Replace harddrive in a DMS?

[Bane]

I recently bought a used phatnoise off of ebay. The DMS was damaged in shipping and now the hard drive in it is non-functional. I noticed on pricewatch that I can get 40 gig laptop drive for approx $50. Is it possible to setup a lpatop drive and make it work correctly?

Thanks

Jamy

[S80_UK]

Hi jamy,

Technically this can be done, but the Phatnoise expects the hard disk drive in the DMS to be "signed" by Phatnoise.  That is, they put some special data on there (outside the normal file space) which allows the Phatnoise box to identify the drive as original.  This data has a relationship to the serial number of the drive itself (not the serial number of the formatted volume or partition).   Now, it is possible to patch the firmware in the box to ignore the signature - that is what much of this forum is all about, to allow alternative drives to be fitted.  However, in order to do that, you require a good DMS drive first in order to be able to have the Phatbox run the patching software.  It does not work if you just copy the signature data from an original DMS drive onto a new one.

So you have a couple of options.  

1) If you have any comeback against the seller or the shipping company, then you should  find out if you can return the damaged items for a refund.  But if there was no shipping insurance they may not want to play along.  

2) Your other option is to find someone local to you with a good DMS cartridge that can be used to patch the firmware in your box.  The cartridge can be restored after so that it still works for them.  Once your box has been patched, then you can go and get a laptop drive and set it up using the DMS hack and repair disc, and then you can put the firmware on it that you need for your vehicle, and then your selection of music.

There are many steps involved here, and the best thing is for you to read all the messages in the forums concerning the patching of the Phatbox (especially here

http://forum.phathack.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1122424315

and here

http://wiki.phathack.com/DMS_Hack_and_Repair_CD

Once you have read and understood as much as you can, either try it or ask questions.  But just about every possible question has already been answered, so I suggest also using the search engine on this forum to help.

Regards,

Les.

[Kat_Daddy]

Its not that complicated i did it. If you have a little knowledge and unrestricted high speed internet access, you can completely hack your box and install the firmware in 35 mins. You have to make sure u follow directions to a T and dont stray or u'll have to fumble your way back to where u need to be, like i did  

[judb]

Its not that complicated i did it. If you have a little knowledge and unrestricted high speed internet access, you can completely hack your box and install the firmware in 35 mins. You have to make sure u follow directions to a T and dont stray or u'll have to fumble your way back to where u need to be, like i did  

well thats because you had a working phatnoise DMS to start with.. this guy doesn't.

[Bane]

Its not that complicated i did it. If you have a little knowledge and unrestricted high speed internet access, you can completely hack your box and install the firmware in 35 mins. You have to make sure u follow directions to a T and dont stray or u'll have to fumble your way back to where u need to be, like i did  

well thats because you had a working phatnoise DMS to start with.. this guy doesn't.

I do actually have a working DMS also. The unit I am writing about is my second unit.

I just ordered a 60GB Seagate 2.5" drive, so hopefully I can get the procedure to work. Any reason a seagate drive wouldn't work?

Thanks

[Bane]

Ok.. So it has been a year since I converted a phatnoise into a keg.... I took the DMS from my current phatnoise/keg and put it into the new phatbox I got off of ebay, and hoocked it up to my headunit. The "new" phatbox does not seem to work. I get a message that says AUX1 when I switch to it on my head unit. I have tried resetting my headunit. Is there something I am doing wron, or is this unit bad? I tried to find the procedures for converting to a keg, but I have not been able to, I thought it was just hookup to head unit and boot off of Kenwood/Keg DMS.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

[Firefox]

Ok.. So i has bene a year since I converted a phatnoise into a keg.... I took the DMS from my current phatnoise/keg and put it into the new phatbox I got off of ebay, and hoocked it up to my headunit. The "new" phatbox does not seem to work. I get a message that says AUX1 when I switch to it on my head unit. I have tried resetting my headunit. Is there something I am doing wron, or is this unit bad? I tried to find the procedures for converting to a keg, but I have not been able to, I thought it was just hookup to head unit and boot off of Kenwood/Keg DMS.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

If you still have a Kenwood headunit youi will first need to flash the "new" phatbox with Kenwood firmware. Putting your old DMS from a "Keg" into new box will not cause a flash unless the forceupdate and/or forcesettings zero length file is present on the root of PHTSYS on the DMS. Easiest way to do this is from within PMM, just re-choose the Kenwood firmware within PMM with the existing DMS. Take the DMS to the "new" phatbox and it will flash to be a Kenwood.

[sbingner]

Actually, when a PhatBox FIRST powers up, it does check to ensure the firmware on the drive is the same as the firmware on the unit.   If it is not, it will initiate a patch which will cause the issue you describe until it completes.   Give it about 10-15 mins to complete then turn your head unit off and back on.

Normally when you insert a DMS the phatbox hasn't been disconnected from power so it won't update the firmware unless forceupdate is present.