Hi, I got says 500gb st3500320AS firmware SD15 (Thailand). Date code 08382 bought July -07. It got bricked with BSY error (i guess) in the end of january. I got ca-42 cable (not original, this says ca-42 WT048000317) , it's recognized ok by vista. Device manager "PORTS" displays "Prolific usb-to-serial comm port (com6)", I set it to recommended 38400, 8, None, 1, None. I start Hyperterminal and set it to COM6 and 38400, 8, None, 1, None. The problem: When i connect the green and red wire, rx and tx as i recon, it SOMETIMES return the typing ok, many times not at all or many chars are missing. When i connect the blue (gnd i guess) with green, my typing will produce garbage letters, but again often nothing comes out. If I don't type at all, no garbage is produced on screen. FAULTY ca-42 produces this erratic behaviour? Because of this I don't dare to begin the unbricking process, it would seem typing those commands and getting the feedback from the brick wouldn't be reliable, because one should expect this rx-tx binding (loop) should produce flawless results on hyperterminal screen. Any ideas what's wrong and how to fix it? The Pin order i concluded from the following, i didn't want to open the cable USB case. green - blue 1.15volts red - blue 1.0v blue - black 4.1v white - no action what so ever other wires connected (gree - red eg.) 0volts I've already spend hours examining this problem, then I wonder why the hell I'm doing this crap, isn't this something seagate should fix ASAP. It's been 1½ months now, after 2 messages they produce these typical meaningless corporate jargon replies without any solutions. Some heads should fall there quite literary. I'd like to get foremost these questions answered: To where and how do I mail this piece of hd to get it back working? How fast SEAGATE will unbrick it? How nothing it's gonna cost me?