Monte, 3.1b OS & lost recording, help!

[tim2009]

After the first success on my HDVR2, I decide to do the monte on the 2nd HDVR2. However, this one already has the 3.1.1b update on it (the other one I switch it back to 3.1.0 before I start) and searching from the forum, it seems it is possible to directly do it that way. I guess I might be wrong.
After I did the backup on the drives (2 drive):
mfsbackup -f 9999 -6so /mnt/c/tivo3_1b.bak /dev/hdc /dev/hdb

I perform the d70's Monte and everything seem fine until power up. It seems it is stuck in a loop (between the power up and few more second screen). So I took the drives out and do a restore:
mfsrestore -s 127 -xzpi /mnt/c/tivo3_1b.bak /dev/hdc /dev/hdb

Put it back and it seems to run fine until I go to the Now Playing List. For some strange reason, all the program I record before 10/14, I can play it. Any program after that, when I press select on play, it will take me directly to a screen and ask if I want to delete it now or not. If I choose not, it will take me to an error screen and tell me that no signal has been recorded. But I know I record them because I was watching them before I did the monte. What is strange is that there is one show on the 10/16 I can watch (I have record over 6 show on the same days) but not any other.

I perform another mfsrestore and now I even can't watch the only show on 10/16. Can anyone tell me what's going on? Any way to save those program? I don't want to do any more mfsrestore which might further damage my recording.

Please help!

[captain_video]

If you restored an image to your hard drive then you already lost all of your recordings. Are all the shows listed the same ones that were on the DTivo when you made the backup image? It sounds like the DTivo thinks they're still in the Now Showing list when in reality they got wiped.

[tim2009]

Thanks for the response. I did the backup and restore in less than an hour apart. All the show listing are exactly the same before and after. I did the same thing to my other HDVR2 (3.1.0 OS) and all the shows are saved but this time, with the 3.1.1b OS, only some shows are saved. I could understand that all the program should be wiped but I can still watch over half of them. I just don't know why?
Is there any way to save them?

[ronnythunder]

sounds like some of your recordings were recorded with no scrambling, and some were not. when you did the mfsrestore, though, as the capt said, you nuked the keys needed to play the scrambled ones. however, since you're (apparently) not disabling scrambling now, the ones recorded without scrambling aren't working either.

bottom line: anything you recorded with scrambling before the restore are gone, period, paragraph. the ones recorded with no scramble will "come back" if you disable scrambling with kmem or some other method.

ronny

[tim2009]

Thanks for the reply and info. Please bear with me while I see if I can understand this correctly:

1. I record some show with scrambling and some without scrambling.
2. The one I can see now is the one without scrambling.
3. The one I can not watch now is gone forever even it is still on the now showing list.

However, how did I get to scramble and unscramble in the first place? I never add that hack in and all I did is just backup and restore. Since I can see some show now (without doing anything), by disabling scramble, will it make it worst or I could see even more show?

Still a bit confuse. Please clarify, thanks.

[NutKase]

Originally posted by tim2009
For some strange reason, all the program I record before 10/14, I can play it. Any program after that, when I press select on play, it will take me directly to a screen and ask if I want to delete it now or not.

ronnythunder is exactly right! Most of your problem is that you have mixed scrambled and unscrambled recordings. Try it with kmem running, then without and you'll learn what we mean.

You also have to understand that mfsbackup and mfsrestore don't work with a monte'd system. I extract (dd) each partition out for my backups. If another update comes, at least you can restore to the last backup manually, ie. dd each partition back to where it belongs.

I also use this to move partitions around after an update to keep my 2 tivos the same - like, if I 'allow' an update to get the newer software version, I dd it out to my windrive then switch it to match where 'I' want it to run from. This keeps the commands I type when the drives are in my computer the same and helps keep typos to a minimum.

Hey, you're not a tivo 'hacker' until your tivo drives are as comfortable in your computer as in the tivo ;)

NutKase

[NutKase]

Originally posted by tim2009
1. I record some show with scrambling and some without scrambling. <snip> However, how did I get to scramble and unscramble in the first place?
Are you sure you haven't added kmem to your hackinit or sysinit?
Originally posted by tim2009
2. The one I can see now is the one without scrambling.
I don't understand what you're saying in #2.
Originally posted by tim2009
3. The one I can not watch now is gone forever even it is still on the now showing list.
The shows are probably still there if this is a scrambling/unscrambling issue. Use my instructions here (http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=122444#post122444) ,the 8th from bottom, to test.

[tim2009]

Thanks Nutkase for the information and reply. It clear a lot of things up.

I follow d70's monte method which call for mfsbackup and mfsrestore. I guess it is too late for me. However, I should use dd command, can I dd it directly to the hard drive and store the image there? Something like this:

dd if=/dev/hdc (tivo drive) of=/dev/hdb/tivo.bak bs=1024

Not sure how to do this " I dd it out to my windrive then switch it to match where 'I' want it to run from. " especially where you want it to run from, any hint?

Also, if I understand this correctly, even I have a 2 drive system, I really don't need to touch drive b (dd it) to update or change anything in boot drive, correct?

1. Using Editpad, I did a search for kmem in my rc.sysinit and rc.sysinit.author (don't use the hackinit), no kmem anywhere. I don't think I have transfer the file kmem over yet. I was afraid it might wipe out my record ...... oh well ....

2. I was just wondering why I can see some show and other I can't. I guess I must be in one mode and that is why?

3. Looking at the link you mention, do I just need to add a line (also transfer the file kmem to rc.d) to my rc.sysinit.author file:

kmem (to turn on scrambling?)
and then
no kmem (to turn off scrambling?)
to test the different?

You mention:
You CAN watch video recorded with kmem off (with kmem off)
You CANNOT watch video recorded with kmem off (with kmem on)
You CAN watch video recorded with kmem on (with kmem on)

Do you mean the video on the HDVR2 not the extracted video, correct? If it is the case, it will be interesting to see if I can watch the program that I can not watch now.

Thanks a million!

[NutKase]

Originally posted by tim2009
Thanks Nutkase for the information and reply. It clear a lot of things up.

I don't know how to save recordings whil backing up a monte'd system. But to protect against screwing up you system you can back the monte and hacks by copying each partition to your windows drive. Use

dd if=/dev/hdcX of=/mnt/c/30kernel.img

if=infile
of=outfile
X=whatever partition you're copying

I name them 30kernel.img or 30fs.img if it's the hackable one, or 401kernel.img and 401fs.img if it's the latest tivo software. The names don't matter, just keep them straight in your head.

fs=file system.
Originally posted by tim2009
Not sure how to do this " I dd it out to my windrive then switch it to match where 'I' want it to run from. " especially where you want it to run from, any hint?
You can copy the .img's you just exported back to anywhere you want by reversing the dd=if and dd=of commands like:

dd if=/mnt/c/30kernel.img of=/dev/hdc3 or whatever. If you switch where they were originally after the mfsrestore, just skip the 'flip' step in your guide (/bootpage -f -C /dev/hdX)[/B]

Originally posted by tim2009
Also, if I understand this correctly, even I have a 2 drive system, I really don't need to touch drive b (dd it) to update or change anything in boot drive, correct?
Correct.


Originally posted by tim2009
1. Using Editpad, I did a search for kmem in my rc.sysinit and rc.sysinit.author (don't use the hackinit), no kmem anywhere. I don't think I have transfer the file kmem over yet.?
You'll have to put if back on the drive.

Originally posted by tim2009
2. I was just wondering why I can see some show and other I can't. I guess I must be in one mode and that is why?.?
Right now, with kmem not running properly you're recording scrambled (not extractable) video and you can't SEE the video that was recorded whil kmem WAS properly running.

Originally posted by tim2009
3. Looking at the link you mention, do I just need to add a line (also transfer the file kmem to rc.d) to my rc.sysinit.author file:

kmem (to turn on scrambling?)
and then
no kmem (to turn off scrambling?)
to test the different?

You mention:
You CAN watch video recorded with kmem off (with kmem off)
You CANNOT watch video recorded with kmem off (with kmem on)
You CAN watch video recorded with kmem on (with kmem on)

Do you mean the video on the HDVR2 not the extracted video, correct? If it is the case, it will be interesting to see if I can watch the program that I can not watch now.

Thanks a million!

3. Add the kmem command to rc.sysinit.author. BE CAREFUL the command varies with which tivo software version you're running. Tell me which and I'll try to help you with it. With 4.0 or above you'll also have to patch your tivoapp file. To start and stop kmem from running just comment out the line in rc.sysinit with # like

#/path/to/kmem (proper parameters here)

Yes, I mean the video on your tivo. But, if you've already used mfsrestore on a monte'd system your video is gone and the items in the list point to nothing.

NutKase

[tim2009]

Thanks for the detail information, Nutkase. Since my HDVR2 is now back (somewhat) in the before Monte state, I will definitely use the dd method instead of the mfsrestore to try again.

As for the kmem, I have a HDVR2 with 3.1.1b. However, I am considering downgrade it to 3.1.0 (have the old image) and monte that with the 3.1.U5 if you think that is the way to go. In any case, will the command be something like this for the 3.1.0:

kmem 800b23b4 00001021

the above should make all the recording not scramble (kmem on)?

and then if I put a # (comment) in front of kmem, the next time I boot up, the tivo will automatically reverse back to scramble (kmem off)?

You mention 4.0 software patch for the tivoapp, is that for the S2 only? Is it still apply to the DTV? Anything else I need to do before I test it out? I guess a few minutes recording in both kemem on and kemem off will do the trick?

Thanks, you been a great help!

[NutKase]

Originally posted by tim2009
Thanks for the detail information, Nutkase. Since my HDVR2 is now back (somewhat) in the before Monte state, I will definitely use the dd method instead of the mfsrestore to try again.
You'll still need a non-monte image to recover from the next software update. AFTER you get your monte and most desired hacks working, use the dd method for each partition 3/4, 6/7, then all you have to do is write the romfs.img to /dev/hdc## and dd the other 4 partitions where you want them.

Originally posted by tim2009
kmem 800b23b4 00001021.
I'm not sure, read the boards for this since some are running full monte'd 3.1.1b systems. That was the command for 3.0 HDVR2's though.[/B][/QUOTE]


Originally posted by tim2009
the above should make all the recording not scramble (kmem on)?

and then if I put a # (comment) in front of kmem, the next time I boot up, the tivo will automatically reverse back to scramble (kmem off)?.
Yes.

Originally posted by tim2009
You mention 4.0 software patch for the tivoapp, is that for the S2 only? I guess a few minutes recording in both kemem on and kemem off will do the trick?
You'll have to ask some HDVR2 owners if the patch is required. It's only required for 4.0 software and up unless the new 3.1.1b changed something.

NutKase

[tim2009]

Thanks for all the help. I am starting another Monte attempt, hope this one will go smoothly.