need help with hdd

[thomas_surles]

I just got a new 500gb hdd for my xbox upgrade. I am using chimp for the cloning and it will not see the drive. I can get it to see any other drive I have but not the one I want. I have a feeling that this drive might be locked and that's why it won't see it. I don't have any means of connecting it to a computer to check it out as all my pc's are sata.

anybody have any suggestions?

[lilshawn]

you are going to have to elaborate slightly.

i'm assuming you mean the original Xbox.
I'm assuming you've already softmodded or hard modded it. if not, you are going to have to. a bone stock xbox won't work with an aftermarket drive.

then....

yes the drive is locked.

1ST and foremost...you need to find out if that drive you have there will even WORK with the xbox - http://xboxdrives.x-pec.com/?p=list

you are going to have to unlock the drive with the xbox then transfer the powered drive to the computer and then read the data from it. not at all what you are able to do since you say you have no IDE ports on your computer. so go find an old computer?

OR

you are going to have to exctract the key and use a program to unlock the drive using this key. when you softmod you usually backup the bios to the harddrive. you can FTP into the xbox and pull the file and extract the key. you can then use the key to unlock the drive and read the data. this is ideal.

OR

you keep the original drive and add an additional drive to the system (you will lose your CD drive) and have your frontend point to the other drive for games and whatnot. not ideal, but it works.

[thomas_surles]

yes it is a soft modded original xbox with unleashx
.
The drive is a 500gb hitachi deskstar hds725050klat80

I like your ideas about replacing the dvd drive.

I was thinking of maybe going to a local computer repair store and  maybe have them unlock and reformat it or finding someone with an old computer I can borrow.
I was Just hoping there was a way I can do this just in the xbox.

[lilshawn]

if you FTP into the xbox and search the directories for the BIOS backup or see if you have a utility in there to do it with and get either a copy of your BIOS or a dump of the drive key.

it should be a long string of hex about 20 some odd numbers/letter long. you'll need it to lock the replacement drive.

you should FTP and dump the contents of the disk partitions to your computer for backup anyways.

but once you have the key, you don't even need the original drive or anything, dump the files onto it back into their original partitions and lock the drive. Back when i did it (about 10 years ago now) i had the key and used a program to create a CD with the key data and it just made a ready to go drive all locked and eveything. just swapped it out and booted it up.

I don't recall what program it was though.

[Raleigh]

That drive is my drive of choice when upgrading the xbox hard drive.

Even if the drive is locked you will still be able to scan the drive in Chimp and it will tell you the drive information (hdb hitachi....), you will not be able to clone or write to it but you will be able to scan and show the drive information, just tested and confirmed with that drive which was locked to Xbox A and still was able to scan it in Xbox b using Chimp.

Make sure you have the jumpers in the correct positions, I always have them set to slave when Cloning and then switch to Cable Select once they are locked and are used for the main hard drive.  There are a few different options for this drive so see specifically how I have them in the attached pictures first one being the slave (cloning in Chimp) and second being used as the regular xbox hard drive once it is scanned and locked.

I've never had any issue with it seeing the hard drive unless the drive was defective or the pins were in the incorrect positions.  Note that these hard drives do take longer to initialize than other hard drives, I am not sure of your setup but be sure to have this drive powered on for at least 30 seconds before running chimps, and once the xbox is on and you are ready to load chimp disconnect the dvd ide cable and connect it to the hard drive and then load the program.  If it is still not showing up when you scan the drives in Chimp then I would assume the drive is bad as there is no reason it would not show the drive info even if it is locked.  Good luck.

[thomas_surles]

That drive is my drive of choice when upgrading the xbox hard drive.

Even if the drive is locked you will still be able to scan the drive in Chimp and it will tell you the drive information (hdb hitachi....), you will not be able to clone or write to it but you will be able to scan and show the drive information, just tested and confirmed with that drive which was locked to Xbox A and still was able to scan it in Xbox b using Chimp.

Make sure you have the jumpers in the correct positions, I always have them set to slave when Cloning and then switch to Cable Select once they are locked and are used for the main hard drive.  There are a few different options for this drive so see specifically how I have them in the attached pictures first one being the slave (cloning in Chimp) and second being used as the regular xbox hard drive once it is scanned and locked.

I've never had any issue with it seeing the hard drive unless the drive was defective or the pins were in the incorrect positions.  Note that these hard drives do take longer to initialize than other hard drives, I am not sure of your setup but be sure to have this drive powered on for at least 30 seconds before running chimps, and once the xbox is on and you are ready to load chimp disconnect the dvd ide cable and connect it to the hard drive and then load the program.  If it is still not showing up when you scan the drives in Chimp then I would assume the drive is bad as there is no reason it would not show the drive info even if it is locked.  Good luck.

I tried a splitter to power it and also tried another xbox. It is possible that it could be a bad drive. I bought it on eBay and the first one he sent me was a different model number than he had listed and it made a horrible clicking noise when powered on which is not good. he then sent me the correct one which is the one I am having trouble getting recognised.  like I said chimp will read any of my other drives with no problem. I only spent $20 on this one but it might be bad.

[thomas_surles]

so I just payed close attention to the new drive. it spins up after turning the power on and after about 30 seconds it cuts off. this might explain why I can't see it in chimp.

[thomas_surles]

so after 2 dead hard drives from the same guy on eBay I got a refund and bought another from another seller. it just arrived today and I will give it a shot on my next day off (Monday)




update:  Success. Turns out all I needed was a drive that actually works. thanks for all the input.