Vip 211z moving external hard drive to a Wally

[bestboff]

I upgraded to a Wally from my old VIP 211z. The Wally doesn't recognize the drive having content on it and wants to format the drive. Is there anyway to save the contents of the old drive so the Wally can use it?

 

[Bobby]

I upgraded to a Wally from my old VIP 211z. The Wally doesn't recognize the drive having content on it and wants to format the drive. Is there anyway to save the contents of the old drive so the Wally can use it?

The two receivers have different operating systems. The EHD is not interchangable as you are finding out.

 

[TheKrell]

The two receivers have different operating systems. The EHD is not interchangable as you are finding out.

That may be true but so did the H3 and my old 722.

 

[bestboff]

The two receivers have different operating systems. The EHD is not interchangable as you are finding out.

Ok if I have to format what is a good 1TB EHD replacement?

 

[TheKrell]

Ok if I have to format what is a good 1TB EHD replacement?

I'd go for the biggest disk that will work. 2TB? (I don't know. My H3 has a 6TB on it.)

 

[bestboff]

I'd go for the biggest disk that will work. 2TB? (I don't know. My H3 has a 6TB on it.)

I thought the Wally is limited to 1 TB

 

[Mr Tony]

I thought the Wally is limited to 1 TB

2TB max

 

[Jim5506]

One trick with 722/622/621/Hopper units was to format a fresh drive on the new unit then connect both EHD's to a computer running linux and copy the program files from the old one to the new one.

Off the top of my head I do not remember the name of the folder tht contains the programs for the 722, etc.

Not sure if it will work with the ViP211/Walley business.

 

[ethanlerma]

So EHD’s from VIP DVRs (612/722/922/etc) can be used on Hoppers because the file structure is the same, and the only data saved on the EHD is recorded events.

211/Wally’s on the other hand use the EHD for more things, like the 9 day extended guide (2 day on internal memory) and the live TV buffer (the ability to pause/play/rewind up to an hour). This makes it so that Hopper to Wally/211 are not interoperable, and for some reason the 211 and Wally file structure is different.

I don’t have a Wally available to me right now, but something I would try if you really want to transfer the recordings is what was mentioned above, after connecting a new EHD to the Wally and letting it format and create its specific file structure, connect both EHDs to a linux computer (the EHDs are formatted in ext3 iirc) and see if you can transfer the recordings over. You would just have to be careful to not transfer something that is not a recording.

 

[Jim5506]

So EHD’s from VIP DVRs (612/722/922/etc) can be used on Hoppers because the file structure is the same, and the only data saved on the EHD is recorded events.

211/Wally’s on the other hand use the EHD for more things, like the 9 day extended guide (2 day on internal memory) and the live TV buffer (the ability to pause/play/rewind up to an hour). This makes it so that Hopper to Wally/211 are not interoperable, and for some reason the 211 and Wally file structure is different.

I don’t have a Wally available to me right now, but something I would try if you really want to transfer the recordings is what was mentioned above, after connecting a new EHD to the Wally and letting it format and create its specific file structure, connect both EHDs to a linux computer (the EHDs are formatted in ext3 iirc) and see if you can transfer the recordings over. You would just have to be careful to not transfer something that is not a recording.

Not exactly, the incompatability is that the actual operating system for the recording apparatus for the 211 is stored on the EHD.

The Wally's os is graphical whereas the 211/411's os is not therefore the Wally will reformat the drive and install it's graphical operating system to the EHD and in the process wipe out all other data on that drive.

 

[n0qcu]

Not exactly, the incompatability is that the actual operating system for the recording apparatus for the 211 is stored on the EHD.

The Wally's os is graphical whereas the 211/411's os is not therefore the Wally will reformat the drive and install it's graphical operating system to the EHD and in the process wipe out all other data on that drive.

What exactly makes you think that the OS is stored on the drive as opposed to the receiver?

 

[Bobby]

What exactly makes you think that the OS is stored on the drive as opposed to the receiver?

The operating system, itself, is located on the receiver. The DVR system on on the 211 and Wally is located on the external hard drive. So, the way that drive is set up may be different than the Hopper which has all of it on it's internal hard drive.

 

[TheKrell]

Not exactly, the incompatability is that the actual operating system for the recording apparatus for the 211 is stored on the EHD.

The operating system, itself, is located on the receiver. The DVR system on on the 211 and Wally is located on the external hard drive. So, the way that drive is set up may be different than the Hopper which has all of it on it's internal hard drive.

Unless either of you have found software on the EHD, I don't know how you can determine that. The non DVR part of the software has to reside in the receiver or it could not function without an EHD. Now there's extra stuff like the longer guide, trick play buffers and programs and (in the case of the Wally) channel or program icons. But the O/S? I don't see why.

Also note that the H3 can function without an internal drive, so the O/S isn't on that drive either.

 

[n0qcu]

Unless either of you have found software on the EHD, I don't know how you can determine that. The non DVR part of the software has to reside in the receiver or it could not function without an EHD. Now there's extra stuff like the longer guide, trick play buffers and programs and (in the case of the Wally) channel or program icons. But the O/S? I don't see why.

Also note that the H3 can function without an internal drive, so the O/S isn't on that drive either.

TO TheKrell
The Wally channel & program icons would also need to be on the Wally not the EHD because they are there without an EHD.

 

[tjboston5676]

So EHD’s from VIP DVRs (612/722/922/etc) can be used on Hoppers because the file structure is the same, and the only data saved on the EHD is recorded events.

211/Wally’s on the other hand use the EHD for more things, like the 9 day extended guide (2 day on internal memory) and the live TV buffer (the ability to pause/play/rewind up to an hour). This makes it so that Hopper to Wally/211 are not interoperable, and for some reason the 211 and Wally file structure is different.

I don’t have a Wally available to me right now, but something I would try if you really want to transfer the recordings is what was mentioned above, after connecting a new EHD to the Wally and letting it format and create its specific file structure, connect both EHDs to a linux computer (the EHDs are formatted in ext3 iirc) and see if you can transfer the recordings over. You would just have to be careful to not transfer something that is not a recording.

The hopper does use the hdd to store all that extra info as well. When there's a hdd failure on a hopper all that stops working. And to the other post about the OS, it's part of the receivers firmware which is permanently stored on the receiver itself and not the hdd. Adding a hdd to wally basically makes it the same as a hopper.


To the op, as far as transferring files from vip to wally , you can try a new hdd and plug into wally first to format it then do as said above and connect both to a computer and manually trabsfer it.
Supposedly I've heard of some techs who were able to format with a hopper first and then connect to a 722 and successfully transfer everything and watch on the hopper. But with a 211 it's a little different since it doesn't have the built in drive and I believe only one usb port. Could try a USB hub and connect old hdd and new hdd (formatted by wally) and see if it will see both drives and trabsfer using the 211 instead of a computer.