Hacking Guide: WD Passport Spindown Fix

[SonyUSA]

Bladexdsl: Do you have a link that validates that claim? I couldn't find any info on it...

it says it has something called LoPsT Mod
(HDD Timeout)



That has to do with the initial loading of the program and detecting an HDD, it doesn't have anything to do with hdd idle/spindown timeouts.

Posts merged

QUOTE(SonyUSA @ Apr 21 2009, 04:25 AM)

There's all sorts of take-apart guides on youtube, just find one you like!

Thanks for the tip, I managed to find one that helped me get my drive open and I was able to plug it into the computer. This is the message I'm getting when trying to run the command from the OP.

C:\Program Files\hdparm>hdparm -S251 hdf

hdf:
setting standby to 251 (5 hours + 30 minutes)
HDIO_DRIVE_CMD(setidle1) failed: Function not implemented

I'm sure I'm selecting the right drive: I checked the model number and serial number against those printed on the drive and they match. Am I doing something wrong?

I'm not sure if the dancing zombies is hdd spindown or USBLoader related, I can't recall at the moment. What you should try is the Mario Kart test to see if you even need to apply a spindown fix. You are getting that error because the drive either doesn't have a spindown time or it doesn't support modifying it. The Mario Kart test will let you know if you need to find some other way to stop spindown.

 

[Bladexdsl]

just tried to play ssbb on this it's unplayable for me constantly freezing at title screen, music going off than freezes. i'm thinking of selling this on ebay and getting a different hard drive altogether. Just gotta find 1 that doesn't do this.

 

[bebpo]

How can I tell if my drive is Sata? (since cracking it open would be useless if it isn't). The model number is WD3200MEB. I just got it today before I found out about this spindown issue.

Also is there a list of games where this is even an issue? Say you do the Mario Kart test (I'm testing mine right now) and it makes it 20 mins. Are there any games that go 20 mins without reading from the disc/drive and would crash?

 

[bebpo]

Ok, did a 25 min test and unpaused it on the 320gb WD Passport Essential drive WD3200MEB. No freezing. In fact, there wasn't even the hiccup/pause that some people are reporting when crossing the finish line. I crossed the line and it went smoothly and then instantly loaded the next race when I hit next race. Hopefully that means the drive won't have spindown issues later on.

 

[SonyUSA]

Nope! You are good to go then, you shouldn't experience any other spindown problems. Mario Kart test, so far, is pretty definitive for if you require a spindown fix or not.

 

[Bladexdsl]

well i have wd3200me-01 and it constantly freezes in ssbb

 

[sekhu]

I don't have a WD Passport but I do have a WD3200AVJB 3.5" PATA/IDE Drive, in an ASAKA enclsoure. I think I am having the spindown problem. I tried the MarioKart test and when I cross the line after 20+ minutes of inacitivty on the final lap, the game freezes, and I have to hard reboot the Wii.

I tried the HDParm thingy, but I can't locate the drive as the 'hdparm -I hda' command doesn't go beyond letter E. I have about 6 internal HDDs, and an external USB one as mentioned.

How can I select the drive beyond letter E? I'm using Windows Vista 64bit, the cmd for hdparm works fine, I just can't select the drive beyond E as stated.

Thanks

 

[bbsal]

just wanted to add a little trick i did, i had a freeagent go 250gb and i also have a 500gb wd passport, the seagate i was using for the wii and shut off standby mode with the software that comes with the drive when you buy it and never had a problem with it in my wii but its only 250gb so i decided to try the wd passport i have since thats 500gb, i took them both apart and switched the hard drive only out of them and both still work perfect and also my seagate software still reconizes the hard drive and thinks its still a seagate even though i switched it with the wd hard drive so i went to setting and set the standby to never and it works perfect!

Just wanted to share that info it seems the usb to sata that they use in the seagate is what tells the hard drive to stay on or go in standby so if anyone out there has the 2 like i do a easy swap will fix the wd problem no trouble cause the seagate program you can set standby to never and it works on the wd harddrive.

Might be useless info but just wanted to share that lol.

 

[jono@home]

just wanted to add a little trick i did, i had a freeagent go 250gb and i also have a 500gb wd passport, the seagate i was using for the wii and shut off standby mode with the software that comes with the drive when you buy it and never had a problem with it in my wii but its only 250gb so i decided to try the wd passport i have since thats 500gb, i took them both apart and switched the hard drive only out of them and both still work perfect and also my seagate software still reconizes the hard drive and thinks its still a seagate even though i switched it with the wd hard drive so i went to setting and set the standby to never and it works perfect!

Just wanted to share that info it seems the usb to sata that they use in the seagate is what tells the hard drive to stay on or go in standby so if anyone out there has the 2 like i do a easy swap will fix the wd problem no trouble cause the seagate program you can set standby to never and it works on the wd harddrive.

Might be useless info but just wanted to share that lol.

you may find that certain games crash after a while with some freeagent go models.. its to do with the caddy the freeagent go uses... even after fiddling with the spindown settings with Seagate manager & hdparm it still has problems

I bought an iomega 320gb.. it turns out the hard drive is pretty much the same as the freeagent go 320gb both are seagate drives

However the iomega works flawlessly.. whereas the freeagent go doesn't... game examples that crash after a while are Pikmin1 & Pikmin2, de blob amongst a few others

 

[feidhlim1986]

Is this fix only needed for HDD's powered via USB?

 

[bbsal]

just wanted to add a little trick i did, i had a freeagent go 250gb and i also have a 500gb wd passport, the seagate i was using for the wii and shut off standby mode with the software that comes with the drive when you buy it and never had a problem with it in my wii but its only 250gb so i decided to try the wd passport i have since thats 500gb, i took them both apart and switched the hard drive only out of them and both still work perfect and also my seagate software still reconizes the hard drive and thinks its still a seagate even though i switched it with the wd hard drive so i went to setting and set the standby to never and it works perfect!

Just wanted to share that info it seems the usb to sata that they use in the seagate is what tells the hard drive to stay on or go in standby so if anyone out there has the 2 like i do a easy swap will fix the wd problem no trouble cause the seagate program you can set standby to never and it works on the wd harddrive.

Might be useless info but just wanted to share that lol.

i here ya my girl been playing pikman though for about 2 hours now no problem see i switched the hard drives so acually i got the wd 500gb in the seagates caddy and frame only real reason i switched is so i shut the standby mode off to never and so far every game works no lockups or freezing hopefully it stays that way!

 

[erolz]

what about this tool?
WD Spindown or Stop Utility version 1.0

This utility is for use with all Western Digital external hard drives except for the Media Center and the Dual-option Backup drives. It is designed to give greater user control over the spindown of the external drive.

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.as...=17&lang=en

and some background info:
All WD external hard drives will spin down (enter into power saver mode) after 10 minutes of drive inactivity. Once the drive is accessed again, the drive will exit from the power saver mode and spin back up.
To fix this problem you must read/write a piece of data to the drive every 9 minutes or so.

 

[erolz]

Then you will need to open it and see if you can plug it in with SATA cables directly

Guess i have a project for this weekend. sigh.

Use this video as a guide:



It's extremely easy to do. Don't sweat it. Just make sure you have one that has a SATA drive inside before you open it up.

how do you know that there's a SATA drive inside?
ive got this drive:
WD 3200BMWVU-11A04
serial:WXH109925518

 

[erolz]

I don't have a WD Passport but I do have a WD3200AVJB 3.5" PATA/IDE Drive, in an ASAKA enclsoure. I think I am having the spindown problem. I tried the MarioKart test and when I cross the line after 20+ minutes of inacitivty on the final lap, the game freezes, and I have to hard reboot the Wii.

I tried the HDParm thingy, but I can't locate the drive as the 'hdparm -I hda' command doesn't go beyond letter E. I have about 6 internal HDDs, and an external USB one as mentioned.

How can I select the drive beyond letter E? I'm using Windows Vista 64bit, the cmd for hdparm works fine, I just can't select the drive beyond E as stated.

Thanks

got the same problem... HDParm wont see my usb hd, only the internal ones :-(

 

[Jovis36]

what about this tool?
WD Spindown or Stop Utility version 1.0

This utility is for use with all Western Digital external hard drives except for the Media Center and the Dual-option Backup drives. It is designed to give greater user control over the spindown of the external drive.

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.as...=17&lang=en

and some background info:
All WD external hard drives will spin down (enter into power saver mode) after 10 minutes of drive inactivity. Once the drive is accessed again, the drive will exit from the power saver mode and spin back up.
To fix this problem you must read/write a piece of data to the drive every 9 minutes or so.

Main features:
- It gives a list of all WD external drives connected to the USB and 1394 ports.
- Allows the user to select a drive to:
- Send into the standby mode where the drive spins down and consumes less power,
- and/or safely remove it from the system.

Tested but it does not help as you can see. Was worth a shot though.

 

[scrotty]

what about this tool?
WD Spindown or Stop Utility version 1.0

No good - looks like it's only for shutting the drive down rather than keeping it active. Below is from the ReadMe that comes with the software:

QUOTEWestern Digital Spindown/Stop Utility for External Drive:

WD Spindown/Stop Utility for External Drive is a Windows utility that runs
under Windows 98, Me, 2000, or XP. The utility was designed to allow the user
to put a WD external drive (USB or 1394) in the standby mode and/or remove the
drive from the system.


Main features:
- It gives a list of all WD external drives connected to the USB and 1394 ports.
- Allows the user to select a drive to:
- Send into the standby mode where the drive spins down and consumes less power,
- and/or safely remove it from the system.

 

[sekhu]

I don't have a WD Passport but I do have a WD3200AVJB 3.5" PATA/IDE Drive, in an ASAKA enclsoure. I think I am having the spindown problem. I tried the MarioKart test and when I cross the line after 20+ minutes of inacitivty on the final lap, the game freezes, and I have to hard reboot the Wii.

I tried the HDParm thingy, but I can't locate the drive as the 'hdparm -I hda' command doesn't go beyond letter E. I have about 6 internal HDDs, and an external USB one as mentioned.

How can I select the drive beyond letter E? I'm using Windows Vista 64bit, the cmd for hdparm works fine, I just can't select the drive beyond E as stated.

Thanks

Can anyone help resolve the above? It's not an external hdd, but an OEM drive in an external (Akasa) case. I'm suffering from the spindown problem.

Thanks

 

[wiiztec]

How long do you guys wait for it to unfreeze? I have a 400GB WD Passport It does spin down after being idle for a while but it spins back up and resumes normally after freezing for 10 seconds at most (usually 4 seconds or less)

Though Boom Blox seems to just flat out crash randomly even without leaving it idle for a while (probably a USB loader compadibilty issue)

 

[erolz]

Just tested my drive:

WD 3200BMWVU-11A04 /B8B
serial:WXH109925518

did a test with WiiFit, short lab run. After i finished the run, the wii hangs and the only thing i can do is a hard reset :-(

 

[erolz]

i just read that cIOS 11 final will fix the spindown problems ;-)