Request clarity on USB drive formatting

[Gerald Reynolds]

I'm preparing a new 500 GB drive to attach to a DVR1100c receiver. I want both 4 GB Time Machine and (remaining space) programmed recording capability. How should I format the drive, and where?

Only in the DVR1100c?
Only on a PC (with SwissKnife)?
First on a PC then in the DVR1100c?

Format Time Machine partition first, then format remainder for programmed recording?
Format entire disk first, then carve out a Time Machine partition from it?
Something else?

Can formatting in the DVR1100c create a partition the full size of this drive or will it only create a smaller partition and waste the rest of the space?

Please advise. Thanks.

[Glorystar1]

If the drive is FAT32 compatible as formatted from the factory, simply format with the DVR1100c receiver then activate Time Machine.

If the drive is not FAT32 compatible as formatted from the factory, the unit may not be compatible with the DVR1100c. You might overcome the factory formatting by either formatting the drive with a MAC or using a PC with SwissKnife as a single partition. Once the drive is formatted FAT32, connect to the DVR1100c and format with the receiver then activate Time Machine.

The entire 500GB drive is formatted in a single partition. If you activate Time Machine, 512MB - 4GB is designated for that feature and is not available for regular recording.

[Gerald Reynolds]

The drive came NTFS formatted. I reformatted it with SwissKnife, full 500 GB, one partition. I understand that now I must reformat it with the DVR1100c, then activate Time Machine on it. From that I understand that Time Machine is not a separate partition but a special file in the primary partition. I also understand that reformatting the drive in the DVR1100c will preserve but rewrite the 500 GB partition or will replace it with a new 500 GB partition and not something smaller (as something I read elsewhere led me to expect). If those understandings are not correct, please advise. Thanks.