Ultra ATA drive as USB 2.0 drive

[LoneStarGazer]

System Description: HP zd8000 notebook (ATA Controller Intel 82801FB/FBM Ultra ATA Storage Controllers - 266F) with a HP xb2000 docking station which came with a 160 GB hard drive which operated as a USB 2.0 storage device.
Operating system : Windows XP Professional. CPU and Speed : Pentium 4 3.2 GHz Total RAM : 1.00GB

Here is the problem. I have an HP Notebook with the above Docking station. It uses a Maxtor 160GB Hard drive, which is an Ultra ATA interface, and it fits into a tray or diskette holder which has a regular ATA power and data cable and also a cooling fan. The Maxtor failed and HP does not now have a replacement in stock, and it's been two weeks, so I bought a Seagate ST3400832A Barracuda drive (400GB) to replace it (and I'll keep the HP replacement as a spare when they can ship it). However, the Seagate doesn't work. HP didn't supply much (really any) effective documentation, but when I attach the Seagate, it simply won't be recognized by XP--the system recognizes it as a unknown USB device. Interestingly enough, the Maxtor has five sets of jumper connectors as opposed to the Seagate's four -- one jumper on what I think are pins 7-8 but it has a single (lower?) pin jumped in what I guess is pin 1 (lower pin on left set looking at the exposed card side of the drive. The Seagate I left on cable select position, but also tried in pins 5-6.
Do you have or know of a driver that allows a Seagate Ultra ATA to be used as a USB 2 storage device? Or can you suggest a jumper configuration?
HP is clueless and it may be a couple more weeks before they get me a drive. To be honest, I'd rather have the Seagate--it's quieter and cooler -- it does power up fine in the tray--just isn't recognized.
Any alternative solutions would also be appreciated.

Thanks, LoneStarGazer

 

[rvnguy]

LoneStarGazer,

You did not state if you formatted the new WD drive?? They usually ship unformatted as you have choices as to format type. This will prevent XP from seeing it as a drive as you have stated. As to Jumper config...can you determine what the original Maxtor was jumpered as? If so, jumper the WD the same.(i.e. master, slave, cable select) typically, only the vertical jumpers are in use, sometimes there is an extra jumper that is placed horizontally just for storage. Drive docs should explain HD state with specific jumpers in place.

rvnguy

 

[garebo]

rvnguy is right on.
Usb drives have to be set as master.
Go to Seagate website and download the jumper configuration for master if its not listed on the hard drive or your documentation.
As master and formatted you should be good to go.
Since your machine recognized the 160 gig hard drive then you know you dont have to worry about the 137 gig limitation either.
If all else fails, try switching usb cables but make sure its a usb 2.0 cable and not a usb1.1 cable.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[LoneStarGazer]

Thanks to both of you. I will configure it as a master drive (which seems counter intuitive to me so I would never have tried it) and see if that fixes the problem. The USB connection is "internal" to the docking station and is a USB 2 Bus.

Will be back later today with either good news (I hope), or else ask for the next suggesions.

All the best, LoneStarGazer

 

[LoneStarGazer]

Great advice. Configured it as a master drive and it was found on the USB Bus. Low-level formatting is just about completing now.

Thanks for contributing your expertise. All the best, LoneStarGazer

 

[rvnguy]

LoneStarGazer,

Thanks for getting back on this. This is the satisfaction that we are looking for...knowing that we are able to assist as sometimes it is difficult. Have a great one!!

rvnguy