Message setting up eSata drive - you will lose all previously recorded programs ...
rosindabow
Newbie

I am attempting to set up my new external eSata drive with my DVR.  It recognizes the drive without a hitch and after it re-boots I get this message: you will lose all previously recorded programs if you begin using the new external eSata drive.  Is there any way to keep my old programs and just add on to them?  I have programs that we haven't viewed yet as well as some old ones I want to keep.  Is there any way to get around this or did Verizon truly implement the use of this drive in this fashion?

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Re: Message setting up eSata drive - you will lose all previously recorded programs ...
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

Is it telling you ALL previously recorded shows or just those which might be on the eSATA drive.   When I added mine, it warned me that it would be necessary to reformat the drive and that any shows on that drive would be lost -- which was expected since the drive is keyed to the specific DVR it's attached to (you can't move it between DVR's or swap DVR's).  The shows which were on the internal drive of my DVR were let untouched and I could see both the old shows on the internal drive and new shows recorded to the eSATA drive.    I added my drive probably over 6 months ago, so YMMV if they changed how things work in the interim.

Re: Message setting up eSata drive - you will lose all previously recorded programs ...
KeithFIOS
Enthusiast - Level 1

I just bought a WD DVR expander (1 TB) recommended by Verizon to use with my Motorola 7232 DVR.  After connecting to my DVR I got the same message that any existing programs would be erased.  Not knowing if the message meant programs on the new external drive would be deleted (which there were none), or programs on my DVR would be deleted (which I was not ready to lose), I called Verizon for assistance.  They told me that my newly purchased WD DVR expander (external hard drive) won't work because I had Verizon FIOS Release 1.9 and not 1.9a.  I'm very disappointed since Verizon told me earlier that 1.9 was compatible with the WD external drive. Verizon tech support has been all over the map with this.  Now I'm out $150.  Verizon is not saying when they plan to roll out Release 1.9a.  I really wanted to make this work.  Any suggestions?

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Re: Message setting up eSata drive - you will lose all previously recorded programs ...
Justin46
Legend

@KeithFIOS wrote:

I just bought a WD DVR expander (1 TB) recommended by Verizon to use with my Motorola 7232 DVR.  After connecting to my DVR I got the same message that any existing programs would be erased.  Not knowing if the message meant programs on the new external drive would be deleted (which there were none), or programs on my DVR would be deleted (which I was not ready to lose), I called Verizon for assistance.  They told me that my newly purchased WD DVR expander (external hard drive) won't work because I had Verizon FIOS Release 1.9 and not 1.9a.  I'm very disappointed since Verizon told me earlier that 1.9 was compatible with the WD external drive. Verizon tech support has been all over the map with this.  Now I'm out $150.  Verizon is not saying when they plan to roll out Release 1.9a.  I really wanted to make this work.  Any suggestions?


Whoever you talked to at Verizon does not know what they are talking about. That happens sometimes.....

Where are you located? As far as I know, All Verizon FiOS areas have the most current STB software, which is actually 1.9a but appears in the System Information display on the DVR as Release: 1.9, Build Number: 10.95. The level you have does in fact support connection of an external hard drive; if the software did not support connection of an external hard drive it would not have the option in the DVR Menu to do so (Enable More Storage).

The message you are seeing means that any data that is on the external hard drive you are attaching will be lost. When you first attach a hard drive to a DVR it must be formatted, and then that drive is "married" to that specific DVR. Whenever you attach that external hard drive to a different DVR from the one it was formatted on, the data on the external drive will be lost - for example, if the DVR fails and needs to be replaced, the recordings on the external drive will be lost.

You should not lose any recordings already on the hard drive in the DVR (notice I used the words "should not"; this is because I have seen at least one or two reports by users that they did in fact lose their recordings. I have no way to know whether they did something totally wrong, or the DVR really maigically did it by itself. But you should not lose your existing recordings....)

Note that once the external drive is attached, all new recordings will be made on the external drive until it fills up, and then recordings will be made on the internal drive.

It is rumored that there will be a 1.91 level of the STB software coming out in the not-too-distant future with some bug fixes and perhaps some additional function. There has not yet been any announcement of a new level by Verizon that I know of.

__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV, 25/25 Internet, and Digital Voice user
QIP7232, QIP7100-P2, IMG 1.9
Keller, TX 76248

Re: Message setting up eSata drive - you will lose all previously recorded programs ...
KeithFIOS
Enthusiast - Level 1

Thanks Justin for your reply.  You bring me hope.  As to your question regarding my location, I am in Howard County Maryland.  Based on your reply, I will reconnect my new WD DVR expander and hope for the best.  Thanks again!

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Re: Message setting up eSata drive - you will lose all previously recorded programs ...
todd112
Newbie

Keith, did you ever get the external hard drive to work? Did it erase any internal data on the DVR? I'm in the same boat as you, having just received that ominous (and unclear!) message about everything being destroyed....

Thanks!

Todd

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