AtvCloner
AtvCloner is a Macintosh application that can be used to properly image the AppleTV1* hard drive and then partition a new drive for upgrading/replacing the built in hard drive in the AppleTV.
* This software will not work on the AppleTV2.
Note: As of AtvCloner 0.1.8 you can now format your AppleTV1 hard drive to run XBMC Linux with Broadcom Crystal HD support !
| File Name | File Size | Compatibility | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| AtvCloner_Leopard.zip | 55.6 KB | OS X 10.5 ONLY (Leopard) | Download File |
| AtvCloner_2_0.zip | 49.1 KB | OS X 10.6 , OS X 10.7 | Download File |
| ** AtvCloner_Linux_recovery.dmg.zip | 37 kb torrent/ 217.8 MB final file | OS X 10.6 ONLY (Snow Leopard) | Download Torrent |
| ** AtvCloner_Linux_25_beta.img.gz | 37 kb torrent / 1.32 GB final file | OS X 10.6 ONLY (Snow Leopard) | Download Torrent |
| ** Optional files for use with the AtvCloner XBMC / Linux installation introduced as of AtvCloner 0.1.8 (currently Mac OSX 10.6 only). Please also note that these two files, due to their size are offered via bit torrent. If you do not have a bit torrent client I might suggest Transmission, its free and works great! | |||
AtvCloner is tested using Mac OSX Leopard (10.5.xx) through Mac OSX Snow Leopard (10.6) but will not work with 10.4 Tiger. AtvCloner has so far been used to successfully create working replacement drives for the atv using these drives:
Internal:
Stock 40GB Fujitsu PATA drive (single partioned then repartioned back to ATV format and tested).
Hitachi 160GB PATA drive (internal upgrade).
eStata External:
Western Digital 360GB MyBook Home Edition.
Western Digital 500GB MyBook Home Edition.
Western Digital 750GB MyBook Studio Edition.
Western Digital 1TB MyBook Home Edition.
AtvCloner relies on these system utilities and their paths which should exist in any stock installation of Leopard:
/usr/sbin/diskutil
/usr/sbin/gpt
/bin/dd
/sbin/newfs_hfs
You can find out if you have these dependencies by using Terminal. Here is an example for checking for dd in Teminal type:
which dd
which should result in this:
/bin/dd
You can do this for all four system dependencies if you want just to make sure.
Operational Note: Though I have not written a proper users guide yet, I should mention that just like when using the terminal command method, Finder will complain when AtvCloner formats the new partitions telling you it cannot read the new partitions. There will be 3 of them. Just click “Ignore” to each. Time machine may also ask if you want to use the Media Partition as a backup. Again, like the terminal method just click “Cancel”.
Guarantee ( or lack thereof ): AtvCloner is completely free for you to try and use as much as you want. As such it comes with absolutely no guarantee of any sort or kind, implied or otherwise. Just like using the command line utilities to manually erase, or partition any drive, be careful as you risk data loss at all times. If you want to try it go ahead, but don’t even think about complaining if it screws something up. I use it all of the time and have had no issues, but in using AtvCloner you agree to take sole responsibility if anything happens to you’re drive including any data loss. Period end of story.
Image your stock AppleTV 1 partitions to .dmg files for safe keeping on your mac.
AtvCloner 0.1.8 Image Drive Tab
Setup a new hard drive partition for the AppleTV 1 hard drive from your mac.
Note: This screenshot shows a “XBMC Linux w/ CHD support” setup using AtvCloner 0.1.8. In this case the boot.dmg is not used as its single boot. Also you will see that “Large Drive Formatting” option is disabled as it does not work reliably with the xbmc / linux chd option currently. For standard atv os re-partitioning it works as before.
AtvCloner 0.1.8 Partition Tab with XBMC Linux and CHD checkbox checked.