Reading hard disk files

[woolly17]

Can a Windows pc read the files on a hard disk drive removed from a personal video recorder? What software might be needed?

I have the hardware to achieve the connection, but haven't needed to try it yet ... just curious to know if it might be possible.

[Davethedog]

The hard disk will be the same as it was in the recorder if you have the connections all you would need is any drivers.

I.e if its a Sony 123 you would need to find the Sony 123 driver and it then works like any other disk drive.

[ChuckFickens]

A lot of the PVRs will use EXT3 as the file system on the drives so if yours in one of those you'd need to installed a driver for that...

http://www.fs-driver.org/

If yours using FAT32 as the drives file system then you can just plug it in and you'll be able to read the drive.

whether or not you can actually play the files is another matter.

[AlBags]

Sky PVR's (along with quite a few others) use XTVFS formatting.
They are un-readable by Windows. Windows will see it but show as basic volume with nothing on it. Special software is required, along with special drivers that prevent Windows or AV softwares modifying the files on them (Read-only mod)
On the sky HDD's, one still cannot copy and play the files. Again, special software needed. Early PVR's are PATA, later SATA.
Best way to attach ANY PVR HDD is with an external open USB caddy.

[ChuckFickens]

So what it pretty much comes down to is.... there is not such thing as "a personal video recorder?".... without the OP saying which one any of our advice is speculation.

[AlBags]

Correct : )

Bit like the ipod face question : )

[ChuckFickens]

Bit like about 95% + of the tech questions!

[AlBags]

Yep : )
With no comeback/return on many (like in motoring)
Sometimes I wonder why I bothered.