Maximum hard drive in HP dv2000 series

Hello. I just purchased a larger replacement drive for my dv2037us. When I could not get it to work, I contacted HP support. They told me that the maximum specifications the dv2000 can support is 5400rpm and 120GB. I did not find that information anywhere (buyer guides, hp site, shopping sites, etc). So, is that true? Does anyone know a way to get around that limitation? HP said it had to do with the processor.

I bought a 7200rpm 200gb drive. I'd hate to think I wasted all this money. ughhh.

thanks, -jon

 

The only thing i can think of being an issue is the rpm's(because of the voltage) the size should have nothing to do with it. But i can't say i have ever heard that before.

When you say you couldn't get it to work, what do you mean, what kind of stuff happens which prevents your unit from utilizing the drive?

 

I also doubt it.Can you hear it starting to spin?

 

Did you replace the adapter from the old HDD onto the new one? Without this adapter the HDD will not be connected to the system.

 

I completely cloned the drive using Migrate Easy. I then installed the drive into the bracket and installed it into my computer. When I turned it back on, I got a blank screen with the cursor blinking. Did not really here any whirring or anything like that.

I then restarted it and went to the bios pages. I selected the test hard drive option. It came back saying it could not find any IDE hardware (something like that).

I tried several times and just get the blinking cursor. I ran the new drive as an external and it shows up fine and in properties shows it as a Master Boot Record drive.

 

That is a biggest load of misinformation.

Is your drive a seagate?.. there has been known issues before with this brand

 

It is a Hitachi travelstar 7k200.

The hp manual only listed drives up to 120GB. I believe that is because it was printed 2 years ago but the tech support guy kept saying that is the limit.

Any thoughts I why it is not recognized / how to get it to be recognized?

 

have you updated your BIOS?

Ive had an older dv2000 with a 160gb Hitachi drive. So it is possible

 

My bios is up to date. There is another update called Intel Sata AHCI controller. sp32478 . I thought that might help since it creates some type of boot disk. Unfortunately, you need a floppy drive (yes, old magnetic media) to work with this. Obviously, I don't have a floppy drive, nor do I know if this will make a difference.

I reseated the drive and that did not help. I used some forensic and recovery tools off of cd and could not find the drive. So, it is not being recognized at all (as opposed to something related to the files cloned onto it).

I chatted with HP again but that got me nowhere regarding how to use that service pack. They said again that 120GB is the largest drive. However, I tend to trust the people on this forum more than the tech support folks.

If anyone has any ideas please let me know. Otherwise, I'll have to dump this drive on craigslist at a huge lost and buy myself a new computer (which I really don't want to do).

thanks! -jon

 

This computer was bought probably in late 2006 if that makes a difference. The intel chipset is 82801G (ICH7 Family)

 

What BIOS version?

What is your current drive? Please post the model number.

 

The bios version is F.39. The current hard drive is a 100GB 5400 rpm Seagate model # ST9100824AS .

I read someplace that HP upgraded there pavillion line (including dv2000) in may, 2007 which included support for larger drives. Mine is older than that.

Trying to figure if there is some trick to get my computer to use larger drives. I also read about an approx 138GB limit in general without some trick that was developed for all computers to get past that limitation.

 

I checked the dv2000 service manual.

Your model offered up to 160gb back then. Im quite sure with the latest BIOS you can go up to 320gb since its still using same SATA interface.

 

I have the latest Bios according to the HP website. Is there someplace else to get a newer Bios? Do you think the 7200 RPM could be the problem?

 

I just spoke with HP Total Care (thank goodness I have an extended warranty), they say that the new drive should just slot in and work. Since the computer works with the old drive and the new drive works in the enclosure, they assume there is some type of seating issue. Maybe the connector is just different enough that it does not fit properly. I have it in the original bracket and it seems to fit in. I guess I'll call Hitachi support.

 

JonBoy,

You aren't the only one. My DV2000T was bought around Steptember 2006. The hard disk drive currently working on that machine is Fujitsu MHV2060BH PL (60Gb 5400RPM).

I recently upgraded the BIOS to the latest version F.3B ( http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...&cc=us&dlc=en&product=3177435&os=2093&lang=en)

And I also bought a 160Gb (Fujitsu MHW2160BH PL), after seating the hard disk drive, the BIOS doesn't recognize the disk drive at all (If you go into Hard Disk Diagnostics, it will say that No IDE drive found). I disabled SATA mode in BIOS, and nope, the machine just doesn't recognize it.

I can confirm that the drive is working because when I put that in my Thinkpad T61, the BIOS recognizes the drive immediately.
Anyway, all I care about at this point is to be able to use that 160Gb on DV2000T in anyway possible.

 

In my case, I spoke with Hitachi today and they did a very careful specification comparison and said that the drive should work. They assume it is a seating issue. Unfortunately, my other computer is not SATA so I can't test it. I guess I'll call HP back tomorrow and see if they want to try and seat the HD under warranty.

Have you had any luck getting answers from anyone?

 

Personally, I don't believe it is seating issue. From my Thinkpad, I have a 100Gb SATA Seagate drive 7200 RPM, and once seated, DV2000T has no trouble recognizing the drive.

In theory, I really think there is either an intentional BIOS restriction from HP/Phoenix. Or it is a hardware limitation. Shortly before Vista came out, HP did refresh its DV2000T product line to use slightly differnet hardware. Thus, it is possible that older hardware just simply doesn't support that much hard disk space.

Speaking of which, you will have a hard time trying to tell HP that they refreshed their product time. When Vista first came out, they denied that they had released a different hardware and refused to release any Vista drivers for the older DV2000T hardware. With pressure from NotebookReview members and Microsoft, HP finally released drivers. So in either case, I think we are out of luck if it is hardware limitation

 

I am soooooooooo embarassed. The answer was given as quoted above. I misunderstood adapter to be the chassis that the drive is screwed into. In fact, there is an adapter that slides over the contacts on the old drive. You need to carefully remove that and slide it onto the new drive. When I did that and put it in place, it started up no problem.

So far so good. Except for Intellisync which detected a new computer and want a serial number I don't have.

Anyway, to summarize for future searchers. My fall 2006 HP Pavillion DV20037US (DV2000 series) does support larger faster drives. Just slide the adapter onto the contacts of the new drive.

-jon

 

lol good to hear

I also told you in the private message to use the caddy and adapter from the old HD. I should have given you the diagram and video.

Its usually the smallest things we miss...

 

Well, for my case, I did not miss that adapter/caddy from old HD. I don't see how you can install it without the adapter in the first place.

In either case, I can see that DV2000T can recognize my 100Gb Seagate drive, but not 160Gb Fujitsu drive. I guess for older models, it is capped at 120Gb.

Unlike the original poster, I have a DV2100CTO, so it is an older model.