Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Topics on hardware and modifications. Please post your "how to" steps that involve tools here.
vasko
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Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by vasko »

This is one of the cheapest solutions:
http://ec.transcendusa.com/product/ItemDetail.asp?ItemID=TS4GDOM44H-S

( i'm also thinking of the 8Gb, but its much more expensive and i can not be sure that will be supported. )

of course with a little HARD* modifications, but the result is cool.

BE VERY CAREFUL - PIN 44 HAS TO BE REMOVED!!!

Here is a small HowTo:
That is the original Nand module 512Mb:
[img alt=http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0031.jpg]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0031.jpg[/img][img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0032.jpg[/img]

This is the new one:
[img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0033.jpg[/img][img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0034.jpg[/img]

This is the motherboard with removed original NAND IDE:

[img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0035.jpg[/img]

As you can see here and on the pictures below - the pin 44 is removed, it is important because the motherboard sends +3.5V on 44 pin but on the other site - TRANSCEND IDE module has pin 44 shorted with pin 43 which is "-" (0V , ground), so if plug the new NAND memory you will short the +3.5V with - (Ground) and you will Burn something. In the best case - the PC will not boot. It will be fine if you isolate the area like it's made on the photo, otherwise you may short something else. This isolation is also important because of the high temperature which comes from the CPU:


[img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0036.jpg[/img][img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0037.jpg[/img][img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0038.jpg[/img][img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0039.jpg[/img][img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0040.jpg[/img]


The next photos are from the second modification. It is needed because the the TRANSCEND module has about 2 mm higher profile than the original PQI. The TRANSCEND module comes with 6mm +- 0.5 , the original PQI is about 4mm. So take the knife and take this 2mm. :-) That's how it can be made:

[img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0041.jpg[/img][img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0043.jpg[/img][img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0044.jpg[/img][img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0045.jpg[/img][img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0047.jpg[/img]

As you can see on the 5th photo, the pin 44 is cut a little bit more. We need to be sure that it will not touch something on the motherboard.
The next photos are the result, the motherboard with the new NAND memory:

[img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0048.jpg[/img][img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0049.jpg[/img][img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0050.jpg[/img]

It fit's almost perfectly ...
The whole process takes about 20-30 minutes, and you need only a screwdriver, knife and a peace of isolation material.

This is Windows XP Pro with a the new NAND IDE disk :

[img alt=.. width=300]http://webdt-366.cincev.com/thumbs/IMAG0051.jpg[/img]
Last edited by vasko on Thu Oct 21, 2010 12:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
tbowland
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Re: Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by tbowland »

This is very exciting. I'm can't wait to do a mem upgrade.
What hardware did you do the 4g upgrade to?

Has it been proble free with a 4 g available?

tbowland
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Re: Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by quotaholic »

I opened my LX800 DT366 last night that I ordered from tbowland. Sure as he says, its brand spanking new and in its original packaging. Thats rare to see for such old hardware. Thanks again tbowland. Its worth noting that the base it comes with includes the usb ports and that alone makes tbowlands tablets a great deal.

Anyways I ordered one of these 4gb transcend chips and could not get it to work in my red DT360 based on the instructions above however I did have success just now getting it to work in the LX800 DT366. I took a look at the female connectors on the chip its self and with a very small set of electronics flush cutters (dikes) I snipped off the plastic slot for pin 43 and broke the leg off once exposed.  I left the jumper on making it a master drive instead of the slave, plugged it , reassembled, powered up and voila.

Looking at the bios screen now and I will report back if I run in to any snags. If this works out well I will have spent ~$170 (shipping included) for a brand new DT366 with a functional dock and a 4gb memory upgrade. Not only that but this DT366 has the hardware normally found in a DT360 making it much much faster and more open to different operating systems like ubuntu 9.04 and 9.10.

quotaholic
Last edited by quotaholic on Thu Aug 19, 2010 9:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
vasko
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Re: Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by vasko »

tbowland wrote: This is very exciting. I'm can't wait to do a mem upgrade.
What hardware did you do the 4g upgrade to?

Has it been proble free with a 4 g available?

tbowland
I get my DT-366 with the standart 512Mb NAND module, and after a lot of research i found the Transcent Module, than compare the characteristics of both modules and order the Transcent one from some local resellers. The local resellers didn't offer such a things like Free Probe :) ,they just sell it to me as a standalone component with some warranty about 2 years.
Last edited by vasko on Wed Sep 01, 2010 4:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
tbowland
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Re: Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by tbowland »

So I don't think we heard a conclusion to your 4g upgrade quotaholic.
Did all go well?
Do you have some do's & don't with regard to installing on the 366?
Did you use the same ram as Vasko?
44pin-4GB IDE Flash Module from Transcend
http://ec.transcendusa.com/product/ItemDetail.asp?ItemID=TS4GDOM44H-S
Anxious to get some ram ordered,
tbowland
quotaholic
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Re: Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by quotaholic »

Yes, everything went well. I did order the same module as Vasko. I bought it from Transcend directly. I took a less destructive path and cut the corner of the connector off of the module instead of modifying the tablet. Slot 43 was on an end of the ide female connector so I snipped it off with some electronic snips and then cut the soldered connector off where it soldered on to the module. Shaved it down in height just as Vasko did and reassembled. The only negative is that the transcend module is still a little taller than the original module so it presses against the screen a tad making a bright spot on the screen where it is being pressed against. The good news is that it is very fast. On the LX hardware I left the jumper in making it a master module opposed to a slave. In linux we have a utility called hdparm and according to that tool I get~44Mb/s in read speeds.

quotaholic
brake16
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Re: Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by brake16 »

quotaholic wrote: In linux we have a utility called hdparm and according to that tool I get~44Mb/s in read speeds.
Just curious what sort of read speed you saw with the old 512 MB?

Bryce
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Re: Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by trek6500mt »

quotaholic wrote: Yes, everything went well. I did order the same module as Vasko. I bought it from Transcend directly. I took a less destructive path and cut the corner of the connector off of the module instead of modifying the tablet. Slot 43 was on an end of the ide female connector so I snipped it off with some electronic snips and then cut the soldered connector off where it soldered on to the module. Shaved it down in height just as Vasko did and reassembled. The only negative is that the transcend module is still a little taller than the original module so it presses against the screen a tad making a bright spot on the screen where it is being pressed against. The good news is that it is very fast. On the LX hardware I left the jumper in making it a master module opposed to a slave. In linux we have a utility called hdparm and according to that tool I get~44Mb/s in read speeds.

quotaholic
I have the 44pin-8GB IDE Flash Module from Transcend heading my way.  Would you happen to have any pictures of where you cut and modified the module Quotaholic?  Also how big were your electronic snips and file?

Thanks
Trek6500mt
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Re: Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by quotaholic »

As luck would have it I leave on a plane to go out of town for a week about seven hours from now. I did take pics but they did not come out well enough to use as reference so I never made mention of them. If I had more time I would try again.

I used a utility knife for my file. If you come in on a near level angle the plastic shaves off well. The file was taking forever. Keep a scribe or something like a needle around to reform the the insides as when you start getting low and start to scrape them the female slots that accept the pins well come out of shape.

My snips were the Knipex diagonal cutters for electronics. Four to five inches in length. Pic:
http://chadstoolbox.com/ProductImages/knipex/7732115.jpg
When looking at any ide header there should be a arrow or triangle indicating pin number one. Possibly on the chip or on the connector itself. I just counted to pin number 43 or one from the opposite end and started to nibble away at the corner that pin 43 would normally mate to. In not too much time the plastic was gone leaving the female part that solders on to the chip exposed. Snipped it at the base and I was in business.

By all means insulate the area around where that chip hits the motherboard. Its going to be taller than the original and will be prone to coming off the pins during reassembly. Happened to me twice.

When I return I may try to get some better pics taken. Sorry brake16 I never put linux on the 512 mb chip that came with it so I can not answer your question.
Last edited by quotaholic on Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
trek6500mt
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Re: Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by trek6500mt »

Ok thanks,  I'll let you know.
trek6500mt
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Re: Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by trek6500mt »

You know what sucks?  Typing a long message with lots of info, links, and questions..  Then trying to attach a picture that turns out to be a few kb to big.  "NP Ill just make it smaller"  Then having this system tell me its to big and send me back to the post reply screen deleting everything I had already written...  Sigh.............
vasko
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Re: Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by vasko »

:)))) upload the pictures somewhere else, and put links only here ..
tbowland
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Re: Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by tbowland »

I can hardly contain myself trek6500mt. I have my mouse on the buy button of a 8g fash module.  :P
You'll let us know how the install went and if all 8g shows up and is usable to the OS ??????????

tbowland
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Re: Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by quotaholic »

Sorry about pic sizes. I am at 75 percent capacity with the hosting package I selected and I don't run ads here. This forum takes up a fair amount of space and I need to leave some room for backups. Definitely post pics elsewhere and link to the embedded pic if the option is available.

I too have been annoyed at the timeout of session on this forum. I always copy the text before going elsewhere to say link a pic. I'll see if thats something I have any control over and increase the timeout if possible.

quotaholic (in Wisconsin)
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Re: Internal Flash-IDE Upgrade

Post by volkswagner »

Links to other threads related to disk speed
forum/viewtopic.php?p=902#p902
forum/viewtopic.php?t=1.msg2656#msg2656


brake16 wrote:
quotaholic wrote: In linux we have a utility called hdparm and according to that tool I get~44Mb/s in read speeds.
Just curious what sort of read speed you saw with the old 512 MB?

Bryce
Here are results from my 512MB drive running Debian 5 on an LX800

Code: Select all

webdt@LX800:~$ sudo hdparm -tT /dev/hda

/dev/hda:
 Timing cached reads:   360 MB in  2.01 seconds = 179.49 MB/sec
 Timing buffered disk reads:   30 MB in  3.02 seconds =   9.93 MB/sec
I assume quotaholic was referring to the buffered disk reads... the 44MB/sec is a huge improvement.  That's over 4times faster!

More info on the 512MB drive on the LX800

Code: Select all

webdt@LX800:~$ sudo hdparm -I /dev/hda

/dev/hda:

ATA device, with non-removable media
    Model Number:       512MB  ATA Flash Disk                 
    Serial Number:      A121167541T000495317
    Firmware Revision:  ADAA408J
Standards:
    Used: ATA/ATAPI-6 T13 1410D revision 3a 
    Supported: 6 5 4 
Configuration:
    Logical        max    current
    cylinders    993    993
    heads        16    16
    sectors/track    63    63
    --
    CHS current addressable sectors:    1000944
    LBA    user addressable sectors:    1000944
    device size with M = 1024*1024:         488 MBytes
    device size with M = 1000*1000:         512 MBytes 
Capabilities:
    LBA, IORDY(cannot be disabled)
    Standby timer values: spec'd by Vendor
    R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 1    Current = 0
    Advanced power management level: 254
    DMA: mdma0 mdma1 *mdma2 
         Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns
    PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 
         Cycle time: no flow control=120ns  IORDY flow control=120ns
Commands/features:
    Enabled    Supported:
            Security Mode feature set
       *    Power Management feature set
       *    Write cache
            Look-ahead
       *    WRITE_BUFFER command
       *    READ_BUFFER command
       *    NOP cmd
       *    DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE
       *    CFA feature set
       *    Advanced Power Management feature set
       *    SET_MAX security extension
Security: 
        supported
    not    enabled
    not    locked
    not    frozen
    not    expired: security count
    not    supported: enhanced erase
    2min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT. 
Integrity word not set (found 0x0000, expected 0xa0a5)
OK, I went into BIOS and changed force Drive 1 to pio4, also changed cache to write-through rather than write-back

Code: Select all

webdt@LX800:~$ sudo hdparm -tT /dev/hda

/dev/hda:
 Timing cached reads:   208 MB in  2.00 seconds = 103.82 MB/sec
 Timing buffered disk reads:   30 MB in  3.06 seconds =   9.82 MB/sec
It appears the pio auto setting was correct, as I did not get any increase in speed.

Code: Select all

/dev/hda:

ATA device, with non-removable media
    Model Number:       512MB  ATA Flash Disk                 
    Serial Number:      A121167541T000495317
    Firmware Revision:  ADAA408J
Standards:
    Used: ATA/ATAPI-6 T13 1410D revision 3a 
    Supported: 6 5 4 
Configuration:
    Logical        max    current
    cylinders    993    993
    heads        16    16
    sectors/track    63    63
    --
    CHS current addressable sectors:    1000944
    LBA    user addressable sectors:    1000944
    device size with M = 1024*1024:         488 MBytes
    device size with M = 1000*1000:         512 MBytes 
Capabilities:
    LBA, IORDY(cannot be disabled)
    Standby timer values: spec'd by Vendor
    R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 1    Current = 0
    Advanced power management level: 254
    DMA: mdma0 mdma1 *mdma2 
         Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns
    PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 
         Cycle time: no flow control=120ns  IORDY flow control=120ns
Commands/features:
    Enabled    Supported:
            Security Mode feature set
       *    Power Management feature set
       *    Write cache
            Look-ahead
       *    WRITE_BUFFER command
       *    READ_BUFFER command
       *    NOP cmd
       *    DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE
       *    CFA feature set
       *    Advanced Power Management feature set
       *    SET_MAX security extension
Security: 
        supported
    not    enabled
    not    locked
    not    frozen
    not    expired: security count
    not    supported: enhanced erase
    2min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT. 
Integrity word not set (found 0x0000, expected 0xa0a5)
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