Member Avatar for it@61@sec

I have taken my old Samsung DVD-recorder (DVD-HR775) out of service, replacing it with a VU+ Solo2 combined satelite decoder/recorder (set-top box).

On the DVD-recorder I have recorded a lot of movies and TV-shows. I have the ability to copy it to DVDs (which is the preferred method), but a more efficent way would be to open the box, connect the hard disk to my Ubuntu desktop system (I believe it has a SATA-connection) and transfer the files to it.

I think the box is running some sort of Linux flavor, and that the file system on the hard disk is either ext2/ext3 (or even ext4). But does anyone have any information or experience in doing this ? Maybe Samsung has put some sort of "lock" on the file system so it is not as simple as it sounds - in theory. .?

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Short summary and practical plan tailored to : the Samsung DVD‑HR775 uses a regular internal 3.5" hard disk (service docs show how to remove it) but the official user manual also documents the HDD <-> DVD copy features and warns against changing the drive yourself. If you want an easy, safe archive, use the recorder's built‑in "copy HDD to DVD" first; if you still prefer to pull the drive and copy over USB/SATA, follow the removal steps in the service manual and treat the drive as a normal SATA disk. (eserviceinfo.com)

What to expect when the disk is attached to Ubuntu: outcomes vary by model. Some recorders store plain MPEG/TS files or create easily playable .trp/.vro segments that a PC player will run; others use a proprietary layout or indexing so the files look unusable on a PC or appear locked to the unit (this is why suggested some manufacturers “key” drives). There are many real user reports of both behaviours across brands, so be prepared for either. (videohelp.com)

Safe, minimal‑risk workflow to try on Ubuntu:

  • Power down and follow the service manual to remove the HDD. (eserviceinfo.com)
  • Connect the drive to the PC (internal SATA or USB‑SATA adapter).
  • Identify partitions read‑only and inspect before writing:
sudo lsblk -f
sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdX
sudo file -s /dev/sdX*   # detect filesystem/container
sudo mount -o ro /dev/sdX1 /mnt/samsung   # only if it looks safe
  • If partitions are not mountable, run non‑destructive scans (TestDisk, PhotoRec, or a commercial tool like UFS Explorer) to extract recordings; there are user reports of UFS Explorer recovering DVR data when simple mounts failed. Always image the drive first if the data is important. (forum.videohelp.com)

Final cautions: do not let Ubuntu auto‑repair or write to the HDD (mount read‑only). If you reinsert the original drive into the recorder, use the recorder's own disk management/initialise functions rather than hand‑partitioning the disk on the PC. If unsure, start by ripping a few favourites with the HR775 copy function — it is the lowest‑risk route. (manualzilla.com)

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Member Avatar for Begginnerdev

Way back when (about 7 years ago) I tried this for a friend. He had an old busted dvr he wanted fixed. I fixed it....so I thought. Turns out that some of the manufacturers key the hard drives to the recorders and once the drive is removed and replaced (same drive) it gives a message saying something to the effect of "Device has been modified".

I would do a couple of days searching on google before I broke it open.

Member Avatar for it@61@sec

I was thinking of connecting the drive to my PC, copy the files on it and then reformat the whole thing after reinstalling it in the dvr. But that might not be a good idea after all ? :)

Member Avatar for it@61@sec

Where you able to read the content of the harddisk from the dvr when you removed it from the box ? That's the key point for me...

Member Avatar for spok

same problem here...
did you find a solution ?

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