Gradius2

I'm dying to get a reply from $eagate now. I need the fixed firmwares right now! Gradius

Thanks you EEPROM List: --------------- 25FW406A: 2 ------------- http://www.sacg.com.tw/sacweb/marcom/epape...W406_v2.3_e.pdf gvsyn, pichi Nice find, so I have hopes to desolder it and hard flash it with a Serial Flasher, but I'll need a good firmware version first, and it should be extracted directly from serial flash IC, since .lod files are cryptographed by $eagate. Gradius

Access Time speed is an issue too. 750GB fw SD15 (I know a bad one, but with good access time): 1TB fw CC1F (low access time): Gradius

I'm not responsible if you screw those HDs even more. Use it at your own risk. Firmwares: http://files.hddguru.com/download/Firmware...pdates/Seagate/ Seagate RS232 and Manual: http://files.hddguru.com/download/Datashee...0RS-232%20Port/ Date Code decypher Gradius

From OLD: MT46V16M16 (cache) This isn't the eeprom, is just the DRAM (DDR) from Micron (cache), so the EEPROM in this case lies inside on CPU. --- From NEW: Hynix HY5DU561622ETP-D43 (cache) Bad news, this is DDR (Hynix) too! So is also inside the CPU. They changed the CPU. OLD: ST NEW: LSI So there is NO way to re-programming with right tools. I have the SF446, it will be necessary to disassembly and hack it to accept bad firmwares cases (like programming SD15 with AD14). Also, a new tool will be necessary to look for hard drive even if they aren't detected by BIOS. But probably isn't possible until you remove the drive from CC,BSY,0KB state, and until now this is only possible by RS232 or other hardware solution. Gradius

Ouch, now I'm scared! Gradius

Unfortunately, you cannot "fix" something already in locked state (aka BSY, or not begin recognized by BIOS), because the flasher needs that. I tried myself and found out the hard way. Gradius

Yes, I do recommend WD Caviar Black, in fact I'll replace all my 750GB to 1TBs WD C.B. My fear are on 1TB ST31000333AS I have now. Gradius

The problem is caused by a firmware bug, it writes bad data on sector 0 where some important information about your HD lies there. When it writes bad data there, it leads the drive to CC, BSY or 0GB state. This problem can be manifested between 2 weeks until 5 months (so far it's random thing). It could be a hardware problem too, but that only Seagate will know (?) and I hardly believe they will tell us all the true, because it would lead to panic, and everyone around the world would return those crappy HDs at same time, and of course, I believe they don't want that because of the costs involved on a mass recall and bad publicity, but good companies does mass recalls, and I do find that a good thing. Gradius

Hahah, very good one! First laugh I have from this bad case. Gradius

At MSFN? Impossible. And i don't see why he would - even if he could - delete such old news. So nice try. Will all jokers please leave the building?! so I can start enjoying my weekend XD Not here of course. Actually it was BradC, not AlanM (isn't Alan_M): From http://forums.seagate.com/stx/board/messag...4452&page=2 "Every SD15 is a timebomb. Last version (AFAIK) is SD1A. But it was too late to me, another one just died (3 out of 4). Btw, it seems is a very serious issue with 7200.11 family, and isn't just the firmware, since Seagate just released 7200.12: http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/...racuda_7200.12/ But I dunno if they fixed the problem, I read someone got a 500GB 7200.12 and bang!, isn't recognized by BIOS anymore. We'll know soon enough if the problem is still there or not. Honestly, indue to low QA tests, the company will lost a lot of royal consumers and money (IMHO). For years, I had faint on Seagate, and this is why I spent thousands and thousands of dollars in those last 20 years, I started selling 40MB HDs from Seagate's early in 1990, on systems I build it (more than 500), then 80MB and so on. Now, after all those headaches, and lot of money and hard work lost (the datas on them), I'm forced to look for another solution. Fernando (edited for relevance) Message Edited by BradC on 01-15-2009 09:11 AM" See? Gradius

Hi DerSnoezie Thanks ! I found this forum from (guess what!) forums.seagate.com I read a lot of those msgs there, and did a lot research around, it's a pity Seagate didn't let us know this problem before, otherwise I could saved my gold data, and over 3 months of very hard work. I found out every SD is faulty, not only SD15. It seems 7200.11 was a failure in first place, this is why they released 7200.12 so fast, but hey, someone already posted a faulty 500GB 7200.12 around, but since this info is too new, is hard to verify if its true or not, but the chances (begin true) are pretty high. I'm dealing with hard disks since 1989, and this is the first time something like this happens. Every other drive (I had or sold) lasted at least a year without any issue, the average now is 3 years and as good as +5 years, depends of how much you use it. This 7200.11 case looks like a sabotage, but then they (Seagate) should have a better QA tests facilities in case of those might happen. It's a real pity we're paying the price for it, and at time like this makes want to move asap to SSD, too bad they're too expensive still, and will continues until around 2015. SDXC are another alternative, but they will also be a lot expensive. Until there, I'll invest on RAID 6 (or 60) so things like this will never happen to me again, and I'll stop buying Seagate's products. Gradius

Yes, I saw that jpg here with the list, but it doesn't means you're doomed if your drive is listed there, it depends on firmware release, and that information $eagate is taking too long to release it. Btw, the actual President and CEO from $eagate was fired: http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2...sets-10-layoff/ Alan_M, just deleted this link (above), on one of my post, so they're censuring a lot things there. Gradius

This is just a hypothesis. If it were like that, they wouldn't bother with firmware updates in first place, they ($eagate) would just saying "you need to RMA" no matter what. Gradius

I hear the high failure rate was from those units produced in December 2008. Sorry, but this isn't true, I have 4 (four) ST3750330AS, all them are from Thailand and with SD15 firmwares, produced in: - (2) them in June 11, 2008 - (2) them in July 14, 2008 Those from July died first, and one from June died a day after, I have just one "alive" (out of 4) and I'm pretty sure it will dies very soon too. Now I'm afraid of my 1TBs (I have 2 them), they are from China, firmware CC1F, ST31000333AS and from November 29, 2008. They all are 7200.11 family (eek!). I just don't trust on any new Seagate anymore. Gradius

It wont works because every PCB has an unique mapping to the specific HD, so the pcb is "married" with HD. Gradius

That is for those with RS232 interface connected to a Seagate with the so called BSY (busy) problem. Gradius

If your drive has bricked you won't be able to use the firmware update. So data recovery will still be our problem.. And if it's reset, by using a recovery kit or other means, I guess you can update it. As long your drive can be recognized by BIOS, you're safe. After that, you're just doomed and needs RMA. Gradius

Press Ctrl+Z to get: T> command prompt. Then type this: T>/2 (Enter) 2>S006b (Enter) 2>R21,01 (Enter) 2>C0,570 (Enter) 2>W20,01 (Enter) Gradius