Upgrading your TiVo HD hard drive with a bigger HD

TL;DR:

For Tivo HD (652160) and Series 3.   Get the command via the interactive command generator at MFS.  Download the boot disk from 2009, from the release announcement (see the attachment).  

If you are putting in a 1-2TB HD the command should look like:
       backup -qTao  -  /dev/sd-original | restore -s 500  -xzpi  -   /dev/sd-upgrade

Run fdisk -l to determine your hard drives.  Replace /dev/sd-original with your original drive, which will be something like /dev/sda, and also for /dev/sd-upgrade.

The -s 500 indicates to use 500MB as swap, which is larger than the default 127.  (Failed: I though I could use "restore -r 8 ... " to indicate the block size in MB for recordings, but the value has to be between 1 and 4.   With HD recordings being 5+GB, I thought using -r 8 or even -r 16 would help free up memory and would cause minimal internal fragmentation.)

The maximum size you can upgrade to is 2TB as of 2013.  Choose a HD with low noise and low power consumption (heat); typically you want an "Eco" or "green" drive that has a slow RPM, say 5400 or even 4200.  This is what Tivo uses.  All HDs can record and play back streaming material at 10X the speed needed.  Try to avoid a 7200 RPM drive if possible.

For a longer explanation on the TiVo HD / Premiere: read Ross Walker's detailed blog or for the new Premiere TiVos see the community discussion with links to the newest software.

For newer Tivos, see the community posting and also this newer update about using the JMFS tools. -------------------------- 
 Ignore, since this is all said better and with pictures at Ross Walker's blog.
Details:

Tivo lets you upgrade from the factory-installed hard drive to your own hard drive.    Why do this?  It's much much cheaper.  And you get a much bigger hard drive, such as 2T.


There is a lot of old information on the web, that evolved as Tivo introduced various models.  But since the switch to digital, aka HD, TV, you need a "newer" TiVo that has a digital tuner.
We got a bunch of the HD (which are the same as the Series 3).  Since then, Tivo has come out with a "Premiere" line, which this blog post does not cover.

Here's what to do to upgrade your Tivo HD or Series 3:

0) Need: computer, large SATA drive, Torx-10 and Torx-15 screwdrivers, blank CD, CD burner.

1) Find a computer that can boot from CD, that you can plug 2 SATA drives into.  It's OK to put these drives into external USB enclosures and hook them up via USB.  I have only done this hooking the HDs to a M/B directly via the SATA connectors.

Download the tools from MFS.  This is a tech blog, get the linux distro and burn to a CD.

2) Get a Torx 10 and Torx 15 screwdriver.  Open your Tivo box, via the 6 torx-10 screws on the back.  Slide the top case toward you by 1/4 to 1/2" and pull the sides outward gently and wiggle the case off.

3) Remove the original HD from the TiVo.:  Remove the SATA / power cable from the HD.
The HD is fastened by via 4 Torx-10 screws. Pull the HD + metal holder out.  Remove the metal stand held to the HD by 4 Torx-15 screws.

4) Hook up the original drive and the new drive to your computer, and boot the computer with your MFS CD.

5) Finish this.