how about that? how can i fix a seagate myself for less than 30 eur ? a friend of mine has this: Barracuda 7200.11 S/N:9QM298VS ST3500820AS P/N: 9BX134-505 Firmware: SD25 Datecode: 08384 and she bought it like december, it failed 2 weeks ago and she's desperate as she has a project for her final college thesis to recover, so i am looking around everywhere to find a way so that she can recover the data, kinda urgent. and that's one drive to add to the list. THEN i ALSO have a drive that failed.. i bought it like early 2008 or even late 2007 cant remember and in november 2008 it failed, with a slightly different error, not the usual 0 byte but: it spins, i can see some of the folders and all is extremely slow, i can see some of the data on the drive but can't read any file. if i try it says that the drive has I/O errors and similar. and when i click on certain folders it says the drive has to be formatted, overall the access time is incredibly slow but it spins correctly when turned on. I guess it can be the result of some plugging off without properly disconnecting the unit from windows, as it failed after I did such a thing repeatedly. anyway my drive is: Barracuda 7200.11 S/N:5QM0PRYZ ST3500820AS P/N: 9BX134-505 Firmware: SD25 Datecode: 08312 as u can see the production date and s/n is like "earlier" than the drive my friend bought. so u can add 2 models from Italy, Milan, that have failed. I am sure my problem is related to firmware too as i always unplugged external hard drives without disconnecting them in windows like for years and no drive has ever failed. this is the first time. and how can i fix my drive now? i also have some important data to recover. cheers PS: both drives are 500 GB Number:Serial N°:Model:Part N°:Firmware:DateCode:(manufac. date):SiteCode:PurchaseDate:FailedDate:OEM/RETAIL:UserName:Country of User:fail reason/fine:OS:PSU my friend: 1XX:9QM298VS:ST3500820AS:9BX134-505:SD25:08384:2008-XX-XX:2009-05-01:OEM:N/A:ITALY:NOT SEEN:XP32 mine: 1XX:5QM0PRYZ:ST3500820AS:9BX134-505:SD25:08312:2007-12-XX:2008-11-XX:OEM:DRAEKE:ITALY:CAN'T READ DATA NO MORE BUT HD DETECTED:XP32