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The PCM system unlike a regular PC does not boot from HDD. All of the essential software is within the PCM3.1 internal flash memory. What the HDD has is a bunch of apps like a custom browser and utilities, some temporary space for data processing and log files, the map files and the jukebox media (songs/audio files). If you have the PCM3.1 update disk and the time, just search for a folder called HDD and a subfolder called mnt - browse through it - that is what gets loaded to the main partitions in the HDD - so any functionality provided by those utilities is affected based on the part of the HDD that fails. In addition to that you could lose the maps (your screen will show no maps or will be stuck with something like 'loading maps' as I did when my initial cloning attempt had an error) and also lose any songs/media you have in the jukebox. If you have a complete disk failure all of the above will be affected.
One of the main problems folks are trying to solve with a replacement HDD/SSD is when the PCM restarts every few minutes and I suspect this has something do with the partition on the disk involved with logging system parameters and errors (Not 100% certain of this but I have seen scenarios in other IT systems like databases where things start to fail when the system log partitions have no space left in them for new logs - in this case a failed HDD partition or filesystem corruption could cause this as the system is not able to write to log files...)
I havent dealt with complete HDD failure but I think you will get all of the functionality you had back once you are able to successfully run the update disk with a replacement HDD/SSD without dealer involvement except for Navigation/maps. I have no idea if maps are VIN locked but even if it is not, your map license stored in the flash memory is only for a given version of maps. So unless you get a cloned SSD with the same version of maps as you originally had, any attempt is futile
From my point of view, your options are:
- Best bet: Clone your failing HDD - Clonezilla takes a while but just hang in there. If disk to disk does not work, then try partition to image option for the first 3 partitions which are the main ones.. .. ...or maybe you can use other software (some work some dont.. check posts on the net) or ship the disk to someone to recover..
- Alternate: Get a clone of another disk - even if navigation does not work as i mentioned above, you will likely get the rest of the functionality
- Last option: If you do have a HDD/SSD to spare and know how to use fdisk (its available within Clonezilla ) PM me, and i can share the partition sectors with you and you can attempt to build a new disk with identical partitions. YOu can then try to run the update disk and see if that helps you get back the rest of the functionality but navigation will definitely not work with this option unless you are able to get a good clone of the correct partition from your existing disk as in the first point..
Now there is nothing stopping you from trying one of the above options and switching to another ...
good luck!
Update: The 'last option' in the post worked - so while cloning of a working/failing HDD to a new SSD/HDD still remains the best option, in cases of total disk failure, this is a better option than getting a clone of someone else's HDD/SSD - saves time and shipping.... I've summarized the options based on my learnings from this thread and the steps to partition a new SSD in another post: https://rennlist.com/forums/cayenne-...l#post16522507
Attempted this today on my 2010 MY11 PCM3.1 opened it up and I found an ATA100/IDE hard drive inside! So no easy upgrade path to an SSD for me, didn't even have a laptop IDE enclosure thats 47 pin either so had to put it all back together until I get an enclosure to read the disk. Then I have the fun time of either trying to find an IDE SSD or somehow upgrade the cables to SATA...
Attempted this today on my 2010 MY11 PCM3.1 opened it up and I found an ATA100/IDE hard drive inside! So no easy upgrade path to an SSD for me, didn't even have a laptop IDE enclosure thats 47 pin either so had to put it all back together until I get an enclosure to read the disk. Then I have the fun time of either trying to find an IDE SSD or somehow upgrade the cables to SATA...
Looks like you have an older hardware version of the PCM3.x system as i mentioned in another post. - is the firmware version 3.43 (3.xx series)? I havent seen many posts on experiences with the 3.43 HDD.. Out of curiosity, can you share the HDD model number/capacity ? I think it is 40GB with no jukebox but looking for a confirmation...
If its 40GB then you could try cloning with a 2.5 in 64GB PATA/IDE SSD or a PATA IDE adapter/enclosure with an 64Gb mSATA SSD. If you do use a PATA-mSATA adapter, then make sure the PATA/IDE pins are on the right side and the msata is of the right size to allow it to be plugged into the PCM.
Looks like you have an older hardware version of the PCM3.x system as i mentioned in another post. - is the firmware version 3.43 (3.xx series)? I havent seen many posts on experiences with the 3.43 HDD.. Out of curiosity, can you share the HDD model number/capacity ? I think it is 40GB with no jukebox but looking for a confirmation...
If its 40GB then you could try cloning with a 2.5 in 64GB PATA/IDE SSD or a PATA IDE adapter/enclosure with an 64Gb mSATA SSD. If you do use a PATA-mSATA adapter, then make sure the PATA/IDE pins are on the right side and the msata is of the right size to allow it to be plugged into the PCM.
Thanks I did search IDE in this thread but I must have missed your comment about it. I was so dissapointed when it was an IDE drive! Just makes everything more difficult but that seems to be the story of all my Porsche cars haha!
I can confirm the HD is 40GB Toshiba MK4050GAC - 47 Pin laptop hard drive. Seems to be working fine for now this was a preventative upgrade so I can go to the latest firmware and then eventually update the maps as they are still suck in 2011...
My firmware is 2.47 I think Ill have to check - it's never been updated.
I was planning on going down the enclosure route I just need to know if I should use Msata (harder to find) or M2. NGFF which might be too new for the PCM motherboard?
Thanks I did search IDE in this thread but I must have missed your comment about it. I was so dissapointed when it was an IDE drive! Just makes everything more difficult but that seems to be the story of all my Porsche cars haha!
I can confirm the HD is 40GB Toshiba MK4050GAC - 47 Pin laptop hard drive. Seems to be working fine for now this was a preventative upgrade so I can go to the latest firmware and then eventually update the maps as they are still suck in 2011...
My firmware is 2.47 I think Ill have to check - it's never been updated.
I was planning on going down the enclosure route I just need to know if I should use Msata (harder to find) or M2. NGFF which might be too new for the PCM motherboard?
Thanks for confirming the HDD model!
Makes sense, you could choose the cheapest/best option based on availability of SSDs and adapters. One suggestion would be to check if the SSD has inbuilt (hardware based) garbage collection (most should have it but better to confirm) and update the SSD firmware if needed before cloning. Unlike the newer OSes or OS versions out there I don't think the PCM3.1 OS has any inbuilt (software based) garbage collection/TRIM support for SSDs..
Thanks for confirming the HDD model!
Makes sense, you could choose the cheapest/best option based on availability of SSDs and adapters. One suggestion would be to check if the SSD has inbuilt (hardware based) garbage collection (most should have it but better to confirm) and update the SSD firmware if needed before cloning. Unlike the newer OSes or OS versions out there I don't think the PCM3.1 OS has any inbuilt (software based) garbage collection/TRIM support for SSDs..
No problem! Based on availability today I bought a WD Green M2 SSD and an M2 to IDE 2.5" enclosure.
Msata was a bit harder to get so I opted for an M2 SSD. Is it potentially too new for the 2011 PCM 3.1?
Ill see what firmware update is available for it. I'm planning on using Acronis true image to back it up as it's already on my laptop.
M2/SATA III should be backwards compatible with earlier SATA specs, and while this is a PATA/IDE, I think it should be fine from that perspective.
Awesome thanks! I'll keep everyone posted on my progress although it will be awhile as the enclosure has to come from China as I couldn't find any locally
@kari what did you use to look at the filesystem on the disk (if you did?)? I have made an Acronis tib backup for the new hard drive but can't read the directory. Tried using QNX FS Browser but I don't think its available anymore.
I have backed up the hard drive so all good on that front now just waiting on the M2 to IDE housing to arrive.
Most of the qnx utilities are no longer around.. even the read-only qnx filesystem utilties for linux distributions were deprecated a while ago... that is the reason most disk cloning softwares fail to recognize the filesystem and one has to do a sector-sector clone (like dd....) You will have to search for an old qnx os image and vmware if you want to go that route. I did not go that way.. Anyway, most of the stuff is on your firmware update disk if you want to explore...
I just used fdisk to check the partitioning of the disk and made a note of the partitioning table. Maybe you can do that on the image or disk you have as its a different capacity. In the case of full disk failure, that table helps re-install the firmware. As long as you have an error free sector-sector clone, you should be good!
Most of the qnx utilities are no longer around.. even the read-only qnx filesystem utilties for linux distributions were deprecated a while ago... that is the reason most disk cloning softwares fail to recognize the filesystem and one has to do a sector-sector clone (like dd....) You will have to search for an old qnx os image and vmware if you want to go that route. I did not go that way.. Anyway, most of the stuff is on your firmware update disk if you want to explore...
I just used fdisk to check the partitioning of the disk and made a note of the partitioning table. Maybe you can do that on the image or disk you have as its a different capacity. In the case of full disk failure, that table helps re-install the firmware. As long as you have an error free sector-sector clone, you should be good!
Thanks, I did notice almost anything QNX is fairly old and unavailable. Also didnt realise that the Blackberry OS is in the QNX family! Would be fantastic if they had built the PCM on an Android based system we could actually crack and install apps onto! Anyway is what it is...
I used Acronis to do two sector by sector backups and then wrote one of the backups to a spare 80GB hard drive I had. The clone seems to have the same size partitions on it which is good. I'll then clone the disk to the new M2 SSD and install it into the PCM with the enclosure when it arrives. The update disk doesn't have anything particularly interesting on it though. Planning to run it after I have the new hard drive installed so I can fall back on the old hard drive if the update fails
Got a couple of questions from users around how to access the HDD on the PCM3.1 for cloning... here are a couple of pics (from courtesy fccid.io) - the position of the HDD and how to disconnect are marked on the pics...
Got a couple of questions from users around how to access the HDD on the PCM3.1 for cloning... here are a couple of pics (from courtesy fccid.io) - the position of the HDD and how to disconnect are marked on the pics...
Thanks Kari - do you think there is a wsh to buy the ribbon to sata connector to replace the ribbon to IDE and it would work?
I counted the lines on the zif cable there were 52 but doesn't seem to be any zif 52 to sata connectors. The cable is made by sumitomo
Thanks Kari - do you think there is a wsh to buy the ribbon to sata connector to replace the ribbon to IDE and it would work?
I counted the lines on the zif cable there were 52 but doesn't seem to be any zif 52 to sata connectors. The cable is made by sumitomo
Check your firmware version before you go down this path. Apart from the hardware, firmware differences are likely. I think you have the PCM3.1 with I suspect earlier firmware versions in the 3.xx range like 3.47 whereas the newer PCM3.1 has firmware versions in the 4.xx range like 4.76 If you have firmware in the 4.xx range then you may have a chance exploring further and maybe you can find a used part on ebay and give it a shot. The update disk has packages for the IOController and the packages for the earlier system (300 series) are different from the newer one (400 series) which likely mean that the drivers are different (atleast for some of the hardware). Without knowing the specific protocol in use over the ribbon one cannot say for sure if the earlier drivers can handle a Sata device...
Check your firmware version before you go down this path. Apart from the hardware, firmware differences are likely. I think you have the PCM3.1 with I suspect earlier firmware versions in the 3.xx range like 3.47 whereas the newer PCM3.1 has firmware versions in the 4.xx range like 4.76 If you have firmware in the 4.xx range then you may have a chance exploring further and maybe you can find a used part on ebay and give it a shot. The update disk has packages for the IOController and the packages for the earlier system (300 series) are different from the newer one (400 series) which likely mean that the drivers are different (atleast for some of the hardware). Without knowing the specific protocol in use over the ribbon one cannot say for sure if the earlier drivers can handle a Sata device...
Mine is early v2.71 hoping to upgrade to 3.xx it's quite difficult to find those parts anyway so i'll try my IDE enclosure first
04-03-2020, 04:35 PM
