Combine 2 drive pair into a new single drive?

[wkearney99]

Is it possible to move everything from a two drive setup (currently unhacked DirecTivo running 6.2) to a new larger single drive? Preserving bot setups and recordings?

I want to upgrade the current 40gb/60gb drive pair to a new 120gb drive. I tried using this:

mfsbackup -Tao - /dev/hda /dev/hdb | mfsrestore - -zpi /dev/hdc

It moved everything but didn't expand. Using mfsadd -x /dev/hdc doesn't work either, it complains about there being too many partitions.

So is there a way to get everything moved? I'd prefer to avoid losing the recordings.

Can a hacked 6.2 unit read these recordings via MRV? Or would they already have to have been recorded without scrambling?

[pab]

Is it possible to move everything from a two drive setup (currently unhacked DirecTivo running 6.2) to a new larger single drive? Preserving bot setups and recordings?

I doubt it. I've had some luck using -sTao as the arguments in mfsbackup, but that's usually on relatively virgin pairings; if there's anything in the extra partitions (the two new ones on the A drive or anything on the B drive) odds are it won't work.

I want to upgrade the current 40gb/60gb drive pair to a new 120gb drive. I tried using this:

mfsbackup -Tao - /dev/hda /dev/hdb | mfsrestore - -zpi /dev/hdc

It moved everything but didn't expand. Using mfsadd -x /dev/hdc doesn't work either, it complains about there being too many partitions.


There is a limit on the number of partitions that can be on a single drive. When you have a virgin TiVo image, there's room for one more pair of partitions, but no more than that. Your new backup image has too many partitions to fit on a single drive.

Did you use mfsadd to add extra partitions on the 40 gig, or is it still relatively untouched? If it's not had any extra partitions added to it, you might be able to use your backup to convert to a 60/120 or 120/120 setup, but you will never get it onto a single drive. And if you mfsadded anything to the A drive on its own, you will never be able to use a larger drive than 40 gig as your A drive, unless you lose the recordings.

Can a hacked 6.2 unit read these recordings via MRV? Or would they already have to have been recorded without scrambling?

They would have needed to be recorded without scrambling. I think you're stuck.

[PlainBill]

There are several possible solutions. One way is to combine partitions (http://alt.org/forum/index.php?t=msg&goto=769&rid=0&S=7685e15b700295296be568c78ad27ee8#msg_769). Another way is to use mfs-ftp to transfer them to a pc, then transfer back to the new drive. And lastly, you can always watch them all, then wipe them.

PlainBill

[fantmn]

They would have needed to be recorded without scrambling. I think you're stuck.

I hate to disagree but my experience says differently.
I have used MRV between two hacked DTivos to transfer and play scrambled recordings. They will not unscramble when they transfer, but they will transfer and play.

[wkearney99]

Hmmm, what's the right way to check whether a recording is scrambled or not? I just transferred them from a unit that I thought was still scrambled, to a unit that's supposedly set to NOT scramble, and they DO play.

[fantmn]

Hmmm, what's the right way to check whether a recording is scrambled or not? I just transferred them from a unit that I thought was still scrambled, to a unit that's supposedly set to NOT scramble, and they DO play.

If you have the All-In-One utilities from AlphaWolf then you can use the ciphercheck command.

LR1-bash /var/tmp # ciphercheck
CipherCheck - based on CipherCheck.tcl by AlphaWolf_HK

TyStream encryption is currently disabled.

Here is the status of your current recordings:

Encrypted CSO Set Stream Name
--------- ------- -----------
No No The Unit
No No MythBusters
Yes Yes King Kong
Yes Yes Dutch Oven & Camp Cooking
Yes Yes Dutch Oven & Camp Cooking
Yes Yes Coach

I have transfer both encrypted and unencrypted between DTivos at 6.2 without problems. If you are going between a DTivo and an SA unit then everything must be unencrypted. (There are more details in other threads).