Problems with a HDD
 

So... a friend of mine gave me a Hitachi 5K500 B-500 HDD that has problems. I wanted to put it in my 80GB ps3 (new model 2USBs. H or G ''I think''). He told me that the hdd has problems, I asked him if you can format the hdd and he said yes. But after I put it in my ps3 (4.11) it told me that it needs to be formatted and I have to insert a stick with a 4.11 fw or higher, so I formatted my stick and downloaded the 4.20 fw.

After I pressed Select + Start it started the format but ''kinda froze'' at 99%, I left the PS3 open, I don't know exactly how much time passed and it moved to ''preparing installation'' there too froze at 99% but it passed after 10/15 mins. Finally it installed the fw and now I was in the XMB. I closed the PS3 and opened it again but now it told me that the File System on the Storage Unit is corrupt, I pressed X and left the PS3 open (after 12 hours or so, it was at 50%) I waited a few more h and saw that it finished, restarted and it was telling me again that the file system was corrupt.

Obviously it's an HDD problem but what can I do? I had a similar problem with a Scorpio Blue 320 but there it was simple I just changed it's FW with one from a 250GB scorpio blue. Can I do the same thing here?

I really want to play a few games and this is the only hdd that I have... also don't have any money right now so buying a new one is not an option...

I think you have your answer by the fact you know it is faulty. Did he say exactly how and are you able to hook it up to your PC to check it in more detail to see better where the problem is?

I know it's faulty and I think it has physical BADs ''on the last section?? on the last sectors?? (which one is more correct)''. If I hook it on the PC HDD Life pro reports it as working. If you know a program that can check the hdd and it will not take a lot of time to do that, please tell me. But I posted here to see if someone knows if I can do the same thing with this one as I did with the scorpio blue. Put a fw from a smaller hdd on it in order not to use those bad sectors...

And this helps how?? CHKDSK takes forever and to wait that long for what? to tell me what I already know? that the hdd has physical bads? Also even if it marks the bad sectors when the PS3 formats the HDD that info will be lost and the ps3 will not know not to use those sectors. So I ask again (because I can't find on google my answer) Can I change the HDD's FW? with one from a smaller drive in order not to use those bad sectors?

You didn't seem to understand how bad sectors are handled, hence the link. As for how it helps, strictly informative. Sorry, yours is about toast. There is no magic fix, as much as I'm sure all of us would like one. That is why you were given it for free.
Sounds like your drive is to far gone to be used as main drive, I wouldn't use it to store important files.

I just need it to work for a few days to play 2/3 games. I don't plan to use it as a storage device. And still nobody answered my MAIN question, the question for which I opened the thread... but I think it's pointless to ask it a 3rd time... but still. One LAST time.

I DO NOT WANT TO FIX THE DRIVE!!! All I want is to change it's fw with one from a smaller hdd in order not to use those bad sectors. Can I do that?

:hello: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
:idea: you didn't like my answer, so I guess I'll tell you what you want to hear. Sure you can, go for it :evil: installing a new fw as you put it did not fix your old drive the way you think it did. Essentially you just cleared the g-list, adjusting the size you may get lucky and have put the drive back into a tolerance level. As I'm not going to continue explaining to someone who clearly doesn't listen, good luck. If you want to learn and try I've left enough info for you to look it up yourself

I really don't know how do you think I think I fixed my old drive (the WD)... Lets say an HDD has 30.000 sectors, if from 25.000 to 30.000 are bad sectors and I install a FW that only uses 20.000 sectors then I ''fixed'' my drive, yes it can fail at any time but still I can use it a little more...

Now... I have little understanding about HDDs but my initial plan will not work anymore (I think). I put the HDD through HDD Regenerator (takes forever... still waiting) it got at 1.58% now and reports 0 Bad Sectors and 173 Delays. What exactly are this Delays?

dude listen to Ubefuct but if u are such an "expert" i suppose there was no point u asking this question
and hdd are so cheap these days its not funny go to ebay u'll easily be able to pick something up for $20