40GB drive seen as 6.4GB !? 1

[J741]

I have a large quantity of hard drives (over 30 units) which were removed from old COMPAQ computers. Each of these drives is identified by any PC as only 6.4GB drives, but the manufacturer's label indicates that they were originally 40GB drives.

During my internet searching, I found out that Compaq had changed the firmware/BIOS on these hard drives, to force them to be 6.4GB drives. Why they did this I'll never understand.

Now I would like to update the frimware/BIOS on these drives so as to restore them to their originally manufactured configuration and capacity. However, both HP/Compaq and the drive manufacturer have been absolutely no help whatsoever. They either have no information about this on their web sites, or they do nor reply to my e-mails, or the hard drive manufacturer informs me that they will not provide any support or information because the drives were sold directly to HP/Compaq and not through retail channels.

So I would like to know if anyone out there has run into this situation before, and can tell me what I can do about it.


More details:

HP/Compaq Spares ID number on all the drives:
166873-001 (3.2GB capacity limit)
166973-001 (6.4GB capacity limit)

Manufacturer ID and model number of some of the drives:
Maxtor D740X-6L (suppose to be 40GB)
Maxtor 2B020H1 (suppose to be 20GB)
Maxtor Fireball 3 (suppose to be 40GB)
Western Digital 200 (suppose to be 20GB)


If anyone can help me with this it would be greatly appreciated.

- James.

My memory is not as good as it should be, and neither is my memory.

I have forgotten more than I can remember

 

[cdogg]

Are you sure it's not the PC's BIOS that's the problem? Kind of strange, wouldn't you think, that 4 different models are coming up at exactly 6.4GB?

Seems like the limitation problem is from the PC. The other possibility is that the drive was low-level formatted with the upper capacity limit. Where did you hear or read about Compaq doing this intentionally? Never heard of that...

~cdogg
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[J741]

I don't remember exactly where I found the information about compaq intentionally locking the drive capacity limit by changing the drive's firmware/BIOS, but I do remember that when I was searching the internet (over 2 weeks ago now) I found more than just one indication of this. Also, a few of the drives actually have a '6.4GB' sticker placed on the drive over top of the original '40GB' manufacturer's label.

As for it being a computer problem, I have tried most of the drives I have in more than 7 different computers, all with the same result; The computer's BIOS simply reports the drive as being a 6.4GB drive.

- James.

My memory is not as good as it should be, and neither is my memory.

I have forgotten more than I can remember

 

[J741]

*******************************************************

It looks as though I may have found a solution !!!

Visit

http://www.altruists.org/projects/hw/hr/

for more details.

*******************************************************

- James.

My memory is not as good as it should be, and neither is my memory.

I have forgotten more than I can remember

 

[satrow]

Good link and well researched, James - yep, I've seen stickers overlaid on hard drives indicating they are now a smaller size. Don't remember whose drives they were ... likely to have been Compaq though, they like to sticker everything.

Hope one of the fixes works (I've used a disk from Microscope to change HDD sizes).

Andy.

 

[cdogg]

Excellent work James! I wasn't aware of that, but I guess you learn something everyday. Star for you...


~cdogg
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884