160 GB Harddrive for Archos Jukebox Recorder (USB 2.0)?

[maxmolly7]

Hi!
Before I posted here, I have used the search engine for my problem, but I didn't manage to find conclusive answers!

I have an (20GB) Archos Jukebox Recorder (USB 2.0), which I upgraded successfully with a 80GB Fujutsu HD and somehow flashed it with Rockbox 2.5 a few years ago.
As I am extremely happy with it, Istore my entire MP3 collection on the machine and outgrew the 80 GB just recently.
In the market, there is no good alternative to the Archos, so I decided to undergo another HD upgrade.
I purchased a 160 GB Samsung HC160 IDE/PATA HD.

My first attempt with Partion Magic (V. didn't work properly, so I re-formatted the drive with less GB.
As I have read here and elsewhere, that there is a limit in GB's and there is this article here on this site which I don't understand as I am not really into all these technical issues.
Also, I am native a German and technical English is also somewhat of an obstacle.

So,
I would like to know how to deal with my 160GB HD. What must/can I do, step by step, in order to make the most drive space out of it, without going into the programming part?
As I said, I can use Partion Magic to format the drive. I know that I must use FAT32, but a few details I do not understand:
- partion necessary?
- how big do I format the drive? 160GB? 137GB or less?
- PM askes for free space before partion? No idea here, just use what the program suggests?
- I have no idea what this LBA48 stuff is about. Must I do anything with it, or can I just leave it?
- must I compile or can I use the drive without it?
- Can I work around the whole thing if I create 2 partions, 1 primary and 1 logical?
- is there any simple formating/partioning way for me?

Can you guys help me?  


At the moment the drive works after I partioned it down to 128GB, but this way I am not fully using the drive space.
Btw, it is much quicker and quieter than my former Fujutsu, but it also consumes slightly more power due to the higher rpm's.

[LinusN]

Read all about it here:

http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/BigDisk

[maxmolly7]

This is the article which I find difficult to understand! Sorry!

ATA disks have an architecture limit at 137 GB, resp.128 GiB, resulting from LBA 28 bit sector addressing. Larger disks use an ATA6 extension called BigLBA or LBA48 to overcome this. Without this extension being used, the disk appears to have 137GB for compatibility reasons.

What is meant with?

resp. 128 GiB

Does

Without this extension being used, the disk appears to have 137GB for compatibility reasons.

mean that all I need to do is format it as 160GB and it automatically reads and works with 137GB?

[GodEater]

What is meant with?

resp. 128 GiB

128 GiB is just another way of stating 137GB. See the Gibibyte entry on Wikipedia.

Does

Without this extension being used, the disk appears to have 137GB for compatibility reasons.

mean that all I need to do is format it as 160GB and it automatically reads and works with 137GB?

No - you will require a special build of rockbox to make it work as the full 160GB.

[maxmolly7]

Thanx for the answers, I conclude:

Formatting the HD with FAT32 to a maximum capacity of 137 GB will work without further "messing around" with compiling/programming?

[GodEater]

Correct.

[maxmolly7]

Thanx for the follow-up!

Is there any plan in the pipe to modify the Rockbox built to make HD's >137GB accessable or is this request to unusual?

[jc]

how did you get on with your upgrade?
i've got a 250gb hd in my jbr20 but found that the firmware dated november 2007 didn't work on my device - i had to stick with the earlier version that was made.

any one else find the newer nov 07 version not working?

jc

[maxmolly7]

how did you get on with your upgrade?
I've got a 250GB hd in my jbr20 but found that the firmware dated november 2007 didn't work on my device - i had to stick with the earlier version that was made.
any one else find the newer nov 07 version not working?
jc

Well, I did the upgrade on my JBR some time ago. The formatting is one thing that finally worked out and,  with partion magic it is fairly easy.

One of my playlists contains about 19000 songs and the Archos JBR "freezes" quite often. Either a song is not played to the end and the next is not started in the very beginning or, it just "freezes" without playing until I manually skip it forward.
According to the RB manual the JBR should be able to handle a playlist with up to 20000 songs. Is the RAM "overload"?
This happens now more often than before, so I am about to think of downgrading to 80 GB again.
Perhaps the reason lies in the fact that one folder contains more than 10000 songs?
However, the folder with my favorites contains "only" 7000 songs, but still there are these unwanted interuptions and skips...
My "Unplugged folder with 600 songs hardly ever gets messed up!?

Btw, I flashed RB version 2.5!

Anybody with ideas or help?

[jc]

maybe your problem is your old version, 2.5, of firmware. my JBR works fine.
also if you use the bigdisk firmware instead you can use all of your 160Gb.

i've been experimenting have found that if i use the swissknife program (find it with google) to format both partitions with the drive in an external drive case (1st one <128GiB) instead of doing the first partiton in the archos housing as in the instructions, then i can still access both partitions via USB on a PC as well as through the archos unit itself.

as in the instructions, both partitions must be in FAT32, both PRIMARY, & the first partition (128Gib) must be set as active.

link for big disk info: http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/BigDisk

jc

[maxmolly7]

Hi!
I struggled for a few weeks now with my Archos Recorder V1 and was almost ready to let go and get something new...
When I read about new players, I realized that their file structure works slightly different then I originally invisioned for my Archos.
As it was not able to shuffle across folders, I created 4 larger folders that would keep my MP3s without any additional subfolders in order to be able to shuffle with the machine.
What I did in the end?

• I flashed the latest current built onto my JBR, but that didn't help and power consumption was noticibly up!
• I re-installed the 80GB drive (less rpms) as it consumed less power (although I might go back now to the larger drive)
• I re-structured my entire archive (with mediamonkey) on the file level to Artist and album folders as most people do it.
• I created externally new playlists to my gusto and, it works now! 

Btw, my "unplugged" folder probably worked because of its subfolders. By the end of the year latest I will give the 160GB drive another try. Right now I am using it as external hd to bring my mp3 catalog up to speed and into a new nice format.

[maxmolly7]

Update:
I have flashed my JBR with a daily built from 2008-08-18, because it'll permit a playlist size up to 32.000 songs!

Last night I went back to the bigger HD, but I did not want to mess around with the compiling as described in "big disc" article, so I am not be able to use the full 160 (148)GB capacity of the HD .

I partitioned my 160GB HD with Partion Magic 8.0 as FAT32 outside of the JBR with the HD attached to an external 2.5" case.
It is important to keep the partion below 137GB otherwise it will have sector conflicts when data is loaded onto the HD.
Therefore I partitioned with 136.500 MB and in the end it'll show the above mentioned 127GiB resp. usable 127GB for my 160GB HD.
The HD was spinning a lot and probably consumed a lot of battery life, but it was still sufficient for most of my applications.

Yet anotha update:
I have reduce the amount of the possible files per folder from 10.000 down to 1000 and for the playlist from 32.000 to 21.000. That increased the available memory for MP3 loading and handling from 318 to 1140 MB! I guess being to greedy with the settings ain't all that good.
The new settings resulted that the HD does not spin that often any more. My subjective assessment is that the HD now spins only every 20-22 sec. whereas it was down to 2-3 sec. with max. settings for folders and playlist!
I also ordered a new set of portable speakers, Canton DSS 103. They feature 2x 10W and, more important, a recharging option while it is on power.

I will give follow up, there will be a holiday trip soon...

The speaker still hasn't arrived... :'(