# EHD to PC to EHD



## Snydley (Mar 30, 2007)

I just bought a new 1T EHD to replace a 500G EHD I'm currently using with my VIP622 receiver. I'd like to connect both EHDs to a computer and transfer the programs from the old EHD to the new one. Is this possible? Relatively easy or am I beating a dead horse?
I have 3 computers I can use for this, a laptop > VISTA, desktop#1 > XP Pro, desktop#2 > Linux Redhat 9. I would be willing to install another "flavor" of Linux on that computer if it would make the job easier.
I'm trying to get around the HOURS involved with juggling the programs from the EHD to the VIP622 to the EHD.
Is there a practical way to do this?
Thanks,
Snyde


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## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

The only option is to copy the programs back to the receiver and then to the new EHD.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

_"am I beating a dead horse?"_ - exactly !

You are not a first who ask - we need to make sticky FAQ about Dish EHD.


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## Snydley (Mar 30, 2007)

ChuckA said:


> The only option is to copy the programs back to the receiver and then to the new EHD.


If this is truly the case, then how is it people can copy and replace a hard drive on their DVR, as per this thread, 
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=100894&highlight=gparted ?
Seems to me it shouldn't make any difference if it's the internal or external hard drive, the file format should be the same, and using the right software it should be able to be done. Or maybe no one has figured it out yet?
Snyde


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Well, it was tested by [email protected] and did works well:
- connect new 1 TB disk to your 622
- let it be formatted
- using Linux PC, copy of content of /DishArc from old to new one.

Done.


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## SaltiDawg (Aug 30, 2004)

Snydley said:


> If this is truly the case, then how is it people can copy and replace a hard drive on their DVR, as per this thread,
> http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=100894&highlight=gparted ?
> ...


That thread is based on an HR20 DVR and the logic to suggest that this procedure would also apply to a Dish receiver escapes me. The Dish receiver stores the encrypted data stream as received from the dish. My understanding is that the HR20 stores encrypted MPEG files. (Maybe someone could help me out on that?)

The whole thing smells like a hack discussion.


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## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

Snydley said:


> Seems to me it shouldn't make any difference if it's the internal or external hard drive, the file format should be the same, and using the right software it should be able to be done. Or maybe no one has figured it out yet?
> Snyde


Let us know how it works out for you.


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## bloom (Jul 29, 2004)

There is a discussion and guide to this on another forum. The details are way beyond my skill level, but you might check it out.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-ne...s-one-ehd-another.html?highlight=ehd+computer


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

SaltiDawg said:


> The Dish receiver stores the encrypted data stream as received from the dish.


Nope. The EHD copy is encrypted but a *nix based file copy should work just fine.

Of course the big question is why tear apart a working system with programs on it so you can eat up half of a new system. I'm not sure one 1TB external drive is cheaper than two 500GB drives yet.

There's also the "all your eggs in one basket" theory.


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## Snydley (Mar 30, 2007)

harsh said:


> Nope. The EHD copy is encrypted but a *nix based file copy should work just fine.
> 
> Of course the big question is why tear apart a working system with programs on it so you can eat up half of a new system. I'm not sure one 1TB external drive is cheaper than two 500GB drives yet.
> There's also the "all your eggs in one basket" theory.


1. Because I need more room for programs
2. I have another place for the 500G drive
3. The 1T drive is already paid for
4. I want to see if it can be done/ if I can do it.
5. I have WAY too much time on my hands. :grin: 
Snyde


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## Snydley (Mar 30, 2007)

SaltiDawg said:


> That thread is based on an HR20 DVR .


I didn't pay attention to what DVR it was. I guess I thought it was a Dish Network DVR. oops
Snyde


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

If your EHD is comprised of a single hard drive mechanism, you plug it in and it works. Setting it up isn't a rite of passage.

You have two options for moving the programs:

1. Through any of your ViP DVRs
2. With a *nix file system aware file copier

As for the need to keep yourself busy, consider volunteering and sharing your excess drive with others.


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

harsh said:


> I'm not sure one 1TB external drive is cheaper than two 500GB drives yet.


I just installed a Seagate 1.5 TB SATA drive in one of my PCs. $129 from Newegg. I don't think anything this big is available in pre-packaged external form yet, but it's still insanely cheap.



> There's also the "all your eggs in one basket" theory.


Indeed.


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## Snydley (Mar 30, 2007)

IIP said:


> I just installed a Seagate 1.5 TB SATA drive in one of my PCs. $129 from Newegg. I don't think anything this big is available in pre-packaged external form yet, but it's still insanely cheap.
> Indeed.


You don't need a pre-packaged external drive, I put a 1T Samsung SATA internal drive in a Coolmax external enclosure and it works fine.
Snyde


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## rthomp03 (Sep 29, 2005)

ChuckA said:


> The only option is to copy the programs back to the receiver and then to the new EHD.


Wrong! There are several imaging software packages out there which will work just fine to copy disk to disk. Just last week I duplicated my old 500G drive to a new 750G drive using Acronis (Norton Ghost should also work). Worked like a champ and I now have two copies until I re-image the 500G drive to use for Windows backups.


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## Snydley (Mar 30, 2007)

harsh said:


> If your EHD is comprised of a single hard drive mechanism, you plug it in and it works. Setting it up isn't a rite of passage.
> 
> You have two options for moving the programs:
> 
> ...


I'm doing a file copy now using Ubuntu Linux, EHD to EHD as I type this.


> As for the need to keep yourself busy, consider volunteering


You're talkin' crazy now Sparky. :lol: 


> and sharing your excess drive with others.


If you wanna come out to NY I'd be willing to GIVE it to 'ya
Snyde


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## Snydley (Mar 30, 2007)

ChuckA said:


> The only option is to copy the programs back to the receiver and then to the new EHD.


Not only CAN this be done, but t really wasn't that difficult. By following this outline on the Satellite Guys site : http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-ne...s-one-ehd-another.html?highlight=ehd+computer ,
changing it a little to suite your equipment,(I connected both EHDs to my Ubuntu Linux computer and copied the files directly from one EHD to the other), and a little knowledge of working with commands in a terminal window, even a caveman can do it. I don't have any real Linux experience, have only "played around" with RedHat Linux once before, but I began working with computers when DOS 3.2 came out, before Windows was a reality, on an old 8086 computer with a 20M hard drive and 2400 baud modem. I learned to use a computer that way, and that really helped me. The terminal is pretty much the same thing as running a computer from a DOS prompt, except there are some different names for the commands. If anyone of you have ever wanted to try this, have no experience with Linux but have worked with DOS before I urge you to try it out. It cuts the time in transfering the programs over to a new EHD by DAYS!!!
Snyde


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## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

Okay, I should have said the only SUPPORTED WAY. Obviously its just a bunch of bits on a hard drive that can be copied. However, if you wind up with any lost data doing it, don't go crying to Dish for help.


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## Snydley (Mar 30, 2007)

ChuckA said:


> Okay, I should have said the only SUPPORTED WAY. Obviously its just a bunch of bits on a hard drive that can be copied. However, if you wind up with any lost data doing it, don't go crying to Dish for help.


I'd never "cry" about something like that, it's only ENTERTAINMENT, nothing that's THAT important. I was willing to lose all of the programming if it turned out that way. Most of the crap will be back on TV again soon enough anyway. The only problem I've found using this method is that the recording date on each program was changed to the date of the file copy, which is to be expected. I'd much rather spend 4 or 5 hours copying the programs with a computer and losing the recording dates than spend a couple of DAYS shuffling everything around between the EHDs and the VIP622 and saving the recording dates. It's good to know there's a quicker way for those who want to try it.
Snyde


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## kublakhan (Mar 5, 2005)

Just a quick rundown of my experience copying from EHD to EHD. Using the instructions from the SatelliteGuys.us thread (referenced above), I successfully copied the contents of the old drive to the new drive. Just for reference, I had never used any flavor of Linux and know nothing about Unix commands.

The 750GB EHD on my 622 was starting to fail due to overheating. Since my external enclosure used a SATA drive, I purchased a 1TB internal SATA drive to replace the 750GB. I removed the old drive from the external enclosure and replaced it with the new drive. I then connected the EHD (w/ the new, empty 1TB drive) to the 622. The 622 recognized the drive and proceeded to format it. Just to be sure all the folders were created correctly, I recorded for 30 sec. and checked the playback.

I then disconnected the EHD and removed the 1TB drive. So now neither drive is in the external enclosure. I connected both drives to my desktop. Using the Ubuntu Live CD, I booted off the CD to Linux. (So Linux is running off the CD.) At this point you essentially just need to follow the instructions from the referenced thread.

A couple of items to note:


[*]It seems that the 622 partitions the disk into 536GB sections. (This may be where the "500GB limit" comes from.) My 1TB drive showed up as a 536GB and a 426GB. The 750GB showed up as a 536GB and a 207GB.​[*]My 750GB was essentially full. Even though I was copying using SATA, the copy took about 2hrs 15min.​[*]Linux mounted some partitions automatically, and some I had to mount some per the instructions in the thread.​

Here's the relevant excerpt of the instructions (edited for direct disk-to-disk copy and running Linux off the CD; my edits highlighted):



> - Open a Terminal session by going to Applications, Accessories, Terminal.
> 
> - Change to super user by typing "sudo -i"
> 
> ...


After all this, I remounted the new 1TB drive into the external enclosure. The 622 recognized the drive and plays the recordings. The additional space is also recognized by the 622. Since I don't currently have a need for the 750GB, I just packed it up and stored it as a backup. *I strongly suggest you read the SatelliteGuys.us thread before you attempt this.*


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## aumandg (Jan 1, 2009)

IIP said:


> I just installed a Seagate 1.5 TB SATA drive in one of my PCs. $129 from Newegg. I don't think anything this big is available in pre-packaged external form yet, but it's still insanely cheap.
> 
> Indeed.


1.5 externial same site for $153.99
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148357

Don't know how well this would work, if at all.


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## Geordon (Sep 27, 2007)

I just leave the contents on the old hard drive and add new programs to the new one. I have recently added an eighth HD to my collection of 300GB to 500GB drives. I use a single Rosewill IDE/Sata to USB cable adapter and plug in the drive I need when needed. No external enclosures and drive imaging needed. May not look pretty, but it works nicely. If I wanted to get fancy, I would mount all the drives in a rack or cage, instead of leaving them stacked below the TV.


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