Non-Supported Hard Drive Upgrade - Here's How

[Avro_Arrow]

Here is what I have found...

I was able to install a non-supported drive in my 5900.
Here is my process.

Get your virgin firmware and load in into winhex (or whichever one you use) and search for "maxtor".
You will find the area where the hard drive ID's are stored. Edit one of the entries with your hard drives
information (mine was easy as it was a Maxtor 6L200P0). Save the Virgin file after putting your usual personal
information in. Run this through Irdr to fix the CRC's. Flash your U7 and EEprom using the usual process.
Intall your new hard drive after FFing it (this can be done in Winhex too).
Connect to dish and let the drive marry and the firmware update (this might take a little longer as the hard drive
will have to format first. When the ird is updated you will get 04EE error. Copy the new firmware back to your
computer and edit with winhex again (you only have to change the hard drive info). Run the file through Irdr
again to fix the CRC's. Flash the U7 and EEprom again with your new firmware. You should now be able to
enjoy your new hard drive.
One note...my hard drive was 200 gig but the ird only formated it to 120 gig.

I'd like to hear about other peoples experience with this.

[Crazy1_79]

if you changed lda that is what it does, it needs to see it as a 120 gb and not a 200

[Avro_Arrow]

I did not cut the Hard Drive LBA, the full 200 gig was available to be used, but the IRD only used 120 gig. I think it is coded into the firmware to use either 40, 80 or 120 gig images. If I can find the spot in the virgin firmware that deals with creating the Hard Drive Image then maybe I can increase the size.

[Crazy1_79]

then the receiver will not know what to do, it uses those, you are trying to make a hd size that does not exist for dvr player. it would be like a 515 dvr player with does not exist, not sure if it is possible