How to Upgrade HD5 to 40GB!

[allhands]

I just installed a Toshiba MK4007GAL 40GB in my Sony HD5 and it works great!

The 40GB drive actually only gives you 37.2GB because its 39,990,689,782 bytes.

There are a few things I've noticed that are different so far:

1. You will need to re-register the mp3 player for your computer if you use sonicstage.

2. This may just be my imagination, but I think the HD access time is faster. I'm probably just imagining it.

For legal purposes:

I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE THAT OCCURS DUE TO ANYONE TRYING TO UPGRADE THEIR DRIVE!

I will updating this post within the next week or so with step-by-step instructions on how to upgrade your HD5. (I have a lot of exams coming up so I can't really do it right away).

Check back for updates!

Edited March 7, 2007 by allhands

[Traksiris]

It should be faster, I have a Sony vaio of almost 10 years old (using it for downloading now) which has a 12gb hdd (LOL) I've upgraded it into a 120gb and it made less noices and it was faster then before

[mcca555]

i want to see this

[Christopher]

Please do a writeup, we will feature it on the main blog.

[seXman]

Will that shorten the battary life? And SONY will refuse to repair it if your project caused songthing fatally

[Weaves_]

Any news on the update?

[Quaddy]

man i wish i could even source the mk4007gal hard drive to upgrade my hd5s, but they are even rarer than the players themselves!!!

[Aevum]

well, the service manuals should provide disassembly instructions, the issue is that the mk4007gal has been discontinued,

now, from what i´ver learned the MK series consists from MKXXYYgal, XX being the size in gigabytes (taking in to account gigabyte = 1,000,000,000 bytes)

and YY being the generation with one detail, even numbers are 8mm while odd numbers are 5mm,

the MK4007gal has been discontinued, the MK4008gal DOSNT FIT; 8mm high, the MK4009gal is the currently available 5mm drive,

i found one for 93 euros + vat, the issue is getting one and fitting it,

[Aevum]

ok, my mistake

the last letter in the code GA"Z" Z being either H or L for high or low, low being 5mm and high 8mm

[Quaddy]

now, from what i´ver learned the MK series consists from MKXXYYgal, XX being the size in gigabytes (taking in to account gigabyte = 1,000,000,000 bytes)

and YY being the generation with one detail, even numbers are 8mm while odd numbers are 5mm,

the MK4007gal has been discontinued, the MK4008gal DOSNT FIT; 8mm high, the MK4009gal is the currently available 5mm drive,

i found one for 93 euros + vat, the issue is getting one and fitting it,

nice detective work, that mk4007 is proving hard to get, even 2nd hand!! - i am keeping my eyes peeled for 009 version, if anyone sees one post the link, so i can get these hd5 boosted up a little!!!

[sibero80]

are you sure 8mm wont fit???? why????

[Aevum]

unless you want to mod the case to allow for the extra platter, then i suspect it wont fit,

the differance between the GAH and GAL models is the number of platters in the harddrive, thats also why the GAL are more expencive and usualy around half the size,

the GAL models are single platter, meaning that it has to be 1x20gb or 1x30gb or 1x40gb,

meaning that a 40GB GAL would be more expencive then a 40GB GAH becuase more expencive higher density platters have to be used,

another thing we should worry about is thattowards the end of this year, most harddrive manufacturers are ceasing IDE based drive manufacture, that means if you want to upgrade your HD5, do so quickly, becuase the next generation of these drives is probobly going to use a SATA variation to save on production costs,

[superbon]

toshiba now has a 5mm 80GB capacity like what they used in ipod classic 80gb but the connector is different.. not sure if they already come out with a connector the same with the hd5

[CrazyLexx]

toshiba now has a 5mm 80GB capacity like what they used in ipod classic 80gb but the connector is different.. not sure if they already come out with a connector the same with the hd5

Any news on these new drives yet? You don't happen to know the model number for this one?

EDIT: I've just checked a couple of sites for replacement hdds for the new 80GB ipod classic. There's a store which sells a 80gb version and reads that is uses ZIF. Just look at this picture of the drive:

picture

Doesn't the connector look like the one from the GAL drives used by Sony?!

I've also found Toshiba's press release for the new drives (Link)

Edited December 23, 2007 by CrazyLexx

[harru]

I've just received the MK8022GAA (80GB) hard drive to put into my HD5 (20GB version).

However I've discovered that the connectors for the two drives are infact different;

The MK2006GAL connector

The MK8022GAA connector

Therefore this drive may not be compatible with the HD5. Unless of course, the connecting cable to the HD5's hard drive connector board can slot into the MK80. The HD5's cable is smaller (shorter) than the connector on the MK80, but I noticed that this is the case between the connector board and the MK20.

Does anyone have any experience connecting this drive to the HD5?

Anyone know how to connect the HD5's cable to the MK80's slot successfully?

Any help appreciated,

Harru

[Aevum]

actually, you are correct, the plug is different and the newer drives will not work, i am currently exploring the possibility of making a 32gb flash NW-HD5 using a compact flash card, which i belive have the same connector

[Exapno]

A 32GB flash HD5 would be excellent. Let us know how you get on.

[irishman]

hey guys

first post so hello

found this

http://www.span.com/catalog/product_info.p...roducts_id=8391

can someone confirm if this would be suitable to upgrade my NWHD5

only £65 - not too bad for double capacity

thanks

[harru]

hey guys

first post so hello

found this

http://www.span.com/catalog/product_info.p...roducts_id=8391

can someone confirm if this would be suitable to upgrade my NWHD5

only £65 - not too bad for double capacity

thanks

The above drive uses the ZIF-40 connection, not the one the HD5 uses, so no it would not be suitable. You would be in the same situation as I am

Edit: as far as I know, this drive will fit: http://www.span.com/catalog/product_info.p...roducts_id=6015

Edited April 20, 2008 by harru

[Archy201]

Is there any update about making 32gb flash NW-HD5?

[suso]

does exist any kind of upgrade like this for the NW-HD3 ????

[Guest Stuge]

does exist any kind of upgrade like this for the NW-HD3 ????

It may exist ,but nobody has tried it (If I'm right).

[suso]

but does the hd3 use a different type of HDD than the hd5? i've searched in some manuals, but no info appears...

[MrBenn]

Hi All,

I am ready to attempt upgrading my NW-HD5 hard drive with a 60GB version (Toshiba MK6028GAL 71mm x 54mm x 5mm from Span). I found an adaptor to convert the ATA-50 connector to ZIF-40 and it looks like it will all fit ok as the new hard drive is slightly shorted than the original (it's tight though!).

BUT I have unfortunately torn the ribbon cable from the button panel so I can't switch the unit on to test it. I have searched the web in vain for a spare and can't even find a broken unit on eBay. Can anyone point me in the direction of a spares supplier or perhaps one of you has a broken player we can do a deal on?

If I can find the part I'll definitely publish the procedure, assuming it works.

[harru]

I found an adaptor to convert the ATA-50 connector to ZIF-40

Where did you find one? I was looking for one last year

BUT I have unfortunately torn the ribbon cable from the button panel so I can't switch the unit on to test it. I have searched the web in vain for a spare and can't even find a broken unit on eBay. Can anyone point me in the direction of a spares supplier or perhaps one of you has a broken player we can do a deal on?

I managed to tear mine the first time I opened it, unfortunately it's just a hard drive now, and I got a second HD5. I think it would be incredibly tricky to fit a new ribbon cable to the buttons even if you found one

[MrBenn]

Where did you find one? I was looking for one last year

I found it on eBay. I thought it would fit ok but actually it's just a little bit too big unfortunately.

However, having found the service manual for the unit (if you Google for 'NW-HD5 diagram' you'll find it too) I now have all the circuit diagrams which include the pinouts for the Sony ZIF to CF ZIF adapter. Once I have found the corresponding pinouts for the HDD ZIF, it should be possible to create an adaptor which directly connects the Sony ZIF to the HDD ZIF without an intermediate adaptor.

I'll report back once I've made some progress, but it'll be a few weeks before I can look at it again as I'm about to move home.

I think it would be incredibly tricky to fit a new ribbon cable to the buttons even if you found one

Why? The front panel button assembly is simply glued to the case with double-sided sticky tape. It was easy to prise this off the case and remove it. The whole (very simple!) button assembly then comes apart and the ribbon cable can be extracted.

After a few twists and turns I found a Sony consumer goods parts supplier. They are called Seme NEDIS and you can call them on 0870 850 8501 (they have a web site - or a domain name at least - but it seems to be broken). They have been incredibly helpful so far and they're busy tracking down this unusual parts request for me.

Edited August 7, 2008 by MrBenn

[Jack4L]

Hmm, well I notice that this is probibly an age old topic and noboy has looked into it, but I thought i'd point out that even if the ribbon is cut, totaly, you can still use the external remote control socket to use the player.

If you get the right remote, you even get some better functionality, imo. For example it has the folder forward or folder backwards buttons, that let you use the Item shuffle more intuitivly. Come to an album you dont want to hear? Press folder forward, get to the end of an album and want to hear it again? Press folder backwards.

I've personaly bought an extra "Useless" NW-HD5H and a remote at under 20£ and it has worked flawlessly in my backpack, even though the unit was about 2 years old when I got it and i've been using it for some time now. Figure once the 30gb hard drive fails I might try the Compact flash mod again, the way I see it, I dont even need the case anymore, I can make it as big as I want, so long as I can still read the screen. Thinking maybe of doing an Altoid tin mod with a plexiglass window for the screen Ghetto, but cool.

[secretheart]

Hi Jack4L, can you possibly say the model of remote you got that suits the hd5?

Thanks a million in advance!

[Jack4L]

Heh, kind of funny that I once again stumble into this forum and find myself reading this topic- and then realize "Oh hey, I posted here!". Stil looking for info on anyone that has tried the CF HD5 mod, 2 years later and I'm still in no hurry though.

As for the remotes, there are a lot of compatible Sony remotes. Just look for a Sony Mini Disc player remote and probably all of these will work as long as they have the same plug, since the HD5 basically used the latest and last version of the MD remote. These can be found for a few bucks to at most 20$ on e-bay. The one I have is the RM-MC35ELK which is a "limited edition" remote in Walkman orange- but I don't mind it

other models to try looking for are the RM-MC38 which is pretty much identical to the 35 as far as I can tell and RM-MC40 which is a totally different looking remote, with a larger, more easily readable screen and possibly an easier to use volume rocker.

[Becky-Bluebell]

Hi,

Has anyone been able to upgrade the HDD in the HD5 yet? I'm thinking of trying it myself but I'm not a techie type and would appreciate help. I have taken a broken one apart and there is very little room in there. I've seen 80Gb HDD that have the same connector but they are 8mm thick, 3mm isn't much but it looks to be too much for inside the HD5 case.

Anyone been able to relocate the player into a different case that would allow the bigger HDD?

Thank you in advance for help on this..