HP xb3000 Dock "External hard drive kit" questions

Guys and gals!

I have a xb3000 dock for my TX1000 and I would like to install the hard-drive kit to fit HP Personal media drives on it. There is some description here

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200168448794&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=010

1. Has anybody done this before?
2. Can I use a 400GB hard-drive with a 300GB carriage? (bcos I can get the 300GB kit cheaper and because the hard drives are physically the same size!)

 

I have the kit with the 300 GB drive, and I do NOT believe you can insert one of the Personal Media Drive kits (meaning the ones that are installed in HP Desktops) into the Expansion base...although I am not sure if that's actually your intent.

However, if all you want to do is use that kit and swap in a larger capacity drive, you SHOULD be able to do so. Just know that taking that carrier apart is a PITA, but it can be done. Once you take apart the carrier, it's a matter of removing the existing HDD and swapping in a larger one...but since I don't have any larger SATA drives handy, I can't confirm or deny that replacing it with a larger drive will work.

Simply put, that kit is a 300GB 7200 RPM Serial ATA drive in a customized enclosure that fills a spot in the Expansion Base. Since Windows sees it as a USB Drive (I think that was how it behaved- it's been a few months since I initially set my system all up), I can only assume using the carrier and swapping in a larger SATA drive would work. (I don't recall the SATA speed, but I THINK it's SATA-150, not SATA II). If I had a bigger SATA drive, I'd give it a shot and let you know further.

Good luck with your attempt, and post results if you get anywhere with it!

 

Thanks for responding. What u mentioned was actually my intent. I thought these kits were designed to take-in the whole personal media drive (with the case) and not just the hard-disk alone...I guess I was wrong then?

 

Hello! I have the XB3000 dock, and looking to purchase the 300 GB expansion drive from HP. ( they have just dropped the price on HP site to under $140.00).

My question, if you can address it is, can you boot off this drive? I have the dv9005us model, XP media, current bios, updates, etc. I have read conflicting reports, that the these laptops can boot off external drives, while others insist they cannot. They also mention making some setttings in the bios.

Thanks in advance.

 

Hello, I have a hd3000s (HP 300GB Personal Media Drive). I was really drunk the other night and knocked it off the computer into a dogs water bowl. I picked it up immediately and had about a 30 minute drive after that. Now I am getting that yellow quote window on the bottom right that says "...unrecognized USB device... has malfunctioned..."

I have 2 questions:
Can the hard drive be taken apart to be dried? How?

What do I need to do to make it work again?