CF-72 unable to install OS (HDD problem)

Hi! Sorry for my english if any...

I'v got CF-72 PM1.8 (CF-72XC******)
It came to me from ebay without HDD
I bought a new samsung 160gb hdd and tried to install Ubuntu 10.04. On the step, where installer starts to make partitions on HDD, computer just freezes at 0%, and HDD LED not lit.

Also i tried to install WinXP - same result - when trying to format HDD, or install in existing NTFS partition^ when trying to check HDD - freezing and no reaction.

HDD utilities (Acronis & Partition Magic) with no problems re-rartitioning and re-formating HDD in any ways i wonted.

Also tried another HDD - seagate 120gb - same results.

Both HDD's works fine in old Toshiba notebook - any OS installs without any problem.

SSD from my CF-18 with Ubuntu in CF-72 works fine - OS is bootable.

What could it be? May be i must set master/slave jumper? Or CF-72 needs 3.3V HDD (or standard HDD with a trick)?

 

Does the hard drive show up in the bios ?
Make sure that the connector from the caddy to the cf-72 has a good connection

I have used that hard drive + others on the cf-72 mk-5 and all will install an O/S OK

 

Does your BIOS support AHCI? I ran into that on a Dell and had to turn it off... Just a thought... JohnP

 

AHCI is not applicable here as the cf-72 uses a normal ide interface not the newer sata

 

Wasn't there something via that site about newer IDE don't work?

http://toughbook.wikispaces.com/CF-72

"The Hard Drive is a standard slim ATA/100 IDE laptop hard drive. Specifically it is an Ultra ATA drive that is ATA-5 compliant. When Upgrading your hard drive make sure to get a drive that is ATA-5. ATA-6 may not work. The stock drive installed in my CF-72V is a 30gb Toshiba brand Laptop Hard Drive. The Sticker on the drive says that the RPM (drive speed) is N/A. I found the drives model number TOSHIBA MK3018GAS using a program called Belarc Advisor and then found the drive speed specifications online which is 4200 RPM. That drive is ATA-5 compliant. I tried installing an ATA-6 80gb Seagate ST98823a and it did not work. That drive is ATA-6 but it should still be ATA-5 compatable so it should have worked regardless. The bios in the CF-72 does not regognize the drives capacity and wouldnt intsall/load windows even though the drive is listed as being functional on POST screen before startup/setup. It seems that the latest bios for the cf-72 is lacking some code for newer compatable hardware so make sure to research before upgrading the hard drive. I can confirm that a (ATA-5) 5400rpm 60gb hitatchi IBM travelstar does work and i am using it right now.
A 80gb Fujitsu MHT2080AT hard drive also works ok as a replacement."

I just threw the CF-29 40GB HDD in mine and called it a day. I haven't stored anything on it I just leave the files on my desktop and use the network to retrieve em.

 

Tomcat57 in BIOS 160Gb drive shown as 137Gb - limitation of ATA1-5, so it seems that adamwest436 is right ((

SSD (not the real one - 16Gb CF-card) with ATA1-4 support works fine but... new big HDD is better. I'l try to get used one...

Thank You!

 

Yeah I ended up swapping the 40GB HDD out of my spare caddy for the 80GB I tired to force on my 72. Best bet may be craigslist for a older drive. I have a external case from micro center for like $3 that I use to verify the drives work before I buy. If anything you could use an external for the time being. What I was saying earlier, I just leave most my files on my desktop(s) so I can also limit apps installed.

 

adamwest436 external case is good, i'v got some of them, but... using them you can't even check SMART-status. So there is risk to bye junk, even if it's works 'fine' as external drive.

 

I guess best bet is check the date it was built. Not sure when the change was.

 

The problem with Wikispaces and blogs in general is they don't seem to get updated

The reason I asked earlier if it shows up in the bios is the 48 bit LBA limitation , and I wanted feedback on reported size
On my CF-72 MK-5 I have a Hitachi 60GB 5400 drive installed at the moment
I am not running into these issues too often these days , except for hard drive upgrades in old cf-28's

A Partition is all you need to do to get the drive working properly
Make sure the first partion is less that the 137gb limit
It's common practice to put the O/S on the first part of the drive ( the fastest part ) when I install that drive in old toughbooks

Make you first partition 40GB and leave whats left over for data storage
Report your finding's but I find that the Samsung drive works in other Toughbooks that report a max of 137GB in the bios if partitioned first

 

And there ya go. Learn something new.

 

I dont know the reason but about 4 hours ago i'v tried 160Gb samsung another time and... it works perfectly! In BIOS it's steel 137Gb, but... WniXP and Ubuntu 10.04 intallers with no problems created a single 160Gb partition

So, naw both OS installed and ready to go!

 

It's best to partition

Data could be lost later when the drive fills up and space above 137GB gets used