I have a Ipod classic 6th generation (thick version)
The hard drive died. It was a samsung HS161jq 160gb
I also had another 160gb ipod. so i took the hard drive out of that which is a toshiba mk1634gal 160gb and put it in.
windows and itunes recognised it ok, but only as 128gb?? any ideas or is it something ive done wrong??
iPod classic
The thicker 160GB Classic has a restriction that means that only 128Gb of replacement storage will be recognised by iTunes.
I think it is because of the software version on it. On one formatted for use with Windows, the operating system will be 1.1.2. PC. I assume (maybe someone else can confirm) that the Mac version is 1.1.2. Mac. I'm fairly certain that the later and thinner 160GB iPod probably uses 2.0.5. PC.
I have read that this restriction can be overcome, but the claim was not backed up by practical advice on how to do it, so I'm sceptical that it can be achieved.
If the drive came out of a 160GB iPod, then it would have been recognised as a 160GB drive by that iPod.
However, although you obtained the replacement drive from another 160GB Classic, the drive itself is - as you state, made by another manufacturer. That might might explain why there were two different versions of the operating system for the late versions of the Classic; 1.1.2. and 2.0.5. Perhaps the second iPod had the different version of the operating system, I don't know for certain.
The following article mentions this issue of the iPod only recognising 128GB of storage; http://www.alphr.com/audio/1001325/how-to-revive-your-old-ipod-classic-with-an-s sd . Although it refers to installing SSD (solid state drive) rather than another hard drive, perhaps it's the same issue.
In this article; Products – iFlash.xyz (where one can purchase Flash Memory kits for replacing the hard drive), it too mentions the 128GB limit. Although the site refers to a 7th generation Classic, I think it's usually known as a 6th generation 2nd revision Classic.
Note that both links are non-Apple sites. I'm not aware of any Apple documentation that addresses this.
So when it came out of the box new, did i tunes recognise it as 160 or 128?
If i bought the exact same hard drive would it only recognise that as 128 too?
the samsung hard drives are like £200
Why does my ipod recognise a 160gb drive as 128gb??
