The Solution for Seagate 7200.11 HDDs

[pichi]

Hi Toku! I remember u in the Seagate forum... Alan close it remember?

So I need a RS232 5V to solve this problem... ok...

I have a question... Wheni must to execute this command:

F3 T>m0,2,2,0,0,0,0,22 (enter)

I will to rewrite the partition table or I will format the disk, or only some data in the PCB?

In other words... i have soma important data in my disk, with this method can I find it or I will have a new blank disk?

U do it... you can help me

Thank you

You format the disk, but not user data, you format the "Service Area" (hidden zone in the hard disk).

With this method you don't modify "User Data", but you will lost all if you do it bad.

Seeing as this problem is starting to become more and more dominant with more people reporting the Spinup error, can we get a little more active help in that part of the development in this fix please? This seems like it may be a problem with the read head, so is there any way by firmware hacking to make the drive attempt to realign or reset the read head?

For find the solution:

FIRST: How has it ocurred?

Can you write your first procedure?

Have you unconnected the PCB completly or only use papers on heads and/or on motor contacts?

You can see all commands of your 7200.11 disc with this:

Ctrl+z

F3 T>/C

F3 C>Q

(List all commands of your hdd)

Edited March 8, 2009 by puntoMX

[jaclaz]

@anxx

if it helps you, there is an italian translation of the (old) Gradius2 guide.

It's still ok, but for the G-list wiping, that is not necessary and should be skipped:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=129366

jaclaz

[anxx]

Hi Toku! I remember u in the Seagate forum... Alan close it remember?

So I need a RS232 5V to solve this problem... ok...

I have a question... Wheni must to execute this command:

F3 T>m0,2,2,0,0,0,0,22 (enter)

I will to rewrite the partition table or I will format the disk, or only some data in the PCB?

In other words... i have soma important data in my disk, with this method can I find it or I will have a new blank disk?

U do it... you can help me

Thank you

You format the disk, but not user data, you format the "Service Area" (hidden zone in the hard disk).

With this method you don't modify "User Data", but you will lost all if you do it bad.

Thank's pichi!

I will buy the rs232 so... but I find some model reporting 3V and other 5V.. I think 3.3V x sqrt(2) =~ 5V so it's the same... true?

[pichi]

...

I will buy the rs232 so... but I find some model reporting 3V and other 5V.. I think 3.3V x sqrt(2) =~ 5V so it's the same... true?

The hdd use 3.3V logic levels. I have used 3.3V adapter and it works.

5V -> MAX232, HIN232, ST232, ADM232, etc

3V -> MAX3232

[Graniet]

Hello Guys,

Another success, my 1 TB drive is back alive.

I really want to say thank you to everyone on the forum

Just some info to help others out ;

My drive was a ST31000333as 1 TB drive with firmware SD25,

and it was in the BSY state (not detected in the bios)

I also had the idea to keep it simple (altough I can handle a soldering iron), and

followed the suggestion from other people here and used the USB -> TTL 3.3V cable.

This has the advantage that you don't need a extra 3 V power supply.

Just connected the RX, TX and the ground. The sata power came from a separate

power supply with a molex to sata adapter (so no orange 3.3V line) and it

worked like a charm !

Is used the methode of the card on the head connectors, not on the motor connectors.

The drive had three partitions, all were 100% ok after the fix.

Thanks a lot again to everyone !!

[anxx]

...

I will buy the rs232 so... but I find some model reporting 3V and other 5V.. I think 3.3V x sqrt(2) =~ 5V so it's the same... true?

The hdd use 3.3V logic levels. I have used 3.3V adapter and it works.

5V -> MAX232, HIN232, ST232, ADM232, etc

3V -> MAX3232

You use the the MAX3232? It's correct?

[pichi]

...

I will buy the rs232 so... but I find some model reporting 3V and other 5V.. I think 3.3V x sqrt(2) =~ 5V so it's the same... true?

The hdd use 3.3V logic levels. I have used 3.3V adapter and it works.

5V -> MAX232, HIN232, ST232, ADM232, etc

3V -> MAX3232

You use the the MAX3232? It's correct?

It's correct, I use MAX3232 (valid for 3V and 5V) Edited March 6, 2009 by pichi

[muskieratboi]

Dude - I'm pretty sure there's a Segate repair center located in Australia. Maybe contacting them to sort it out (and recover your data) might be a quicker solution?

The possibility of firmware 'hacking' is slim at best - not to mention extremely dangerous.

Given that the PCB has been removed repeatedly to try and get this fix going, I doubt Seagate is gonna do data recovery.

Also, Firmware hacking is dangerous/bad etc? What, you mean like what everyone else has been doing to fix their drives?

Pichi:

The drive died with this problem. it just started buzzing and not responding. As i've said, i've removed the PCB and done the fix in an eariler post, no change. /C, Q Gives me an LED error. but that's probably cause I have the PCB removed. Will try again in a moment.

[pichi]

Dude - I'm pretty sure there's a Segate repair center located in Australia. Maybe contacting them to sort it out (and recover your data) might be a quicker solution?

The possibility of firmware 'hacking' is slim at best - not to mention extremely dangerous.

Given that the PCB has been removed repeatedly to try and get this fix going, I doubt Seagate is gonna do data recovery.

Also, Firmware hacking is dangerous/bad etc? What, you mean like what everyone else has been doing to fix their drives?

Pichi:

The drive died with this problem. it just started buzzing and not responding. As i've said, i've removed the PCB and done the fix in an eariler post, no change. /C, Q Gives me an LED error. but that's probably cause I have the PCB removed. Will try again in a moment.

At your first procedure, have you unconnected the PCB completly or only use papers on heads and/or on motor contacts?

You post your LED error.

Edited March 6, 2009 by pichi

[anxxous]

@pichi

I read now that some people use power cables for the hdd without an orange line on the connector.

My SATA power cable that i use for the hdd have an orange line.

Do you think that can be the problem for the garbage characters in the terminal?

What will happened if i disconnect this orange cable at the SATA power connector?

Edit:

I use a molex to sata adapter and try it.

I have garbage characters in the terminal, too.

But now i've got garbage characters in the terminal when i disconnect gnd from the hdd.

Thats not happened before. Mhhhh crazy stuff

Edited March 6, 2009 by anxxous

[Shooman]

Dude - I'm pretty sure there's a Segate repair center located in Australia. Maybe contacting them to sort it out (and recover your data) might be a quicker solution?

The possibility of firmware 'hacking' is slim at best - not to mention extremely dangerous.

Given that the PCB has been removed repeatedly to try and get this fix going, I doubt Seagate is gonna do data recovery.

Also, Firmware hacking is dangerous/bad etc? What, you mean like what everyone else has been doing to fix their drives?

Pichi:

The drive died with this problem. it just started buzzing and not responding. As i've said, i've removed the PCB and done the fix in an eariler post, no change. /C, Q Gives me an LED error. but that's probably cause I have the PCB removed. Will try again in a moment.

Firstly, there has been no 'hacking' of any firmware here.

Secondly, I don't think Seagate can tell if you've removed the PCB off the board....the screws are there so you can put it back on.

[Shooman]

ARRGGHHH!!!

This is frustrating.

This is my 4th cable now. This time a Nokia-based Data cable.

Plug it in - Windows detects a USB to serial cable - great. Awesome. Just what I'm needing.

I find the TX and RX wires. Both register 3v when tested w/ a multimeter.

This cable has two grounds. One a GND for the charger, and the other GND for the Data. No clue which one I should use. (Have tried both).

Using a straight sata power cable from the PSU. Paper on the head trick (not motor).

I connect the TX wire onto the RX on HDD, and RX onto the TX HDD. GND wire goes to GND on HDD.

I turn on, wait for HDD to stop spinning. Open up Hyperterminal. Adjust baud rate settings as listed.

CTRL+Z. Nothing. No response from Keyboard.

For the love of God can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong here???

[anxxous]

What happened when you switch TX and RX?

And how the two GNDs are describe on the PCB?

Maybe my one got 2 GNDs too.

[garsh]

For the love of God can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong here???

Try swapping the RX & TX connections. I think the OP had them labeled incorrectly.

Test your cable by connecting the cable's RX & TX together to form a loopback connection. Confirm that you can see what you type when you do this.

CTRL-Z should be CTRL-z (don't hold the shift key).

I wrote about my own experience fixing my drive here. You may find it helpful. I've included several pictures too.

[anxxous]

Ok guys i solved the problem with the garbage characters.

After CTRL+z there comes:

F3 T>

Then i used this command:

m0,2,2,0,0,0,0,22

After that i was realy happy because of this:

Max Wr Retries = 00, Max Rd Retries = 00, Max ECC T-Level = 00, Max Certify Rewr
ite Retries = 0000

User Partition Format Successful - Elapsed Time 0 mins 00 secs

F3 T>

But if i connect the HDD now to the PC the PC will not boot. There is nothing just a black monitor.

If i disconnect the HDD from the PC the PC is booting and i see the BIOS POST.

What's wrong here?