# HR21 and HR20 hard drive install



## skylinebeach (Feb 2, 2008)

Just want to check on the following things...

Both the HR20 and HR21 new hard drive install is mostly the same method right? 

Somehow the software installs onto the hard drive and starts using them when turned on for both units? Any special setings or preconfig needed for the drives?

How does the system make room on a larger hard drive automatically but when you go to copy one disk image to a larger hard drive it becomes a problem you have todeal with... Can anyone explain that?

Both the HR21 and HR20 will accept up to and record on 750gb or 1T hd without some special procedures?

Why cant we cable in 2 hard drives internally like we do with the HR10-250 using a chained IDE cable? Wouldnt it follow that the system should automatically set that up for us if we plugged it in like that for the sata drives? Anyone know why this doesnt happen?


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

skylinebeach said:


> Just want to check on the following things...
> 
> Both the HR20 and HR21 new hard drive install is mostly the same method right?
> 
> ...


I have to tell you that opening your HR2x will void the warranty.

I'm not sure there is a physical limit to hard drive size.

As for copying images, do a search and you'll find much discussion.

I don't know for sure but I think software doesn't allow for spanning disks...but I could be wrong.

Mike


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## sbl (Jul 21, 2007)

No disk spanning. Many people consider this a feature, allowing you to have more than one external disk (only one at a time.) On the TiVo side of things, running two disks was often recommended against as it increased the probability of failure. With eSATA RAID arrays, there's no reason for disk spanning.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

Physically the HR21 (at least the 200) is easier to do the swap than the HR20-700. Neither is horribly difficult, but if you haven't at least done this type of thing in a computer before I wouldn't start on an HR2x.

If the HR2x you have is a leased unit you may be better off just going with an eSATA solution.


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

skylinebeach said:


> Just want to check on the following things...
> 
> Both the HR20 and HR21 new hard drive install is mostly the same method right?
> 
> ...


1. simaler.. slightly different mounting setups
2.software is on flash memory not the drive at all.. series links are on the drive(will have to be resetup).. most require no settings (has been some that needed the 1.5/3.0 speed jumper changed) 
3.copying old to new? there's a whole thread here on that.. good luck...
4.so far it looks to be capable of up to 2tb drive addressing..


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

If you are referring to the external esata drive, one at a time and up to 2TB on the HR20, supposedly more on the HR21 but I don't recall seeing anyone actually report they have done that.

Replacing the internal drive is not recommended because the unit is leased and you are voiding the lease and warranty terms by opening it.

Carl


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## skylinebeach (Feb 2, 2008)

Anyone know/understand how the expanded drive space gets used after just plugging it in when in other units you have to format it as such to get the tivo to use all the space?

My questions come from my general intrest in what the system does to make it use the hard drive verses what we had to do inorder to use tivo drives before.

If the 1.5 / 3.0 jumper settings are wrong will it still work but have problems or just not work at all?

Anyone know/understand why you can simply pair 2 drives inside the machine and simply start using both. Isn't it kind of a simle thing that automatically just happens after the system recognizes both drives?


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

skylinebeach said:


> Anyone know/understand how the expanded drive space gets used after just plugging it in when in other units you have to format it as such to get the tivo to use all the space?
> 
> My questions come from my general intrest in what the system does to make it use the hard drive verses what we had to do inorder to use tivo drives before.
> 
> ...


1. it will auto format the drive.. the same space that was reserved on the OEM will be reserved on the new one (all additional size goes to recordings)
2. 1.5/3.0 seems to just be on some units.. they won't startup right if they care.. 
3. the HRs are setup to try the external 1st, if not found they use the internal.. It's a BETA feature they did for us..


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## cartrivision (Jul 25, 2007)

sbl said:


> With eSATA RAID arrays, there's no reason for disk spanning.


Except for the fact that you still lose the use of the internal disk when you hook up any eSATA disk (RAID or not). Currently it's only a moderate loss with the 320GB disks that are installed in the HR20/21s, but it's going to be an even bigger waste when the HD DVRs soon start coming with 500GB disks inside.

The time to add a user selectable "use internal disk", "use external disk", "use both" option is long overdue.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

skylinebeach said:


> Anyone know/understand why you can simply pair 2 drives inside the machine and simply start using both. Isn't it kind of a simle thing that automatically just happens after the system recognizes both drives?


Because there is only one SATA controller inside the unit and you can only have one SATA drive per controller.


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## sbl (Jul 21, 2007)

Is there really only one controller? I would expect the eSATA link to be on its own controller. We know that the motherboard uses the internal disk to sense the temperature even when the eSATA port is in use.

Disk spanning of an internal and external disk poses many issues of its own. There are many things I'd rather see DirecTV do first, especially as disk prices keep dropping. I would not at all mind, though, if the internal disk was spun down when the eSATA disk was in use.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

sbl said:


> Is there really only one controller? I would expect the eSATA link to be on its own controller. We know that the motherboard uses the internal disk to sense the temperature even when the eSATA port is in use.


1 controller for internal and 1 for external.

My post only referred to internal because the OP's actual question was if 2 drives could be placed inside the unit and used. Since there is only 1 internal SATA controller it is not possible.


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## JackBikes (Feb 14, 2008)

Quick question: The manual for the HR21 says, “future use” for the eSATA port. Should I care?

Jack


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## bpratt (Nov 24, 2005)

JackBikes said:


> Quick question: The manual for the HR21 says, "future use" for the eSATA port. Should I care?
> 
> Jack


The future is here. It is now supported.


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## 66stang351 (Aug 10, 2006)

JackBikes said:


> Quick question: The manual for the HR21 says, "future use" for the eSATA port. Should I care?
> 
> Jack





bpratt said:


> The future is here. It is now supported.


Not exactly, the external port is active, but DIRECTV doesn't support it. Meaning if you call a CSR they will not be expected to know anything about the eSATA feature as it works right now.


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## JackBikes (Feb 14, 2008)

Thanks for the info. I'm not going to call them, just wanted to know if I did hook up a drive it would work. If I have a HR21-200 how big a drive should I get? I guess it depends on how much Iwant to store. (I typically, don't save all that much) Maybe I 'll save my money and not get the external drive. 

Oh another one: If my internal drive siezes up, can I add the external drive and still store programing? 

Jack


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## reh523 (Sep 7, 2006)

JackBikes said:


> If I have a HR21-200 how big a drive should I get? I guess it depends on how much Iwant to store. (I typically, don't save all that much) Maybe I 'll save my money and not get the external drive.


I am confused. Out of the box you can store like 40 HRS of MPG4 HD or 100 hours with SD. That is with a 300G HD.

The current best price point is for a 750G drive ($140) with the 1T closer to $200. Enclosures are not that much.....

The question is do you want to void your warranty on your HR-2X?


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## raoul5788 (May 14, 2006)

reh523 said:


> I am confused. Out of the box you can store like 40 HRS of MPG4 HD or 100 hours with SD. That is with a 300G HD.
> 
> The current best price point is for a 750G drive ($140) with the 1T closer to $200. Enclosures are not that much.....
> 
> The question is do you want to void your warranty on your HR-2X?


Using an external hd isn't going to void your warranty. Now if you swap out the internal hd for a new one that's a different story!


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## skylinebeach (Feb 2, 2008)

Warranty is only 90 days and doesnt much matter. If it was put it in it can be taken out as well. 

Nothing voided. Nothing lost. No worries.


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## uscboy (Sep 5, 2006)

What would DirecTV do if a seal is broken when a box is returned - even if it 
works and has the original drive in it?

Or better yet, what if it dies and needs to be swapped...?


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## RobertE (Jun 10, 2006)

uscboy said:


> What would DirecTV do if a seal is broken when a box is returned - even if it
> works and has the original drive in it?
> 
> Or better yet, what if it dies and needs to be swapped...?


Potentially they could refuse to do anything with it , or charge you the "full" price for it or both. As the old saying goes "You break it, you buy it."


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## skylinebeach (Feb 2, 2008)

imo they deal with hundreds of units at week or so coming back. less then half of the units have stickers so it means they cant and dont track if it has a sticker. the chance of them knowing is nill if the hard drive is replaced.


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## ultrav23 (Dec 23, 2007)

Is it possible to use an older style IDE drive in an enclosure with eSATA capability? (e.g. 750Gb Seagate IDE with IDE to eSATA drive enclosure)


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

I will probably end up replacing the internal drive in one of my HR20-700’s with a larger size. The reason I would do that instead of using an external drive is because (a) I don’t want to waste the energy required to run a useless HD inside the box and (b) I don’t want yet another “thing” to plug into my HT power supply.

I realize that cracking the case on a leased unit will supposedly void the warranty, but I pay for the protection plan and will hang onto the old drive in case a repair is needed. One of my HR20-700’s has no “void” sticker, another has the sticker put it was placed so hastily that it’s only stuck to the cover and not the chassis. The latest one I added was a refurb so it only has the refurb sticker, and it was also put on hastily so that it stick up above the edge of the cover about 2-3mm. 

It’s too bad that these units weren’t designed to make replacing the internal HD easier. They could have done it like on laptops and other devices, either using a dedicated access panel or a slide-out carrier.


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## sbl (Jul 21, 2007)

ultrav23 said:


> Is it possible to use an older style IDE drive in an enclosure with eSATA capability? (e.g. 750Gb Seagate IDE with IDE to eSATA drive enclosure)


There is not room in a typical enclosure for an adapter. I have seen an enclosure that will accept either type of drive, though.


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