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    #1

    40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

    Hi, I realize that this is about a part of a laptop but I like to ask anyway for your input.
    I've got several 2,5" HDD model ST9408114A from Seagate.
    The label does state 40Gb but there is only about 20Gb space on them.
    Also from the label it is an drive manufactured for OEM distribution and they where supposed to be used in printers.
    Obviously the printer manufacturer limited the storage space some way.
    I have tried to delete the partition and than activate it again and format it but no way to find back the lost space.
    Any bright ideas??
    Thanks. Joseph.
    Tags: None
    #2
    Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

    it's in the firmware.
    i have some 10gig quantum drives locked at 6.4 like that.
    it's usually done to make the drive compatable with an old system.

    if you want to recover the space, you need to get the correct firmware and a flasher program to install it.
    good luck with that - they only exist in the wild if the original firmware had a serious bug.
    some very big company's also have the software&firmware but they dont give it out.

    your 40's showing as 20's have probably had one of the heads/platters disabled to fit inside the 32gig boundary limit of dos btw.
    Last edited by stj; 06-19-2014, 04:34 AM.

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      #3
      Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

      no jumper setting near the ide connection ?

      Comment

        #4
        Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

        Originally posted by dellxps15 View Post
        no jumper setting near the ide connection ?
        Just the MASTER/SLAVE/CABLE SEL jumpers.
        Thanks.

        Comment

          #5
          Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

          Originally posted by stj View Post
          it's in the firmware.
          i have some 10gig quantum drives locked at 6.4 like that.
          it's usually done to make the drive compatable with an old system.

          if you want to recover the space, you need to get the correct firmware and a flasher program to install it.
          good luck with that - they only exist in the wild if the original firmware had a serious bug.
          some very big company's also have the software&firmware but they dont give it out.

          your 40's showing as 20's have probably had one of the heads/platters disabled to fit inside the 32gig boundary limit of dos btw.
          As I have a few of them, I just opened one to see and it has only 2 platters with 4 heads. All 4 present.
          Thanks.

          Comment

            #6
            Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

            You can try to disable the HPA area using HDAT2:

            http://www.hdat2.com/hdat2_faq.html#q1
            "The one who says it cannot be done should never interrupt the one who is doing it."

            Comment

              #7
              Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

              Connect them to a windows machine and post the screen shot when looking at the drive from administrative tools > computer management.

              Comment

                #8
                Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

                Originally posted by Per Hansson View Post
                You can try to disable the HPA area using HDAT2:

                http://www.hdat2.com/hdat2_faq.html#q1
                Beat me to it!
                "Tantalum for the brave, Solid Aluminium for the wise, Wet Electrolytic for the adventurous"
                -David VanHorn

                Comment

                  #9
                  Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

                  Originally posted by Per Hansson View Post
                  You can try to disable the HPA area using HDAT2:

                  http://www.hdat2.com/hdat2_faq.html#q1
                  Thanks for this link. I will have a go at it tonight.
                  Cheers, Joseph.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

                    Hi Per,
                    Been away some time but back now.
                    Thanks for the info but...???? where do I find HDAT2 program?
                    Also the hint about the F/W from a member ..I do have some real 40GB drives with their 40GB space and they have all the same F/W.
                    Hi Artois 7.
                    I am still running XP and I don't see the administrative tools nor computer management so no screenshot for now.
                    As I wrote, I do have several of these drives "Seagate Momentus 5400.2" and they come from printers. The same printers had in a later revision the same drives but not restricted to 20GB.
                    They all have F/W ver. 3.01 and have 2 platters with their 4 heads.
                    There are no differences to be seen on the pcb's or strapping's or jumpers on them so it has to be some S/W restriction like mentioned by Per Hanson.
                    I still have not given up that it should be possible to recover the restricted space.
                    Look forward to more options.
                    Thanks, Joseph.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

                      To get to disk management follow these instructions.

                      1) From the desktop or Start Menu of Windows, right-click on My Computer.
                      2) Left-click Manage.
                      3) Left-click Disk Management.

                      HDAT2 is here http://www.hdat2.com/

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

                        Get Hiren's Boot CD. It has several utils which you can use for that. Victoria, MHDD and HDAT2 can all modify the size or cancel HPA.
                        Originally posted by PeteS in CA
                        Remember that by the time consequences of a short-sighted decision are experienced, the idiot who made the bad decision may have already been promoted or moved on to a better job at another company.
                        A working TV? How boring!

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

                          Originally posted by Joseph67 View Post
                          Hi Per,
                          Been away some time but back now.
                          Thanks for the info but...???? where do I find HDAT2 program?
                          Uhh I linked you to the site?
                          http://lmgtfy.com/?q=hdat2&l=1

                          Go to download > select CD ISO version & burn the ISO to a CD-R disc, then boot from this.
                          Last edited by Per Hansson; 07-09-2014, 01:48 PM.
                          "The one who says it cannot be done should never interrupt the one who is doing it."

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

                            Thanks Per.

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

                              Hi again,
                              I have burned the HDAT2 iso to a CD and can boot from it up on my laptop.
                              When I look at the device list, the 20/40 HDD is listed as something not to obvious but I can see it and it has the 20Gb disk space.
                              Also the internal HDD and the CD writer are in the list.
                              Perhaps because it is connected with a IDE to USB adapter there is no indication about HPA setting or anything else so I still don't know how it is limited to the 20gb.
                              Also I either don't see a "Device configuration Menu" in the program but maybe it is different in this ver.5.
                              I must also confess that I can't remember all the "old" dos commands and have no idea at all how to move the manuals from the sub-directory on the CD to the HDD in the laptop in order to open them when running under DOS as they are in pdf format
                              Anny suggestions please...
                              Thanks,
                              Joseph.

                              Comment

                                #16
                                Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

                                You need to have the drive connected to an IDE connection to use any of the DOS programs.
                                Originally posted by PeteS in CA
                                Remember that by the time consequences of a short-sighted decision are experienced, the idiot who made the bad decision may have already been promoted or moved on to a better job at another company.
                                A working TV? How boring!

                                Comment

                                  #17
                                  Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

                                  Originally posted by artois7 View Post
                                  Connect them to a windows machine and post the screen shot when looking at the drive from administrative tools > computer management.
                                  Please see attached the screenshot. As you see the drive is not yet formatted.
                                  Attached Files

                                  Comment

                                    #18
                                    Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

                                    Originally posted by Th3_uN1Qu3 View Post
                                    You need to have the drive connected to an IDE connection to use any of the DOS programs.

                                    Thank you for this information.
                                    I will setup an older system with a long IDE cable but still... How to open the manuals in the CD?
                                    Thanks.

                                    Comment

                                      #19
                                      Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

                                      Originally posted by Joseph67 View Post
                                      How to open the manuals in the CD?
                                      Thanks.
                                      You can't open them in DOS, you need to open them & print them in Windows, or use a different PC.
                                      "The one who says it cannot be done should never interrupt the one who is doing it."

                                      Comment

                                        #20
                                        Re: 40Gb HDD has only 20Gb space

                                        You need to go into HPA edit menu and disable the HPA
                                        "Tantalum for the brave, Solid Aluminium for the wise, Wet Electrolytic for the adventurous"
                                        -David VanHorn

                                        Comment

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