# Replace the drive or the box...



## Semco (Mar 19, 2005)

So this morning at 4am my wife wakes and can't sleep. She turns on the 160hr tivo to find it skipping/ freezing. I tell her to reset it and now we're caught in the almost there loop. HD is fried. 

I'm trying to decide if I should get a upgrade drive or replace the box. Here's my thinking: 
I'm not sure if I'm capable of replacing an unformatted drive, so I'd probably have to get an upgrade kit. Looking at one of the sites, that replacement kit costs more than a new 80hr DT tivo from costco. 

Long story short: how hard is it to do the "instant cake" thing? or should I just get a new tivo.


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## rbtravis (Aug 9, 2005)

If you have a PC instant cake is easy. CD is attached to secondary drive on primary channel referred to as HDB. The target drive( hard disk) is attached to the secondary channel primary drive referred to as HDC. Boot from the CD and hit enter. CD runs and image is placed on the hard drive. Primary channel normally the blue connector on the motherboard.


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## Semco (Mar 19, 2005)

Dumbing it down for my clarity...

So All I have to do is open the PC, connect my new hard drive to the blue hard drive ribbon cable, put the CD in and turn it on?

(remembering that the most complex thing I've done to the computer is added memory.)


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## rbtravis (Aug 9, 2005)

The hard drive is connected to the black connector and the drive is set as master. The cdrom is connected to the blue connector and the cdrom is set as slave.That is all that need be connected.


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## Semco (Mar 19, 2005)

thanks. so now the question is:

is the new tivo 80hr DT box any better than the one I've got now(i.e. faster processing, faster transfers for HMO/multiroom, etc)? I figure the cost will be exactly the same.

Thanks again.


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## Ronin (Jun 7, 2001)

IMO, you should replace the drive in your tivo. If you have installed memory, you can create a replacement drive for your tivo.

The unit at costco is NOT a tivo. Some people care, some don't. 
In addition, you will NOT be buying the DVR at costco. You will be paying for the "privlage" of leasing it. You won't own it, directv does, and will expect it back if you cancel service.


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## Semco (Mar 19, 2005)

This is the one that I was looking at:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11120374&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-US&s=1

Regular Tivo. Yes, I do care. I wish I had directv but too many trees around here.

Anyway, think I'll replace the drive. Thanks for the help.


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## Semco (Mar 19, 2005)

ok last question:

if I get the downloaded ISO from them do I just burn it to CD and run that? Or do I need to just order the CD from them?


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## rbtravis (Aug 9, 2005)

Download & Burn


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## Semco (Mar 19, 2005)

SUCCESS  

way easy, tho I had to use advanced setup and have it configured to copy to master due to short cables...

Thanks


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