Greets ladies and gents. I signed up here to get assistance fixing samsung hard drive.

FACTS
Disk drive is running ok
SMART data ok and says 2 bad sectors but ok
MODEL NUMBER HM160HC
Installed OS Winxp
Drive reports 128GB capability disk manager windows

THINGS I TRIED
I d'l some utilitys and test stuff and try as I might I cannot make it full capacity.
I did not break anything and change anything and it won't let me any way

so what to do? it is still stuck at 128G but tests run and go to 151G like surface scans and things like that.

HDAT2
VICTORIA
MHDD
ESUTIL AND HUTIL

they set full LBA but it does not last when powered off or I get things like sector id not found in esutil.

Looking for any and all help with this
Thanks a bunch peeps

victoria 4.46 says security is off and frozen what does that mean?


in victoria 4.46b it says stuff like
8:32:47 : Model: SAMSUNG HM160HC; Capacity: 268435456 LBAs; SN: S12TJD0S896328; FW: LQ100-10
8:34:13 : Get native size...OK, 312581808 LBAs (152627 Mb)
Model: SAMSUNG HM160HC
Firmware: LQ100-10
Serial: S12TJD0S895468
Disk size: 312580096 LBAs 152627 Mb
**Real: 312581808 LBAs 152627 Mb
CHS: 16383/16/63 8063 Mb
SMART: Enabled, Errlog, Selftest
CACHE: 8192k; L/A=ON; Wr=ON; ok
Support: LBA, HPA, AAM, APM, DLM, DMAUDMA-5
AAM val: 254 Maximum
APM val: 128 Minimum
Erase: ~54 minutes
Status: Passed
Spindle: Active
Security: OFF, Frozen
ATA-8: SCT, SFDLM, WrUnk, W-R-V
Int-face: Passed

The fact that WinXP only reports 128GB (actually that's GiB), but surface scans appear to access more of the disk, makes this sound like you are hitting the early WinXP limitation of 128GiB (137GB). IIRC this was fixed in WinXP SP1. If I was in your position, that is what I would be researching based on the symptoms you are reporting. A Windows support forum would be your best place to get further help, if you need it.

IMHO this can't be a disk issue (like an HPA), if surface scans can access the full disk, as you mention.

Good luck!

I did more reading.
What makes me thinks this is a disk problem not a bios & OS issue is that another drive that is 250G shows full capacity in windows on same hardware system.
This is Windows xp service pack 3 on both drives the 160GB and 250GB.
So the problem still seems to be stuck on the samsung disk.

Ya'man have a stroll right through this thread here -- http://hdat2.getphpbb.com/viewtopic.php?t=224&f=1 -- they talk all about how this drive has messed-up firmware. Restoring that drive's full rated capacity is going to take a little slight-of-hand and trickery. Samsung really messed the firmware with this one. Somehow. But its still a good drive. one of the fastest PATA lappy drives in town especially if you have the single platter edition. On to the show.

Here's how to fix it! Before we begin, I recommend a complete and full backup.
You're going to need to boot into Windows and then Hibernate, recover from that, then do a standby and recover from that! Do both those things.

Next you can then use Victoria for Windows. Especially since you have already used it and are familiar with it. Firmware is serious stuff and you don't wanna break it! Load the Passport and see what you can see. Then play with the RHPA an HPA options. You might need to unlock the drive or something, there are passwords listed here -- http://ipv5.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/li ... passwords/ -- and that would be 32 "t"'s for your drive.

You might still see this disk as frozen. Not to worry. Go the main BIOS at startup and set a security password for the disk, reboot into a Linux disk or something, then go back to the BIOS and remove the password. Then try the Hibernate and Standby thing I mentioned above.

The ultimate thing we're trying to do here is prevent your BIOS on your mobo from sending a command (at POST) to freeze the drive. Doing the Hibernation and Standby tricks will kill power to the drive and allow it re-power itself up **WITHOUT** the temporary freeze/frozen "lock" placed by there by the BIOS. I don't recall which aspect of this is the "clincher", but I believe it to be Standby, because when in STBY, the BIOS POST is bypassed entirely. Whereas with HIB, you still go through POST.

I don't believe this will work with HDAT2 or MHDD or similar programs because you can't do the H & S tricks. Theoretically, you could mess with the power or hot-plug the drive to simulate killing the power, but that could mess it up, the PATA interface wasn't meant to be played with like that. So if you do that and the magic smoke escapes I'm a-run'n the other way!

_________________
On a clear disk you can seek forever.

@Cap'n Zack,

Thanks for the update.


OK - obviously I wouldn't have made my previous comments, if you'd mentioned this at the beginning.

Even with this new info, there is still a contradiction in the initial data which needs exploring IMHO, but since Keatah knows how to fix this for you, I won't waste time duplicating his effort. Good luck!

What is contradiction in 1st post initial data?
@Vulcan, is there some other different information you need could be helpful here?
Settings when made at 152627Mb work temp in windows and device manager can now see 128G partition + 21G dead partion.


All this is new to me and still interesting to know
If it works it works and if it don't it don't its not the end of the world!!
I'm still not getting anywhere making the settings stick they reset on power off and the drive comes back to 128 gigs.
Power off/on/cycle = makes drive reset to 128G and 21G partition disappears

It would appear that you have two HM160HC drives.

The first (SN: S12TJD0S896328) is affected by a HPA that reduces its capacity from 312581808 LBAs to 268435456.

The second (SN: S12TJD0S895468) also has a small HPA (1712 sectors = 856KiB). Perhaps BIOS is using the HPA to back itself up.

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

I have 6 drives set like this. but i will work with only one now and put away others for now.
Work with: Model: SAMSUNG HM160HC; Capacity: 268435456 LBAs; SN: S12TJD0S896328

they all behave same way no permanent settings after power off/on/cycle

Bios backup? I dont know if that is happening?

If you've tried all the power cycling tricks and it isn't working. I'm a bit stumped. I don't have all my lab notes with me ATM, but, I have an idea. I want to test something first. And I will prepare a step-by-step procedure for you to follow.

_________________
On a clear disk you can seek forever.

INTRO
I have taken the liberty of putting together a step-by-step list of steps for you to work through.We are going to do this in 3 parts. And I will be assuming some things. If these are not right, then make them right! There's no other way.

In part-1 you will be setting things up and preparing your system.
In part-2 you will use Victoria 4.46b to manipulate drive settings.
In part-3 you will check the results to insure proper completion and verify your disk.
Let's get started!

PART #1
These are assumptions I am making. And if all are correct, this will go smoothly and quickly.
1- You have a Windows XP (sp2 or later) OS installed and operational.
2- You will connect one of these HM160HC drives to a PRIMARY or SECONDARY IDE port.
3- Do not use a USB dongle & cable. I'm talk'n those adapter things. They Sux0Rz.
4- Make sure you are using a freshly installed copy of Victoria 4.46b, seems you have it. Great!
5- Since you've undoubtedly played with settings; I want you uninstall and re-install Victoria. This will ensure we have a default configuration and are on the same page. Alternatively, you can extract just the .INI file and place it in your Victoria install directory. This overwrites your messed-up original config.
6- We are going to work with a drive that is stuck at 128GB.
7- The MAXIMUM LBA (in the faulty drive) should be reading 268,435,456 (+/- 1) now.
8- You have your information backed up.
9- You have 1 single partition on the drive that is using the full capacity of 268,435,456, 128.00GB.
10- You are using NTFS.
11- You are not using encryption software.
12- S.M.A.R.T. data is good.

PART #2
Alright, then, once those conditions are met - this is what I want you to do EXACTLY. Do not deviate from this. If something doesn't work or you make a mistake then reboot and come back to step #1 with a freshly extracted VCR40.INI file in place.
1- Fresh boot your system. And wait till it settles down.
2- Get Victoria going.
3- Select PIO Device 0.
4- Select Primary (or leave at Secondary if you are configured that way).
5- Hit the red button Passp to read the Passport of the drive in question.
6- Hit RHPA to get the native LBA size. Should be 312,581,808. It's alright if it is slightly different. But I bet it will be what I said it would be.
7- This is the key part right here. Subtract 1 (count one!) (uno) from 312,581,808. That means 312,581,808 - 1 = 312,581,807.
8- Enter this number directly to the right of the HPA button.
9- Press the HPA button.
10- Exit Victoria.
11- Wait a few moments till any disk activity stops and shutdown the system.

PART #3
Checkout and verification.
1- Restart and then check the Device Manager for an extra 20.5GB partition!
2- Load Victoria again and get the Passport. It will read 312,581,807. Check.
3- Note that the Disk Size is now 152,627MB.
4- Optionally you may do surface verifications and seek tests to gain some confidence in the drive's integrity.
5- You may format the new partition or use a partition utility from Paragon, for example, to work with it and merge it with your existing partition. You're on your own with that as partition ops are beyond the scope of this thread.
6- FINISHED!

EPILOGUE
And there you have it. A workaround that will restore the disk back to full capacity. We are basically working around discrepancies involved in where counters begin, either 0 or 1. Normally it would make sense to just jam on RHPA and HPA to retrieve and save respectively. But if there is an overflow error the drive won't save the new values, it will default to the old one. This is why we are subtracting 1 from the RHPA(native value). Incidentally, if you select the LBA/Mb box and work with the Mb designation, it does some rounding (in the default config) that will bring the MAX LBA below the 312,518,808 value by a little over 1,700; and therefore saving a valid value. Let me know how it goes and if you need further assistance.

_________________
On a clear disk you can seek forever.

Correction - in the EPILOGUE section I said, "Incidentally, if you select the LBA/Mb box and work with the Mb designation, it does some rounding (in the default config) that will bring the MAX LBA below the 312,518,808 value by a little over 1,700; and therefore saving a valid value."

It should read "..the 312,581,808 value.." -- Talk about typos and mistakes hahaha!

_________________
On a clear disk you can seek forever.

Ohh wow thats amazing!!! I cant believe it worked!!! after months and months playing with them they are working at full size and I dont know how they started that way?

So thanks again to all and all!

Nice work, Keatah.

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

Ya'll come back now ya'hear?

_________________
On a clear disk you can seek forever.