A2 - Replace HDD with CF card

tomaszu · 11-23-2008, 23:21

Hi All !

Did anyone exercised the idea of replacing A2 HDD with CF card. I just wonder, how feasible is that? All parts are here:
- 32 GB CF is not expensive (lighter, immune to shock, less power draining)
- CF<->1,8 IDE adapter with ZIF connector are available http://cgi.ebay.com/SSD-flash-adapter-for-eeepc-901-1-8-ZIF-VERSION-to-CF_W0QQitemZ250325132271QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Cab les_Adapters?hash=item250325132271&_trksid=p3286.c 0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|24 0%3A1318

My drive is heading for imminent oblivion so I'm thinking about something more "modern" than regular HDD. I've been thinking about installing a CF slot in my A2 - I'll get rid of HDD and do some DIY using heavy tools - and voil'a.

Before I start - I just wanted to know if you had some previous experience with this matter.

Any ideas, comments?

//Tomaszu

My bad !

Wrong connector - shouldn't be ZIF byt standard 1,8 IDE

Still, available:
http://cgi.ebay.com/CF-to-1-8-Adapter-for-Toshiba-Hard-Drive-SSD-iPod-IDE_W0QQitemZ300261551125QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Ca bles_Adapters?hash=item300261551125&_trksid=p3286. c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|2 40%3A1318

/Tomasz

Damn ! I screwed up again ! Wron pincount this time.

This one should be right (hope so):
http://www.darkwire.com.au/html/lapt...ter__fema.html

//Tomasz

doniago · 11-24-2008, 16:18

tomaszu, please edit previous posts rather than making a bunch of consecutive ones just to correct yourself.

Thanks.

shaynet · 11-26-2008, 10:53

how many pins does the hdd in the A2 has?

and i think that that's a great idea to use a cf - ide adapter in the A2

sanguine · 11-26-2008, 11:30

From what I've read some users succesfully replaced the hdd with a cf card in the X5. But after the switch the X5 will only run rockbox and not the official cowon fw anymore. So I'm not sure if the A2 can use a cf card and still use the original fw.

shaynet · 11-26-2008, 23:11

unfortunately there is no rockbox for the A2

tomaszu · 11-28-2008, 12:35

Hi again !

Cowon HDD has 44 pin female connector. Unfortunately, most of the IDE - CF adapters I found, had male IDE interfaces as well. So far, female connector is unreachable.

In general, I'm 99,9% sure that Rockbox is not required to run COWON with CF. CF interface is very close to IDE and adapters makes it totally compatible. For Cowon - everything what is "behing" the IDE connector - looks like a regular hard drive - and this should be no problem.

If I find matching adapter, I'll try and let you know how it goes.

Tomasz

sanguine · 11-28-2008, 12:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomaszu

In general, I'm 99,9% sure that Rockbox is not required to run COWON with CF. CF interface is very close to IDE and adapters makes it totally compatible. For Cowon - everything what is "behing" the IDE connector - looks like a regular hard drive - and this should be no problem.
Tomasz

I wouldn't be so sure about that, read the X5 thread
http://www.iaudiophile.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=20335

The X5 can not run the orig cowon fw because in some hdd players, there is a signal sent to spin-down the hard disk, which causes problems with the orig fw. It looks like a regular hard drive, that is true, but it doesn't act like one so there can be problems with that.

But the best way to find it out is to try it
good luck to you

shaynet · 11-29-2008, 05:50

then you can just turn off the power saving option that spins down the HDD

i think this might help (someone said that it froze after 10 seconds though others have said it didn't even boot)

11-23-2008, 23:21	#1
tomaszu Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 8	Hi All ! Did anyone exercised the idea of replacing A2 HDD with CF card. I just wonder, how feasible is that? All parts are here: - 32 GB CF is not expensive (lighter, immune to shock, less power draining) - CF<->1,8 IDE adapter with ZIF connector are available http://cgi.ebay.com/SSD-flash-adapter-for-eeepc-901-1-8-ZIF-VERSION-to-CF_W0QQitemZ250325132271QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Cab les_Adapters?hash=item250325132271&_trksid=p3286.c 0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234\|66%3A2\|65%3A12\|39%3A1\|24 0%3A1318 My drive is heading for imminent oblivion so I'm thinking about something more "modern" than regular HDD. I've been thinking about installing a CF slot in my A2 - I'll get rid of HDD and do some DIY using heavy tools - and voil'a. Before I start - I just wanted to know if you had some previous experience with this matter. Any ideas, comments? //Tomaszu My bad ! Wrong connector - shouldn't be ZIF byt standard 1,8 IDE Still, available: http://cgi.ebay.com/CF-to-1-8-Adapter-for-Toshiba-Hard-Drive-SSD-iPod-IDE_W0QQitemZ300261551125QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Ca bles_Adapters?hash=item300261551125&_trksid=p3286. c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234\|66%3A2\|65%3A12\|39%3A1\|2 40%3A1318 /Tomasz Damn ! I screwed up again ! Wron pincount this time. This one should be right (hope so): http://www.darkwire.com.au/html/lapt...ter__fema.html //Tomasz Last edited by doniago; 11-24-2008 at 16:18..

11-24-2008, 16:18	#2
doniago I, Like, Do Stuff Here. Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Burlington, VT Posts: 4,651	tomaszu, please edit previous posts rather than making a bunch of consecutive ones just to correct yourself. Thanks. __________________ DonIago Iron Mod "When you do things right, people won't be sure you did anything at all."

11-26-2008, 11:30	#4
sanguine Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Austria Posts: 174	From what I've read some users succesfully replaced the hdd with a cf card in the X5. But after the switch the X5 will only run rockbox and not the official cowon fw anymore. So I'm not sure if the A2 can use a cf card and still use the original fw. __________________ Players: Cowon D2 2GB Black / Sansa Clip 8GB Black / Trekstor MusicStick 150 256MB Headphones: Sennheiser HD 595 / Phonak Audéo PFE / Koss PortaPro / AKG K314P Cards: Memory2Go Class4 32GB / extreMEmory Class2 8GB Wishlist: Cowon x7

11-29-2008, 05:50	#8
shaynet Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 24	then you can just turn off the power saving option that spins down the HDD i think this might help (someone said that it froze after 10 seconds though others have said it didn't even boot) Last edited by shaynet; 11-29-2008 at 08:22..

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11-26-2008, 10:53	#3
shaynet Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 24	how many pins does the hdd in the A2 has? and i think that that's a great idea to use a cf - ide adapter in the A2

11-26-2008, 23:11	#5
shaynet Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 24	unfortunately there is no rockbox for the A2

11-28-2008, 12:35	#6
tomaszu Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 8	Hi again ! Cowon HDD has 44 pin female connector. Unfortunately, most of the IDE - CF adapters I found, had male IDE interfaces as well. So far, female connector is unreachable. In general, I'm 99,9% sure that Rockbox is not required to run COWON with CF. CF interface is very close to IDE and adapters makes it totally compatible. For Cowon - everything what is "behing" the IDE connector - looks like a regular hard drive - and this should be no problem. If I find matching adapter, I'll try and let you know how it goes. Tomasz