Exact Model Matching?

[eatit]

Has anyone tried getting the headers from a larger capacity DMS, the exact same model drive, and then do a simple dd copy and been able to upgrade?

Example:

Some benevolent user (user A) decides to buy a 120GB legal cart.  Before he actually does anything with it, he takes apart the DMS, takes the laptop HD and does a dd under linux and bzip2's that image so it could be copied over, writes down the model of the drive, perhaps a ST9120821A.

User B gets the same OEM drive (the example being a ST9120821A) , downloads the dd image, and then duplicates the drive. User B takes out his original 20GB drive and installs the 120GB drive.

Does this work? This doesn't seem to be addressed and am very interested in whether it works or not.  Is there a hardware key code in the DMS controller interface? Does the system dig a little deeper and read serial numbers from the disklabel? Has anyone tried reprogramming the disklabels?

I'd think this whole firmware issue could be sidestepped given the right "disk response"  ....

Let me know if I am being stupid.

[admin]

There's nothing new under the sun.

We really wouldn't have gone to all the trouble we did if it was this simple.

Sorry.

[eatit]

Could this be a FAQ? I'd think there are several people feeling this way.

Also, has anyone done any firmware dumps of the drives themselves and used the OEM tools to flash the drives?

Thanks.

[admin]

It's odd to me if several people feel this way.

We found a way to make it work - we've hacked the drives and made it as simple as a boot floppy disk.  Are people still looking for "easier" ways?  If that's the case - I guess I just don't understand why.

Folks have tried all sorts of different image-ing and dumping ideas - none with any success (not once you put it in the phatbox anyway).

Anyone who wants to can make a wiki entry that shows the failed methods we've tried.  Maybe that will be useful, I just don't see it.

--Paul

[judb]

I'll address this another way.

by sharing the signature portion of the drive like that and with one other small software modification that could be done quite simply (no don't ask I wont say and if you do ask I'll make sure you get banned for asking) you could then share audible content with any other user that has the same drive signature.

So.. using the hack cd lets valid phatnoise drives seed other drives but does not allow expressly the sharing of audible content.  Sharing the sig portion with other folks makes the concept of piracy of these files much easiear and we don't want to go down that road.

Just use the CD please folks.

[sbingner]

Judb's post might be a bit misleading, the short answer is no... what you suggested will not work, the unhacked firmware checks the model and serial number of the hard drive with a signature before it will boot the drive.  Apparently it is possible to find a utility to modify some manufacturer's serial number but I have had no luck in locating any that work on anything in the Keg

[gallagher419]

You guys have done a fantastic job of providing us a way to upgrade our DMS and it is very simple and fast! Point being, there is no other way to upgrade just be thankful for what you have!

[joako]

Judb's post might be a bit misleading, the short answer is no... what you suggested will not work, the unhacked firmware checks the model and serial number of the hard drive with a signature before it will boot the drive.  Apparently it is possible to find a utility to modify some manufacturer's serial number but I have had no luck in locating any that work on anything in the Keg

Why can't we just generate a signature based on the drive model and serial #, so the phatnoise thinks its a 100% valid drive?

[sbingner]

you can.  Let us know when you have the private key to sign it with, and know what exactly is being signed