# Can I just stuff an HR10-250 hard drive into an SD-DVR40?



## gcvt (Feb 28, 2007)

I have an HR10-250 with a flaky tuner and an SD-DVR40 in perfect working order. Can I just toss the larger drive from the HR10-250 into the DVR40?

Neither receiver is currently activated. I got the broken HR10-250 for free and bought the 'activatable' DVR40 on Craig's List. The new access card for the DVR40 is on the way here from D* and should be here by this weekend.

Basically, I'd like to put together a decent SD DVR for the girlfriend to use in the bedroom and would like to give her more than a 40G hard drive. I figured since the HR10-250's only good remaining component is the large hard drive, I might be able to put that to use somehow.

Thanks in advance.


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## Incog-Neato (Apr 21, 2006)

You could use the drive itself but not the software on it. You'd have to find an image for that specufic DVR.


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

You'd need to buy a copy of Instant Cake specific to that DVR model and use it to format and image the drive. It will install the latest TiVo software (6.4a) and you'll be good to go.

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


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## whitepelican (May 9, 2007)

You don't need to buy InstantCake if you have a functioning 40GB drive currently. You simply need to go over to www.mfslive.org and download a free copy of WinMFS (or the MFSLive Linux Boot CD) to copy over the filesystem from your 40GB drive to the 250GB. The directions are all at mfslive.org.


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## gcvt (Feb 28, 2007)

I might be screwed. I think the 40GB drive died on me just as I was about to call to activate the receiver (see my new thread in this forum). And, I'm in a Mac only household...looks like that rules out InstantCake. Is that right?


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

Probably. You can buy replacement drives, preloaded with the proper version of the TiVo software, from Weaknees and a few other places. Might as well start with a new drive anyway, given that the drive runs 24x7. An old drive might well be worn out already, as you've found with your 40 GB.


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## gcvt (Feb 28, 2007)

I think I might give InstantCake a shot on a 250GB drive I pulled out of an old HR10-250.

Am I understanding this correctly - I put the drive into a friends' PC, pay for and download InstantCake, burn InstantCake onto a CD, and then install it on the drive? Is that how it works?


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

Yep, that's how it works. Piece of "cake"


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## gcvt (Feb 28, 2007)

Cool...thanks! 

I sure hope it works. I've already spent $25 for the TiVo box and $20 for the new access card. If this additional $20 for IC doesn't work I give up and the GF will just have to continue using the decade-old RCA box and have no DVR until we can afford to upgrade to HD in the living room and move the R22 to the bedroom.


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

I've used Instant Cake a few times and it works great. It's Linux-based, but it's all menu-driven with good explanations of each option, so it's pretty easy to use. Just follow the instructions, and you'll need a computer with 2 IDE channels (no SATA), so you'll need an older computer.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

gcvt said:


> Cool...thanks!
> 
> I sure hope it works. I've already spent $25 for the TiVo box and $20 for the new access card. If this additional $20 for IC doesn't work I give up and the GF will just have to continue using the decade-old RCA box and have no DVR until we can afford to upgrade to HD in the living room and move the R22 to the bedroom.


Have you called Directv and asked if they will just give u a new dvr?


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## gcvt (Feb 28, 2007)

inkahauts said:


> Have you called Directv and asked if they will just give u a new dvr?


I have not yet done that. I was about to call when a $100 Amazon gift card showed up as a X-Mas gift that I used to buy an R22. I guess I'll save that call to D* to see what kind of deal they'll give us when we're ready to upgrade to HD. Just gotta figure out how I'm gonna mount the dish on my apartment balcony.


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