TiVo Community Forums Archives - HDVR2 upgrade, swap size, couple more questions

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HDVR2 upgrade, swap size, couple more questions
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Posted by: Darin

I finally convinced my sister & her family to get a Tivo. They got an HDVR2, so for xmas I've gotten them a 120GB drive and the 9th T bracket. My intention was to do as much as possible before hand (but I need to leave in a couple of hours!).

I've read through the HDVR2 upgrade thread, as well as the latest Hinsdale guide, but I'm still confused about a couple of things. First, the Hinsdale guide says:

quote:
Swap File: When increasing your total recording capacity (A+B drives) to over ~140GB (actual threshold number is likely just over 150GB for Series 1 Standalones and over 180GB for DirecTiVos and Series 2 units) the preferable method for upgrade should include a means to increase the swap file so that the built-in TiVo repair utility (GSOD) can complete if ever triggered (rare).

We will be adding the 120GB drive to the existing 40GB drive, which gives a total above 140GB, but below the 180GB figure given for series 2 and/or dtivos. Is using the 180GB number safe, meaning I don't need to worry about increasing the swap size?

And I could have sworn that there used to be an option to "bless" a second drive, which didn't require doing anything to the existing drive (which I would think would be the most straight forward ASSUMING I don't need to increase swap size)... you blessed the second drive, added it to the TiVo, and you were up and running. That was what I was going to do, so all we had to do was plop the drive in. Reading through the current Hinsdale guide, I don't see where anything is done to a brand new (additional) drive unless you copy your existing TiVo data to it.

Either I'm reading things too fast, or it's changed a lot since I upgraded my unit. :confused:

Posted by: weaknees

You can Bless a B drive (do it in noswap) and have it recognized by an HDVR2 as per our thread on upgrading that unit. As far as the total to hit the swap problem, we don't know where the threshold is with that unit.

Why not just make the new drive the A drive and then make the old one the B drive?

Michael

Posted by: Darin

quote:
Originally posted by weaknees
Why not just make the new drive the A drive and then make the old one the B drive?

Well, at the time, I figured they may want me to help them with the upgrade while I was there, and was going for something fast. I was hoping to just bless the drive before I wrapped it, so it just had to be dropped in. As it turned out, there was too much going on to bother with the upgrade so I'll have to go back anyway. Making the new drive the A drive may very well be the best option, but of course, if they want to keep their recordings, that will take a lot longer.

Thanks!

Posted by: Robert S

I recommend you use MFS Tools 2.0's mfsadd function instead of BlessTiVo.

Posted by: milo99

quote:
Originally posted by Darin
Either I'm reading things too fast, or it's changed a lot since I upgraded my unit. :confused:

you're reading too fast.

keep reading a bit further after that swap file note, and you'll see the "mfsadd" directions. this replaces the blesstivo method, but does the same thing.

Posted by: drmcm

quote:
Originally posted by weaknees
Why not just make the new drive the A drive and then make the old one the B drive?

I can think of several reasons to leave the original drive as the A drive and put the new 120 Gig as the B drive ... primarily for simplicity. By just mfsadd-ing the 120 Gig ("blessing" it), you can add the new drive with a minimum of TiVo down time (should be only 20 minutes plus or minus if you have everything you need). Otherwise you have to pull the old drive, connect it to a PC in which you've disconnected whatever is usually connected to the slave IDE's, copy, wait, put everything back. While that may be a nice process in the sense of getting a clean backup, it does take a while. As I'm a dad of twin 3 year olds, I only have a few hours after they've gone to bed for such operations, and I certainly can't leave open electronics out overnight. And unless you do the long copy, you loose your recordings, ...

So my question is, what's wrong with leaving the original 40 in place and just adding a new 120 beside it, kinda like the old blessTiVo way?

(I just got an HDR2 for christmas, set it up today, and have placed an order for a Samsung 120G drive, so I'd really like to know!!)

Thanks! -Mike

Posted by: Darin

quote:
Originally posted by milo99
you're reading too fast.

keep reading a bit further after that swap file note, and you'll see the "mfsadd" directions. this replaces the blesstivo method, but does the same thing.

I figured that was probably the case... I was in that last minute holiday rush. :) I did see the mfsadd section, but I misread it to mean that it wrote data to the original drive to make it aware of the new B drive. Didn't realize it could be used with just the new B drive hooked up.

Thanks! :)

Posted by: milo99

quote:
Originally posted by Darin
I figured that was probably the case... I was in that last minute holiday rush. :) I did see the mfsadd section, but I misread it to mean that it wrote data to the original drive to make it aware of the new B drive. Didn't realize it could be used with just the new B drive hooked up.

Thanks! :)

oh i see what you're asking... i'm not sure about that. from what i've understood others saying, the A drive does need to be in there cuz mfsadd writes something to the A drive to let it know about the second one.

i don't know though.. anyone out there know for sure?

in either case, you'd need the A hooked up, but it'd still be a quick process if all you do is add the B and don't bother with the backup image etc (of course, not the recommended route, but if you have an image already, shouldn't matter).