9.4 on S3/HD?

[jkozee]

Running /tvbin/installSw.itcl will install the new software, as will removing the "upgradesoftware=false" from your bootpage and rebooting. However, both of these methods will wipe out your bootpage, custom hacks, and put a stock kernel back on the system, so you will need to pull the drive and repeat your initial steps for hacking.

Alternatively, you can alter the installSw.itcl and disable rebooting to give yourself a chance to hack the box via telntet. You will need a mips version of replace_initrd (and the dummy initrd) or a custom/neutered kernel. The "exact steps" depend on how you've already customized your box and what you expect when your done.

For those not inclined to do this process manually, ScanMan has reported success for 9.4 using his script found here.

[lgkahn]

ok thanks didnt wipeout the upgradesoftare on boot parm but must have wiped out kernel as after i pulled the drive and put the rc.sysinit.author and tivoftpd back on it still is not working... so i will pull the drive again and redo the kernel hack.. thanks

[psxboy]

I can't believe how many people still pull their drives out and re-hack on a PC every time a software upgrade comes down the line. I haven't had to pull my drives at all after the first time I hacked them. ScanMan's script might help some people overcome this particular handicap, but I'm a "do it manually" kinda guy so here's a basic overview of how I handle an upgrade:

(After the new software has been downloaded & Tivo is in "Pending Restart" mode)

• Telnet in, set root dir to rw and edit /tvbin/installSw.itcl to remove "reboot" line.
  
• Run installSw.itcl & take note of the new root partition.
  
• Once it's finished, mount the new root partition on /install. (ie. mount /dev/hda4 /install )
  
• Cd to /install & create kernel folder.
  
• Dd new kernel to backup file. (ie. dd if=/dev/hda3 of=/install/kernel/94kernel )
• Run replace_initrd on new kernel (I keep the mips version and the null-linuxrc.img.gz in /var/hack) and copy the neutered kernel back to the kernel partition. (ie. dd if=/install/kernel/94kernel_patched of=/dev/hda3 )
  
• I keep tivotools in /tivobin so I create /install/tivobin and extract tivotools.tar to it.
  
• I choose to use a neutered iptables so I copy it from /sbin/iptables to /install/sbin/iptables
  
• Copy /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit.author to /install/etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit.author
  
• Copy whatever other files and drivers you need to the appropriate subdirs of /install
  
• Patch /install/tvbin/tivoapp (I just use the NoCSO patch, applied with the "echo XXX | dd..." command and since this isn't the currently running tivoapp you don't have to do all the crazy copying first.)
  
• Cd back to /var, umount /install and set root back to ro.
  
• Finally, reboot into an upgraded-but-still-hacked tivo.

I also have a slightly modified partition table with a large hda1 where I keep an emergency root that I can boot into from the prom menu via serial. It boots just far enough to give me a bash prompt that I can use to perform emergency triage if I happen to mess something up. It's also a handy place to store /var backups. Highly recommended.

-psxboy

[captain_video]

I don't always have the time to install the hacks when I see the "Pending restart" status so I usually let the update occur naturally on my S3's. It was a different story when I was running the HDTivos since I could hold off any updates until I could install them manually.

I prefer to pull the drive after taking the update so I can create a virgin backup image before reinstalling the hacks. It's a simple matter of copying the files from the old partition to the new one and neutering the kernel while I have it installed in the PC. Once I copy everything over and create the backup I telnet in and install the tivoapp patches. The process isn't all that much different than the one psxboy uses except it's done with the drive in my PC. Aside from creating the backup image, the time frame for installing the hacks in a Tivo environment vs. a PC is negligible at best.

I always create a backup image for new software so the drive has to get pulled at some point to do it. If I have the notion, I also make a backup of the hacked drive as well so I don't have to reinstall squat if I need to replace the drive for some reason. What I'm surprised at is how many people don't make a backup and are just waiting to get bit in the a$$ from a drive failure. That's something I'd expect from a rookie, not a seasoned Tivo veteran. Leaving the drive in the Tivo is certainly convenient, but it's a risk I'm not willing to take.

I have easy access to my Tivos and have maybe one screw holding the drive bracket in place and nothing securing the cover so pulling the drive is no big deal for me. I also have a dedicated PC sitting in a small room about 8 feet from the Tivos that I use strictly for Tivo drive updates.

[lgkahn]

same here dedicated 486 pc with cd rom permantly installed to boot to unix

no bigee to pull drives and always back up hacked drive so dont have to do squat if they die.. never thought about virgin image but will do it tonight on my other box when i upgrade it...

[psxboy]

Ah. Well, mine's buried in the entertainment center and is a PITA to disconnect, open up, etc. As far as having a backup, I still have the original untouched drive and I save copies of the upgrade slices as they are downloaded to the Tivo (including a decrypted swsystem slice) so I can always get back to the current state without much hassle in the case of a drive failure.

Also, contrary to some posts, the upgradesoftware=false flag does work to stave off the upgrades. I rarely have time to do the upgrade when it's first downloaded too, even though it only takes about 10-15 minutes (if you don't have to pull the drive ). I usually get to it within a couple of days though.

-psxboy

[lgkahn]

much nicer when a drive does which on my 5 tivos 1 does yearly to have a full backup of everything including hacks.. then it only takes about 30 minutes to get a new drive going

[lgkahn]

did one of my series 3's inline the other with pulling drive.. the problem is that there appears to be no way to backup the hacked image with old school mfs live (cannot use winmfs as my pc is old 486 and dont have a convenient xp machine to hook drive up to.. without tearing everything apart)

mfs live backup only works on fat 32 and apparently you cannot backup the 2.8 gig hacked image as it always fails at the end.. smaller virgin image works fine.. any ideas.. or can hacked images now only be backed up with winmfs as mfs live backup does not support ntfs either i believe..

thanks

[jt1134]

as far as mfslive knows there is nothing different about a hacked drive vs a virgin one.

[jkozee]

apparently you cannot backup the 2.8 gig hacked image as it always fails at the end.. thanks

try backing up like this:
backup -f 9999 -so - /dev/sda > file.mfs

Writing directly to a file limits it to 2GB, but sending it to stdout and redirecting that to a file works fine, as noted in this thread.

[Jamie]

fat32 is still limited to 4GiB.

Better to write to ext2/3 or another file system that supports large files.

[captain_video]

did one of my series 3's inline the other with pulling drive.. the problem is that there appears to be no way to backup the hacked image with old school mfs live (cannot use winmfs as my pc is old 486 and dont have a convenient xp machine to hook drive up to.. without tearing everything apart)

mfs live backup only works on fat 32 and apparently you cannot backup the 2.8 gig hacked image as it always fails at the end.. smaller virgin image works fine.. any ideas.. or can hacked images now only be backed up with winmfs as mfs live backup does not support ntfs either i believe..

thanks

My S3 backup failed right near the end as you indicated but I just deleted some old images on the FAT32 drive that were outdated to free up some space and the backup worked fine on the 2nd try. I'm still using the old PTVUpgrade boot CD for my updates and hacks. I have yet to try WinMFS other than to look at the GUI in Windows.

[lgkahn]

check out the you tube support now under "download tv movies and web video" undoc. feature of the new 9.4 release sweet.

[lrhorer]

I don't always have the time to install the hacks when I see the "Pending restart" status so I usually let the update occur naturally on my S3's.

Well, spare time or not, I prefer to have the new image up and working on the TiVo before I hack it. Otherwise, and if something breaks, it may be very difficult to know if it was something I did which broke the box or something related to the upgrade. I've learned through long years of dealing with finicky equipment it is wise to limit the number of vectors for failure, especially during software upgrades. Wild geese abound in the world of digital equipment.

I prefer to pull the drive after taking the update so I can create a virgin backup image before reinstalling the hacks.

That, too. I don't back up the recordings, but I definitely backup the kernel, iptables, and tivoapp. Anything else can usually be fixed while the box is up and running.

It's a simple matter of copying the files from the old partition to the new one

Actually, I make it even simpler on myself than that. I created a tarball of all the files in my hack, including configurations in /etc, the busybox binary and all its symlinks, mfs_utils, TivoWebPlus, and so forth. I store the tarball in a directory named /hack and untarred it to a directory named /tivo on the PC I use to hack the TiVos. If I want to make any changes on the TiVos, I can either create an updated tarball on the TiVo itself and ftp it over to the Linux system, or else update the files in the /tivo directory and then re-tar the /tivo directory by changing to the directory and issuing the command:

tar -cvf /hack/tivohacks.tar *

If I want to make changes to all three TiVos, I can simply ftp the tarball to the tivos and untar it in /. (Gawd, I love Linux!!)

When it comes time to hack a new TiVo or to re-hack an upgraded one, I simply mount /dev/sdb6 or /dev/sdb7 as the case may be onto /tivo and then mount /dev/sdb9 onto /tivo/var. After making backup copies of iptables and tivoapp and splicing in whatever hacks I want into tivoapp, I simply cd to /tivo and issue the command:

tar -xvf /hack/tivohacks.tar

I automated all of this in a simple little script, so I don't forget something or screw it up with a typo. I put up a copy of the script I use here. Using the script, it literally only took me moments to hack the TiVo HD after the PC was powered up. By mounting the primary drive in an Antec MX-1 external housing, I also eliminated the need to disconnect the cables from the TiVo (except power, of course) or to open either the TiVo or the PC. I just plug the Antec MX-1 into the PC, boot up Linux, run the script, and shut down. It literally takes the TiVo longer to boot up and go through its little intro video than it does to hack the unit.

and neutering the kernel while I have it installed in the PC. Once I copy everything over and create the backup I telnet in and install the tivoapp patches.

I do everything while the TiVo drive is mounted, tivoapp patches and all. When I umount the drive partitions and shut down the PC, everything is complete and ready to go.

The process isn't all that much different than the one psxboy uses except it's done with the drive in my PC. Aside from creating the backup image, the time frame for installing the hacks in a Tivo environment vs. a PC is negligible at best.

I don't create an image, just back up the files which get changed with the hacks individually. I have pauses built in to the script so I can see what's going on, but without them, after I input the values for the tivoapp patch, it would take less than 4 seconds to run. Right now I'm only implementing one patch, but I'm considering others, and if I decide to implement them, I'll load the patch values from a file, rather than from the console. That way I can type all the values in the file once, audit the file carefully looking for errors, and then hack as many TiVos as I like in quick succession or spread over time, as I choose.

I always create a backup image for new software so the drive has to get pulled at some point to do it.

I keep the original stock drive on hand, and at some point after the upgrade has shown itself to be stable I put it back in and get it upgraded as well. That gives me a pristine drive from which to work if necessary.

If I have the notion, I also make a backup of the hacked drive as well so I don't have to reinstall squat if I need to replace the drive for some reason.

If the big drive fails, I'll just use Win_MFS to copy the pristine drive over to the new replacement drive and then boot up Linux and hack the upgrade drive.

Leaving the drive in the Tivo is certainly convenient, but it's a risk I'm not willing to take.

That's one reason I never put the drive back in the TiVo, at all. By making the primary drive an external one, the drive never gets removed, it just gets moved, and it never gets replaced, just moved back. It's a piece of cake, now, even for someone disabled as I am.

I have easy access to my Tivos and have maybe one screw holding the drive bracket in place and nothing securing the cover so pulling the drive is no big deal for me.

'Not to get into a peter sizing match, but a single e-SATA cable is even less than a single screw and an unsecured cover. Just as an aside, you and anyone else are perfectly welcome to do whatever you like with your own equipment, but I definitely do not recommend holding down an internal drive with a single screw nor leaving anything unsecured in, on, or around any electronic device. I don't even leave the power and video cables unsecured.

I also have a dedicated PC sitting in a small room about 8 feet from the Tivos that I use strictly for Tivo drive updates.

Well, my TiVos are all in different rooms around the house, so no matter what at least two of them will be more than 50 feet from the PC and in a different room. Actually, right now the PC happens to be sitting in a fourth room, but I intend very soon to put the PC on a shelf right below one of the TiVos, literally less than a meter away. The e-SATA cable will reach, so I won't even have to move the drive when hacking that TiVo. The other two will require me to carry the Antec MX-1 housings into the other room, but even I can manage that.

[lrhorer]

I'm still using the old PTVUpgrade boot CD for my updates and hacks. I have yet to try WinMFS other than to look at the GUI in Windows.

WinMFS works great for upgrading a stock drive to a new, larger drive. I had trouble doing a secondary upgrade, however, and had to fall back on the stock drive when I upgraded the TiVo HD from a 320G to a 500G. It also won't do a full backup. One can copy drive to drive using WinMFS, but for those of us who prefer to back up the entire system to an intermediate drive and then restore to a newer hard drive, it's not quite so wonderful, unless one has no recordings or doesn't mind losing them.