boot loop

[jonmon]

Hi there
I have a mager prob with my TiVo. I shut it down and now I have just booted it up I am getting a boot up loop, it just keeps restarting then booting up. I got a new drive put in about three months ago at TiVo Central. Is the only thing I can do is send it back to them or is there something I could try?
thanks for any help

[steveroe]

What does it display on the screen during the boot process, can you see what the last thing is before it reboots?

Can you gain telnet access before it reboots?

[jonmon]

Thanks for the reply
The last thing it says is it does the just a few more seconds grey screen and then goes blank then has starting up screen. Don't know if I can telnet the TiVo, not sure how to do it. Think I might have to get someone to do it like TiVo central. I am no good at this sort of thing
Thanks for your help anyway

[Milesey007]

I bought a drive from TC in the summer after the official TIVO service close down. Although it worked OK (although often needed a reboot to get the dialups working), during the Xmas break I decided to update the drive to the AltEPG version. This version works really smoothly and has all the drivers and utils installed so if you're OK with a bit of DIY, I'd really recommend doing that.

[jonmon]

Hi thanks for the reply
I have the alt. epg on the drive, do you mean that I can put a more up to date one onto the TiVo? Can I put the software on the drive using tel net? If so can you give me step by step instructions as I am not very good at this sort of thing and worried I might make it worse. I want be home for the next few days so there is no rush to answer, also I have to connect the TiVo back up to the TV as I have my trusty TiVo connected up at the mo, original spec. I was wondering if I could connect and disconnect the phone line for the modem of the TiVo I am using at the mo when it's. still on? Or should I turn it off first? I thought I could connect it ones a week as it cost a lot to do daily calls. Thanks for your help

[millsb]

The problem is we don't actually know what's on that disk you got from TC. If it contains an "official" altepg image (ie one produced by the altepg team) then you should be able to upgrade using telnet: the altepg versions that can be upgraded are:
altepg1.0b : can be upgraded to altepg1.0c
altepg1.0c : can be upgraded to altepg1.0c_1

But I think you have to ask TC what they supplied you with before taking this any further.

[jonmon]

ok thanks
I will phone them tomorrow to see what they can tell me.

[ByTheCringe]

I thought I could connect it ones a week as it cost a lot to do daily calls.

Just to comment on that, it takes about the same time on the phone in total, regardless of how often the "daily" calls are made. For example, maybe 5 minutes daily, or 35 minutes once a week.

[jonmon]

"Just to comment on that, it takes about the same time on the phone in total, regardless of how often the "daily" calls are made. For example, maybe 5 minutes daily, or 35 minutes once a week."

Thanks for the reply , thought it might of been a good idea plunging it ones a week but I guess not, I will have to get the other TiVo up and running soon as.

[DX30]

Although the total time is similar between daily or weekly the cost may not be. It will all depend on what number you use and what calling plan you have. Depending on your call plan for each call you might be charged a setup fee (say 13p) and then a charge per minute (say 1p). So a single weekly call could save you 6 x 13p setup fees, just over £40 in a year.

[mrtickle]

Although the total time is similar between daily or weekly the cost may not be. It will all depend on what number you use and what calling plan you have. Depending on your call plan for each call you might be charged a setup fee (say 13p) and then a charge per minute (say 1p). So a single weekly call could save you 6 x 13p setup fees, just over £40 in a year.

You'll pay in other ways instead though, by missing out on most updates/corrections resulting in missed/wrong recordings on your TiVo. It's a question of finding the right balance.

[jonmon]

Hi
I have been using the kick-start codes, to get the tivo working again. After trying different codes it does seem to boot up now. But I have now lost tivo web and it does not make a daily call any more. I dont know if its because I booted it up many times and its wiped something or its because I did a 52 code which I think this is an emergency reinstall which
will act like you've received new software but will reinstall the existing software on the alternate root partition and boot it. But I dont know if it is always booting into alternative partition and does not have all the settings? Could anyone tell me whats wrong here?

Also can I just install the new software, it says the operating system is 2.5.5-01-1-023 but I dont know if I am looking at the write info? I know I can tel net but not sure how to do it, any help on this would be much appreciated.
thanks for your help

[DX30]

I dont know if its because I booted it up many times and its wiped something or its because I did a 52 code

Being stuck in a reboot loop will probably have resulted in the var partition being wiped, which on a normal TiVo typically means you lose the hacks like tivoweb. The AltEPG images from this site do rebuild the var partition but from earlier comments I think you are using a TC drive so that may not. There may also be additional problems from the kickstart 52 but I don't really know what the effects of that are.

If you can still telnet in you will be able to reinstall tivoweb, so make sure you can telnet before doing anything else. If you cannot telnet you'll likely need to pull the drive and put it in a PC to fix things.

Google should find you a guide to using telnet. e.g.

http://webmasterworkshop.com/guides/telnet_guide.shtml

If you are using Windows telnet is included, although on Windows 7 you will need to install it.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771275

[jonmon]

thanks for the reply
I have a bigger prob that I need to deal with first, and that is I can't make a call for the program data. I realized now that I got to do guided setup again. but one prob what do I put in for the post code when I am using the internet to get data?
thanks again

[millsb]

Postcode = 01000.
See this thread: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=480
And, in general, the Installation and Configuration section: viewforum.php?f=16