Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

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Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby bigherb » Wed May 05, 2010 11:07 pm

Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

step1
new styles smaller box front


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step1a
new style box rear


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step1c

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step2
remove outer case

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step3

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step4
remove top shield cover

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step5
remove rear cover plate

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step6
remove top PCB


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step7
remove front PCB

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step8

remove HDD

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step9
refit new HDD and case in reverse order

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end
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Re: Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby bigherb » Wed May 05, 2010 11:29 pm

Ive got two new DRX890 250GB personal boxes, both ran silent (un-noticable fan noise) untill after the upgrade

1st box -
model- 1.0.260
vers- 4f31a2
os vers- 1.32b12
epg- sky+8.4.0 multi v.3.0.0

2nd box -
model- 1.2.270
vers- 4f3102
os vers- 1.32b12
epg- sky+9.10.13a


both have now been upgraded to the 1.5TB using COPY+ beta 1.2.0.6

all went well, the PC showed the files had copied over and the raw data for the drive was 1.36TB odd.

however...................now they both kick in the cooling fans about 20 seconds after power up and stay at the same faster speed.

any ideas whats causing the fan speed to jump up after fitting the new HDD`s?

is it the Amstrad new version box not liking the hardware/new drive?

or

a file missing/corupt on the COPY+ stage?

or

somthing to do with the new EPG versions?

anybody got any ideas? or similar issues?
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Re: Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby Marvin » Thu May 06, 2010 12:19 am

For reference there is a slightly easier way of taking the case off. Undo a screw at the back top (just one on normal boxes, might not even be there), turn the box over, there is plastic clip underneath at the front (3 clips on normal size boxes) releasing which allows the metal part of the box to slide backwards about a half inch until it stops then the plastic case can be lifted off without taking it apart. This is the usual procedure for the old Sky HD box, looks broadly valid.

But still, eww, "We need to make the box smaller, can we shrink the motherboard?", "Lets just sort of fold it over".

There is a requirement for sky+ boxes that if reading the temperature from the hard disk fails the fan must remain on. For example fitted with a type of hard disk where reading the temperature requires code not in the box. This is probably the problem, a different make/model hard disk might avoid it.
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Re: Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby bigherb » Thu May 06, 2010 9:39 pm

Ah right, that would make perfect sense.

so do we know if the box can be "fixed" so it can read the HDD temp for new drives?

im using a Zelman mini fan speed controller to slow the fan down for now while keeping an eye on the box temp while under test.
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Re: Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby baz7795 » Mon Oct 18, 2010 1:29 pm

bigherb wrote:Ive got two new DRX890 250GB personal boxes, both ran silent (un-noticable fan noise) untill after the upgrade

1st box -
model- 1.0.260
vers- 4f31a2
os vers- 1.32b12
epg- sky+8.4.0 multi v.3.0.0

2nd box -
model- 1.2.270
vers- 4f3102
os vers- 1.32b12
epg- sky+9.10.13a


both have now been upgraded to the 1.5TB using COPY+ beta 1.2.0.6

all went well, the PC showed the files had copied over and the raw data for the drive was 1.36TB odd.

however...................now they both kick in the cooling fans about 20 seconds after power up and stay at the same faster speed.

any ideas whats causing the fan speed to jump up after fitting the new HDD`s?

is it the Amstrad new version box not liking the hardware/new drive?

or

a file missing/corupt on the COPY+ stage?

or

somthing to do with the new EPG versions?

anybody got any ideas? or similar issues?

hi, just wondered if you could help, I have took drive out drx890 hdd, and copy plus cannot see it, just wondered if you could help many thanks
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Re: Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby pcbbc » Mon Oct 18, 2010 1:44 pm

This is most likely related to the latest Darwin software update by Sky.
Unfortunately Copy+ is now completely incompatible with this release, and I can not say how long it is going to take to fix it.
As a result, I do not currently recommend using Copy+ on any HD boxes, as they are all likely to receive Darwin at some point or another. :oops:
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Re: Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby Jimtastic » Sat Oct 30, 2010 6:35 pm

Hi,

I too have this box, I didn't know whether or not my Sky+ box has "Darwin" on it until I opened got the HDD out and tried using Copy+ and that told me I do have "Darwin". I'm sure there was probably a way.

I have read a few different articles about changing drives and some state that Windows doesn't recognise the XTVFS file system used on Sky+ drives. However, Windows Vista happily displayed the folders on the drive although as also mentioned it doesn't recognise the space usage.

What I was wondering is that if you put a new factory unformatted drive into the HD box and got it to initialise the disk, then put them both in my PC and copied all the folders from one to the other using windows, would it work? I guess not mainly because I used the XTVFS drivers which mount them as readonly, so I've probably answered my own question!

I really want to get my drive in my Box but realise that there are isn't a known time of release for Copy+ which will do the Job. Does anyone have a rough idea??
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Re: Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby pcbbc » Sat Oct 30, 2010 11:24 pm

Sorry, this will not work.

Standard files on an XTVFS disk - FAT32 and Windows can read them.
Video files (STR extension) - Special format entirely outside the FAT32 file system and can not be read by Windows.

This is why you need Copy+ in the first place...
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Re: Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby Jimtastic » Mon Nov 01, 2010 12:16 pm

I suspected as much so didn't even consider trying it. I just wondered!

I know you have been unable to specify any timsescales for the next version of Copy+ to support Darwin, but do you have any idea of a ball-park timescale? I only ask as if it is going to be a while then I may consider selling on my new 1TB drive and getting a 1.5TB one once the new Copy+ has been updated.

Much appreciated.
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Re: Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby pcbbc » Mon Nov 01, 2010 12:28 pm

A very rough estimate would be in the order of a few months.
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Re: Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby Jimtastic » Tue Nov 02, 2010 12:41 pm

I am new to this forum so apologise if this is the wrong location. But I want to ask a specific question about the HDD in the DRX890 box. I don't know who is best to ask.

The HDD in the DRX890 is a Seagate Pipeline HD.2 500Gb. I have read many posts about people having increased noise etc. after an upgrade, and then needing to do fan upgrades etc. Seagate do a 1TB Pipeline HD.2 drive, so does anyone know would this be the best option to keep the box behaving correctly. I basically don't want to find the the drive I have/buy isn't best suited for DVR purposes and therefore cause myself propblems later on.

Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask, hoped not as this thread is about upgrading this particular box.
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Re: Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby pcbbc » Tue Nov 02, 2010 2:14 pm

Jimtastic wrote:I am new to this forum so apologise if this is the wrong location. But I want to ask a specific question about the HDD in the DRX890 box. I don't know who is best to ask.
Perhaps better off in the "General HDD replacement discussion" forum, but anyway...

The HDD in the DRX890 is a Seagate Pipeline HD.2 500Gb. I have read many posts about people having increased noise etc. after an upgrade, and then needing to do fan upgrades etc. Seagate do a 1TB Pipeline HD.2 drive, so does anyone know would this be the best option to keep the box behaving correctly. I basically don't want to find the the drive I have/buy isn't best suited for DVR purposes and therefore cause myself problems later on.
Sticking with the same make and model family of drive as originally installed is definitely recommended.
However there is no 100% way to guarantee you will not have problems, except perhaps for finding someone who has actually tried this drive.
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Re: Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby kerseco » Mon Nov 08, 2010 7:59 pm

Hello there --- some help on this would be much appreciated !

Following the discussions on upgrading my brand new Amstrad 890 Box with a 2TB WD20EVDS over the last few weeks - and the difficulties of using Copy+ post Darwin -I finally took the plunge (not too wisely at 2 am, but hey it seemed easier then... ) and completed the Upgrade with some success. ... :roll:

All fine (I think)- thank you for the various photo-guides on dismantling & reassembling - and of course jerome32's and pcbbc's detailed guidance on the upgrade.

However --- some questions arise (of course!) ... I'm completely new to Sky and its intricasies, but the steps taken were:

1. Ensured my brand new Amstrad 890-R Box had the latest software on it (it had) & the Box worked well with its existing 500 Gb HDD (it did). Split seemed to be 250Gb Anytime & 250Gb User

2. Prepared the new WD20EVDS HDD by ensuring it was just a "Basic Disk"
You must copy from an initialised disk. Copy+ requires some preinitialised files from a donor disk in order to make a new one - even if the disk is empty it contains some pre-initialised files that Copy+ can not create from scratch.
Ref pcbbc

3. Accepted that I couldn't use Copy+ to copy across TV programs recorded on the original 500Gb HDD to the new 2 TBb HDD, due Box & 500Gb being post Darwin ref pcbbc

4. Downloaded pcbbc's expanded vanilla pre-Darwin Image onto the Basic Disk 2Tb HDD

5.Installed the 2Tb HDD in the Sky+ Box and switched on....
and ...Initially nothing ("System Fault")... :x but after doing a System Reset under the hidden Services Menu (Services 001 etc) all jumped into life with a fully working HDD. I assume this is not the same as the Full System Reset (thereby wiping the vanilla file) -- is this correct ?? HDD capacity is certainly much bigger than before and the Sky Box records and plays perfectly. Anytime works as advertised too.


But questions to the experts :

1. How do I check the capacity of the HDD ? I suspect it's now ONE Tb rather than two...
2. How do I check the Anytime / User split ?
(Is it 250Gb/1750Gb if I succeeded with the full 2Tb conversion or is it 250Gb/750Gb if I unintentionally downgraded the capacity to 1 Tb ?)
3. What should I have done to utilise the full 2Tb Capacity ?? System Reset, Planner Rebuild or the Full System Reset ??

Would really appreciate some guidance -- but thanks to all your written notes on at least achieving a ONE Tb HDD Conversion !

Regards, Peter
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Re: Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby Bezza90 » Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:52 pm

I have an Amstrad DRX890-C and have had it for about 3 weeks. I have had problems with the menu crashing from time to time so performed a forced update the other day (It did not fix the crashing in the menu however :roll: ).

It is currently running

Model Number: SYSF26.28.06
Version Number: 4F3105
EPG: 38.2.1.6_1
MF: Amstrad

I was initially looking to upgrade the disk on this to either Seagate ST31500341AS (Already have) or a 1.5TB Western Digital AV-GP WD15EVDS (Need to buy) and be able to copy the recordings currently on the disk accross.

From looking at this thread and a couple of others (and PCBBC's reply more noteably!) I guess this is not possible for some time.

My main question is My model number is seemingly different to others, does that mean anything significant? I also notice the model number on the box it came in has a is DRX890-C and not R like a previous poster?
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Re: Amstrad DRX890 HDD upgrade

Postby pcbbc » Tue Nov 09, 2010 10:28 am

kerseco wrote:and ...Initially nothing ("System Fault")... :x but after doing a System Reset under the hidden Services Menu (Services 001 etc) all jumped into life with a fully working HDD. I assume this is not the same as the Full System Reset (thereby wiping the vanilla file) -- is this correct ?? HDD capacity is certainly much bigger than before and the Sky Box records and plays perfectly. Anytime works as advertised too.
Not entirely familiar with the HD box menus, however...
"System Reset" sounds very much like "Full System Reset" to me. :oops:
Unless there are 2 very similar options on this menu (unlikely), then you have done a Full System Reset regardless of what it is actually called now...

1. How do I check the capacity of the HDD ? I suspect it's now ONE Tb rather than two...
The only way to do this is empirically. Record some shows, look at the percentage used (do NOT add up individual percentages, as they are all rounded up) then calculate usage based on 2GB per hour for SD and roughly 4GB per hour (I think?) for HD.
I think you might also be able to right click on the volume in Windows Explorer, select Properties and see the capacity. Don't look at the partition size in Disk management though, because that will be correct (2TB).

2. How do I check the Anytime / User split ?
Again, you can't. This isn't recorded anywhere.
However it is fixed based on your box model (NOT installed disk size): DRX890=250GB, DRX895=500GB.
So with a 1.5TB in a DRX890 you actually get MORE user space than a native DRX890 owner. :D
Whatever size your disk has actually been formatted to, you need to subtract the fixed Anytime space to get the actual User space.

3. What should I have done to utilise the full 2Tb Capacity ?? System Reset, Planner Rebuild or the Full System Reset ??
I believe copying from a non-Darwin box is currently the only way.
I do not think the boxes are capable of correctly formatting partitions to 2TB. In fact when I tried a 2TB disk in a DRX890 I couldn't even get the FSR to work correctly.
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