MHV2080AH - Head Mapping

[PB80]

Does anyone know of a way to check the number of heads inside this drive without opening it please?

My drive is
MHV2080AH
P/N CA06531-B22400C1
S/N NT28T5Axxxxx
Date Code - 2005-10
F/W 05DE6A - 00830096

and it has 4 heads.

I have opened 3 donor drives so far but all have only 3 heads. Is the number of heads indicated on the label anywhere to save me from opening even more HDD?

Thank you

[Igor]

Dear PB80,

As I know there is only one way to check the number of Heads at the drive. You should run Disabled Heads menu which will show you it's number. For more information about it you can browse a manual 7.2.2.7 Disable Heads.

Regards.

[AJ2008]

Good news is that Fujitsu are selling their HArd Drive manufacturing area of the company, and looks like toshiba may be the ones to take over.

No more dodgy head mapping!!

[Igor]

As I know WD already bought Fujitsu HDD manufacture...
Any way I'm agree about "dodgy head mapping"

[AJ2008]

I am pretty sure the deal did not complete. Here are sone links I have found:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/05 ... al_for_wd/

http://www.charged.co.za/consumer-elect ... -through-2

And this link reportedly says Toshiba may be purchasing Fujitsu

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7827862.stm

Personally I prefer it to be Toshiba than WD!

[Mike_Montgomery]

Look at HS module ..

You should see something like : [HEADER 'HS'] xx xx 04 04 00 01 02 03 FF FF ...

here the first 04 indicates the number of surfaces.
the second the number of heads in use 04
Surfaces start from the bottom (00) to the top (03)
first FF indicates end of head map

the 00 01 02 03 indicate the surfaces or heads in use (head map).

So if the example was: xx xx 04 03 01 02 03 FF

you would work out that there are 4 surfaces (2 platters) with 3 heads starting at head 1 so there is no head on surface 00 (bottom)

If the example was: xx xx 04 03 00 01 02 FF = 4 surfaces, three heads, top surface not used.

If the example was: xx xx 02 02 00 01 FF = 2 surfaces, two heads.


Does that help ?

Mike

[Mike_Montgomery]

If you can, check the original drive, you may find that one of the heads is disabled.

Even though it has 4 heads the head map may read xx xx 04 03 00 02 03 FF

Whatever, it is bound to not be what you want it to be