I had this happen the other day. With the Expander drive still connected to the PVR with the data cable, unplug the power to the expander for a minute and then plug it back in. It worked for me and I was very relieved when it did.
Shaw PVR External HDD Reconnect
We had disconnected our External HDD from our Shaw PVR,, when I reconnect it, it requested we reformat,, I declined as the drive has a quite a number of programs on it. it then tells me to disconnect the drive,, I didn't ... All those programs are inaccessible right now.. haw can I re access those recorded programs?
when I try to watch them it states.
the external drive containing the requested recording is not connected. Please connect drive Drive 1 or press cancel
I still have the drive connected it just doesn't allow access to the episodes
Is there a way to recover them to my computer if not able on the PVR?
thanks for the help
when I try to watch them it states.
the external drive containing the requested recording is not connected. Please connect drive Drive 1 or press cancel
I still have the drive connected it just doesn't allow access to the episodes
Is there a way to recover them to my computer if not able on the PVR?
thanks for the help
1 - 15 of 15 Posts
no luck with that.. 
What has worked for me is to unplug the STB box for 10 sec then plug it back in leave the external alone and let it recycle once on again it may 5 mins before list function works I had to try list a few times then it just comes back
Silly question but this is the same PVR it originally recorded from correct? If the PVR was swapped out for any reason the recordings are gone forever.
I had this problem too
Without disconnecting anything (as far as I knew, anyway) I came home to find none of my recordings worked - same message. I tried reconnecting, rebooting, unplugging several ways - finally it worked with Jetranger's advice (leave data cable connected and unplug power from extender for a full minute).
It looks like you may have to try it a couple of times.
I was also relieved... these things are scary
Without disconnecting anything (as far as I knew, anyway) I came home to find none of my recordings worked - same message. I tried reconnecting, rebooting, unplugging several ways - finally it worked with Jetranger's advice (leave data cable connected and unplug power from extender for a full minute).
It looks like you may have to try it a couple of times.
I was also relieved... these things are scary
I have a similar problem with our DCT 3416 and expander. It has happend twice previously and both times I couldn't find any other solution but to format the drive again and lose our recordings.
Today we had a scheduled power outage in our area and I knew that this would be trouble. A few hours after power was restored I tried accesing the PVR and received an error stating that the service was unavailable - call Shaw.
Not wanting to lose our recordings for a third time I went online and used the online chat tool and spent an hour talking to the tech support person. We tried everything resetting the unit etc. Finally I get the - lets send a tech out so I have an appointment for Monday afternoon so they'll give me another refurbished DCT and I'll lose my recordings again unless I can find a fix before then.
I figured I should turn to the experts here to see if anyone has any advice.
In short when my PVR gets power and the esata cable for the expander is still connected the PVR will go through its boot sequence but will not turn on.
Once the esata cable is removed the unit will turn on as normal, then reconnect the esata cable and you get a message about formatting the drive, if you decline it gives you "Alert 13" which is to disconnect the external drive.
It seems to be an endless cycle unless you choose to format and lose your recordings which I've done twice now.
I will keep trying to cycle the power on the expander but I've tried that previously with no luck.
I've only had this box for three months, 6 months ago I purchased a new DCT from futureshop only to have it die completely after 3 months then they gave me this refurbished unit and surely I'll have another refurb unit on Monday.
Does anyone have any other suggestions that I may not have thought of?
Today we had a scheduled power outage in our area and I knew that this would be trouble. A few hours after power was restored I tried accesing the PVR and received an error stating that the service was unavailable - call Shaw.
Not wanting to lose our recordings for a third time I went online and used the online chat tool and spent an hour talking to the tech support person. We tried everything resetting the unit etc. Finally I get the - lets send a tech out so I have an appointment for Monday afternoon so they'll give me another refurbished DCT and I'll lose my recordings again unless I can find a fix before then.
I figured I should turn to the experts here to see if anyone has any advice.
In short when my PVR gets power and the esata cable for the expander is still connected the PVR will go through its boot sequence but will not turn on.
Once the esata cable is removed the unit will turn on as normal, then reconnect the esata cable and you get a message about formatting the drive, if you decline it gives you "Alert 13" which is to disconnect the external drive.
It seems to be an endless cycle unless you choose to format and lose your recordings which I've done twice now.
I will keep trying to cycle the power on the expander but I've tried that previously with no luck.
I've only had this box for three months, 6 months ago I purchased a new DCT from futureshop only to have it die completely after 3 months then they gave me this refurbished unit and surely I'll have another refurb unit on Monday.
Does anyone have any other suggestions that I may not have thought of?
I've had this happen, too, and will not waste my money on an expander again. Everything gets recorded on the drive that has the most space -- the expander, of course. When this happens, you lose it all, and it's inevitable.
My thinking is that the newer PVR with a 500 GB hard drive should give ample space. The problem of power failures and the nervous anxiety when trying to get the PVR to recognize the expander make them not worth the bother. Since we've been warned that we shouldn't save a lot of material, due to the possibility of loss, then watching and deleting on a 500 MB is going to have to be sufficient in my future.
meshmellow
My thinking is that the newer PVR with a 500 GB hard drive should give ample space. The problem of power failures and the nervous anxiety when trying to get the PVR to recognize the expander make them not worth the bother. Since we've been warned that we shouldn't save a lot of material, due to the possibility of loss, then watching and deleting on a 500 MB is going to have to be sufficient in my future.
meshmellow
As has been mentioned before, the addition of a simple UPS can eliminate many of these types of problems. Sure, it won't keep your equipment going for more than an hour or two but it can save the grief of 'lost recordings' due to intermittent power outages. The bigger and better the UPS you buy, the longer it will be able to keep your PVR alive. Even the cheapest ($50 or so) UPS can make a big difference. I started out that way and liked it so much I moved up to 2 mid level units so I can still watch tv while the lights are out.
Well Shaw's tech came out on Monday afternoon to look at our DCT and expander.
I wasn't home but the tech told my wife that since the firmware upgrade they've had numerous problems with the Motorola 3416's and PVR expander's.
To my surprise when I came home they had swapped my 3416 for a DCX3400. The tech told my wife that anyone that has had a problem with the 3416 and expander has been swapped to the DCX3400.
The tech did ask us not to use the expander with the 3400 for about a month because a firmware update was coming. I haven't plugged it in yet but I can't see myself waiting a month to try it out.
One thing I can say for sure is that I won't be relying on the PVR & expander for long term storage of any recordings.
I wasn't home but the tech told my wife that since the firmware upgrade they've had numerous problems with the Motorola 3416's and PVR expander's.
To my surprise when I came home they had swapped my 3416 for a DCX3400. The tech told my wife that anyone that has had a problem with the 3416 and expander has been swapped to the DCX3400.
The tech did ask us not to use the expander with the 3400 for about a month because a firmware update was coming. I haven't plugged it in yet but I can't see myself waiting a month to try it out.
One thing I can say for sure is that I won't be relying on the PVR & expander for long term storage of any recordings.
Can you tell us what size the hard drive is in the 3400 that the tech gave you?
The tech told my wife it was 500gb. I tried to confirm it in the setup menu by turning the power off and pressing menu but that information isnt there like it is on my old motorola.
Is there another model of the DCX3400 with a different sized drive? I had thought they were all 500gb.
Is there another model of the DCX3400 with a different sized drive? I had thought they were all 500gb.
Apparently the 3400s being sent out as replacements for the Pace 770s are only a 250gig drive. See Post #9 in this thread: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=131125. I was just curious if the techs were issuing these too. It's good to hear you probably got a 500gig one. The menu should be the same as before as all Moto boxes are the same in that regard.
I will try the menu again when the ballgame is on commercial - it was power off and info on the other box but the user guide I downloaded for the 3400 suggested power off and menu which I think is a different setup menu.
I'll post an update when I have a definite answer.
I'll post an update when I have a definite answer.
Should be power off and guide. I've got a recording going now so I can't check.
1 - 15 of 15 Posts
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