thanks Amet,
I've tried it, but the problem (I think) is that the file smallatv.dmg (I think again) is corrupt, because I can't mount it.
I did
dd if=/Users/vicenserralta/smallatv.dmg count=1335 of=/dev/disk1 bs=1024k
but once I plug to the tv, nothing happens.
Could someone send me the smallatv.dmg correct? thanks to everyone.

Please... help help help!!!

The recovery partition (and the resulting dmg) can't be mounted, because the partition has a strange GUID which can't be read by a normal MacOS X.

I think, the smallatv (which is not from me) is an image of the recover partition too, like the disk image from me.

The correct command would then be: dd if=/path/to/recovery.dmg of=/dev/disk1s1. But first you should check, if it's really disk1.

This only works, if the disk structure is still intact and just the partition contents are screwed.

If you the structure is damaged too, then you have to recreate it. I posted a guide on how to do this some posts before. I've never done this myself, so I can't help you any further.

smallatv that I have used is the image of the whole drive.

It will create recovery partition and after reboot it will create the media partition. I installed on the new drive, so there was no disk structure compatible with ATV.

the correct command would be

dd if=/Users/vicenserralta/smallatv.dmg of=/dev/disk1 bs=1024k

but only if ATV drive is attached as disk1 use diskutil list to find the correct drive

Thanks to all for the help.
After 3 weeks, my atv is restored and working.

Could someone help me pls out with a full image as download sources don't work anymore

Originally Posted by xpla

Could someone help me pls out with a full image as download sources don't work anymore

the latest update images are always available at this link:

http://mesu.apple.com/version.xml

im pretty sure you dont need any other additional images to recover an atv

Hi all

I noticed some people had some questions on how to use the smallatv.dmg AppleTv FULL Restore Image. Based on 2.0.2 (download torrent) - TPB to restore their existing HDD or setup a brand new bigger HDD. So here are some instructions which will hopefully be useful for those with access to a Mac (I'm running 10.6). These instructions also assume that you have removed your HDD from your Appletv and connected it to your Mac with an IDE to USB connector.

Most importantly please make sure you are comfortable with terminal and don’t accidentally over-write the wrong HDD. I.e in terminal enter diskutil list and confirm which drive is which - in my case it was disk1 for you it might be disk2 or disk3. Double check the commands before you hit enter. You can screw your computer if you get it wrong.

I've shown terminal commands in blue. I've copied most of the output from my terminal screen after the execution of each command so you can see if you are on the right track.

I’ved used this method and the smallatv.dmg several times now on HDD’s from 60GB to 500GB. This is by and far the best process out there to get you back to a factory HDD with a factory restore partition with software version 2.02 and a maximum sized media partition. Unlike other methods out there as the restore partition and EFI partitions are in tact you can always do a factory restore from within the Appletv to get back to software version 2.02.

Good luck! And thanks to Magiske for the install image!

Regards
Paul

* USE DISK UTILITY *

Step 1:
Use disk utility to format the disk and destroy all partitions

* ENTER TERMINAL *

Step 2:
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk1

Unmount of all volumes on disk1 was successful

Step 3:
dd if=/put in the path to your file/smallatv.dmg of=/dev/disk1 bs=1024k

[Note, you can drag file from OSX into terminal and it will complete the path for you]

Step4:
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk1

Unmount of all volumes on disk1 was successful

* USE DISK UTILITY *

Step 5:
Use disk utility to delete the media partition

* ENTER TERMINAL *

Step 6:
diskutil list

/dev/disk1
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: GUID_partition_scheme *500.1 GB disk1
1: EFI 35.7 MB disk1s1
2: Apple_Recovery 419.4 MB disk1s2
3: Apple_HFS 943.7 MB disk1s3


Step 7:
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk1

Unmount of all volumes on disk1 was successful

Step 8:
sudo gpt show /dev/disk1

' start size index contents
0 1 PMBR
1 1 Pri GPT header
2 32 Pri GPT table
34 6
40 69632 1 GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B
69672 819200 2 GPT part - 5265636F-7665-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC
888872 1843200 3 GPT part - 48465300-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC
2732072 974041063
976773135 32 Sec GPT table
976773167 1 Sec GPT header

[This is how you determine the size of your media partition. Note the number in red and bold above. Enter this same number into the next command at step 10. Yours will be different depending on the size of your HDD. In this case it was a 500GB HDD.]

Step 9:
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk1

Unmount of all volumes on disk1 was successful

Step 10:
gpt add -b 2732072 -i 4 -s 974041063 -t hfs /dev/disk1

/dev/disk1s4 added

Step 11:
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk1

Unmount of all volumes on disk1 was successful

Step 12:
newfs_hfs -J -v Media /dev/disk1s4

Initialized /dev/rdisk1s4 as a 464 GB HFS Plus volume with a 40960k journal

Step 13:
diskutil list

/dev/disk1
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: GUID_partition_scheme *500.1 GB disk1
1: EFI 35.7 MB disk1s1
2: Apple_Recovery 419.4 MB disk1s2
3: Apple_HFS 943.7 MB disk1s3
4: Apple_HFS Media 498.7 GB disk1s4

Step 14:
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk1

Unmount of all volumes on disk1 was successful

* PUT HDD BACK IN APPLETV *

Step 15:
do a factory restore

Dear Paul,
Thanks for your instruction and it helped me in restoring my ATV since it was siting there as a paper weight for over a year already. There is a little problem and although I can only get pass step 4, I am able to reboot the ATV to perform a restore.

I following your instruction till step 5 where I try to delete the media partition using iMac 10.5.6 and it would just wait there "preparing for earse" and nothing else. So my 160GB disk is functioning as a 40GB disk in the ATV. Any idea?

Is there any other wy to delete the media partition ? May be under Window?

Thanks

Originally Posted by 997paul

Hi all

I noticed some people had some questions on how to use the smallatv.dmg AppleTv FULL Restore Image. Based on 2.0.2 (download torrent) - TPB to restore their existing HDD or setup a brand new bigger HDD. So here are some instructions which will hopefully be useful for those with access to a Mac (I'm running 10.6). These instructions also assume that you have removed your HDD from your Appletv and connected it to your Mac with an IDE to USB connector.

Most importantly please make sure you are comfortable with terminal and don’t accidentally over-write the wrong HDD. I.e in terminal enter diskutil list and confirm which drive is which - in my case it was disk1 for you it might be disk2 or disk3. Double check the commands before you hit enter. You can screw your computer if you get it wrong.

I've shown terminal commands in blue. I've copied most of the output from my terminal screen after the execution of each command so you can see if you are on the right track.

I’ved used this method and the smallatv.dmg several times now on HDD’s from 60GB to 500GB. This is by and far the best process out there to get you back to a factory HDD with a factory restore partition with software version 2.02 and a maximum sized media partition. Unlike other methods out there as the restore partition and EFI partitions are in tact you can always do a factory restore from within the Appletv to get back to software version 2.02.

Good luck! And thanks to Magiske for the install image!

Regards
Paul

* USE DISK UTILITY *

Step 1:
Use disk utility to format the disk and destroy all partitions

* ENTER TERMINAL *

Step 2:
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk1

Unmount of all volumes on disk1 was successful

Step 3:
dd if=/put in the path to your file/smallatv.dmg of=/dev/disk1 bs=1024k

[Note, you can drag file from OSX into terminal and it will complete the path for you]

Step4:
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk1

Unmount of all volumes on disk1 was successful

* USE DISK UTILITY *

Step 5:
Use disk utility to delete the media partition

* ENTER TERMINAL *

Step 6:
diskutil list

/dev/disk1
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: GUID_partition_scheme *500.1 GB disk1
1: EFI 35.7 MB disk1s1
2: Apple_Recovery 419.4 MB disk1s2
3: Apple_HFS 943.7 MB disk1s3


Step 7:
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk1

Unmount of all volumes on disk1 was successful

Step 8:
sudo gpt show /dev/disk1

' start size index contents
0 1 PMBR
1 1 Pri GPT header
2 32 Pri GPT table
34 6
40 69632 1 GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B
69672 819200 2 GPT part - 5265636F-7665-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC
888872 1843200 3 GPT part - 48465300-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC
2732072 974041063
976773135 32 Sec GPT table
976773167 1 Sec GPT header

[This is how you determine the size of your media partition. Note the number in red and bold above. Enter this same number into the next command at step 10. Yours will be different depending on the size of your HDD. In this case it was a 500GB HDD.]

Step 9:
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk1

Unmount of all volumes on disk1 was successful

Step 10:
gpt add -b 2732072 -i 4 -s 974041063 -t hfs /dev/disk1

/dev/disk1s4 added

Step 11:
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk1

Unmount of all volumes on disk1 was successful

Step 12:
newfs_hfs -J -v Media /dev/disk1s4

Initialized /dev/rdisk1s4 as a 464 GB HFS Plus volume with a 40960k journal

Step 13:
diskutil list

/dev/disk1
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: GUID_partition_scheme *500.1 GB disk1
1: EFI 35.7 MB disk1s1
2: Apple_Recovery 419.4 MB disk1s2
3: Apple_HFS 943.7 MB disk1s3
4: Apple_HFS Media 498.7 GB disk1s4

Step 14:
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk1

Unmount of all volumes on disk1 was successful

* PUT HDD BACK IN APPLETV *

Step 15:
do a factory restore

Hi Skylab

To confirm Step 4 - in Disk Utility you click on the drive in the left hand side pane. You then click on Partition in the Menu bar in the middle top of the screen. Then select the media partition in the pane in the middle. Finally click the minus sign "-" below that pane. A dialogue box will appear "Are you sure you want to remove the partition [ ]? This partition will be erased [ ]". Then click on Remove and it will be deleted. Try that again.

Cheers
Paul