Retrieve lost PVR 9200T Recorded Items list

[are_we_humax]

Our PVR 9200t has just played this much-reported trick on us too. The Recorded Items list is blank but the HDD control shows a lot of space is still used. A quick new test record did appear in the list and played back all right. So I understand that to try to retrieve the file list I should link to a PC - I'm on a 32 bit machine running Windows Vista. (Reformatting the Humax hard disc and accepting the loss of programmes would be a last resort I'm trying to avoid.)
Can someone please clarify for me what has been said in various threads?
Is it correct that I must open up the Humax, remove its hard disc drive, put it in a powered ATA to USB connector (bought from where? Maplins? PCWorld?), plug it into a USB socket on the PC, and then use humaxrw?
Or is it possible to use the (square, printer-type) USB socket behind the fold-down front panel of the Humax. Does this work, but just very slowly? Or does this not interface with the hard disc drive at a low enough level to allow humaxrw to work its magic? I've tried this, using "humaxrw :2 -l", but get the message "Permission denied" for Physical Drive 2. Oh, and even if I do connect things correctly, how do I know what drive to ask for?
On a related point, I've also used this straightforward USB connection with eLinker software, and I've installed the Humax driver software that came on a disc, and I've successfully copied an mp3 and jpeg from PC to Humax - but are "MP3" and "Image" the only folders this will allow me to access?

 

[Black Hole]

The USB slave interface you are taking about is entirely mediated by the Humax firmware and only has the capabilities Humax chose to provide. Physically removing the HDD allows you to take complete control of it without any Humax firmware getting in the way - except that a non-standard format is used on the HDD necessitating special software to access the HDD contents (hence humaxrw).

A suitable adapter is available from Maplin and probably PC World too, but the cheapest source is eBay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-2-0-T...ing_Drive_Cables_Adapters&hash=item4aab82e152

 

[prpr]

Is it correct that I must open up the Humax, remove its hard disc drive, put it in a powered ATA to USB connector (bought from where? Maplins? PCWorld?), plug it into a USB socket on the PC, and then use humaxrw?

Yes.

Or is it possible to use the (square, printer-type) USB socket behind the fold-down front panel of the Humax.

No.

Does this work, but just very slowly?

It won't work at all for what you are trying to achieve.

Or does this not interface with the hard disc drive at a low enough level to allow humaxrw to work its magic? I've tried this, using "humaxrw :2 -l", but get the message "Permission denied" for Physical Drive 2.

Because you don't have a physical drive 2 until you connect it directly to the PC. Connecting PC to Humax USB does not make it look like a drive to the PC.

Oh, and even if I do connect things correctly, how do I know what drive to ask for?

Educated trial and error.

On a related point, I've also used this straightforward USB connection with eLinker software, and I've installed the Humax driver software that came on a disc, and I've successfully copied an mp3 and jpeg from PC to Humax - but are "MP3" and "Image" the only folders this will allow me to access?

That's about all it's fit for. You will lose your sanity if you try transferring video using it.

 

[are_we_humax]

OK, thanks Black Hole for a quick, clear and concise reply. I understand that the operation just involves unscrewing, unplugging, copying out, copying back in, replugging and (literally) screwing up with I hope minimal opportunity for (metaphorically) screwing up and clumsily damaging the PVR for future use. Presumably if you don't need to touch any circuit boards then you don't need an earthing strap.

 

[Black Hole]

Dealing with hard drives is a relatively safe operation because they are essentially encapsulated sub-assemblies, but it is sensible to take some kind of precaution against electrostatic damage during any operations with electronic equipment. However, there is also a lot of hysteria about it. You won't be stupid enough to open a case with the mains plugged in; do the job on a wooden work surface (ie static dissipative); move around as little as possible (reducing the build–up of electrostatic charge on your body); touch bare metal on the equipment in question frequently (immediately before handling the electronics); avoid touching connector pins, conductors, or bare electronics components.

 

[are_we_humax]

Hmm, more adventures along the way..
(BTW, thanks prpr too for your reply on Tuesday.)
For simplicity (I thought) I went to Maplins and asked about a USB 2.0 to SATA/IDE cable with power, but all they could offer me was a Winstars Communicator C1 docking station, which they told me would do the job; and it does say 'supports all 2.5" or 3.5" SATA HDD'. But the connects don't seem at all right. The Humax HDD (ST 3160022ACE) has 80 pins (in 2 rows) + 8 pins (in 2 rows, unused) + 4 fat pins (in 1 rowm for the power). The Communicator C1 just offers a row of 15 + 7 sockets, seeming to be the wrong size anyway, and apparently with no direct power for the HDD. Am I right that this is no good at all, and I should instead follow the eBay route that Black Hole recommended? - I can't seem to find it available anywhere else.

 

[MartinLiddle]

it does say 'supports all 2.5" or 3.5" SATA HDD'.

There is the clue; it supports SATA drives but the 9200 uses the older IDE interface so that is no good.

Am I right that this is no good at all, and I should instead follow the eBay route that Black Hole recommended?

Maplins do list an IDE/SATA to USB converter http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/idesata-to-usb-20-a35fq#deliveryTab but it appears very expensive to me compared to the Ebay items.

 

[Trev]

The 9200 drive that you have is an IDE drive. The 'adapter' they sold you is for a SATA drive. As you've noticed, they are not compatible. Maplin do the one you need Here But the one on eBay also includes the required PSU

Beat me to it Martin.

 

[prpr]

For simplicity (I thought) I went to Maplins and asked about a USB 2.0 to SATA/IDE cable with power, but all they could offer me was a Winstars Communicator C1 docking station, which they told me would do the job; and it does say 'supports all 2.5" or 3.5" SATA HDD'. But the connects don't seem at all right.

That sounds like SATA only to me. Return it and get a refund.
They are incompetent, both technically and administratively it seems, after my recent run in with them.

Am I right that this is no good at all, and I should instead follow the eBay route that Black Hole recommended?

That's probably the cheapest way to do it. A quick search turns up something like this.
Make sure you get one with a power supply and make sure it has a UK plug. Lots don't!

Edit: Oops, I didn't see BH's link was exactly the same as mine. Shows we applied the same criteria though!

 

[prpr]

Maplin do the one you need Here

40 flamin' quid?

 

[Black Hole]

The one I linked to ticks all the right boxes.

There is no need to be scared of eBay. Personal sales might be hit and miss, but lots of people make a business out of eBay selling and run an effective mail-order service - when an item is listed as "buy now" and "more than 10 available" you can be pretty sure this is the case. I buy from UK sources only if possible (sometimes I can't), your payment is protected by the eBay/PayPal escrow system, and UK commercial sales come under the distance selling regulations in the Sale of Goods Act.

Purchases tend to turn up in a few days, even from China!

 

[prpr]

Purchases tend to turn up in a few days, even from China!

I never buy from outside the EU and rarely outside the UK. It's too easy for things to go wrong and/or get stung for import duties etc.

 

[are_we_humax]

Still no luck.
Have bought the USB to IDE cable with power, taken the hard disc out of the Humax, and made all the connections to my PC. When I switched the HDD power on I got a message "software has been installed" and that the USB mass storage device and the USB device with the HDD designation were ready to use; but, as is correct, there is no new drive shown under 'Computer'.
But when I try running the command humaxrw -l 2: I still get the message that Permission is Denied for PhysicalDrive2. The same thing happens for all numbers from 0 to 5. At 6 and beyond it tells me there's no such file or directory. (For information, 'Computer' normally shows 2 internal hard disc drives (C&D), 2 DVD drives (E&F), and 4 other devices with removable storage (GHIJ).) This is the same situation as when I didn't have the HDD connected properly - and in fact the same as when I unplug the USB connection entirely. And yet the PC knew that a connection had been made, and what the connection was to, because it knew the HDD designation (model ST316002 2ACE).
Any ideas, anyone? Is there some partial fault in the connection, or is there some software conflict? Also, I've tried running from the PC's Administrator account, still without success.

 

[MartinLiddle]

But when I try running the command humaxrw -l 2: I still get the message that Permission is Denied for PhysicalDrive2. The same thing happens for all numbers from 0 to 5. At 6 and beyond it tells me there's no such file or directory. (For information, 'Computer' normally shows 2 internal hard disc drives (C&D), 2 DVD drives (E&F), and 4 other devices with removable storage (GHIJ).)

Have you tried humaxrw 8: -l ?

 

[prpr]

What version of Windows are you running? (Why do people never say?) I've only done this using XP so...
Does the Disk show up in Disk Management and if so, what number is it? Drive letters are irrelevant for this are there are no partitions/volumes that Windows will find.
You almost certainly will have to run this from an Admin. account with Admin. privileges (on W7, you should have "Administrator: Command Prompt" on the title bar).

 

[Trev]

@ prpr. Does XP automatically load drivers? If not he must be using Vista (or higher). The OP says that he was not expecting a drive(s) to show up in Windows as a drive letter and he has tried running from the Administrator account.

 

[prpr]

Does XP automatically load drivers?

Drivers for what? Yes it does, if they're installed. It can be told to search the internet for them, possibly even automatically. Can't remember now and I never had mine set up like that.

If not he must be using Vista (or higher).

For what?

The OP says that he was not expecting a drive(s) to show up in Windows as a drive letter

Quite, but you need the disk to show up in Disk Management as I said before.

and he has tried running from the Administrator account.

Which doesn't necessarily run things with admin. access (on versions after XP, certainly with 7; never used Vista so don't know).
You need to check the title bar, as I said before, having used the "Run as administrator" option on the "Command Prompt" object's menu.

 

[Trev]

Drivers for what?

The USB /IDE adapter. He said that the software had installed correctly.

It can be told to search the internet for them, possibly even automatically.

Manually in XP surely?

For what?

For his OS to load drivers automatically

having used the "Run as administrator" option on the "Command Prompt" object's menu.

But you didn't say that. Until he mentions that the drive is showing up in Disk Management, (Right click Computer, select Manage and click Disk management {W7}) we will never know

 

[are_we_humax]

I summarised the PC & OS in my first post, but to reiterate and expand: Dell Studio 540 32 bit PC, running Vista Home Premium 2007 Service Pack 2.
The humaxrw I'd downloaded is identified as humaxrw-1.15-win32.
The Humax HDD doesn't show up with 'Windows icon'-> left click Computer, but it does with 'Windows icon'-> right click Computer -> Manage -> Storage -> Disk Management (local) - thanks for spelling that out, Trev. That shows that Disk 0 is the PC's hard disc, Disks 1-4 are 'removable (no media)', and (fanfare) Disk 5 is 'Unknown 149.05 GB Not Initialized'. As I understand it, that's exactly what's wanted - the PC knows the HDD is present but it can't read it (because it's in an unfamiliar format).
So I went straight for the command 'humaxrw -l 5:', but still it tells me 'Permission denied' for PhysicalDrive5. It's beginning to look like a protection thing, though I am running as Administrator. Could it be the McAfee Security I've got on? Or some setting I need for the humaxrw software?
By the way, 'Windows icon' -> Computer -> System Properties -> Device Manager -> Disk Drives shows 'ST316002 2ACE USB Device', the designation of the Humax HDD.
And another bit of information, maybe or maybe not relevant, is that I've been able to use the same cables to connect another hard disc with Windows files on it - a Maxtor removed from an old Sony Vaio desktop - and my PC successfully read everything I tried there (without using humaxrw, of course!). So I'm connecting things all right, but still falling at the hurdle of reading the Humax HDD, because of 'Permission'.
Any more wisdom, anyone?

 

[Trev]

Don't know the answer, but a super synopsis of the 'story so far' covering anything I can think of and at least you know it's connected to your computer OK and so do we . But as I haven't used humaxrw, I'll leave it for someone who has.