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disk backup query
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Posted by: ARC

Newbie question: Backing up virgin drive prior to using TIVO will take "XX" megs (less than capacity of the drive). If I let TIVO start up, but not do the final "program call" as per FAQ 2.25, the backup will take "XX" + "Y" megs (Y being just a few megs?). If I let it do the "Program" call, does it do a TIVO Bios Update (i.e., to version 2.0), does it cause the backup to be GROSSLY larger than if I had done it at earlier stages ("XX * 2"), or is it only slightly larger backup?
Likewise if I let TIVO perform a 1 minute recording of TV before doing the backup, in order to preserve warranty till I'm sure it's in working order, does it immediately format out/occupy the entire drive, or not?
It sounds like doing a backup requires copying the entire partition/drive, so if the Tivo I just ordered off of Mercata (an HDR312) comes with a 30 meg drive, I have to have a spare 30 meg drive to do a backup for anything other than a "virgin" backup?
Thanks.

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Yew think that's air yore breathin' now? hmmm.

Posted by: MikeLaw

Well, it seems to be a pretty safe bet that you won't upgrade to 2.0 unless you do your backup in January. If you have a box that comes with 1.2, the general consensus is that you ought to wait until it loads 1.3 before you back it up.

The general set of choices is a bunch of CDRs or a drive of similar proportions to your original. My personal preference is to get a Quantum 30g and copy my original drive to it and run off the new drive, but others aren't nearly as anal-retentive as I am.

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....mike

Posted by: ARC

I grok (now) that 2.0 isn't out yet.
Does a backup requires the whole drive, even if the original is in "virgin" state, so it doesn't matter if I first test the TiVo before I crack the box as far as amount of backup it takes?

I've got several older EIDEs that are in the 10 to 20 gig range, that I could use for a backup - did your backup take the whole new 30 gigs disk' capacity?, (could also do the CD-RW version backup, but there's a lot to say for the ease of using a hard disk to do a restore if need be.

Also seems that I could copy/backup the virgin drive to an 80 gigger, then shelve/save the original drive as my backup, using only the 80 gig for daily use? thanks

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Yew think that's air yore breathin' now? hmmm.

Posted by: [tron]

I myself opted for the disk copy/shelve the original method. That seems to be the safest alternative for me, and it is worth the extra bucks for the simple comfort of a reliable safety net.

As far as using the 80GB as your A drive, you *can* do that but you will lose the ability (currently) to add a second drive. If you are not looking for maximum capacity then this should be a suitable alternative for you.

Good luck,

[tron]

Posted by: ARC

The "A" drive cannot be any larger than 30 gigs if you want to also add a "B" drive???

jee - ok - now I'm thinking I need to git a new 30gig AND an 80 gig!<G>
Tron...thanks...A.Ron

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Some people have a way with words, others not have way.

Posted by: HTH

quote:
Originally posted by [tron]:
As far as using the 80GB as your A drive, you *can* do that but you will lose the ability (currently) to add a second drive. If you are not looking for maximum capacity then this should be a suitable alternative for you.

Only if you use Tiger's Hack to utilize all the space on the 80. You can still use it as an A drive at your old A drive's capacity and add a second. You can also format the rest of the drive and extend the partition map to use the 80 as additional non-video storage. You could even use the extra space to hold an extra copy of the image, virgin or otherwise, or as extra hack space in an area you know the TiVo will never clobber.

However, I don't think this is documented in the FAQ yet. Anyone who wants to try it, write it up and submit it for the FAQ.

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http://www.war-of-the-worlds.org/tivo/HTH.gif