TiVo Community Forums Archives - Upgrade with IBM drives and heat problem

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Upgrade with IBM drives and heat problem
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Posted by: Dunk

I waited until after my 2.0.1 update to upgrade my 14-hour Philips machine, and had no problems using Dylans Boot Disk method after backing up my A drive to an IBM 20GB, which I then used as my new A drive. Had no locking problems and the IBM 20GB took over just fine with no changes or problems running 2.0.1.

Waited a day before blessing and adding the IBM 60GB drive and it reported 82 hours 1 min recording time after restarting. So far so good....

Several hours later, one of the drives started "clunking" and I witnessed what I've read here but never seen with my unmodified TiVo: stutter, lock-up and TiVo reboot.

I'm a big fan of IBM drives, but am the first to admit they tend to run *very hot*. After a cooling off period, I replaced the case, fired up the unit, and watched the temperature climb from 35c to 40c. Unit started clunking around 39c. About this time I started thinking, "Maybe I shoulda' mail-ordered a Maxtor instead of picking up a local IBM..." I pulled the case, set a small desk fan next to the unit blowing on the drives (almost too hot to touch at worst point) and it runs for 24 hours without any problems.

Today, I pulled the TiVo's internal fan, replaced it with a standard PC case fan (same form factor, but with the drive "Y" cable). I then drilled two rows of 1/4" air holes on the right side of my TiVo, adjacent to the A drive, and taped over around half of the air holes on the bottom of the unit.

Popped the case back on, booted back up, and checked air flow in my newly drilled air holes - good flow without being too strong. The fan's a little noisy, but no worse than the air filter unit that my wife keeps constantly running.

Jumped to the Info screen and watch the temperature rise from 29c and stabilize at 32c, 3 degrees cooler than it reported before I modded my unit.

Ideal fix? Not hardly, and I'm still thinking about picking up a Maxtor 80GB down the road and doing it all over again. For now, though, everything's working fine and it's GREAT to have 82 hours recording time and version 2.0.1's features.

Many thanks to all who worked so hard to come up with the published hacks.

TiVo rules!

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Philips 12Hour, Upgraded w/IBM 60GB
TiVo Vers. 2.1.0-Z15

Posted by: bsnelson

FWIW, 39C is considered normal on TiVo's temperature "scale"; however, that's not to say that the drives themselves may have been getting much hotter.

I personally am waiting for Quantum (well, Maxtor/Quantum) to come out with some 100GB lctxx 4500 RPM drives. It's very well established that the 4500 RPM speed is plenty for TiVo, and the savings in heat and noise are very welcome.

As long as you've got a backup, though, you're pretty much set to do what you want..

Brad