recovering a cp2024 or other solution for olivetti quaderno

[Zentradis]

Hi to all,
I'm trying to recover the hdd of an olivetti quaderno I got for free from a friend, actually the drive spins but the heads don't move (yes I've opened it as people said that on that model heads tends to get glued on the end-run position).
the disc is detected by windows 7 as usb conner peripherial 20 mb (using my ide to usb adapter) but obviously I can't neither see the disk nor access it (same story if I plug it on mac or linux)... I'm totally new to disk recovering and I'd like to learn something new, plus getting a new hdd is quite expensive as the quaderno only seems to accept its original model (conner cp 2024). Using the search function of the forum I've found references about a guide by fbkazkas (sorry if it's not correct) on how to mod another hdd in order to "fool the quaderno" in thinking it is its original model, but I'm not able to find the guide itself.

my actual options are:
-buy a new disk (expensive, not sure if it's worth)
-mod a disk with the said guide (assuming someone help me finding it)
-use a specific software to diagnose the disk eventually format it and install dos using usb adapter (no floppy on the quaderno
as I was not given the original cable adapters)
-other solutions suggested by you =)
I can:
-use windows 7
-use snow leopard
-use pure dos 7.1 (bootable usb key with original files on it =) )
-use parted magic (linux distro with gparted and other softwares on it) on a usb live key

Can someone help me?
thanks in advance

[Vulcan]

Although you're using the word "recover", some of your later story describes that you would be happy to get another disk (so you don't need to recover what is on that original disk).

I don't know which of fzabkar's posts you're referring to, but if the Olivetti device doesn't check for a specific make/model of disk, and just expects a 20MB disk of the same capacity as that Connor, then using a modern disk and creating an HPA on that disk (using a PC) to "hide" all of the modern disk's capacity except 20MB, would be one starting point for you to try.

P.S. If the Olivetti checks for a specific make/model being reported from the disk, then things become more complicated. but not insurmountable, depending on your available time / expertise / budget.

[BlackST]

Quello aperto lo puoi anche buttare (peccato, era sistemabilissimo visto che di sicuro il problema era da un altra parte), se vuoi CP2024 basta chiedere. Pero' hai ragione, il prezzo e' alto - per il resto, rivolgersi con fiducia a Internet.

The one you opened , you can trash it for sure (it's a pity it was fixable, as the problem was definitely ELSEWHERE), if you want CP2024s just ask . But it's true, the price is high - for everything else, faithfully refer to the internet.

[Zentradis]

thanks for the help Vulcan, well I actually don't need to recover anything from the disk, I just tought it would have been possible to make the old one work again (I feel a sort of nostalgia when it comes to 286/386 age (even if I'm 23 years old ) and I'd like to keep it as original as possible)... what do you mean by HPA (maybe it is a stupid question but my knowledge on hdd stops at partitioning and some rudimental knowledge of raid types) does it mean to create a partition of 20MB on a modern disk?

Wow grazie per l'aiuto anche a te BlackST in effetti è stato sciocco da parte mia ma tutte le guide che avevo trovato parlavano di testine che si incollavano a fine corsa in caso di inutilizzo per lungo tempo e di spostarle leggermente...

Thanks for the help to you too BlackST, actually it was quite stupid for me to open it up but all the guides I had seen so far were referring to mine as a common problem, regarding heads that got "glued" on the end-run as a consequence of long-time unusage, suggesting to move them a bit...

by the way time availablle: Tons of it
Money: well It depends, I'm not willing to buy a new drive if possible
Expertise: well I've been reading dos and win3.1 tomes (the white/grey/blue ones since I was 7, but linux/mac terminal well... that's another story... definitely.....
I hope you can help me step by step

[Vulcan]

thanks for the help Vulcan

well I actually don't need to recover anything from the disk, I just tought it would have been possible to make the old one work again

As BlackST has explained - the old disk is effectively unusuable.

what do you mean by HPA (maybe it is a stupid question but my knowledge on hdd stops at partitioning and some rudimental knowledge of raid types) does it mean to create a partition of 20MB on a modern disk?

No, it's not a partition. HPA = Host Protected Area. Google that & start with the Wikipedia article. You can use the HDAT2 utility (Google that too ) to create an HPA.

by the way time availablle: Tons of it

Lucky you, but this is not true for me, and I don't have one of these Olivetti units to test any ideas.

Money: well It depends, I'm not willing to buy a new drive if possible

If you want to try what you mentioned originally (i.e. modifying another disk to replace the CP2024), then I don't see how you can avoid needing a replacement PATA disk for your experiments. One complication could be if the Olivetti used the CP2024 in XT (8-bit) mode, and not the (later and much more common) AT (16-bit) mode.

Expertise: well I've been reading dos and win3.1 tomes (the white/grey/blue ones since I was 7, but linux/mac terminal well... that's another story... definitely.....

So you'll need to do lots of research about what that Olivetti is expecting (e.g. is it just limited by expecting a 20MB capacity, or only working with an 8-bit IDE (PATA) disk, or only certain specific make/model of disk due to checking what the disk reports, or ...)

I hope you can help me step by step

No, not me. In this situation, where I don't have one of these Olivetti units, and your expertise in this area is limited, I don't have the amount of time that you'll need. I just tried to help with your "fool the quaderno" question. If that is not enough for you to carry on from here, then you'll need to wait for someone else who has more time to help you.

Good luck!

[Zentradis]

thank you so much, I really appreciate the informations you gave me, I'll try hpa once I'll have sufficient knowledge and let you know the results...
one last question, I googled for hpa a bit, I assume it is a reserved partition not accessable by the os, if so, do I have to "fill"(allow me the therm) the new disk with an hpa leaving only 20MB of memory available for the system? (so that the disk will seems to be only 20 MB large?)

[Vulcan]

I googled for hpa a bit, I assume it is a reserved partition not accessable by the os

Don't use the word "partition", as that will cause confusion. An HPA is not what is usually meant by the word "partition".

if so, do I have to "fill"(allow me the therm) the new disk with an hpa leaving only 20MB of memory available for the system? (so that the disk will seems to be only 20 MB large?)

Yes, exactly. The CP2024 has 41,856 LBAs, so that is how many LBAs you do not "hide" using an HPA.

[Zentradis]

thanks again but I guess this thing is becoming harder and harder... I'm almost sure that the disk is IDE XT 8-bit... if so, is there anything I can do?

[Vulcan]

I'm almost sure that the disk is IDE XT 8-bit

That's not the information I have read, which is that the disk is capable of 8-bit or 16-bit IDE operation, depending on the host (i.e. in your case, the Olivetti system).

[Zentradis]

ok, please note that It is not my intention to troll or joke, Today I asked for help and I got much much more than I expected, that's why I'm here risking to be considered a fool but I felt that the least I could do was to share this with you as a way to thank you and redirect users from google to this forum in the future...
Basically I opened the drive again carefully and I notice that the magnet of the heads tended to get stucked to its structure thus impeding heads movement.... I took a piece of normal tape (a really small one ) and I placed it on the magnet (I repeat, the lever magnet, the one that makes the head brace move, I hope i got myself clear) and while the drive was spinning I closed the screws again so that the isolant rubber didn't interfere in disk movement I then reassembled the whole thing and tried to power it up while laughing of myself being so faithful..... then something happened: the drive started working!
I repeat: I don't want to troll anyone, if you want I can provide screenshots and more detaile info of what I did

sorry but my hands are still trembling from bliss of having recovered this old baby.....

if there is any way I can provide help of any sort Im here.... THANK YOU ALL YOU MADE MY DAY
Vulcan.... you are great =)

[Vulcan]

Congratulations on your success

However having opened the disk (twice) oustide a cleanroom, then you must expect further problems (unless you are very lucky). IMHO it would be risky for you to rely on this as a long-term solution - i.e. if the drive fails catastrophically (e.g. head crash) tomorrow, or next week, or next month etc., then don't be surprised.

Again, congratulations!

[guru]

Just in case someone else has this problem. Instead of using tape on the "end-stop" magnet you can heat the magnet with a solder iron until it becomes weaker