Official InstantCake Discussion Thread (Series1 and Series2 Units Only)

[ronsch]

The easiest technical solution to prevent an untimely upgrade is to use the bootpage utility and specify the parameter upgradesoftware=false. Works like a charm.

The point at which you pull the drive to do the copykern is immediately after the software install/database update has taken place and the TiVo jumps back to the "Welcome...Powering Up" screen. Just pull the power plug at that point. That requires you to control when that takes place and that is accomplished by keeping the "upgrade software=false" in place until your ready.

[careys]

Thanks ronsch. I found the LBA48 CD image here and I will try the copykern later today. If I get the huevos, I will try to modify the bootpage to turn off updates also.

If that doesn't work, well, I guess I will re-image to 3.5c and follow all the above.

TiVo is not as fun as it used to be - for me.

[InspectorGadget]

The easiest technical solution to prevent an untimely upgrade is to use the bootpage utility and specify the parameter upgradesoftware=false. Works like a charm.

I have heard conflicting reports about "upgradesoftware=false". Do you have first-hand experience? Please elaborate.

In my understanding the upgrade will happen in the alternate root space but the "upgradesoftware=false" prevents it from automatically rebooting. So how do you know the upgrade happened, in order to synchronize the LB48 kernel replacement you outlined above? Is there some status change in the current root space that you can flag and somehow signal?

Sometimes my TiVo reboots sponaneously so I need to know ASAP after an upgrade comes down even if I do have automatic reboots suppressed.

[Lou Jacob]

I have heard conflicting reports about "upgradesoftware=false". Do you have first-hand experience? Please elaborate.

In my understanding the upgrade will happen in the alternate root space but the "upgradesoftware=false" prevents it from automatically rebooting. So how do you know the upgrade happened, in order to synchronize the LB48 kernel replacement you outlined above? Is there some status change in the current root space that you can flag and somehow signal?

Sometimes my TiVo reboots sponaneously so I need to know ASAP after an upgrade comes down even if I do have automatic reboots suppressed.

Just unplug your phone line (and disable the daily-call through the network, if you've enabled it) and the 'pending restart...' which ultimately triggers the update of your software, will not occur...

[ronsch]

I have heard conflicting reports about "upgradesoftware=false". Do you have first-hand experience? Please elaborate.

In my understanding the upgrade will happen in the alternate root space but the "upgradesoftware=false" prevents it from automatically rebooting. So how do you know the upgrade happened, in order to synchronize the LB48 kernel replacement you outlined above? Is there some status change in the current root space that you can flag and somehow signal?

Sometimes my TiVo reboots sponaneously so I need to know ASAP after an upgrade comes down even if I do have automatic reboots suppressed.

Yes, I have first-hand experience. This method is currently holding off the upgrade to 3.5d on my DSR6000 and did so for a couple of months last year with 3.5c.

I will post more information when I can review my notes at home. I don't want to leave out a step. Lou's method will also keep the new software from being implemented. It needs that phone call home to trigger the process.

[ronsch]

Okay. Sorry about the delay. Read this entire post twice before you enter any commands.

The command to inspect your boot page options is

bootpage -p /dev/hda

This will tell you at a minimum which partition is your active one, hda4 or hda7.

Assume your active partition is 7. To stop any upgrades you would do:

bootpage -P "root=/dev/hda7 upgradesoftware=false" /dev/hda

That will prevent rc.sysinit from calling InstallSw.tcl during the boot process that follows the phone call. I leave my DTiVo in this state all the time. You can look in rc.sysinit and see where this happens.

If anything besides "root=/dev/hdax" is shown to be present with the bootpage -p, include it in the string you give to bootpage -P each time.

When your ready for the upgrade to happen you would do the following:

bootpage -P "root=/dev/hda7" /dev/hda

Force a call home.

After the call completes force a reboot.

You should see a message to the effect that the TiVo software is being upgraded.
As soon as that completes the TiVo will begin another reboot. You pull the power plug as soon as that happens so the new kernel doesn't get to hose your large drive.

Pull the drive and place in your PC.

I always check to make sure killinitrd doesn't need to be rerun and make sure cachecard drivers don't need to be reinstalled(if you have a cache card) or just do both - it doesn't hurt anything.

Perform the copykern process as documented.

You also need to make sure your hacks get reinstalled if they aren't under /var.

Next, if these apply to you, copy over your rc.sysinit.author, .profile, .bash_logout and/or any other modified files you have in partition 7 to partition 4, which will be your new active partition.

Put the drive back in the TiVo and you should be good to go.

Of course if your current active partition is hda4 when you start this process, swap the fours and sevens.

You will also want to repeat the bootpage commands at the top of this post to prevent any further upgrades from happening without you knowing about it.

[bimmerman]

I am having an issue running this.

I have the DVD drive as boot 1

HD as boot 2 and I am getting the message

/dev/hdc: Read-only file system
Restore failed: Unable to open destination device for writing.

Cannot continue -- processing aborted.

/#

I am using an older E machine since my custom setup does not use IDE cable. In the boot it does not list master/slave for the CD/DVD rom, but I have set as first to boot.

I also have the Instatcake burnt to DVD, does that make a diff?

[Lou Jacob]

I am having an issue running this.

I have the DVD drive as boot 1

HD as boot 2 and I am getting the message

/dev/hdc: Read-only file system
Restore failed: Unable to open destination device for writing.

Cannot continue -- processing aborted.

/#

I am using an older E machine since my custom setup does not use IDE cable. In the boot it does not list master/slave for the CD/DVD rom, but I have set as first to boot.

I also have the Instatcake burnt to DVD, does that make a diff?

You don't have your devices connected properly; remember, CD-ROM needs to be primary slave (/dev/hdb) and hard drive needs to be secondary master (/dev/hdc).

Please see instructions for more details and note that some (but not all) versions of InstantCake have an advanced mode where you can specify the devices (see the boot splash screen - F1, F2, F3 - for more details)

[bimmerman]

After several tires I finally got it up and running. Now I can not get past the set up screen where it wants to dial out.

I have tried *401 but that does not work. I do not have a home phone so I was wondering, if I take the box to someone house and use there phone will I later be able to set it up to connect via wireless adapter?

[Lou Jacob]

After several tires I finally got it up and running. Now I can not get past the set up screen where it wants to dial out.

I have tried *401 but that does not work. I do not have a home phone so I was wondering, if I take the box to someone house and use there phone will I later be able to set it up to connect via wireless adapter?

*401 won't do anything for you; ,#401 will (sounds like you are using a TurboNet card or a CacheCard?).

Go ahead and start a new thread with any follow-up questions regarding TurboNet and/or networking in general, this is no longer an InstantCake discussion (which is good news for you!).

Lou