Thank you for the answers, i just ordered the adapter i mentioned and hopefully get data back soon What confuses me about the ground is that following the readme-first-thread there should always be something attached to the HDs GND pin. but neither in this http://www.kwikpiks.com/files/18/MSFN%20Seagate%20topic/fix04.jpg nor this http://sites.google.com/site/seagatefix/ http://lh5.ggpht.com/_iEh-WLXnVwk/Sasqhl13ZeI/AAAAAAAAAL0/2fJ65SIzz2I/s800/Seagate%20Fix%20036.JPG i can see that in the shown pictures. there are just 2 cables to hd, which i guess are tx and rx Furhtermore i read in http://sites.google.com/site/seagatefix/: "You can also use a 3V battery, or 2 or 3 AA's in series, etc. If using a battery, you must also connect the RS232-to-TTL adapter's ground pin to the hard drive ground pin, or it will not work. The two devices must share a common ground in order to communicate. If they're powered by the same power supply, then that will insure that they share a ground." Im not much of an expert but i think if that statement is corret that it is also valid for the usb-ttl-adapter i mentioned.