The Solution for Seagate 7200.11 HDDs

[KlingKlang]

Ayrox: Check post 1452 here

That might help you to solve your problem.

[IgorT]

I had a ST3750330AS that become BSY (not seen by BIOS) two weeks ago...

I Came to this forum and found a lot of information about how to fix it...

I Opted for the PCB swap (I Live in Brazil, it's not easy to find the cable and everything needed to do therminal stuff (i don't have anything agaist this method! and have to congratulation the guys who discover it!

My experience:

I swaped the PCB from the BSY disk (SD15 firmware) to into the good disk (SD1A - new one, never used it, just got it today), turn it on the SATA-Motherboard + power cord and let the BIOS initialize... after some seconds, the disk start to make some very low clicks, like trying to read something... I waited some seconds and it finaly boot... first the drive was not seen in the start screen of the BIOS, it was doing the clicks, i wait it finish the clicks ... than i restart - CTRL + ALT + DEL, and the bios read the drive (with the OLD firmware SD15 from the BSY PCB board...)

Before the restarted (i inserted the CD BOOT Disk that updates the firmware the from SEAGATE - Direct Link to download it:

http://seagate.custkb.com/seagate/crm/self...&NewLang=en - it's not easy to find it on the seagate web site...)

.

After the boot (from the CD), a DOS screen pop up, showing some useful information on how to update... than i choose "Scan for Hardware"... it found the Hard Drive... than i choose the specific firmware to my drive, and it updates... than comes the final step (press enter and the PC turn off...)

I swaped the PCBs back to the original disks, and reconect first the original one with BSY... after some seconds:

Drive detected!

Windows BOOTs (let me choose from one of the OS on the 3 partitions that i have!)

All data present!

Connect the Good Drive (the original SD1A), and... Everthing working!!!

The whole process took less than 5 mins!

I can't express how gratful i'm! A Repair Data Specialized store wanted 3x the price of a new drive to recover all my data! i spent olny 1x!

I suggest everyone that have BSY problem, try it (if it's not a problem(money!) get a new HD and finishes with 2 working disks!

Thank you all!!!

[Ayrox]

Ayrox: Check post 1452 here

That might help you to solve your problem.

Hey Kling Klang thank you for your help¡¡ but infrtunely nothing happens with thta. Now i brought a cable Nokia CA-42, and the pc recognize and open the port COM3, but at the hyperterminal don't see anything...i change all the cables between them to probe which is Tx and RX, but nothing happen, i don't see nothing...what can i do? thanks for all..

[Greenie17]

OK I got all the way to the end finally with a CA-42.

The last step is hanging like posted several times elsewhere in the forum.

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

Just sits there and does nothing. No response. I also tried the suggestion on page 26

F,,22

and that worked fine

Then did the m0,2,2,0,0,0,0,22 and still nothing. I am so close. Anyone have any other things to try PLEASE?

In fact it sounds like it is powering down when I run m0,2,2,0,0,0,0,22

One other thing. When I do the F712 I get this back:

F3 T>F712

Byte:05A1: Expansion =

00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

''

Seems wrong to me.

thanks.

Mark

Edited September 12, 2009 by Greenie17

[fer]

Help!

You should get something like (in around 15~30 seconds):

CODE

Max Wr Retries = 00, Max Rd Retries = 00, Max ECC T-Level = 14, Max Certify Rewrite Retries = 00C8

User Partition Format 10% complete, Zone 00, Pass 00, LBA 00004339, ErrCode 00000080, Elapsed Time 0 mins 05 secs

User Partition Format Successful - Elapsed Time 0 mins 05 secs

If you didn't get the msg above, then you skipped something important, and turning off your drive now will render an unreadable drive, so be careful.

I got the following (in about 1 second):

F3 T>m0,2,2,0,0,0,0,22

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>

What should I do now? Thanks

edit: Gradius' G-List step? If i do V1 in /T i get a whole lot of stuff.

edit2: V4 does, however, tell me that there are 0 faults there. What about http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...747#entry833747 ?

edit3: OK, so, looking at this post right here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...st&p=838661

I do indeed have alot of stuff showing up in my V1 list, but what's the next step? Does this mean my drive is fixed, or does it mean there are errors? I haven't tried it in my computer yet.

edit4: Do I risk losing my drive if i plug it into my desktop computer the normal way and fire it up?

Edited September 12, 2009 by fer

[fer]

Windows is booting... thank you so much everybody!

[freshmen1020]

Hello Guys!

Thanks for all the help, the brick is working again!!

here is our work log (text only tho my friend "estong" who fixed it for me didn't have a camera)

http://www.davaoblogger.com/computers/unbr...barracuda-7200/

Question again, after unbricking, I do need still to upgrade the firmware right?

Does anyone here tried to Upgrade Firmware? did it cause any data loss?

Thanks again so much

[Greenie17]

OK so I got ALL my data back! I was hanging up after the m0,2,2,,,,,22 command as I was saying. So I found a few people that recommend power off and back on. So here is what I did. I would only recommend this for people that are hanging up after issuing the m0,2,2,,,,,22 command. If you issue that command and it sounds like the drive powers off (like I saw and some other people were seeing) try this (FROM START)...

1. Power off everything

2. Unscrew PCB from HDA, put cardboard to isolate the 4 contacts (i think it was 4)

3. Power up hard disk using power from PC

4. Use hyperterminal -> Ctrl-Z

5. Issue the /2 and Z commands

F3 T>/2

F3 2>Z

Spin Down Complete

Elapsed Time 0.128 msecs

6. Remove the cardboard isolation. Screw in all remaining screws to secure PCB to HDA.

7. Issue the rest of the commands

F3 2>U

Spin Up Complete

Elapsed Time 6.736 secs

F3 2>/1

F3 1>N1

F3 1>/T

F3 T>i4,1,22

F3 T>

8. After the above, I waited a while (few minutes) and then powered off the hard disk (remove and reseat the hard disk power cable from PC)

9. Issue the final command

F3 T>m0,2,2,,,,,22

Max Wr Retries = 00, Max Rd Retries = 00, Max ECC T-Level = 14, Max Certify Rewr

ite Retries = 00C8

User Partition Format 4% complete, Zone 00, Pass 00, LBA 00004339, ErrCode 000

User Partition Format 4% complete, Zone 00, Pass 00, LBA 00008DED, ErrCode 000

00080, Elapsed Time 0 mins 10 secs

User Partition Format Successful - Elapsed Time 0 mins 10 secs

F3 T>

I unplugged the hard drive power and then connected it up like normal and sat and prayed as I watched my windows explorer bring up my D: with ALL of my stuff on it. 10 years of photos and ~30,000 MP3's. BOYAH!!!

[AquaFire]

Being a newbie I have read and seen some ray of light and hope over here.

I also have a harddisk which has the following details.

Seagate Barracuda 7200.11

Model: ST31000333AS

S/N : 6TE08QZ5

P/N: 9FZ136-568

Firmware: SD35

Date Code: 09204

Site Code: SU

PCB (printed on right corner of PCB) : 100512588 Rev A

Firstly i need to know what exactly is a BUSY or BSY error. I need to recognize that whether the behaviour it shows is a BSY error or not. It was inside the Seagate FreeAgent Enclosure. When I turn it on the disk spins up, makes some mild clicking sounds and spins down and keeps repeating the same procedure, even tried hooking it up with the PC's internal SATA connection and the behaviour is the same. Is it the actual BUSY or BSY error. The harddisk is not detected either via USB ir Internal SATA connection. The clicking sounds are mild and doesnt seems like it has any major physical media error. This is even confirmed to me by a professional whom I showed my harddisk for an opinion.

If it is BSY error , then I can try following the guides mentioned in this thread, since I can see that there is a large rate of successful recoveries. I have the following queries if I try to attempt the recovieries.

1. I am able to find only the nokia cable DKU-5 which is correctly recognized as USB TO UART (in the Ports COM & LPT section of device manager) and installed with drivers in Windows XP. Is it the right cable to start working with. I have striped the USB connector end and can see the small PCB with TX, RX and GND and other wires, however i cannot see or its an unknown small (serial) IC on this PCB. Does it really matter which IC is on the USB to Serial cable to make it work correctly.

2. If I use the USB to Serial cable like DKU-5 (which in my opinion can draw power from the USB port) , do I still need to connect the 3.3V power. I guess its only needed for PCs having the serial port and using Serial to TTL adapters. In my understanding i only need to connect the SATA power to the harddisk PCB.

3. Is all the data recovered and the partition structure restored after running this method. Since in the hyper terminal the result of the last command shows the message of

User Partition Format Successful - Elapsed Time 0 mins 05 secs

.

So does it means it actually formats the hard disk. Even if it is true then is it possible to recover the data once the hard disk is available by using the usual Unformat and Undelete tools like 'Recover my Files' or ontrack's 'Easy Recovery Professional'

I would really appreciate if someone can read thru the whole post and can guide me clearly for my queries.

Thanks in Advance.

AquaFire.

Edited September 13, 2009 by AquaFire

[dencorso]

Welcome to MSFN, AquaFire! Hope you enjoy your stay!

<snip>

So does it means it actually formats the hard disk. Even if it is true then is it possible to recover the data once the hard disk is available by using the usual Unformat and Undelete tools like 'Recover my Files' or ontrack's 'Easy Recovery Professional'

I would really appreciate if someone can read thru the whole post and can guide me clearly for my queries.

Well, format it does! Now, however, "format", in this context, must mean something different from what it usually does, since the all the data remains there. To quote from the post before yours:

<snip>

User Partition Format Successful - Elapsed Time 0 mins 10 secs

F3 T>

I unplugged the hard drive power and then connected it up like normal and sat and prayed as I watched my windows explorer bring up my D: with ALL of my stuff on it. 10 years of photos and ~30,000 MP3's.

So, then, it's opportune to repeat here my advice of some posts above:

There are 1838 posts before yours. Read them all patiently, and all will become clear to you. The price for not doing this is risking to fry your HDD for being in a haste. Take your time. Desperation only leads to failure. Easy does it.

The only thing that has changed since then is that now there are actually 1848, not 1838, posts before yours...

Read them slowly, bookmarking those that appear to be important or most interesting. Then, after you've worked your way through the whole thread, return to them and restudy them. And don't forget to do the same to the external link pointed in various posts along the thread. Some are quite illuminating.

[KlingKlang]

Ayrox:

Have you checked your settings in hyperterminal?

It should be set to 38400, 8-n-1, no flowcontrol.

Have you checked the pin-out with a multimeter? Check the previous page to get correct the pin-out.

You must know which cable that is Rx and Tx.

I had to connect GND to the harddrive in order to get the hdd talking to me.

It is strange if you still wouldn´t get any connection.

[freshmen1020]

Does anyone here tried to Upgrade Firmware?

without backing up the data (cause i dont have another large HDD to make a backup)

did it cause any data loss?

Thanks

[jaclaz]

Does anyone here tried to Upgrade Firmware?

without backing up the data (cause i dont have another large HDD to make a backup)

did it cause any data loss?

Thanks

Upgrading firmware should theoretically be a "data safe" procedure. (just imagine, if it was not, the amount of lawsuits against HD manufacturers)

BUT

even if the risk of a data loss is remote, Murphy's Law ALWAYS applies.

Imagine what could happen if any of the following happens WHILE you are upgrading:

• a mains surge
  
• a black-out
  
• any number of casual events, including the controller on your board "acting strange" or your cat playing with the cables
  

and what if any of the above happen AFTER you have updated the firmware and you lose all that data?

Better be safe than sorry, if you fixed your brick, you already were lucky enough, apart from this specific Seagate problem, having one single copy of anything on a single hard disk is asking for troubles, you should always have AT LEAST two copies of ANYTHING valuable on AT LEAST two different media/devices.

jaclaz

[AquaFire]

Welcome to MSFN, AquaFire! Hope you enjoy your stay!

<snip>

So does it means it actually formats the hard disk. Even if it is true then is it possible to recover the data once the hard disk is available by using the usual Unformat and Undelete tools like 'Recover my Files' or ontrack's 'Easy Recovery Professional'

I would really appreciate if someone can read thru the whole post and can guide me clearly for my queries.

Well, format it does! Now, however, "format", in this context, must mean something different from what it usually does, since the all the data remains there. To quote from the post before yours:

<snip>

User Partition Format Successful - Elapsed Time 0 mins 10 secs

F3 T>

I unplugged the hard drive power and then connected it up like normal and sat and prayed as I watched my windows explorer bring up my D: with ALL of my stuff on it. 10 years of photos and ~30,000 MP3's.

So, then, it's opportune to repeat here my advice of some posts above:

There are 1838 posts before yours. Read them all patiently, and all will become clear to you. The price for not doing this is risking to fry your HDD for being in a haste. Take your time. Desperation only leads to failure. Easy does it.

The only thing that has changed since then is that now there are actually 1848, not 1838, posts before yours...

Read them slowly, bookmarking those that appear to be important or most interesting. Then, after you've worked your way through the whole thread, return to them and restudy them. And don't forget to do the same to the external link pointed in various posts along the thread. Some are quite illuminating.

Thanks,

Yeah well I did read the major posts before mine. Again thank you for clarifying the format issue. I am not in a haste and would like to try all the options at peace. Thats why I wanted to ask some basic direct question using the collective knowledge of everyone over here.

So if I just get to know the exact condition and symptoms of a BUSY aka BSY drive, so I can match my own condition and the usage of DKU-5 without the 3.3v power. If these are clarified the I can proceed with care :-) I promise.

Would appreciate the help in this regard.

[jaclaz]

Forget (for the moment) the 1848 posts.

Read FIRST post ONLY.

These lines ONLY (lines #6, #7 and #8 of FIRST post:

....

There are two common errors on Seagate 7200.11 HDDs (caused by bugs on firmware):

- 0 LBA error: it happens when your BIOS can recognize your HDD at POST moment, but as an 0MB drive.

- BSY error: it happens when your HDD enter on a halt state, or BuSY state. In this condition, your HDD will not be recognized by BIOS at POST moment.

....

Now, WHICH is the difficult part?

You NEED to hook the drive directly to the motherboard to check how BIOS sees it (or fails to).

If it sees it, but with 0 size, it's 0 LBA, if it cannot see it is EITHER:

• a defective cable
  
• a defective connector
  
• a defective PCB of the drive
  
• a defective controller on the motherboard
  

OR

• a BSY
  

If you checked:

• the cable
  
• the connectors (with a multimeter for obvious )
  
• the PCB of the drive (no, I am joking , you cannot test this, let's assume you did and it's functional )
  
• the motherboard controller (with an other disk)
  

and everything was well, THEN

it's a BSY error.

jaclaz