# Upgraded DirecTivo Transparent Menu



## GirkMonster (Mar 20, 2007)

Anyone experience the transparent menu issue after upgrading a Directivo? My hard drive was going bad and I copied the system files (6.4a) before it was too late onto a 200Gb drive and everything is great, except that I can barely see most menus because the background is completely transparent.

I can still watch tv, which I guess is a plus, but this is my kids tivo and they require more hand-holding and reading of the now playing list, etc...I would prefer the blue or green firey backgrounds...

How do I get my backgrounds back?!


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

If you didn't copy the backgrounds off of the drive, and it's dead/gone, then you'll probably need to get a copy of Instant Cake and reimage the drive.

http://www.dvrupgrade.com/dvr/stores/1/instantcake.cfm


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## Matt L (Nov 10, 2007)

This is a somewhat common problem, it happened to me years ago on an upgrade, I don't recall how I resolved it. Dig deep in all the forums and I'm sure you might find an answer. If you dig you can also find the software is downloadable (but it takes some looking) if you just want to reimage the unit.


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## GirkMonster (Mar 20, 2007)

the old drive isn't dead yet...I'll dig a little deeper and see if I can't figure out how to get the backgrounds off of it.

Thanks


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## GirkMonster (Mar 20, 2007)

I think I found the MFS Tools command. It looks like -f2000 will copy system files like backgrounds...I had to leave for a bit and will get back to this project when my kids are in bed...more later


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## GirkMonster (Mar 20, 2007)

"-f (space) 2000" did the trick. stupid linux. gotta have the space! don't forget the -x to use all of the new hard drive space, or else you'll have to do the whole process over again (don't ask how I know this!)

sigh


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## Matt L (Nov 10, 2007)

Glad you solved your problem. Did you copy the recordings too or just the actual software?


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## GirkMonster (Mar 20, 2007)

every time I tried to copy the recordings, I got an error...so I scrapped that idea and just copied all of the system files. My wife lost 4 Oprah shows; and my kids lost a bunch of Hanna Montana reruns...fortunately, I was able to record enough of an assortment in the middle of the night that my daughters really didn't know the difference! Now, my wife, on the other hand...

I don't see losing an episode of Oprah as a loss, but that's why we're different she and I. I tend to view it as "man-repellant."

I did manage to mess up the c: drive in the pc I was using in a catastrophic way...won't boot now. If I only knew where I put those XP install CDs so i wouldn't forget about them...at least this was the basement PC and had absolutely no data whatsoever on it!


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## Matt L (Nov 10, 2007)

since you have nothing to loose try one of the Linux Live disks and see if everything is lost on the C drive. Puppy Linux is pretty friendly, and I like PC Linux too.

Just burn the ISO to a Cd drop it in and boot. Mount the C drive and take a look at it. You might be able to rescue it.


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## GirkMonster (Mar 20, 2007)

Matt L said:


> since you have nothing to loose try one of the Linux Live disks and see if everything is lost on the C drive. Puppy Linux is pretty friendly, and I like PC Linux too.
> 
> Just burn the ISO to a Cd drop it in and boot. Mount the C drive and take a look at it. You might be able to rescue it.


[you give me too much credit! that's how I got INTO this mess!] Thanks! I'll try that. As you say, I really have nothing to lose. I think that the boot procedure is what has been corrupted/overwritten by something...it's a low priority for me at this point.


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## crashHD (Mar 1, 2008)

GirkMonster said:


> I think that the boot procedure is what has been corrupted/overwritten by something...it's a low priority for me at this point.


Boot from the install cd into the recovery console. If you're right about that being the problem, the command to fix it is either "fixboot", or "fixmbr", I forget which, but there should be no harm in running both of them.


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## GirkMonster (Mar 20, 2007)

couple of things got in the way...I couldn't locate my XP install disks or my product key...

borrowed a cd from a friend...

fixboot and fixmbr worked, but neither did the trick. I did copy a file called "ntldr" from the XP CD-ROM onto my drive and that was just what the doctor ordered...I now have my product key as well (thanks to some program that I got for free...there are millions of them). Original install is back in action - mine, not my friends, which was pretty cool.

Thanks for the advice. Now if I could only get my Music Bridge to speak to Vista...I would be out of tech support projects for the time being...


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