I am considering upgrading my HDR to a WD10EVDS which I believe is a good choice.

I have managed to backup a test prog to my external hard drive and it works fine. My question is if I backup all files including the copy protected HD content and then copy them back to the newly upgraded HDR, will they all play OK including the copy protected HD files? Anyone done this?

Also hoping that I'm not going to hit any issues with the disk format. It seems to recognise FAT32 but not NTFS. Are file sizes likely to be issues?

I don't particularly want to have to go through the pain of some EXT3 format or will I have to due to some 4GB file size limit? What would be the easiest way to do this if I have to?

AFAIK file sizes will be an issue if you have HD files. You are pretty sure to hit the 4gb file size limit on the FAT32 system as Graham explained to me the other day!!. Why not download a copy of puppy linux and use GPARTED on it to format to ext 3. You only need to write puppy to dvd disk with something like IMGBURN. Boot up via the DVD, follow the simple instructions as it boots and then do the format to your external hard drive, very simple process really.

When you copy files off you seem to end up with 3 files for each recording. To be on the safe side all I did was copy them all back and they played exactly the same as before. Only had the patience to copy off some SD recordings though as I was using a USB stick

With the ext drive though you can wait and reload recordings easily enough. I created a folder on the Humax and copied everything back to the HDR - the HDR does recreate the directory structure of the external drive too.

Organising once on the HDR is very quick - simple clicks to where you want the recordings to finish up.

I think the 1tb sata disk you have chosen will do the job admirably. It's the one I have installed on my system.

Patrick

The hdr will format the new disk automatically. TIP if you don't use the music/jpeg partition reformat it straight after to reduce the music/jpeg to it's minimum size of 1Gb. Yes the old files will work fine if copied to the new hard disk. Not tried this but can't see why the with the old disc mounted in a sata usb caddy you can't copy the files back without having to copy them off first. Note it's going to take a fair amount of time to copy over usb. The quickest way if you have 2 sata caddies is to to use a PC to transfer the files.

See here

http://foxsat-hdr.wikispaces.com/The+HDR+FAQ

Note the link to the disk file structure of the hdr

Thanks for the replies. Good stuff. I was aware of the reformatting straight after to reduce the music/jpeg size.

What I hadn't considered was using a caddy. This was mainly because I already have an external drive and was simply going to let it do it's thing. But as the caddies are so cheap (10 quid or so? Any advice on what/where to get) then I guess it makes sense as it's only the copying back onto the new drive that I will have to do for very little expense. Actually I'm sure someone around here has a caddy so I can borrow that!

How easy is it to fit exactly? I've always built and maintained my own PCs so I'm thinking it's just basically a PC inside. Anything to be aware of?

Patrick,

I hadn't heard of Puppy linux until now. If I do decide to go down this route how easy is GParted to use? I thought it was going to be some Unix command line type thing but it all looks pretty much like Disk Management within Windows. I may well give this a go.

Steve

It's easier than a PC as everything's a lot more accessible and the drives in a removable carrier so the drive swap can be done on a bench. My internal drive is in fact mounted externally in a esata drop in caddy so I can swap hard drives in seconds.

I used the S5DC caddy from here (the link to the actual product appears to be bust)

http://www.allcam.biz/catalog/index.php?cPath=54_57

I also built a relay operated switch to turn the external power to the caddy on/off using the hdrs 12V drive power to operate the relay.

Also have a look at this wiki which uses two esata cables to give access to the internal drive using a PC

http://foxsatdisk.wikispaces.com/eSATA+loop+mod

Let the hdr format the drive as it's not just a format it also builds the folder structure at the same time

http://foxsatdisk.wikispaces.com/The+HDR+filesystem

Thanks Graham. Absolutely I would do this. I was talking about the external hard drive if I do decide to take that route. I don't think that I need Puppy or anything else as it appears that there is a Gparted Live ISO download which appears to be a bootable stand alone thing.

Using GPARTED in Puppy is very easy - and with a nice graphical interface too, you just set type and size and apply the changes. I did try some time ago the GPARTED stand alone version but had problems with getting it to boot - I am sure it's improved now though.

Patrick

I used slax to create a linux boot disc

http://www.slax.org/

Earlier experience found here might be of help

http://www.avforums.com/forums/frees...ml#post8348697

- Warning make sure you get the right device name as linux treats sata drives as if they were scsi

http://www.debian.org/releases/stabl...apcs04.html.en

Also the latest release of the linux driver for reading EXT3 drives in windows now works with a usb drive straight after disconnecting from the hdr

http://www.ext2fsd.com/

Decided to go down the external hard drive route.

Downloaded the GParted Live to a bootable CD and it seems to works fine on my external hard drive (apart from the worrying amount of errors during the Linux kernel boot!!!)

Just need to get a new hard drive now.

Does anyone have a rough idea of how long it may take to backup the HDR to the external hard drive when the HDR drive is around 55% full? Not going to try until I get the new hard drive but was just wondering if anyone could give some info based on their experience.

Hi,

I partitioned my external drive as 500GB FAT32 (for convenient access from Windows) and 500GB EXT3 (for files over 4GB) and got the impression that the EXT3 transfers are somewhat faster.

I haven't done any accurate measurements (the HDR doesn't quote file sizes, only times) but transfers seem to be rather less than 5 minutes per GB. So for a half full drive you might need to allow the best part of a day.

Cheers, Alan.

Thanks for that Alan. I would leave it overnight I guess. Being as fickle minded as I am, however, starting to wonder whether to bother or not and to consider a HD Freeview+ dual tuner box when they finally arrive. It's starting to look as though Freeview may well become the better platform for channel choice including HD stuff. Still, I may go ahead and do the upgrade on this in the meantime so many thanks for all the great info to everyone.

Steve

Am just now knocking up a dual-boot XP & Linux PC to go some way towards, I hope, being able to backup or transfer from Humax HDR to PC.
I have presently a 1TB (size is academic) USB drive divided into FAT32 & NTFS partitions, with space left to add EXT3 partitions.
It may seem a lot of bother, but having replaced the the HDR 320GB with a 1TB, and then have it die, I lost several films I wanted to hang on to, and now for peace of mind need to save from the original 320Gb before I put in the next 1Tb. Have now chosen WD10EADS.
I was at day one hoping Humax would utilise their LAN conn for transfer because of the 4GB limit for FAT32. I have received a momo this morning from Humax who say:-
"The LAN connection will not be used for file networking, only for internet connection in future use, if you use an Ext3 file format you will be able to move files larger then 4gb."
This was something of a dissapointment since I could have easily copied directly to my 3TB raid server.
I didn't particularly want to set up a Linux system just for saving films/progs, but it looks like it will have to be, so decided a dual XP/Linux was the route to go.
Naturally would love to hear what clever solutions everybody has, but preferably without having to boot up a CD. How has any/everybody else created an EXT partition on a USB with minimal effort?

You only need to boot the computer into linux to create the ext3 partition. EXT3 volumes can be read under windows using this driver

http://www.ext2fsd.com/

Hi,

You don't really need to delve into Linux at all. You can download a "Live" ISO file for GPARTED, burn to CDROM and then boot a Windows PC from its CD/DVD drive. GPARTED gives you a GUI to (re-)partition and format an external USB drive for FAT, EXT3 and NTFS, etc..

You can then use the external drive FAT32 and EXT3 partitions as an "overflow" for the internal drive of the Humax (only by copy/delete, and encrypted HD recordings have to be transferred back to play them).

A Windows PC can read the EXT3 partition by installing Ext2Fsd 0.48 which allows the drive to be used within Windows Explorer.


The 3am "check for updates" and housekeeping (which cannot be disabled) can be a real pain as it interrupts most tasks, but I don't know if it affects the file manager. You certainly cannot leave a programme to copy overnight in real-time to a DVD recorder (via SCART) because playback stops (and doesn't restart) at 3am.

Cheers, Alan.

I agree. Haven't got a new hard drive yet but I wanted to investigate this before doing so. You simply burn GParted live to a CD and you're away. Easy to use too. My external hard drive now has a large EXT3 partition all ready to go.

Thanks for the 3am update note Alan. I'd forgotten about that.

Well, this has all been extremely educational, and I am most grateful for the input. It seems they is certainly more than one way to skin a cat, so to speak.
This does go off the digi topic, but, mutual beneficiality is a factor.
My dual XP Linux PC went well with XP and my second+ attempt at burning the Ubuntu iso 8.04? was installed more by luck than judgement. It did impress by very quickly offering update 9.01 courtesy of being on my LAN. My attempt at updating that appeared to be working until it told me files had to be deleted to make room - that I couldn't manage/confused me, so still 8.04?
Having been one of the many DOS1 up to WinXP exponents on this planet it is very apparent I need to spend a v.long time learning Linux/ubuntu.
I spent ages failing to find a command line so I guess that tells you something.
I was surprised partitioning didn't come as part of the package, BUT, I did burn GPart Live Iso, and that has worked a treat apart from a couple of operator errors.
I think I see GPart can be added to Ubuntu.
Many thanks for all the inputs, chris jc

I've taken the plunge. I did go for the WD10EVDS in the end and also a caddy. I went for the caddy route as I tried backing up a small file to the hard disk (half hour prog) and it took around an infinity to complete.

Decided that I will install the new drive and simply watch the stuff on the old drive through the USB which seems to work well. I'm guessing that HD stuff may not work due to the transfer rates being too low - anyone know?

Is it me or are there some serious speed issues in copying even small files. I assume the port is USB 2.0???

Hard disk arrived today. Installed easily and formatted (twice to get more space for the video allocated area) no problems at all. Even remembered to note the scheduled recordings first!

Just waiting for caddy now but in case anyone is wondering, it really is simple.

Oops silly me, I forgot that the HD stuff won't work until copied back anyway due to the copy protection flag somewhere within the file.

It's not the copy protection flag it's the decryption overhead although Bob_Cat reckons it's fixable

I stand corrected. Care to expand? You mean by more efficient decryption algorithms within the firmware?

Haven't tried yet as the caddy hasn't arrived (my wife may well murder me before it arrives as she can't watch her progs. May have to plug it into the PC and get some stuff off) but out of interest what happens if you do try and play the HD files? Do they stutter due to the existing algorithm?

Suspect it's the usb speed needs tweaking, replay is a bit like you get if you try and replay HD on an underspecced PC with picture breakup. Perhaps Bob_Cat would like to comment.

Steve, I was about to buy one of these as well. Do you notice the new drive being noisier than the stock one or about the same?

Can't say I've noticed the noise much on the old drive. I would have to say therefore it must be the same or even quieter. Seems a good choice of drive to me.

Got my caddy though today so I can sort that out when I get home. Should prevent the wife from murdering me!!!