Tips for 4.0 on your S2 DTivo

[MuscleNerd]

Those URL's should probably not be made clickable, because clicking them will invoke CGI scripts on the TiVo service machine (not very friendly if you're not a TiVo box).

Still, the info is correct, and very useful to those who want to set up their own TiVo service (and have your firewall redirect your tivo box's connect attempts to your own server).

[n4zmz]

I guess I'm guilty there. The mothership really does not like talking to a non-tivo.

One of these days, I'll finally get a chance to fix the Service Emulator to properly generate the keys instead of manually munging existing keys.

[newbie]

Originally posted by NutKase
Boy did I get kicked when I tried to say that in the MFS_FTP on Series 2 thread.

Maybe, now that you've came up with the same conclusion we'll get to the bottom of it and I can start burning DVDs instead of rebuilding tivos with corrupted mfs databases.

Any idea WHAT exactly corrupts them?

NutKase

I (like everyone else) can't insert a DTivo S1 in a HDVR2. No audio BUT I have also found the date/ title infomration is usually incorrect. There seems to be difference in the file format between the Dtivo S1 and S2. Alphwolf suggested updated the S1 software to 3.X, haven't tried it yet.

[NutKase]

Here is my latest attempt to get mfs_ftp working fully on tivo software version 4.01. 4.01 is commonly found on SA S2 machines.

I reference the software version and not the machine since as you may have noticed while reading the forum that different software versions are being tried on a variety of machines with varying degrees of success.

However, you may also notice that when this happens the same questions and problems occur that were 'covered' under a 'hardware' related thread and users just don't think it applies to them.

Anyway, here's what I've done:

Download the latest version of mfs_ftp from the first post in the 'Mfs_Ftp: extract, archive, restore & transfer recordings' thread.

Read the readme file, and follow its directions to get an mfs_ftp directory in your place of choice.

Note: This version of mfs_ftp supports running it from any directory you want. I chose /hack/mfs_ftp since I don't like to keep anything in /var.

EDIT - Step 1, is no longer required since the latest versions of mfs_ftp tzoffset.tcl autodetects also. I left it up for reference.

1. Edit the tzoffset.tcl file as follows:

Line 85
set setuptz [dbobj $lconfig get TimeZoneOld]
to
set setuptz [dbobj $lconfig get TimeZoneOffset]

(and thank MuscleNerd)

Line 105
set outf [open /var/mfs_ftp/tzoffset.txt w]
to
set outf [open /hack/mfs_ftp/tzoffset.txt w]
(Replace /var with /whereveryouwant)


2. Replace the S1 binaries included with the mfs_ftp .zip above with the
ronnythunder mips_mfs_binaries


3. Replace setpri binary with the alldeadhomiez mips_setpri binary.


4. Make the files executable with
chmod +x /path/to/mfs_ftp/*


5. Run the program with
/path/to/mfs_ftp/mfs_ftp.tcl &

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WARNING

Everything works on 4.X with these instructions BUT inserting files. DO NOT ATTEMPT to insert any file on ANY tivo running 4.0 or above. YOU WILL immediately...

1. Lose the ability to record programs
2. Corrupt your mfs database
3. Screw up the To Do List - which will no longer record
4. Screw up the Season Passes - lose the ability to edit or record

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is where I am now. I'll update this post to finish the directions as I figure it out with help from all of you. Please don't move this post. It may also apply to other threads but it IS a 4.x software issue at present and this thread is where most of the advancement is happening.

NutKase

[NutKase]

Originally posted by Juppers
The nowplaying structure is different,

I'm trying to learn about this and figure it out now. Any help?

Originally posted by Juppers
It fixed right up and can record fine after I pulled that partial from the DB.

I'm counting on being able to remove the partial as stated above. If I have to kill all my kids programs on their tivo by rebuilding it from scratch AGAIN, I may have Christmas alone

I'm assuming that I figure out where the program was tried to be inserted and delete it? Do I use Tivoweb for this?

Help! Juppers, MuscleNerd, mrBlack51? Bueler? Santa?

NutKase

[Juppers]

From what I saw when I was running 4.0, when the unit records something, it puts file pointers in several places in the now showing branch. mfs_ftp only does one, and when the others aren't there myworld gets pissed and will refuse to record anything until the partial record is removed, or until all the matching records are there. I didn't spend anymore time on it than just seeing why I could no longer record and making ti so I could record again. The rest of my 4.0 time was trying to get my Sony remote to work. I plan to pop in my 4.0 drive again tuesday or sunday and play some more. I will split my time between the remote search and mfs ftp inserts.

[NutKase]

Originally posted by Juppers
...will refuse to record anything until the partial record is removed

How do I remove it?

Originally posted by Juppers
I will split my time between the remote search and mfs ftp inserts.

If you'll share some info we can all 'split' our time.

I'm willing to spend some time just point me to what tools or how you're looking around for the partial recording or insert records.

Is this via tivoweb? I've got to find and delete this thing FAST as my kids tivo is crapped out again.

[EDIT] Edited to include another plea for help from mrblack51 !

NutKase

PS. mrblack51, can you shed any light on how to delete the partial?

[MuscleNerd]

Originally posted by BTUx9
If DirecTV sends down a software update that isn't 4.0, won't that corrupt the MFS DB as soon as it records a show? (just like an insert from mfs_ftp does?)

There's no way of knowing in advance what will happen if you tinker with your Tivo and still let automatic updates take place. That's why it's best to disable them (search if you don't know how to disable them).

Has anyone tried reverting to 3.x to see if this happens?

It is impossible to convince the TiVo software to revert from a higher version to a lower version. The best you can do is restore an MFSTools backup, in which case your entire MFS DB is overwritten anyways.

[NutKase]

Originally posted by rc3105
2) tivoapp creates all the required db entries for a new recording

if I had a s2 it'd be easy to discover & add the proper 4.x entries, since I don't - it's upto somebody that does to figure out what's missing

If tivoapp creates all the required entries... What do you mean by 'adding the proper 4.x entries?

I'm trying to understand this. I'm not getting how everyone is looking around in their mfs. The only way I can see anything is with tivoweb, are you guys mounting /dev/hda10? Pulling the drive?

Originally posted by Juppers
...running 4.0, when the unit records something, it puts file pointers in several places in the now showing branch. mfs_ftp only does one, and when the others aren't there myworld gets pissed and will refuse to record anything until the partial record is removed, or until all the matching records are there.

This is where I am, just trying to figure out how to see the db and the entries that 'aren't' there

NutKase

[MuscleNerd]

by "reverting" I meant installing 3.x onto the alternate boot partition of a monte'd tivo that's currently running 4.0, or does that destroy the MFS DB?

It overwrites the MFS DB.

[MuscleNerd]

Originally posted by NutKase
I'm not getting how everyone is looking around in their mfs. The only way I can see anything is with tivoweb, are you guys mounting /dev/hda10? Pulling the drive?

One way of looking at the MFS database is through tivoweb.

The more direct way involves invoking tivosh from the bash prompt and using the 1-2 dozen MFS commands that are out there. That's a huge topic (huge).

[nata2]

Originally posted by MuscleNerd
The service call is made using an IP address directly, not a hostname -- so a hosts file entry wouldn't be useful.

Your logs should show that the IP address is 204.176.49.2, which is inside a UUNET domain. If you wanted to filter out that entire block of addresses, the CIDR is 204.176.0.0/14.

I thought about this for awhile and created a quick shell script that adds a route to local host for that IP(204.176.49.2).

route add -host 204.176.49.2 gw 127.0.0.1
route add -net  204.176.49.0 gw 127.0.0.1 netmask 255.255.255.0

With the routes in place i can no longer ping that IP.

I have attached a file that should do the trick. let me know if it works. It includes a way to unblock the IP as well. remove the .txt and run it through your favorite dox2unix converter to get it to work.

[NutKase]

Originally posted by mavrcksd
It was a different set of S2 binaries for the HDVR.

Thanks again.

You're welcome, glad to help. Can you please explain this a little more? In this case, an S2 is and S2 is an S2, unless I'm missing something.

NutKase

[mavrcksd]

Well.

When I was running 3.0 software on my HDVR, I had a set of binaries that I used.

I tried that same set of binaries on the versino 4.0 software that I recently loaded, and it would not work. Neither would the tytool software, it was saying bad super block (for tytool), for the mfs-ftp errors, it would close the connection right away and not allow for extraction.

I downloaded the musclenerd version of the binary and it worked.

TivoWeb is the last to patch for me right now.

[mavrcksd]

My HDVR2, I have attempted 3x to put the printf command to patch the tivoapp and it will not take.

I have done the printf to a copied version of the tivoapp, and then copied it back, did a chmod on it, and issued a reboot. Yes it would reboot, however when I did a recording, and immediately when the recording was done the tivo would reboot. If I tried to play the recording when it was rebooted, it would immediately reboot at that time as well.

So right now, my HDVR is running the 4.0 software, with only the kmem patch. I cant watch anything that has been recorded, but that is alright right now. I can watch it on mplayer or windows media for the moment. Or stream it to my other tivo to watch (s1).

Anyways, I guess I'll await the next version of the sleeper scripts that will patch the tivoapp automatically.

SLEEPER: if your watching. One note that I would appreciate is, if you can pick the hacks that you want to apply. If you choose to abort, you cannot continue past that.

Also, the default for the mfs_ftp.tcl is 3105 . I originally assumed that there was something wrong with the hack when my ftp program would not connect. Until i opened up and did the ps of what was running. the telnet window wasn't wide enough to display everything, and when I streched it out to see, it was running on 3150 instead.

I edited the rc.sysinit.author to not run tivoweb (since it's not patched), and also mfs_ftp or tivoftpd. I launch those when I want to use those.

Thanks again everyone. And well, if there is someone out there that is using a successfully patched tivoapp that would like to send me theirs, i would appreciate it . It looks like everything is going fine, but it doesnt. I think at this point, i would have to pull the drive and patch it that way, patching via telnet just hasn't worked.

MAV