wellsyke
Standard Member
I successfully replaced the hard disk in my HDR thanks largely to posts in this forum so I'm posting my own findings in the hope that they're useful to someone.
Initially I replaced the 320GB drive with a Samsung HD103UJ (1TB, 7200rpm, 32MB cache). While that worked it got warmer that I was happy with so I changed it for a HD103SI (1TB, 5400rpm, 32MB cache). The HD103SI runs much cooler than the HD103UJ, both are quiet.
Physically changing the disk is very easy and the HDR seems to format and start using it without any difficulty.
Deleting recordings seems much faster with the new disk.
The original disk is much slimmer than normal drives (I suspect it has only one platter) so it may have more airflow over it than the replacement.
The first replacement drive was previously partitioned using a GPT rather than MBR partition table but the HDR didn't seem to care.
The old disk can be put in a USB caddy, attached to the HDR and existing recordings copied over (it is slow (I got 4MB/s) but you can select multiple files to copy in on go [yellow button in file manager IIRC] and the files are copied with their metadata so you can tell when it was recorded and if you've watched it, I can't recall if folders can be copied over or if you have to manually create them on the destination and then copy the files)
A quicker way (I got 80MB/s with both drives connected to motherboard SATA ports) to copy the files, which also allows you to copy over your recording schedule, is to put both drives in a PC running Linux. I used Ubuntu but others should work. You need to put the new drive in the HDR first and let it partition the drive, then take it out and put it in your PC.
Using a PC also allows you to copy over your recording schedule which is stored in a file named reserve.info in it's own partition.
Booting your PC from a “LiveCD” should be enough for this task so you don't need to install Linux or have a 3rd hard disk connected.
To avoid permissions problems in Linux The copies are best done with root permissions. If you prefer using a gui to copy files, I suggest launching the file manager from a terminal with root privilages (“sudo nautilus” in ubuntu).
Hope this is some use, Arthur
Initially I replaced the 320GB drive with a Samsung HD103UJ (1TB, 7200rpm, 32MB cache). While that worked it got warmer that I was happy with so I changed it for a HD103SI (1TB, 5400rpm, 32MB cache). The HD103SI runs much cooler than the HD103UJ, both are quiet.
Physically changing the disk is very easy and the HDR seems to format and start using it without any difficulty.
Deleting recordings seems much faster with the new disk.
The original disk is much slimmer than normal drives (I suspect it has only one platter) so it may have more airflow over it than the replacement.
The first replacement drive was previously partitioned using a GPT rather than MBR partition table but the HDR didn't seem to care.
The old disk can be put in a USB caddy, attached to the HDR and existing recordings copied over (it is slow (I got 4MB/s) but you can select multiple files to copy in on go [yellow button in file manager IIRC] and the files are copied with their metadata so you can tell when it was recorded and if you've watched it, I can't recall if folders can be copied over or if you have to manually create them on the destination and then copy the files)
A quicker way (I got 80MB/s with both drives connected to motherboard SATA ports) to copy the files, which also allows you to copy over your recording schedule, is to put both drives in a PC running Linux. I used Ubuntu but others should work. You need to put the new drive in the HDR first and let it partition the drive, then take it out and put it in your PC.
Using a PC also allows you to copy over your recording schedule which is stored in a file named reserve.info in it's own partition.
Booting your PC from a “LiveCD” should be enough for this task so you don't need to install Linux or have a 3rd hard disk connected.
To avoid permissions problems in Linux The copies are best done with root permissions. If you prefer using a gui to copy files, I suggest launching the file manager from a terminal with root privilages (“sudo nautilus” in ubuntu).
Hope this is some use, Arthur
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