Can a WD10EAVS be made to report itself as a WD10EVVS

[petestrash]

We have a custom system which uses WD10EVVS drives. We would like to expand the system to use some WD10EAVS that we already have. The system we have reads the drive info and fw rev to confirm the correct drive is installed before allowing it to be added to the system.

I would like to reflash the WD10EAVS's so that they report as being WD10EVVS with the correct firmware revision.

I do not want to change the actual firmware running the drive, just the locations which hold the id and revision info.

I have used hex editors in the past to work on binaries, but never anything to do with Hard Drives.

After reading quite a few forums here and elsewhere I have learnt that the drive firmware is no longer just on the prom, but also stored in regions of the drive.

It appears that if I also need to change the information on the disk I would need some professional software which is very expensive.

I have seen some [urlhttp://www.xbins.org/nfo.php?file=xboxnfo1716.nfo]software[/url] that is used to make wd 2.5" drives work in xbox360's, and wondered if this approach would also work on the 3.5" drives.

Can anyone shed some light on this area for the bits that need changing and is it only on the prom, or also on the drive.

Peter.

[Creator]

Yes, it's very easy.
Just go to data recovery pro.

[petestrash]

Thanks, but I can't see any features in ParetoLogics Data Recovery Pro software that deals with drive firmware.

Peter.

[BlackST]

Hmmm... You didn't understand.

[drc]

Ha ha, that's funny.

[petestrash]

I do understand, but I was hoping I was wrong.

Was I wrong in assuming this was a board where people shared information and helped each other?

Peter.

[guru]

This is typicaly a board where someone comes along... Asks questions and then gets an answer and then never comes back. It's a kind of one way blood sucker thing.

I would suggest looking at spildits threads as he openly gives out information about your subject

[Junior0409]

Pete, dont feel bad. These guys are getting soft. When I asked if something was possible I got a lecture. At least you got a definite answer.

[petestrash]

Thanks Guru & Junior, it's a bit of shame that some people feel the way they do.

I am looking though some of spildits threads now, at least he understands what it is like to be an enthusiast and share the knowledge learnt with the community.

I have a few thousand posts on a variety of boards, 95% offering assistance to others.

Being a moderator on a few of these forums, I understand where the feeling comes from and how frustrating it can be to offer advice only to never hear from the op again.

But reading though many threads here, there are certainly a lot of posters that seem to have never offered a single constructive post.

I don't understand why so many of these people (many who probably don't have a clue anyway) would waste their spare time here repeatedly posting garbage.

Peter.

[xsoliman]

It would probably be easier to 'hack' the custom system to accept any WD10* drives
Is it x86 based?
Is its software based on any standard OS ?
How come its so selective about drives? Its not some sort of certified device is it
eg certain medical equipment is certified only for a very exact spec

[petestrash]

Thanks we have thought about this route.

It's for a custom DVR system, that uses a MIPs processor running custom Linux using a signed kernel check to stop any unauthorised system mods...

Peter.

[BlackST]

Anyway, it is possible. Just tested.

[petestrash]

Great, thanks.

I'll keep researching.

Peter.

[Spildit]