Hacking your Series 2 in 2004

[PlainBill]

How can you save a file without any extentions?

Don't put an extention on the file name. Linux doesn't care. Forget the petty restrictions imposed by DOS and Windows.

document,
document.txt, and
this.is.a.document.notext are all equally valid file names.

PlainBill

[f2read]

I know I am new, but what the hell is a bash cable? Is it USB to Ethernet to come in to the Tivo, and if so why couldn't I use an Ethernet to Ethernet?

[ScanMan]

I know I am new, but what the hell is a bash cable? Is it USB to Ethernet to come in to the Tivo, and if so why couldn't I use an Ethernet to Ethernet?

It is a serial cable that comes with most standalones or can be purchased from 9thtee or even constructed if you are handy. It has a 9-pin serial connector on one end and an 1/8'' stereo plug on the other. The 1/8 end fits into the serial "port" on the back of your tivo and you can capture console (boot) output on your PC as well as re-directing a bash shell to the serial port on your PC for bash shell access through the serial. Really an invaluable part of your toolkit if you are going to venture down this path...

[drez]

Search ebay for Tivo Serial Cable.
The listing should say for PC, not cable box.

There's a seller that consistently lists for $2.99+$6.95 shipping:
"BRAND NEW TiVo to PC Null Serial Cable DB9 - Mini Jack"

[f2read]

The first line "Then I started installing the hacks on my drive" is this the Direct tivo drive?

[ScanMan]

The first line "Then I started installing the hacks on my drive" is this the Direct tivo drive?

Yes, he means the tivo drive, although it's always a good idea to put the stock drive aside and buy another drive to hack. Although this is a good sticky, it's a little dated. The general concepts are all there but you may need to fill in a few gaps. You might want to read a few more threads, Capt Video's Tivo Hacking 101 is a popular one.

[f2read]

I mount the hard drive mount -o remount,rw after mount /dev/hda4 /mnt/4. When I get on I try and run bootpage -p /dev/hda, and I get not found I try and chmod not found. I know it has to be something small but I can't find out what. Most of the threads are so old I don't think I am going get any response. I have done MFStools back up, and Killhdinitrd. My hacks stay but it will not boot on tivo. I think I just need bootpage but nothing will run. Well thats it for me. HELP

[PlainBill]

I've answered your questions in the other thread. READ!!!

PlainBill

[opticalcarrier]

Ive installed the kill'ed kernel to my tivo drive, and changed the bootparams to activate the console and disable upgrades.

Now how do I install the s2 scripts and backported drivers? I'm using a usb/IDE adapter and my drive shows up as "sda" and "fdisk -l" says that there are no partitions on it so I cant mount it and move the files there...Im confused as to how you guys are moving the files....

[PlainBill]

Ive installed the kill'ed kernel to my tivo drive, and changed the bootparams to activate the console and disable upgrades.

Now how do I install the s2 scripts and backported drivers? I'm using a usb/IDE adapter and my drive shows up as "sda" and "fdisk -l" says that there are no partitions on it so I cant mount it and move the files there...Im confused as to how you guys are moving the files....

Use pdisk -l /dev/sda to see the partitions (that is '...dash space el space....' not 'one' or upper case 'eye').

PlainBill

[robert meyer]

hi;

I'm new to the forums; I've been reading for quite some time, but
this it my first post.

I'm an experienced software developer with a decent electronics
background and a fair amount of linux under my belt.

I've been reading thru this and several tivo hacking forums for
a few months now, and having nothing better to do, I'd love to
hack my way into my tivo and enable telnet access as well as
ftp and other fun stuff.

I've already replaced the original 40g tivo drive with a 100g drive,
and successfully adjusted the partition table to take advantage of
the new larger drive (the old one is stashed safely away in a box
in the closet).

so far, so good.

the question I have for you all (and I think I already know the
answer, and I'm not gonna like it) is: my tivo is a TCD540040
model (with what I believe is commonly known as the "nightlight"
in the front), is it true that I cannot hack into this thing without
replacing the prom?

thanks in advance for your replies, and my apologies if this
question has been answered elsewhere.

call me oscar.

[PlainBill]

Correct; you must replace the prom to hack the system.

PlainBill

[robert meyer]

Correct; you must replace the prom to hack the system.

PlainBill

hi Bill; thanks for your quick response.

could you point me to some information on that topic?
it sounds like a bit more work than I'm willing to get
into, unless someone is making these "souped-up" proms
available at a reasonable price.

thanks again.
(cute kid, by the way)

oscar.

[andrel]

Look at this post: http://dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53722. I have bought a PROM from him, and have received a perfect PROM really fast. You then have to replace the PROM on the board with the socket provided. This is the tricky part, and you should have it done if you have no experience in soldering. The same guy offer installation service too.

Hope that helps.

André

[robert meyer]

andrel:

thank you!
that looks like exactly what I need.

I sent him a PM (as he requests) for more info.
I'll update this thread when I hear back from him.

thanks again.
oscar.