CF drive locked into IDE mode

Old stuff, but just checking to see if there are any updates. Multiple posts on HPCFactor have shown that many of the CF drives used for digital cameras will not work on HPCs because they are locked in IDE mode.

I picked up a couple of 6gb in eBay auction 280402859530. For only $5 USD each, I couldn't resist them. Actually they make handy devices to image my desktop and laptop HDs on, and they work on my 900C if I plug them into the USB port.

Still I pulled one apart and discovered the internal Seagate ST 660211 CF drive which wasn't recognized properly when I plugged it into my 900C's CF slot. I got that old "what is the name of this card" type prompt.

So I guess my question is this: Has anyone tried any of these drives in a newer machine that has a CF slot? I was wondering if there are any software drivers I could add to my 900C so the drive would be recognized.

Do you think any digital cameras operate with versions of Windows CE that we might get the drivers from? Any ideas?

Actually, the ones that work in digital cameras are generally *not* locked in IDE mode. The ones made for embedded applications, like in MP3 players and such, are usually IDE mode locked. Seems trifling, but it can be important info in figuring out whether a drive will work for your HPC or not.



That would make sense - most USB CF readers are actually just USB IDE adapters wired to a CF slot instead of to a standard 40/44 pin IDE connector. USB IDE chips are cheap and plentiful, and a card that works in CF mode will always work in IDE mode. It's that IDE mode cards don't always work in CF mode that causes problems.



I haven't seen any software solutions to this problem. I think it's a hardware problem - I believe the PC Card slot or CF slot in most HPC's simply does not have the hardware to work in true IDE mode. Maybe this is not true on some of the newer WinCE based Netbooks though? I think I remember reading somewhere that Windows CE 5 (or maybe 6) has software support for IDE devices built-in, but I can't remember where or when or even if I really read such a thing. :0



See above about digital cameras. But, maybe something from one of these WinCE Netbooks?

Hardware adapter is the only possible fix to this problem. I wrote Hitachi and they were quick to respond.

First of all, I pulled apart the second 6gb USB flash drive and it had a different microdrive in it than the first. It was a Hitachi HMS360606D5CF. Then I went to the Hitachi web site and found the screen capture info below. They make two versions of the same microdrive...one has a permanent IDE interface and the other has the CF interface that we need to use with our HPCs.

Hitachi color codes their microdrives...alas, mine is the white color and looks identical to the picture below. I also took a picture showing the USB interface electronics that are included with this drive. Out of curiousity, I plugged in a standard CF memory card and tried to connect it to both my desktop and Moiblepro. Neither would recognize the CF card using the USB interface. Both would recognize the microdrive however.

When I plugged the microdrive into my desktop CF slot, it powered up and was recognized right away...though Windows loaded up a bunch of different drivers than what normally are used with a CF card. I think this is due to the advanced electronics in my CF card reader...because when I tried it again in an older style reader, it wasn't found at all.

Anyway, the point is, like everyone else already knows, those microdrives for mp3 players and cameras use different elctronics than those used for pdas and hpcs.

Still I have no regrets...for $5 I can carry around a 6gb hard drive in my pocket until the day I can afford to buy an 8gb flash drive....







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hms360606d5cf.jpg (17KB - 1 downloads)
adapter.jpg (16KB - 2 downloads)