Replace or Upgrade (in size) a HDD on a Dell Laptop with MD2 factory installed in HPA

No more zeroing LBA-3!! and losing Media Direct Support.

I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR BLUNDERS & MISTAKES. Said one computer-typing-monkey to the other.
If 10,000 monkeys can make Shakespeare, this should works for you...

Problem:
Replace or Upgrade (in size) a HDD on a Dell Laptop with MD2 factory installed in HPA.
eg. Inspiron E1505, E1705, 6400, 9400.
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Requirements:
1.No Dell Media (CDs/DVDs) required
2.All the current Dell functionality is preserved (Keeping the all the partitions intact).
- Media Direct button working
- Dell Restore works
- Dell Utility works
3.All data (user prefs., files, etc.) are transfered.
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Materials Needed:
Software-
HPA removal tool - HDD Capacity Restore 1.2 by Atola Technology (Windows Based) (Free) - http://hdd-tools.com/products/cr/download/
Disk cloning software - Ghost 2003 (dos fd based)
Sector editor - Roadkil's Sector Editor (Windows Based) (Shareware) - http://www.roadkil.net/Sectedit.html

Hardware-
Computer 1. - Dell Laptop MD2 factory installed in HPA & Partition Table:
Partition #1 - Dell Utility
Partition #2 - OS Partition = my case... XP SP2 Pro
Partition #3 - Dell Restore
Computer 2. - Computer with:
- 2 spare SATA cables w/ power - derr.
- XPsp2/2003sp1 known good, 2ksp4 probably okay - depends of software choosen, thus YMMV. See "Notes:"
- Nvidia 6150 chipset known good for HDD Capacity Restore 1.2 (HPA removal tool)
If upgrade hdd is > 137GB then:
- LBA-48 BIOS support* (HDDs larger 137.4GB) - http://www.48bitlba.com/
- LBA-48 OS support - w95 w98, & me DON'T - XPsp2, 2003sp1 and 2ksp4 DO

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Procedure:
+Gather up the software needed... HPA removal tool, disk cloning software & sector editor (see "materials needed -> software")
-make a ghost fd (cd optional)
-make a HPA / Sector editor fd (cd optional)
+Get access to a 2nd computer w/ XPsp2/2003sp1 (see "materials needed -> hardware -> computer 2")
+"shut down" Dell Laptop (do not hibernate) - screws with ghost
+hookup both new & old hdds to 2nd computer
+run HPA removal tool and POWER DOWN computer 2 (hdd needs to reset)
+restart computer 2
+start sector editor
+open physical disk (absolute sector #3) of old hdd
+write down 1ee - 1fd (16 two-letter combinations) - (2 lines, last line ending with "55 AA")
+move to absolute sector 0 of old hdd
+type in location 1ee - 1fd, the 16 two-letter combinations you wrote down - (2 lines, last line ending with "55 AA")
+save changes REBOOT to ghost 2003
+change ghost options-"image/tape"-"default" to "image boot" then accept
+copy old disk to new disk, resize OS partition (2nd partition) and MD2 partition as you like (4th partition)
+POWER DOWN computer 2
+disconnect old hdd from computer 2
+POWER UP computer 2 to windows
+start sector editor
+open physical disk (absolute sector #0) of new hdd
+write down 1ee - 1fd (16 two-letter combinations) - (2 lines, last line ending with "55 AA")
+move to absolute sector 3 of new hdd
+type in location 1ee - 1fd, the 16 two-letter combinations you wrote down
+POWER DOWN computer 2
+put new hdd in dell laptop
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Testing & reseting dell MBR -
*by testing the mediadirect button you confirm the sector 3 changes were correct
*by testing the power button the MD2 partition info. in sector 0 is removed
(currently it will show up as blank space at the end of the drive)

+put a dvd in dell laptop
+press the mediadirect button on dell laptop & test
+eject dvd and press the power button on the dell laptop
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Uncompleted:
1.Reinstitute HPA (re-cut the drive)
otherwise blank space at end of the replacement / upgraded HDD will be found
Option #1:
MHDD->RHPA w/ (partition #3 Ending CHS via CHS to LBA equation)
-Determining the SPT? (Sectors per track)
2.Update the ghost image with the new absolute sectors 0 & 3.
otherwise if imaged the imaged HDD will be truncated
3.MediaDirect button -> f8 –> “delete” choice
where does it get that info and does it need to be updated with the new location?
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Questions:
-Will this work for Vista?
-Computer 2 can be w2k or Vista?
-HDD Capacity Restore 1.2 by Atola Technology is Shareware or Freeware?
-Are sector 1ee & 1ef needed to copy, I had "00 00" (boot indicator, starting head)? Anyone have any different?
-Is sector 1fd needed to copy, I had "00". (Least Sig. BYTE of Total Sectors). Also did some checking online seems standard = "00" for LSB of total sectors for part. #4
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Requests:
-Help out on "Uncompleted:" & Answer me' "Questions:". Arrr.
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Notes:
-This can be all done in DOS (if the 2nd computer is w/o OS) LBA-48 is still required if HDD > 137GB) with:
HPA removal tool - MHDD (Free)
Disk cloning software - Copywipe 1.14 for DOS (Free)
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/copywipe.php
*(untested over 137GB, may need PTS-DOS 32 - http://www.phystechsoft.com/ptsdos/products.php?page=4)
Sector editor - de.exe from PTS DiskEditor (old version licensed as freeware)
http://www.geocities.com/thestarman3/tool/dl/PTSDE104.ZIP
*LBA-48 maybe an issue with your personal choices of software... so keep an eye out for the 137GB max

 

1. I know it can be done (the HPA on the new drive). I stumbled on the process in some experimenting but I didn't know I had done it so I don't know how to replicate it yet... but I might be learning this week as I want to put MD3.3 in there, if that will work. I forget things as I go sometimes, so even with lists I get lost... and with interruptions... who knows where I was! So I'm back to scratch because this evening while copying over MD33 from a working smaller HPA I BSOD'd my bigger HD even with PTEDIT and DSRFIX I can't get it back- so I must have messed up something or corrupted it... and all I see is the OC partition...

It CAN be done, but is it
WORTH it is the question?

I'm thinking I'll try for a few hours and then I'll just low-level wipe it (*Sob* I miss my hidden partition ghosts ctrl+f11!!!!) and keep things on DVD... like everything else- especially with HD space in notebooks at a premium...

If I figure out how to INTENTIONALLY edit that truncating problem while still allowing a HPA "assigning" (this is where the trick is) using the whole-disk (or not) ghosting, I'll post the proceedure.
IT CAN be done though...

By the way- nice post.

 

Hey I found that DL link for the HPA editor I was using- there's a new version of it here

http://www.hdat2.com/

you can resize and edit your HPA and (ugh, not sure I like sharing that info considering what some people DO with the HPA but there it is for those of you who are just consumers like me and need to fix it when it's messed up accidentally)...

SO.
If you accidentally HPA off half or more of your drive using a MDirect version that is incorrect or even a Dell tool for dos from your old HD, you can use this utility in Dos (I was in 7.10 freedos) and edit EVERYTHING you ever didn't even IMAGINE could be edited about your hard drive- or completely hose it. I haven't read the manual, but I recommend BROWSING the HD using PTEDIT first and then browsing the HD using the HDAT2 for an hour or so getting used to the functions and options.

when you're ready, it might take a few tries or cold-boots to get the HPA edits to "stick" -remember, you'll HAVE to unlock the drive first (how? you'll know when you've browsed enough- *Wink*)

So HPA editing and removal can be done. I just did it to two drives for my XPS.

Now after all this I recommend,
1) REMOVE that dang HPA, unless you want to do something like store images (by the way you CAN fix the LBA-3 to trigger the new HPA, just like the Dell guys did- but it's quite complicated)
2) Wipe the drive REAL WELL (Roadkil's got s nifty little windows app, but if you need to do it IN the PC you'll need a DOS based utility- some work for USB enclosures but most do NOT)
3) Choose a MD system and install it first (well put the cd in) or skip MD and do a normal OS install.
4) GHOST your OS PARTITION-to-IMAGE... and burn it if you can off-line/off-the PC (I have two hard drives so I can save the image to the 2nd partition and then stick the HD in a USB and put the older one back in the machine and burn the image to DVD)
5) set up your rig


I did the ctrl+f11 fix and MD2 as well as MD3 (and updated to MD3.3+) but in the end, it's SUCH a pain to do all that kind of stuff, and with SUCH limited results (I still don't like the MD based Cineplayer- it is not a good general FILE player-grrrr- but you CAN switch it out as well...) and you CAN install POWERCINEMA separate... and these laptop batteries don't last long enough as it is that... why bother?
In 3-4 months you'll be on AC no matter what unless you

1) know how to repack a battery cell and don't mind voiding the warranty to cut open your pack- saving perhaps maybe $50 inthe process (is that worth it? Naww... only geeks like me are that hard core.... Just BUY a new battery and baby it by only having it IN the laptop when it's NEEDED- and keep it dry and COOL -not frozen!!!- the rest of the time...)
2) don't mind hex editing or editing the HPA, have more than one HD and a big USB stick and know how to type DOS commands and make boot disks and all that "fun" stuff... whoopie!

Yeah

Just leave the HD alone.
If you want to recover the space in the DSR partition (Because you burned it to DVD-?) use PTEDIT to "expose" the drive (change the drive letter/type to 07-00) and remove the images and then SHRINK the partition down to SAVE the media-direct functioning (otherwise it will swap the wrong type-boot info and then crash and not swap it back, requiring a ptedit session again to get your HD working- if it's not corrupted BY mediaDirect in the process!)...

See- complicated!

Remove the HPA, wipe the drive after exposing the DSR and DE partitions and reinstall your own os.

LOL!

 

We ought to sticky this post.
It works.