If you’re wondering how you can fix the DIRECTV Genie hard drive failure dilemma, you’re just in the right guide! For this tutorial, we’ll be going over the complete steps on how you can fix it!
In addition to that, we will also work with you to let you know about the common reasons why the hard drives of DIRECTV receivers fail!
If your DIRECTV Genie hard drive fails, power cycle your receiver two (2) times within 30 minutes. Then, perform a regular self-test and clear out the series manager on your Genie DVR. After that, add or hook up an external drive to stand as the new drive of the receiver.
Before jumping to the solution part of this guide, do you know the things that can cause hard drives to fail?
What Can Cause the DIRECTV Genie Hard Drive Error?
You will find many different causes of hard drive failure, but among the most common ones include:
- Hardware failure
- File corruption
- Firmware corruption
- Power issues
Determining what the actual cause is, would be difficult or rather impossible, even if you know what the error is.
So, in fixing the problem, we need to perform the resolution process completely and comprehensively.
When it comes to fixing hard drive problems on DVRs and other similar devices, they’ll usually require replacement.
As you can see from the reasons above, they’re technically not fixable by means of troubleshooting, especially if it’s a direct failure.
How can this problem be solved? What are the steps to make your Genie’s hard drive work again?
Moreover, can I add an external hard drive to DIRECTV Genie?
The quick and easy answer to that is yes, you can add an external drive to a DIRECTV Genie if it has already failed! In fact, this is the way to go for you to be able to use your Genie properly!
Fixing DIRECTV Genie Hard Drive Failure
Our guide will cover everything from checking if the hard drive is still fixable to performing various steps in replacing your hard drive!
Without further ado, let’s head right to the guide!
Step #1: Power Cycle Your Receiver
The first step is to power cycle or restart your receiver. Unlike regular power cycling, DIRECTV engineers recommend a more specific Genie DVR power cycling process.
- Reboot your receiver by unplugging it from power for about 15 to 30 seconds.
- After that, turn the device back on again and wait for it to reinitialize.
- Then, wait for 10 to 15 minutes while the receiver is on the home screen.
- Lastly, power cycle it again by unplugging it from its main source.
Doing this process can clear out most of the temporary files and cached data on the receiver that can’t be eradicated through the usual reboot process.
Alternatively, you can also power cycle it by restarting it through settings, which is by pressing the [MENU] button on the remote, and then clicking Settings & Help > Settings > Reset > Restart Receiver.
This will initiate the reboot process, and then finally, you just have to wait for it to turn back on again.
After this, we can then go to the next step, which is…
Step #2: Run an Automatic Test
Following the second (2nd) round of rebooting, your receiver will enter the automatic tests. Your screen should say “Running Self-Check” and you just need to wait for it to finish.
This can take up to a total of five (5) minutes before it gets back to the home panel.
Step #3: Perform a Regular Self-Test
When it boots back up, the next thing to do is to perform a regular self-test of the receiver.
You can do this on all the models and versions of the Genie DVR by following these steps:
- On your remote, press [MENU].
- Then, navigate to Settings > Settings & Help.
- From there, locate Info & Test, and then select Run System Test on the bottom-right.
The process above will help you determine and identify the error that you’re experiencing. The first two (2) numbers are the major codes, and they’re the most important.
Step #4: Hook Up an External Hard Drive
Then, finally, proceed to add or hook up an external hard drive to your Genie receiver!
For this, of course, you would need a hard drive equipped with an eSATA (External Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) cable.
If you want to know more about how it’s done, follow this process:
- Turn off and unplug the receiver from power.
- All Genie receivers would have a SATA port on the device (usually at the back).
- Plug one end of the eSATA cable into the back of the receiver.
- Take the other end and plug it into the hard drive.
- Once you’ve done this, just turn the receiver back on!
This process is simple and easy – you don’t need to format it because once you turn it on, it’ll be formatted automatically!
Just take note, though, that using a hard drive with smaller storage than your original Genie DVR could hinder it from performing well.
After doing this process, you could use your DIRECTV Genie normally again! The hard drive failure error should be gone, and your receiver should function like how it should!
My DIRECTV Genie Hard Drive Still Fails, What Should I Do?
If you didn’t find this method effective and your Genie receiver still malfunctions due to hard drive issues, the next best bet is to contact DIRECTV and ask for a replacement.
It usually wouldn’t cost you anything to have it replaced, but you would need to pay for shipping to have it sent to your location.
To do this, you simply have to contact DIRECTV, tell them that the hard drive of your Genie receiver failed, and they’ll already know what to do.
They might try to help you troubleshoot it, but you can tell them that you’ve done the troubleshooting steps above so they can help you with a better and more accurate resolution faster.
Read Next: Why Is DIRECTV Running Receiver Self Check?
If you ever experience hard drive failure with your DIRECTV Genie receiver, perform the recommended power cycle procedure, then run the tests to see if it’s fixable. Then, proceed to hook up or add an external drive to your Genie device. You can also opt to ask for a replacement from DIRECTV.
Bottom Line
When you experience a DIRECTV Genie hard drive failure error when you try using it, don’t panic!
With this tutorial, you’ll definitely be able to resolve it regardless of whether or not you’re used to fixing and resolving issues like this.
We made this guide for everyone to be able to understand it easily and conveniently!
Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.