Problems with InstantCake

[cmuncy@hotmail.com]

Help, I have a Hughes SD-DVR40. It was upgraded to two larger drives over a year ago (Two 120 GB Maxtor (one was a quickview, the other was not)). Was working fine until we had some very hot days and I think the hard drive(s) overheated. It would work great until it was doing a recording, the it would just lock up and would not show any picture or respond to the remote at all. Rebooting brought it back up again and it would work fine for a while but it would eventually lock up again (almost always during a recording). I pulled the drives and ran SeaTools (long test) on both drives and they came back fine. Both drives did show an overheat condition but no SMART errors. I think the second drive may be the bad one, but not sure. I ordered a Seagae DB35 300 GB drive and started to rebuild my Tivo using Tiger MFSTools. Found out that my original bacup image (saved before any upgrades) was bad for some reason. It would get to 98% restored, then error out. So I went to DVRupgrade and purchased an InstaCake for my Hughes SD-DVR40 (SW-ICAKE-S2DT-DL-351 InstantCake for Series2 DirecTV Units (download)). Ran it with my new 300 GB as primary and one of my 120 GB Maxtor as secondary. Slapped them into the Tivo and it hung at the grey powering up screen. Tried the new Seagate and the other maxtor, same hang. Tried the new drive by itself, same hang. Tried each old drive by itself, same hang. I don't know what is wrong and what to try next. I have three drives, one is brand new, the other two check out with SeaTools long test. None of them seem to work with the InstaCake process. What can I do next? Can I check some log file in Linux? Other suggestions? The InstaCake process runs fine with no erros each time. Could I have a corrupt InstaCake download and still have it unzip and run without errors (seems unlikely)? I'm very computer literate in Windows and hardware with some linux capabilities (but not a guru in Linux).

[Lou Jacob]

There are lots of variables in the scenario you described, so you really do need to eliminate as many of them as possible...

... first and foremost, you should run the basic, advanced, AND low level format each drive to ensure each of them is not defective; it does not sound like you have fully tested the drives.

It is also possible you have a PC issue, or even a problem with your TiVo, too. InstantCake does work as long as you follow the instructions to the letter, so if your PC is not configured exactly the same as specified, try to do that, as well.

Just some advice... you've spelled the product name wrong several times (its InstantCake, not InstaCake); that means you could have very easily overlooked some other detail as well - its just as likely - so go back and retrace all your steps and eliminate as many variables as possible.

If all else fails, you can order a 'recertification' from our web site and send your unit and drives; we'll test each component, find out what is wrong and make the best recommendation possible.

[cmuncy@hotmail.com]

I'm not trying to imply that InstantCake doesn't work. I downloaded and used it without any problems at all 2 days ago on a Sony SVR-2000 (series 1 standalone) that had almost the same problem as my Hughes SD-DVR40. Only difference is that it was obvious through testing which drive was bad on my SVR-2000, but I'm not sure which one (or both) is bad on my SD-DVR40.

I have run a basic (which is "short" with SeaTools) and an advanced (which is "long" with SeaTools) and both of my drives passed just fine. I'm using the same PC I used to succesfully run InstantCake on my SVR-2000 so I don't think it is a PC issue. I will do a low level format and try that. ANything esle I should try? Any diagnostic or log file I can look at on the hard drives after a failed boot that might help?

[Lou Jacob]

I'm not trying to imply that InstantCake doesn't work. I downloaded and used it without any problems at all 2 days ago on a Sony SVR-2000 (series 1 standalone) that had almost the same problem as my Hughes SD-DVR40. Only difference is that it was obvious through testing which drive was bad on my SVR-2000, but I'm not sure which one (or both) is bad on my SD-DVR40.

I have run a basic (which is "short" with SeaTools) and an advanced (which is "long" with SeaTools) and both of my drives passed just fine. I'm using the same PC I used to succesfully run InstantCake on my SVR-2000 so I don't think it is a PC issue. I will do a low level format and try that. ANything esle I should try? Any diagnostic or log file I can look at on the hard drives after a failed boot that might help?

Please follow my initial suggestions and be careful to eliminate as many variables, one at a time, as possible. Also do not make any assumptions -- for example, different versions of InstantCake use different boot CD's (you did not mention that you had used a Series1 version earlier).

To summarize, please be organized and methodical in your approach, follow our advice (to the letter whenever possible) and report your results in an organized fashion. Also, please review the other threads in this forum, especially the official discussion thread, as its often wasteful to repeat the same advice over and over again (you'll see that I've already made similar recommendations to others, as young as this forum is).

I don't intend to be harsh, but it is difficult to offer additional advice prior to having the initial advice followed, and also difficult to help people pinpoint a specific problem with a limited amount of information.

Good luck and please report your results.

[cmuncy@hotmail.com]

I low level formatted and tested one of my drives again, it passed the advanced test. I tried the InstantCake again with the same hang at powering up. I then did some more research on the web and found out that a bad power supply would also cause this problem of hanging at power up. With the help of my PC power supply for the hard drives I was able to isolate the problem to the power supply. All I need is a new power supply and I'm back in business