Can all 120GB be used on WD WD1000JB 100GB drive

[rommel109g]

In the review of the western digital WD1200JB hard drive, Tomshardware made the following statement:
"There is hardly any difference between the previously tested 100 GB model WD1000 and the new 120 GB drive. Both hard drives have three platters and a per-platter capacity of 40 GB each. While the 100 GB drive clearly does not make use of its full capacity, WD obviously didn't have to do much more than alter the firmware and maybe run some quality checks in order to activate the remaining 20 GB."

Is there any known modification or hack that one can do to the 100Gb drive to make full use of the 120GB that is available but suppressed on the drive? If so can you please email me the fix or post it on this forum?

thanx

 

[Crashman]

Perhaps you could flash the firmware, but you would have to find the correct stuff on the net. While this is generally considered a risky proceedure, the drive should still be reflashable to the 100MB firmware, should the 120MB firmware not do the trick, as long as the right 120MB firmware is used.

What's the frequency, Kenneth?

 

[rommel109g]

Thanx for yur reply. I hate to sound like a novice but I have a couple of questions for you:
Do you know where I could get the firmware to do this on the net? and just how do you flash the firmware on a hard drive? Any advice would be most appreciated

thanx

 

[Zlash]

Haven't seen mention of anyone doing this yet, probably not even leaked yet hehe.

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[flamethrower205]

I'm sorry, but that helicopter game on ur site is infuriating! lol

My frog asked me for a straw...dunno what happened he's all over the place

 

[Crashman]

No, probably some russian site has it.

What's the frequency, Kenneth?

 

[flamethrower205]

yeah, it should be possible.

My frog asked me for a straw...dunno what happened he's all over the place

 

[Tiberius13]

I asked this same question here back when that article first was written here at Tom's.... and I basically got the same answers...

I kinda forgot about it until now... maybe somebody out there has explored this more somewhere out there in cyberland? If you find any leads on how to do this - let me know!! I'm still interested in trying to do it myself.

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[lhgpoobaa]

dunno about you guys, but i would be hesitant to flash my drive.

firstly, how do u know that the 'blanked out' segment hasnt got defects?
secondly, if the flash doesnt work, wont you end up with a very expensive paperweight???

<font color=purple>All advice I offer has been
Audited by Arthur Anderson.</font color=purple>

 

[Kelemvor]

Maybe I'm the novice now, but I KNOW that I read that the 1000JB has 3 x 33GB/platters. Now I suppose that they could be, as you say, 40GB held back to 33, but that seems like a dumb-ass way to do business (sorry to the children reading this thread). But, again, I could be wrong...

She said "I love a man in tight jeans" and I said "They're not supposed to be tight I just got fat."

 

[Kelemvor]

Maybe I'm the novice now, but I KNOW that I read that the 1000JB has 3 x 33GB/platters. Now I suppose that they could be, as you say, 40GB held back to 33, but that seems like a dumb-ass way to do business (sorry to the children reading this thread). But, again, I could be wrong...

She said "I love a man in tight jeans" and I said "They're not supposed to be tight I just got fat."

 

[lhgpoobaa]

lol
maybe... maybe not.
western digital have a different naming scheme.

most other drive manufacturers use a single model name with varying platters.

i.e. the 120GXP
40gb platters, 40gb 120gxp has 1, 80gb 120gxp has 2, 120gb 120gxp has 3.

but W.D. had to be different.
people were expecting the 800JB to have 3 platters of 27gb. but when it arrived it was found to just be a little version of the 1200JB... i.e. 2 platters of 40.

and with the "half" drives there are a couple of ways of getting that capacity, taking the 1000JB as the example.

1. get the 1200JB, 3 40gb platters, 6 heads. but remove or disable the head on one side, meaning you really have 2.5 platters used and 5 heads.

2. set it up so that a portion of each platter side isnt used, i.e. only use 33gb of the available 40gb.

3. actually use platters of lower 33gb data density


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