2, click it so it's highlighted.

In the window on the right hand side you should have some entries, under columns such as Name, Type, and Data. One of these should be ImagePath and contain for Data something like C:\Program Files\Common Files\TiVo Shared\Beacon\TiVoBeacon.exe

Doubleclick on ImagePath, and add quotation marks around the Value Data so it reads "C:\Program Files\Common Files\TiVo Shared\Beacon\TiVoBeacon.exe" (or however your data looks)

Close the registry editor (which also saves the modified registry) and reboot the computer.

Again, I cannot guarentee this will work for you, nor will I take any responsibility if it causes you problems with your computer.


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## aharris (Apr 24, 2004)

Cstone, thanks for the detailed instructions. Unfortunately your steps didn't fix the problem. Thanks again though... any other ideas?


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## stantonl (Jun 22, 2004)

Just wondering if you have some type of ad/popup blocker installed on your computer. During the install of the desktop 2.0 you should see a dialog box asking you to have permission to change something under windows.(can't remember the name of the file). If you're not seeing this during startup this is your problem. I had the same problem you are having until I turned off my popup blocker. Hope this helps out.


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## TVCamJr (Jan 28, 2005)

stantonl,

Thank you!! I turned off my Pop-Up blocker and installed 2.0 without a hitch!!


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## aharris (Apr 24, 2004)

I have the Google Toolbar in Internet Explorer, but that should only affect web page Pop-ups. I have been seeing one pop-up window during installation (the response choices are Yes/No/More Info), and I've been clicking Yes each time.

TVCamJr/StantonL, which popup blocker were you using?


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## stantonl (Jun 22, 2004)

The only popup blocker I have on my pc is the one for xp sp2. It is only suppose to be for ie but it's was causing that popup to be closed for some reason. Hope this helps.


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## aharris (Apr 24, 2004)

Hmmm, I have XP SP1, not 2, so there's no built-in Windows popup blocker. And I have been getting the Internet Connection box (and I have said YES each time).

Any other ideas? Please?


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## stantonl (Jun 22, 2004)

Is Tivo Desktop giving you this message when finish installing the program or after a restart. It would give me the message as soon as it would finish loading the program. Just wondering if you have windows firewall on also. I had zone alarm and windows firewall off when I got it to install for me.


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## aharris (Apr 24, 2004)

It gives me the message after I install TiVo Desktop *AND* whenever I start my computer.

Also, no firewall -- I have XP SP1, so there's no Windows built-in firewall either.

Thanks for your continued help!


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## razemania (Feb 4, 2005)

I had this same problem and was able to get desktop to install by doing the following regedit sugguestion, rebooting, then turning off pop-up blockers in I.E. (the SP2 version), the Google Pop-Up blocker; in Mozilla - turning off the pop-up blocker, AND turning off Spy bot and WinPatrol. (Not sure if all this mattered but it was the only way to get it to install.)

Thank you for your help - everyone!



> _Originally posted by CStone _
> *I had a very similar problem for a long time (well before the Tivo2Go stuff, which I still have not gotten the update for but ah well).
> 
> Now, what I'm going to describe involves editing the windows registry. If you are unconfortable, or unsure, DO NOT DO THIS. You can cause some serious problems if you damage the registry.
> ...


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## stantonl (Jun 22, 2004)

aharris there is a firewall in windows sp1. Just not as good as sp2. It could be on. You could run computer management and make sure that it is turned on and setup to turn on automatically on startup. That may help.


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## Louis Cina Jr (Feb 13, 2005)

Try this it worked for me I cannot take credit for it but I had the same problem you are having...and after hours of searching the internet for somebody who knew what they were talkin about I came up with this.

1. Go to a command prompt (Start-->Run-->type 'cmd')
2. Type netsh then hit ENTER.
3. Type 'int ip reset log.txt' (then Enter, then exit)
4. Start > Run > type 'Services.msc'
5. Find the Tivo Beacon service, right-click and Start. 
Hope this helps......


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## dave843 (Jan 9, 2005)

aharris - Are you using wireless or a wired connection?

I have this problem, and it looks like it's because the Beacon service tries to start before the network is ready.


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## KenBass74 (Feb 17, 2005)

Louis Cina Jr said:


> Try this it worked for me I cannot take credit for it but I had the same problem you are having...and after hours of searching the internet for somebody who knew what they were talkin about I came up with this.
> 
> 1. Go to a command prompt (Start-->Run-->type 'cmd')
> 2. Type netsh then hit ENTER.
> ...


thanks for the post louis it worked for me too


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## Steve1212 (Dec 1, 2004)

I had the same error, but mine went fine by just allowing tivo desktop to run past my firewall.


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## robr (Jan 29, 2002)

no luck with any of these. it USED to work for me, then one day just stopped. i have no idea why. ive uninstalled tivo desktop and reinstalled it. ive tried enclosing it in quotes and the other suggestions here.

if i manually try to start it, it says tivo beacon service has started then stopped. there is nothing helpful at all in the event log . i have no firewall or popup blockers


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## Fist of Death (Jan 4, 2002)

Rob,

I've got the _exact_ same problem. The TiVo Beacon services starts and stops - with no further information. Anybody???


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## showpony (Mar 5, 2005)

When I do the services.msc and hit start, I get the error message
"Error 3: the system cannot find the path specified"
This is all very pecular to me. Is this perhaps version 2.0b or something? I had to do a clean install after a hdd reformat yesterday. everything is the same as it was
before the reformat. If anyone has the original tivo2go desktop, maybe i should try that?
Looking for any help. thx!   



Louis Cina Jr said:


> Try this it worked for me I cannot take credit for it but I had the same problem you are having...and after hours of searching the internet for somebody who knew what they were talkin about I came up with this.
> 
> 1. Go to a command prompt (Start-->Run-->type 'cmd')
> 2. Type netsh then hit ENTER.
> ...


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## showpony (Mar 5, 2005)

*I fixed it!!!!!

What I needed to do was a combination of two posts.
First, I used the "registry edit" post. I had to add a string in my registry (use that post to find where to add it) called ImageData, or whatever he called it. Then I modified that string to look for the c:\programfiles\common..... directory, making sure i put the quotes as was suggested. RESTART COMPUTER.

When back up, I then needed to use the services.msc post. My beacon was disabled. Turned it on to automatic, then hit start.
VOILA!

I agree, this is a bit ridiculous when it should be a one-click download/install. Oh well, such is life. :up:   *



showpony said:


> When I do the services.msc and hit start, I get the error message
> "Error 3: the system cannot find the path specified"
> This is all very pecular to me. Is this perhaps version 2.0b or something? I had to do a clean install after a hdd reformat yesterday. everything is the same as it was
> before the reformat. If anyone has the original tivo2go desktop, maybe i should try that?
> Looking for any help. thx!


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## lgkahn (Apr 3, 2002)

none of the others worked here is the problem if it is working fine for you like me and just one day stops...

there is an order dependency if you are also running java hmo like me.... if the java hmo servers all of a sudden starts up before tivo beacon ... tivobeacon will fail with the above error message..

you can verify this is your problem by stopping java hmo and then see that tivo beacon will start ok... then you can startup java hmo..

to permanently fix this add a registry key of type reg_multi_sz to 
hkey_local_machine/system/currentcontrolset/services/javahmo

name = DependOnService
value = TivoBeacon2

this forces tivobeacon to be started up before javahmo


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## Celtic Warrior (Jul 30, 2006)

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Open Administrative Tools.
3. Open Computer Management.
4. Double click Services and Applications
5. Click Services
6. Scroll Down to Tivo Beacon, right click it, and click start if status isnt started or restart if it is.


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