Replacment Drive for HM-HDS4

For all discussions regarding the JVC HM-HDS4 (80GB hard disk and S-VHS recorder)

Moderators: andywilks, Geert Jan

Pip
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Replacment Drive for HM-HDS4

Post by Pip »

My first drive failed (corrupt system files) in May 2004 when the machine was 9 months old. I've now had a second drive corruption (same symptoms as before) this June. The machine and repair is out of warranty, and JVC's Customer Service Department stinks. When I suggested after a discussion regarding the failures, that it would probably be cheaper in the long run to buy another different make recorder rather than a new drive once a year, there was no 'sorry mister customer, we will try and help or give some advice' just do as you think best. As long as they have had your money, they are then not bothered afterwards. Anyhow, I am still stuck with an expensive paperweight, which does need a replacement drive, although the physical drive is okay, the OS is corrupt. If anyone has any suggestions where I can purchase one complete with the relevant JVC Operating System, I would be grateful.
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Andy Cippico
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Post by Andy Cippico »

Hi Pip,

If it's any consolation, my HDS1 was repaired once and replaced once within its warranty period. The third time it failed, it was out of warranty, hence this site. I would have hoped that JVC would have honoured the warranty on the replacement (brand new) unit for a further year, but no.

I too, feel aggrieved that manufacturers care little about customer satisfaction and loyalty. I for one have not bought a single JVC product since that time, because I know that I'm unlikely to get any satisfaction if the product fails outside warranty. This may well be the case for other manufacturers but it's of little consolation.

Bad news travels faster than good news. What a difference JVC could make if they just took a pragmatic view of out of warranty repairs. Newsgroups and forums would be full of praise for them. Instead what we get are streams of disgruntled users who despair at their intransigence.

I'll get off my soapbox now.
There.. I've calmed down.

Anyway, as regards your faulty HD, I'd speak to AndyWilks (fellow moderator on this board). He runs a JVC service centre. He's in the UK - where are you?

Regards,
Andy
Pip
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Post by Pip »

Hi Andy
I had an HDS1 before, but it was a rental machine, and apart from the occasional lock-up, needing a reboot and once a defragment, it behaved. That's why I decided to buy the HDS4 which I now regard as an unwise move.
You mention AndyWilks who I have seen mentioned on the board and what he says is 'I am a JVC dealer in Lancashire'. I live in the Uk as well, but have been told that by two different JVC dealers, that JVC dealers are not allowed to sell JVC spare parts direct to the public, with the possibilty of them losing their dealership if they do so. They must fit them themselves. How true it is I don't know, but knowing JVC it wouldn't surprise me. It was just the thought (and cost) of sending the unit away for someone to fit the drive, when several case screws, and four drive screws later I could achieve the same seemed wrong. I understand the dealers/repairers have a living to make, but paying ?150 **(mostly JVC part cost) plus p+p to replace a disk drive seems wrong, especially with the likelihood of the problem recurring. I apologise for bleating on, it's just the letters JVC that gets my blood boiling. By the way have you noticed that 136 views have been made on the topic regarding Ghost Images for the HDS4. That translates to a few unhappy HDS4 owners. It's about time JVC took notice, even though the guy I spoke to in their Customer Service Department, told me they didn't sell the HDS4 anymore until I pointed him to their own website. What is the saying about monkeys being paid peanuts.
Enough said, thank you for your reply.

** Price from SAGGU Electronics, Plumstead, London. June 2005 **
Pip
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WOT, DRIVE UNAVAILABLE

Post by Pip »

Following on from my last missive, I decided to bite the bullet and let my local JVC dealer replace the drive. A week later, I am informed that the drive is no longer available, and if it were, would have cost ?357 + fitting. I queried with the dealer how JVC no longer supports a machine just over 2 years in production, and still on their website, and get the reply 'sorry but we will give you an allowance against a different makes pvr'. I contacted my old friends at SAGGU ELECTRONICS, Plumstead, London, who said 'no problem, the drive is still available and including postage will charge ?230'. My local dealer had been looking for part no QAL0459-001 (which would have been ?357 had it been available, so they said) whilst SAAGU were quoting part no LPH30542-009B, which is altogether different. I have dealt with my local dealer for the past 25 years so thought they would play straight, big mistake. Does anyone know of an honest JVC dealer a little bit closer to Norfolk, or is it trust the couriers ?
By the way, I haven't received any contact from AndyWilks, is he/are you still anything to do with this site?
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andywilks
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Back online

Post by andywilks »

I'm still here...

Sorry... been away in Germany for the last week on a cultural exchange.... nice wine , cheese, & sausage ...

As for the allegations that some dealers aren't honest... or are simply profiteering.... I think you're probably right. I'm not suggesting those above are however. Certainly the Saagu price seems correct- though where they got the part no from I need to check.

Times are hard in this industry at the moment and many dealers have been laying off staff & engineers in the last 6-12 months... as a result any way to make a quick buck is tempting... this situation has arisen from the publics willingness to let pure price from an online store dictate their purchase rather than giving some business to the established dealer. If it continues, there won't be many TV or Hifi shops left in another 5 years. Sure our industry has its cowboys, just as do many other industries so you need to find someone you can trust..... but at the end of the week we still have familes to feed.....

AW
Last edited by andywilks on Sun Sep 18, 2005 7:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Pip
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Apologies

Post by Pip »

Sorry, I didn't mean to bitch, but I seem to be going round in circles with no end in sight. Left a private message for you, but didn't know if you had seen it. It's more pertinent now with your comment of 'so you need to find someone you can trust'.
Pip
resistor
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Another Faulty HMHDS-4

Post by resistor »

My HMhds4 has also gone on the blink. If the blue led keeps flashing and it does not boot up is this indicative of hard drive failure?
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andywilks
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HMHDS4

Post by andywilks »

Although this symptom is indicative of an HDD problem it can also occur spuriously from time to time. Have you tried unplugging and re-booting it ?. That will recover some minor degrees of corruption, but if it repeatedly fails to initialise, it probably does mean the HDD is unable to supply all the necessary OS to the system upon boot up.

A new drive is ?230 from JVC, but if the drive is just corrupt and not actually faulty then another option is perhaps to clone a working drive- using Ghost (raw mode)- you just need someone to 'borrow' a drive from.

These units appear very reliable, and as yet I've not needed to do any cloning of drives for them, but will try this to make sure its possible. If so then I may be able to offer a cloning service.

AW
resistor
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Post by resistor »

Rebooted it several tmes with no luck. I would love to try cloning a workking drive bu I don't know of anyone that has one. I've read on another forum of someone cloning their new drive and using the cloned drive instead of the original which they've kept safe.
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andywilks
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Cloningt

Post by andywilks »

I've just got a new drive and am going to experiment with cloning it.

Obviously an 80g transfer should work, but knowing that the OS on the disc is at the beginning and the rest of the blank drive is just random data, I want to try to transer just the first gig or 2... that way it may be possible to make up a DVDr image of the beginning section (as we have already for the HMHDS1) that can be posted easier than sending an HDD around. Maybe even uploaded/downloaded.

Bear with me a few days

AW
resistor
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Post by resistor »

Any luck yet?
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andywilks
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Cloning

Post by andywilks »

mmm sorry for not getting back to you.

I've successfully cloned a couple of drives- using original drives as sources and targets.

I've also got a couple of new 4RL080.. type drives so can supply a new drive ( ready cloned) at sensible money.

The only thing I've not really tried+succeeded yet is the partial clone. I~ did try it before I got the new drives, using another drive but although a Maxtor 80gb ; its exact size / heads/sectors etc was slightly smaller than the original and Ghost wouldn't even let the transfer start.

I must try it again with the genuine drive to check if it works... I'll see how busy work is this week & try to find time to do it.

Interestingly one of the clones was onto a 'suspect' drive and although working, it did prove that it was the HDD that was suspect when warm- clattering etc.

AW
Ben Erkens
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Re: Cloning

Post by Ben Erkens »

andywilks wrote:mmm sorry for not getting back to you.

I've successfully cloned a couple of drives- using original drives as sources and targets.

I've also got a couple of new 4RL080.. type drives so can supply a new drive ( ready cloned) at sensible money.

The only thing I've not really tried+succeeded yet is the partial clone. I~ did try it before I got the new drives, using another drive but although a Maxtor 80gb ; its exact size / heads/sectors etc was slightly smaller than the original and Ghost wouldn't even let the transfer start.

I must try it again with the genuine drive to check if it works... I'll see how busy work is this week & try to find time to do it.

Interestingly one of the clones was onto a 'suspect' drive and although working, it did prove that it was the HDD that was suspect when warm- clattering etc.

AW
Hi Andy (& Andy C.),

Just cloned a 4R080L0 on a 6Y080P0 HD. Story is written down and will follow soon.

Greetings, Ben...
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Andy Cippico
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Post by Andy Cippico »

Good job, Ben! I shall be publishing your story very soon.

Andy.
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Andy Cippico
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Post by Andy Cippico »

Here you go. It still needs a bit of work, but you get the picture...
http://www.cippico.com/technical/jvc-hm-hds4/index.htm
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