TiVo Community Forums Archives - Dead Hard drive and No Back up, What's a girl to do?

TiVoCommunity.com
(c)opyright 1995-2005 All rights reserved
indexcheckTC
This area is a static history of posts in the TiVo Community Forum Archive.
This archive history was made for the simple indexing of search sites like Google.

Pages:1

Dead Hard drive and No Back up, What's a girl to do?
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

Posted by: pcgrrll

Help!! Today came home from work and turned on the tv. Screen was locked up, and the remote was unresponsive. Rebooted, and it's stuck at Welcome, powering up! I'm not feeling very welcome right now It's making some fairly strange noises as it's trying to reboot so I'm certain the hard drive has crashed.

I'm very computer literate and have replaced hard drives numerous times in computers, however, I never got up the nerve or wanted to unplug my Tivo long enough to create a backup. My question is, if I go out and buy a new hard drive without a backup it's going to be useless correct? Is there anyway to restore the bad hard drive (if I can slave it) to a new one or am I screwed??

If I am what's my best option, buy new Tivo , buy replacement hard drive from weakness or such??

Thanks for all your help!! I'm Lost without my Tivo

Posted by: Robert S

Sounds like a drive failure to me.

Download a backup, replace drive.

Posted by: krymaney

Details, details, details.

What Tivo model?

Ask nicely and someone might PM you with where to find an image file for download...:)

Also, find Hindsdale's upgrade guide (in the forum) and read it....

Then download the MFS tools 2.0 cd image and burn it...

It's not that difficult and you CAN do it yourself...

Ask if you need help or PM me....I'll do what I can..:)

Posted by: pcgrrll

Yes, Yes...me not so detail-oriented, although my resume says I am ;)

It's a Series 2 AT&T TCD130040

Someone was already nice enough to PM me some info, that I think should help. If not, anyone out there who wants to help a damsel in distress.. it would be much appreciated :D

I guess all this just forces me to get off my lazy butt and learn how to upgrade and replace TiVo hard drives..been wanting to do it for a long time, but you know how that goes. My first thought was just get a replacement drive from weakness.com, but since people were already nice enough to respond, I think I'll go down the more difficult but rewarding road :) Hey at least now I can finally get some storage space....

Posted by: Andy in NYC

Given the prices of hard drives these days - try Fatwallet.com's Hot Deals - upgrading yourself is easy and cheap.

www.pricewatch.com shows 120 GB maxtors (5400 and 7200) in the low $90 with shipping. Maxtors have rebates on them now from some stores, so your price might be even less if your local Best Buy/CompUSA has something going.

Andy in NYC

Posted by: Zirak

quote:
Originally posted by pcgrrll

Dead Hard drive and No Back up, What's a girl to do?

Make post in underground, preferably with a name, location and avatar that make you seem to be a totally hot female. Wait for males to respond in droves.

quote:
Originally posted by pcgrrll

Someone was already nice enough to PM me some info, that I think should help. If not, anyone out there who wants to help a damsel in distress.. it would be much appreciated :D

Uh huh....

:D:D:D

Posted by: Andy in NYC

Zirak,

You are totally wrong about this. Her location (missing) had nothing to do with males responding in droves <g>.

Posted by: Zirak

You are right. Its her member setting. My bad. :D

Posted by: pcgrrll

quote:
Make post in underground, preferably with a name, location and avatar that make you seem to be a totally hot female.

Well, can't help it that I'm a smart girl and now how to make sure people at least read my post :P

quote:
make you seem to be a totally hot female

When you say, "make you seem" that implies that I may be posing as someone I'm not. Is it that hard to believe that I really am a female (although not sure about the totally hot part) ? :) My avatar really is a picture that was taken of me at my wedding in May, and I just thought it was ironic and hilarious because I was done up and had a cigarette hanging out of my mouth. So technically it's more for my amusement than to attract men in droves. Although not a bad thing when you have a dead Tivo and aren't sure how to get it fixed :D

Posted by: Zirak

quote:
Originally posted by pcgrrll
Well, can't help it that I'm a smart girl and now how to make sure people at least read my post :P

Oh the humor...

quote:

When you say, "make you seem" that implies that I may be posing as someone I'm not.

Impossible, no one has ever done ANYTHING like THAT in the ether!

Posted by: pcgrrll

quote:
Impossible, no one has ever done ANYTHING like THAT in the ether!

Yes, yes I know it happens all the time. I guess I'm just one of those silly people who plays themselves....either way as long as I get my TiVo fixed I'm happy, anything else doesn't matter
:p

Posted by: pcgrrll

Now on a serious note...I've downloaded an image file and am ready to begin the restore process using Mfs tools on a new hard drive. I've read the instructions and am confused about one thing, where to place the image file? On my computer's hard drive ?

Posted by: pcgrrll

Ok, sorry...I guess I spoke to soon. Is it correct to place it in the following directory /mnt/dos?

Posted by: GBL

Put in to the root directory of your C: drive (i.e. C:\)

Posted by: pcgrrll

Woohoo!!!! Thank you! Thank you! I restored an image to the new hard drive and had it in the TiVo in less than an hour. Just finishing up Guided setup as I type. Thanks to everyone who helped me, even if it was only because my name, member setting and avatar make me seem to be a totally hot female. :D

Posted by: Vinbo

Please PM me, if anyone knows a location of a working AT&T Series 2 TCD130040 image file...

My dead Tivo is VERY unhappy

Posted by: depasseg

I awoke this morning to a clicking coming form my tivo (sounded like a clock). I figured it was a dead hard disk, so I called Tivo support for an exchange. My Tivo (SA Series 2) is only 5 months old. Can you believe they want $99 in labor to replace the unit (acutally they said they would send me a complete Tivo in exchange for mine). I'd rather spend the $99 on a bigger hard drive. Can someone PM the location of a working image for a Series 2 Tivo TCD240080? It sounds straightforward to apply this image to a new disk and keep my tivo service in tact. Does anyone know if the original disk is covered by it's manufacturer (I've never opened my Tivo, so I don't even know who makes the disk).

Thanks,
Greg

Posted by: Robert S

The clicking is a dead hard drive. Not too hard to fix, and you'll probably get more hours from a bigger disk too.

The drive may be covered by warranty. The only way to tell is to type its serial number into the manufacturer's website to check it against their DB.

Posted by: srs5694

If the only symptom is a clicking noise and the TiVo is otherwise working fine, the noise could be coming from the fan, which would be a somewhat cheaper fix than a hard disk. You might be able to better pinpoint the source by using a stethoscope, but opening the case will be more helpful. Of course, if there's a clicking noise and the TiVo's dead, it's unlikely to be just the fan.

Posted by: depasseg

I forgot to mention that my Tivo is not working at all. After I heard the clicking, I unplugged it and let it sit unpowered all day. When I got home after work, I plugged it back in. It still just clicked and displayed the gray "Welcome, Powering up..." screen.

-Greg

Posted by: pcgrrll

Sounds like a dead hard drive to me....

If no one has PM'd you, let me know and I will send one your way.

Good luck!

Posted by: depasseg

Thanks pcgrrll, but some kind soul already PM'd me a link to some. Of course, maybe it couldn't hurt.

One related question for the group - I have a Series 2 SA Tivo - 80hr - s/w ver 4 with HMO. I could only find an image for an 80 hr tivo with s/w ver 3.2. Does anyone know if this will work? Will the Tivo upgrade the s/w on it's daily call? Will I have to do anything to reactivate HMO?

Thanks,
Greg

Posted by: Robert S

You'll be fine.

Posted by: pcgrrll

I concur with Robert. After I replaced my hard drive, I think it took about 3 calls to download to the newest software version. You can force the calls if you so desire.

Posted by: BlankMan

quote:
Originally posted by depasseg
I forgot to mention that my Tivo is not working at all. After I heard the clicking, I unplugged it and let it sit unpowered all day. When I got home after work, I plugged it back in. It still just clicked and displayed the gray "Welcome, Powering up..." screen.

-Greg

Yep you'll see that screen before the drive is accessed, getting stuck there really says drive. But, Ahhhh.... If it's a Maxtor drive the infamous Click of Death. Had this happen to me. Called Maxtor and explained it. They did not ask for a diagnostic code as they normally do, they did not suggest running the diagnostics to try and fix the drive, both of which are their SOP. They just set up a replacement to be shipped. So, if it's Maxtor try giving them a call and see if they'll replace it. Don't tell them it's out of a TiVo. They still might be able to tell from the SN and tell you to call TiVo for the replacement. I think I remember hearing that some people were successful at getting Maxtor to replace TiVo drives directly. It can't hurt to try.