Thinkpads Forum

I'm trying to upgrade a ThinkPad 600 (2645-410) with an Hitachi Travelstar 80GN 30GB harddisk (IC25N030ATMR04), but without luck.

The TP600 recognize the new hdd without problems and the install programs of different Operating Systems (from Win98 to different flavours of Linux) can see the disk and partition it. The problems begins when this install programs try to format the partitions: at the end of the partitioning process I get always I/O errors.

I have done a complete disk check with the Hitachi "Drive Fitness Test" but no errors were found. I have searched with Google and in this forum and according to all the messages I have found there should be no problem for a TP600 to use a modern large capacity HDD. Or am I missing something? There are perhaps incompatibilities or limitations for this particular model?

Thanks in advance.

P.S.: Sorry for my bad english ....

Some updates:

1) I forgot to mention that I already installed the last BIOS (v1.22 - IBET54WW).

2) Using the Hitachi "Feature Tool" I limited the capacity to 6.4 GB and with this new configuration I was able to install Vector Linux without problems.

It seems that there is some kind of limitation on this model. The strange is that AFAIK Linux should be able to ignore the BIOS limitation. I really don't understand ...

Thanks again

i dont have a solution for your problem...


but i have a 40GB in my dockingstation and everything works fine.

im planning on buying me a samsung 30GB 2.5" for my tp600 and hope i wont have such problems at all (i choose samsung because they have fast and quiet drives).

i'd have to say that there is some issue with your HDD. just this weekend i cloned my 5G travelstar hdd to a fujitsu 40G hdd with no problems (after i cleared the MBR sig with http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html )

lady3jane wrote:i'd have to say that there is some issue with your HDD.

I think you're right. I tried a low-level format with the Hitachi utilities, but near the end of the procedure i got error messages. Probably there is a physical problem that the diagnostic utility cannot find.

lady3jane wrote:just this weekend i cloned my 5G travelstar hdd to a fujitsu 40G hdd with no problems (after i cleared the MBR sig with http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html )

To be sure i tried this utility too, but nothing changed. I will go to the store to change the drive.

Thanks for your help !

Final update:

It was really a defective drive. With another hdd (this time a 60GB Travelstar) I was able partition and format the disk and install the OS without problems.

Thanks to all!

ack.

how much noise does the 60GB travelstar make ? rpm 4.2k or 5.4k or 7.2k ?

dudzke wrote: how much noise does the 60GB travelstar make ?

Very little noise. I cant practically hear it.

dudzke wrote: rpm 4.2k or 5.4k or 7.2k ?

4200