Thanks for the responses. In hindsight, I'm not sure I know what to do with the .iso file. I thought if I burned it directly to a disk it would boot itself, but that may not be the case. I took a shot at making a bootable disk with Nero, using the Bootimage.img found within the .iso, but that didn't work either. The .iso comes from HP, its called sp40966 HP tech support assures me that the BIOS settings do not interfere with the boot disk, but I'm not sure how much that's worth. So if I can't get the boot CD to work, I think these are my options: -Try to install the Seagate firmware. Risk possible permanent brick. -Install manufacturer's BIOS to the motherboard, retry bootable CD. (I'm not sure if that's what you were saying mundy & jaclaz) -Leave existing, faulty firmware. Unbrick HDD every few months. Any other recommendations? The third option doesn't seem so terrible, I really am relieved just to have the drive and my data back. I wouldn't risk flashing the "original" Seagate Firmware, it is possible that there are some settings that conflict. I am not so sure about the changing in the BIOS to "legacy IDE". It is very strange that such a setting is missing on a desktop (there are several laptops/notebooks I have seen missing this option, but never a desktop) are you really sure that such a setting isn't there - possibly renamed to something seemingly completed unrelated like "Data Bus translation" or "Foolproof setting" or "Install mode". If such an option is actually missing it should mean that you are completely unable to install to that machine anything that has not Mass Storage drivers integrated. . Maybe it is possible to have the .iso recognize the HD. Which exact .iso are you talking about (link please)? jaclaz