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Help-Can't reuse harddrive in PC

21K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  drdave35 
#1 ·
I'm stumped! For several days I have tried to unlock and reuse my 100GB WD drive from my UltimateTV. Several times, I followed the procedure listed here in the FAQs...by the numbers, so to speak. I tried both the stand alone method as well as the connections between UTV and PC.

(Don't know if this matters, but I used no phone, cable connections and the access card was removed and I onlt got a breily flashing green light.)


The result is the same. PC Bios doesn't recognize UTV drive...but It appears as a Secondary IDE drive going thru the boot-up screens, and it appears in Windows Device Manager. It doesn't appear in File manager.


I retried the UTV-PC connection and finally got it to appear and accept write to. BUT...the Western Digital drive utility reports it as 2-partitions.

Partition 1 cannnot be accessed (29 GB)

Partition 2 can be accessed (71GB)


However, when I reboot, the drive is still recognized in the Boot-up sequence and in Device Manager, but disappears in File Manager.


Is this a lost cause, or can someone please offer any other solutions?

Sorry, for the lengthy post and thanks in advance for all interest and advice.
 
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#2 ·
Just thought I'd mention, the 2- partitions were noted as per my Partion Magic program. Also, in Dos, the IBM disk security utility shows the following:


ATA WDC 8C200401

Device is Password Protected and cannot be tested.

Smart Ops : Disabled

Security Feature: Supported

Password : Set

Password Level : Maximum

Security Mode : Locked
 
#3 ·
Using the UTV to PC hot swap method will not unlock the drive for you...at least not permanently. This method is only used to temporarily unlock a locked drive to write the UTV operating system (or other UTV OS mods, where you would not want to format the drive).


There are only two ways of unlocking a UTV drive. These are:


a) MHD3

b) the UTV itself can be fooled into unlocking a drive.


For the first and easiest option, just do a search here on the forums. This program is talked about in great detail. The second option is a bit more difficult. You must have a second hard drive that you want in the UTV. Basically, you put the second drive in the UTV and allow the UTV to marry, format, and lock this drive. Then you remove this drive and put the one that you want unlocked into it. Allow it to run for 2-5 minutes, then pull out the IDE cable. Allow the unit to continue formatting the drive for awhile. The lights will be flashing on the front of the unit, but they will never stop because the UTV doesn't know when it's done formatting because you pulled the IDE cable out. The only way to know when it's done formatting is to actually listen to the drive...when you hear it get quiet, then it's done. Simply power off the UTV, re-install the other drive. You should now have an unlocked drive that you can use in your PC.
 
#4 ·
Yahoo!!


Thanks CyberBob,

for the best method that I've tried,to reuse a UTV drive.

I found and downloaded mhd3.zip. Copied to a Windows98 Boot floppy

and it performed beautifully. Wiped the 100gb drive clean in about 75 mins. You Da Man!


Sid
 
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