Can't telnet to TiVo Series 2 with ver. 4.0 software

[redrahn]

I am a newbie to TiVo and Linux so bear with me. I purchased a TiVo Series 2 and wish to save video files to my pc. So, I purchased a USB/Ehernet adapter from 9th Tee. The TiVo recently updated to version 4.0 which supports lan-based updates. This feature works fine and is great. I then used Steve Jenkins' Newbie TiVo Hacker How-To Guide located at http://www.stevejenkins.com/tivo/newbie.html to attempt to be able to telnet into my TiVo. I was able to load the files into the /mnt9/hack directory and had no problem adding the 'tnlited 23 /bin/bash -login &' command to the rc.sysinit file. However, I am still unable to telnet into the TiVo. (I am able to ping the TiVo) Also, I find that the rc.sysinit file in partition 7 removes the tnlited command (revertes to original file). However, the tnlited command is still in the rc.sysinit file in partition 4. I have added the tnlited command to the rc.sysinit file in partition 7 several times and every time, after the TiVo boots up,it is removed. Is this a version 4 problem now that there is TiVo ethernet support or is it something I'm doing/not doing. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

[mrblack51]

all s2 tivos use the initrd to remove files which have been modified (and sometimes replace them). if you want bash on your 4.0 unit, you need to replace your prom by desoldering and such.

[redrahn]

Thanks for the reply! Do you know where I can find out more about changing the prom to solve my problem with initrd on S2 ver 4 TiVos?

[SANJedi]

Redrahn,

We're in the same boat... I jst got my S2 last week, did the upgrade to 150 hrs, and couldn't get any edits to the config files to stay, and the files that I added got blown away too. MrBlack has some excellent posts on this topic.

Search the forum for: initd, linuxrc, and PROM

Towards the end of this thread, the problem is talked about.
http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23794



Background links, Initd and lunuxrc
------------------------------------------------------------------------

These are the 2 main processes that are going on during boot, and "it ain't like Win-ders..."

These are links for the man-pages (Linux Help files) that talk about these 2 processes.

http://www.suse.de/~nashif/autoinstall/linuxrc.html
http://www.rt.com/man/initrd.4.html

Boot Sequence Description for Linux
http://www.ibiblio.org/mdw/HOWTO/BootPrompt-HOWTO.html

[mrblack51]

sorry to go off topic, but i gotta say that SANJedi's first post is one of the best i have ever seen.

[SANJedi]

MrBlack, Thanks!!! High Praise!

Been reading your posts for a while... :)

I hate to admit how long I've been lurking, but it's been a really long time!!!


As for this little "problem"....

I have a couple of ideas, but I'm not sure what they will do to the TiVo.

1. Like a "good little user", I forced the TiVo to call in until I got the v4 software. Did this load something new into that PROM? I'm thinking about downgrading to a 3.2 image, and preventing it from upgrading. Did v4 do anything to the PROM that will prevent this?

2. What is linuxrc using as the "master" for the files that it checks against? Can I change this "master file" to look like the modified rc.sysinit? (ie open up the conpressed file, change/add the files that I want, compress it again, and let it fly). That way I could add the tnlited line (or anything else) to the init file (real one and the master), and it wouldn't get changed. (Can I get TiVo to think that it's supposed to be there).

3. Can I change where linuxrc looks for the files? Can I make a dummy directory/mount point (maybe on HDx9), have linuxrc check that, then boot off the real root?

I'm not concerned about screwing up the HD, bc/ I have the origional on a shelf that I can always restore from (v4, current).

[mrblack51]

Originally posted by SANJedi
1. Like a "good little user", I forced the TiVo to call in until I got the v4 software. Did this load something new into that PROM? I'm thinking about downgrading to a 3.2 image, and preventing it from upgrading. Did v4 do anything to the PROM that will prevent this?

2. What is linuxrc using as the "master" for the files that it checks against? Can I change this "master file" to look like the modified rc.sysinit? (ie open up the conpressed file, change/add the files that I want, compress it again, and let it fly). That way I could add the tnlited line (or anything else) to the init file (real one and the master), and it wouldn't get changed. (Can I get TiVo to think that it's supposed to be there).

3. Can I change where linuxrc looks for the files? Can I make a dummy directory/mount point (maybe on HDx9), have linuxrc check that, then boot off the real root?

1. the prom is not flashable in place via software in series 2 units, so it didnt get changed. this means you can go back to whatever version you want, including one which is vulnerable to the bash_env exploit.

2 & 3. you can't modify linuxrc in any way and still boot with a stock prom setup. the linuxrc, which is inside the initrd image, is signature checked by the prom as a part of the overall kernel image check. so essentially, the two ideas (while relatively valid) won't work