Sleeper help please

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I'm getteing "Error performing mfsrestore!" via Sleeper's ISO. Searching (eyes are now bloodshot) didn't turn up anything helpful, so now I'm finally asking for help.

I monted-backedup my orig (unhacked) 40gb drive to a FAT 32. My only prob is restoring to a WD 120GB (1200AB) drive. I even tried nodma, but nada. Anyone have any insight?? TIA.

ack. Edit: mfsrestore restores 788 of 1466 & hangs every time. Rebooted, retried a zillion times. (nodma boot too) Same error, same place.

[captain_video]

There are several things I would suggest you try.

1. Perform the backup process again to make sure you have a good backup. Try to restore the newly backed up image and see if you can get all the way through it.

2. Download Sleeper's tivoscript again and burn a new CD. You may have a corrupt image that's hosing MFS Tools.

3. Try a different CD burning program. Some programs do not do a very good job when burning ISO images so make sure you're burning it correctly.

4. Use a different CD-ROM drive. Not all CD-ROM drives like Linux boot disks.

5. Try a different PC. Some PC hardware setups also do not work as well with a Linux boot CD. My main PC chokes on them every time but my old PC works great with them.

[lgkahn]

I hate to say it but also try a different hard drive I have had trouble sometimes with certain hard drives...

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Thanks for the reply. Well, I tried a 160GB HD & mfsrestore worked on it no problem! But I need that drive for a RAID, so I still need to get the 120GB working. I'd guess that this shows that my system is ok, no? I'm now thinking that there's something strange with the expansion aspect of putting the 40GB image on a 120GB. The 120GB came out of a UTV, and I zero'd it out with mhd3 & with WD's software. I'll try another PC just for the heck of it, but if you (or anyone else) has any input, I'd appreciate it. TIA.

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Yup, I did that...and viola. But as I followed-up, I need to get the 120gb working, if possible. Maybe we can figure out if we can get those "difficult" drives to work...is it just Sleeper's ISO having trouble, or do manual restores also not work with certain drives? I don't how to execute a manual restore yet, that'll require another couple days of reading before I'm able to.

[captain_video]

Get a copy of Hinsdale's How To for using MFS Tools 2.0 to restore an image. Sleeper's iso contains a copy of MFS Tools 2.0 and you can access it by pressing Alt+F2 when you boot into the options menu.

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I Alt-F2'd out, and manually executed mfsrestore with the same parameters as Sleeper used...same error. So I take it that this drive just isn't Tivo-happy, correct?

Just to be sure: I'm assuming the new drive should not be partitioned or formatted, as with UTVs.

Frustrating...

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Hi all, many thanks. I got mfsbackup to work on this drive by removing the optimize partition layout paramter (-p).

So the question is, how important or desirable is this parameter...IOW, how bad is it to not use this parameter?
btw: search(optimize partition layout)==NULL
TIA!

[PlainBill]

Hi all, many thanks. I got mfsbackup to work on this drive by removing the optimize partition layout paramter (-p).

So the question is, how important or desirable is this parameter...IOW, how bad is it to not use this parameter?
btw: search(optimize partition layout)==NULL
TIA!

With optimized partitions, the software partitions are in the middle of the drive, the MFS (data) partitions are at the edges. I suspect that non-optimized partitions would be in order - Software at the outer edge, the rest of the drive filled with data.

The loss of performance shouldn't be significant. I would be more concerned that by rearranging the layout you have moved files from a marginal area of the drive - a marginal area that will come back to bite you later. Most drive manufacturers have utilities available which will do an intensive low-level test of the drive. If you haven't already done so, run it.

PlainBill

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Thanks for your input. Strange stuff, bill: I ran the quick test, which returned no errors. I then ran the full test, which runs *both* the quick test & the full test. This time, the quick test returned error code 0004, which wdc.com says is a SMART error...drive is defective...Replace Drive.
This drive worked fine in my UTV w/o a hitch, but obviously now isn't too happy. WD is advancing me a replacement, so the saga continues. I'll retry restore w/ -p on the new drive & see how that goes.

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THEIR HELP!!

[Sleeper]

I was going to suggest not using that drive, but I guess you already figured that out. Good job!

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I was going to suggest not using that drive, but I guess you already figured that out. Good job!

Thanks Sleeper! And thanks for an awesome ISO!!!

[Sleeper]

Thanks Sleeper! And thanks for an awesome ISO!!!

Don't forget about the others who because of their hard work and discoveries make it possible for me to assemble the ISO.

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Don't forget about the others who because of their hard work and discoveries make it possible for me to assemble the ISO.

affirmative!

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My replacement drive works fine.

Thanks again for all the help guys!