I´m having a bit of a crisis here!!!!!!

[jukeboxh320]

Hello Misticriver community,
I´m a little bit worried with my h320 because it´s having so much problems that I really hope there is a solution for it, having in mind that it is out of warranty.

here it goes:

Weeks ago I turned on my h320 with the iriver firmware and it appeared with 0000 files, so I tryied with Rockbox and all the files were there, so I could only use the files with Rockbox so it was manegeable, and the recorder worked. Days later it started turning off as soon as I started running having my player on my pocket so I started worrying, and one day I was recording something and when I finished it appeared a full disk message so I wasn´t able to record again, but having 1.30Gb free according to Rockbox info....
So i tryied to connect it to my PC for having a chkdsk but it made the PC real slow and it ended not recognizing the h320, so I thought that formatting the hard drive it would help cause I read that people with 0000 files problem did that to solve it but there was a big surprise when a message appeared saying something like : format can´t be done, please check you hdd connection, but with so much bad luck that it erased only one directory, my music directory!!!! and now it reads some of the mp3 files and others it just takes like 1 or 2 minutes trying to read them and it simply jumps that file. And it now let´s me record things but as soon as I play them they last 15 secs and then it jumps to the next song or file recorded,
So
- Recently Recorded files last only for 15 seconds even though it appears as 5.00 mins long
- Some of the past recording files are read entirely, even though its 2 hours long, and the others are jumped
- I can´t run with my player cause it turns off although it has no problem turning on again.
- I can´t connect it to any computer cause they don´t recognize it
- Some images are seen perfectly others are seen with defects and some are unrecognized.

I believe it is important to say that I replace the battery 8 months ago, but it has been working perfectly

If someone can help me I will be extremely thankful,
I know a place where ipods are fixed but I don´t know if they can fix this Iriver because Iriver is a little bit unknown here (Colombia) so any advice I can give them on how to help me, or any homemade adjust I could make ....

Thanks and see you around

[schwab002]

sounds like the hard drive is knackered. backup everything you can, and order a new harddrive or mp3 player.

[jumbuck]

It does sound like a hard drive fault but you could try reseating your hard drive (remove and refit) as this has had some success in fixing the check hdd connection.
And while your in there it'd be a good idea to check the battery for any signs of ballooning (swelling). Ballooning will appear as air under the foil enclosure of the battery and puts pressure on the hard drive. If swelling is apparent then replace the battery , don't pierce the battery to release the air. The cameron sino brand of battery seems to be the most reccomended replacement battery.

And last but not least , try formatting with swissknifehttp://www.compuapps.com/download/Swissknife/swissknife.htm (making sure to do it as a fat 32) and then run checkdisc with the attempt recovery box ticked.

[jukeboxh320]

Hello jumbuck
thank you for your advice, I tryied the swissknife but it didn´t work, it stops a minute later of starting the format and it appears a warning sign window without any message, and now i try to turn the mp3 on but it stays blocked on the loading screen of Iriver and if I try to use rockbox the same thing happens.

Today I was able to try a Toshiba mk4004gah on a store, but I have some questions

1. Excluding the fact that with a Cameron Sino battery I don´t know how to make the hdd fit on the h320, cause it doesn´t close (if anyone knows how to close It would be great but I think that is secundary), I turned the player on and it load up the iriver firmware fast and it had the 0000 files/directory (which is normal I guess) but as soon as I press the Navi button it appears a directory in chinese or something like that, and that same directory appeared weeks ago when my hdd sayd for the first time 0000 files/folders, so I don´t know if that is a bad sign or if that is normal with the new hdd or that the problem is not only of hdd!!!!!!!! (as you can see I am being crushed by technology.)

2. The guy on the store connected the Mp3 to a pc and he said that "It recognize the 40 Gb", the problem is that they didn´t let me see or manipulate the Pc , but when he gave me back the Mp3 it was blocked on the blue screen of Rockbox, the one that appers with "Bootloader USB mode" but without the message.
Here I don´t know if that can be because Rockbox is not loading so as soon as you unplug the mp3 it tryies to load so it blocks!!!!!

In conclusion: Is all of this normal and what are the steps to follow as soon as you install a new hdd (how to make the firmware work )?

Any help would be appreciated and thanks to schwab002 and jumbuck for their advice!!!!!!!

[jukeboxh320]

And the most important question: ¿Should I buy that hdd?

[schwab002]

since hard drives like that can be rather expensive, it might be a good idea to get a new mp3 player altogether. You have to decide how much you want to spend and if you're happy with your h300 or want to try something else.

before you start thinking about that though, you should try reseating your harddrive like jukebox recommended.

[saints]

I go with the buy a new one vote

[jumbuck]

Here's everything else I know (which is not much ).
The MK4004GAH hard drive is a dual platter drive and therefore thicker , you would need to use the case from a h340 in order to make it fit.
The hard drive must be formatted as a fat 32 for the iriver firmware to recognise it.
Try holding in the record button when starting the player to force it to boot to iriver firmware.
Search the h3xx forums .