HDD upgrading : new toshiba 1.8'' HDDs ?! - Page 4

MoridinEU · 01-19-2011, 15:43

The last response is quite old now but I figure A3 users would beinterested to know that I just tonight successfully upgraded my A3 using a Samsung HS12YHA/N (N3) from an old iPod 5.5gen (disk has apple symbol). Shows 111GB.

Procedure:
1. Install in an external 1.8" usb case
2. quick format to assign a drive letter using Windows (I'm on Win7 x64 Ultimate)
3. use the fat32format from Cowon
4. copy the latest firmware files (I used the 1.34 version from JP site)
5. install the disk in the A3 and boot.

Voila!

Good luck and happy upgrading!
Moridin

PS I just may attempt this with a 160GB single platter from and old iPod...don't see why it wouldn't work...

ChewyClit · 12-24-2011, 09:30

I bought the same(or similar) HS12YHA/A N3 and plug it in a Transend 1.8" zif enclosure, formatted with Fat32format, and unzipped Firmware 1.34 on to the empty drive. Unfortunately, the A3 being stubborn and won't boot up, with red "x" displayed. The Samsung drive work fine as a USB external HDD. I just can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, do I have to format the drive in any specific cluster size? I think the old disk has 512 bytes per sector versus 4000 bytes per sector in the Samsung. Or maybe I need to creating those directories folder in the root folder along with the unzipped firmware? Please help if anyone can, I'm about to rip out all my chest hair.

hullabaluh · 12-27-2011, 14:13

Hi ChewyClit

Well, I experienced that kind of problem, when I didn't insert the zif cable correctly. Give it a try and open your A3 again to check the cable. If you have some additional cables, try one of those. If you can format the disk without problems on windows, the A3 should have no problems either.

Perhaps it helps if you test and adjust the cable when you try to boot (some pressure here, a finger there on the cable...). So you can see if it's really the cable.

Good luck!
hullabaluh

ChewyClit · 12-28-2011, 08:21

Thanks for your quick reply, I switched the two cables(one from the A3 and the other from the ext. case, which is very beefy) in every ways, but still have same prob. I just order another HS12YSA, I'll post the result. BTW, another Samsung drive, 120gb 4200rpm, HS122JB won't work since it's thicker, while also it didn't boot up. I'm hoping that it's not my A3 that is broken since I like it so much. I might try to buy another ext. case see if that might solve the prob. Stay tuned for my result.

ChewyClit · 01-13-2012, 20:37

So I finally got it to work, and it turned out that both of the HS12YSA/A are functional. What made a different this time was that I first do a full disc erase on both of them using SeaTools from Seagate, you can find it here: http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.js...00dd04090aRCRD

Apparently, there were previous boot table on both of the HS12YSA I received, thus the Cowon A3 couldn't recognize them. The second HS12YSA I received won't even post in window as an USB ext. drive even though I can hear the drive spin up, thus I theorized the present of a previous boot configuration, might be from an Apple Ipod. I also found that there is no need for an external enclosure when upgrading the Cowon, just plug the drive directly into the A3 and connect via USB, it will turn up as an external drive. To do a full disc erase using SeaTools, first enable advance option. I use the quick option to save time, then format disk with FAT32Format GUI tool, leaving the default allocation size, which was 32K. I also first install firmware 1.27Q, since 1.33 didn't work at first, but I really don't know if that truly made a different. Everything went fine after that, the battery life seem to improve a bit after I upgraded to the 120GB from the previous OEM 30GB. There are sporadic reset, I don't know the cause, might be problem with my HS12YSA, but they happen fairly infrequent so I don't mind the trade off since I have gained much disk space

The DIY experience is a bit frustrating at first, and end up leaving me with an extra HS12YSA and two ext. enclosure(BTW, the Transend StoreJet enclosure is much better build than the generic Ebay enclosure), but the result is well worth it as I am gidddy w/ all the extra space

.

12-24-2011, 09:30	#47
ChewyClit Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 3	Help, HS12YHA won't work in my Cowon A3 I bought the same(or similar) HS12YHA/A N3 and plug it in a Transend 1.8" zif enclosure, formatted with Fat32format, and unzipped Firmware 1.34 on to the empty drive. Unfortunately, the A3 being stubborn and won't boot up, with red "x" displayed. The Samsung drive work fine as a USB external HDD. I just can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, do I have to format the drive in any specific cluster size? I think the old disk has 512 bytes per sector versus 4000 bytes per sector in the Samsung. Or maybe I need to creating those directories folder in the root folder along with the unzipped firmware? Please help if anyone can, I'm about to rip out all my chest hair. Last edited by ChewyClit; 12-24-2011 at 11:43..

12-27-2011, 14:13	#48
hullabaluh Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Switzerland Posts: 11	ZIF cable correctly mounted? Hi ChewyClit Well, I experienced that kind of problem, when I didn't insert the zif cable correctly. Give it a try and open your A3 again to check the cable. If you have some additional cables, try one of those. If you can format the disk without problems on windows, the A3 should have no problems either. Perhaps it helps if you test and adjust the cable when you try to boot (some pressure here, a finger there on the cable...). So you can see if it's really the cable. Good luck! hullabaluh

01-13-2012, 20:37	#50
ChewyClit Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 3	So I finally got it to work, and it turned out that both of the HS12YSA/A are functional. What made a different this time was that I first do a full disc erase on both of them using SeaTools from Seagate, you can find it here: http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.js...00dd04090aRCRD Apparently, there were previous boot table on both of the HS12YSA I received, thus the Cowon A3 couldn't recognize them. The second HS12YSA I received won't even post in window as an USB ext. drive even though I can hear the drive spin up, thus I theorized the present of a previous boot configuration, might be from an Apple Ipod. I also found that there is no need for an external enclosure when upgrading the Cowon, just plug the drive directly into the A3 and connect via USB, it will turn up as an external drive. To do a full disc erase using SeaTools, first enable advance option. I use the quick option to save time, then format disk with FAT32Format GUI tool, leaving the default allocation size, which was 32K. I also first install firmware 1.27Q, since 1.33 didn't work at first, but I really don't know if that truly made a different. Everything went fine after that, the battery life seem to improve a bit after I upgraded to the 120GB from the previous OEM 30GB. There are sporadic reset, I don't know the cause, might be problem with my HS12YSA, but they happen fairly infrequent so I don't mind the trade off since I have gained much disk space The DIY experience is a bit frustrating at first, and end up leaving me with an extra HS12YSA and two ext. enclosure(BTW, the Transend StoreJet enclosure is much better build than the generic Ebay enclosure), but the result is well worth it as I am gidddy w/ all the extra space . Last edited by ChewyClit; 01-13-2012 at 20:48..

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01-19-2011, 15:43	#46
MoridinEU Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 6	The last response is quite old now but I figure A3 users would beinterested to know that I just tonight successfully upgraded my A3 using a Samsung HS12YHA/N (N3) from an old iPod 5.5gen (disk has apple symbol). Shows 111GB. Procedure: 1. Install in an external 1.8" usb case 2. quick format to assign a drive letter using Windows (I'm on Win7 x64 Ultimate) 3. use the fat32format from Cowon 4. copy the latest firmware files (I used the 1.34 version from JP site) 5. install the disk in the A3 and boot. Voila! Good luck and happy upgrading! Moridin PS I just may attempt this with a 160GB single platter from and old iPod...don't see why it wouldn't work...

12-28-2011, 08:21	#49
ChewyClit Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 3	Thanks for your quick reply, I switched the two cables(one from the A3 and the other from the ext. case, which is very beefy) in every ways, but still have same prob. I just order another HS12YSA, I'll post the result. BTW, another Samsung drive, 120gb 4200rpm, HS122JB won't work since it's thicker, while also it didn't boot up. I'm hoping that it's not my A3 that is broken since I like it so much. I might try to buy another ext. case see if that might solve the prob. Stay tuned for my result.