Inside the LG HXD2 500GB

The LG HXD2 is a SATA based external USB 2 2.5" drive.
To open up the case, simply prize the case carefully using a thin screwdriver.   Start in the middle of the end - between the USB port and the light.
Inside was found a Toshiba MK5059GSX with the following features:

• General Features:
• 500 GB storage capacity
• SATA/300 interface
• 5400 RPM spindle speed
• 8 MB buffer
• 4 data heads
• 2 disks
• 5.55 ms average latency
• 3.0 Gbps transfer rate
• 2.5-inch form factor
• 9.5 mm drive height

If you want to use this drive an a PC, be aware it is partitioned using GPT, which Vista at least cant handle. Here are some instructions to converting it back to MBR during a Vista install which worked for me:

• At the "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen hit Shift+F10 to bring up a command prompt.
• Type "diskpart" and hit enter.
• Type "list disk" and hit enter.
• Type "select disk x" replacing x with the number of the disk you want to install Windows to.(Typically you will see a * under GPT for the disk you are having a problem installing to.)
• Type "clean" and hit enter.
• Type "exit" and hit enter.
• Close the command prompt window.
• Click Refresh in the "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen.
• You should now be able to install windows on the disk that was GPT formatted.

Additionally, to get this drive to work inside a Dell Inspiron 1525, I had to disable the flash cache, and set the SATA mode to ATA.  Otherwise, I got the error "Windows is unable to find a system volume that meets its criteria for installation".