The Solution for Seagate 7200.11 HDDs

[franklink]

I just used a cheap CA-42 cable off of eBay.. Just make sure you only use the Black (GND), Orange (RS232 TX), and Brown (RS232 RX) wires.

This worked without a hitch on my relatives' 1TB Seagate that was in an Iomega External Case. I was able to recover ALL of the data (which amazed him). Unfortunately, I need to figure out how to force-flash this drive (since it seems to have some different firmware code) so I can reuse it instead of trashing it.

BTW: The cable I bought is: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110507181865 . The drivers for it are the Prolific PL-2303 Drivers (I found this out using Linux).

As for "franklink".. You need to *WAIT* until the command prompt reappears. I found that out the hard way. If Windows still wants to reformat it, do the following:

1. Fire up a System Rescue CD (sysresccd.org) on a separate box.

2. Mount the drive and configure Samba to share the drive (if you want to dump via network).

3. Copy everything off of it onto a network share or external drive.

4. Pull it out of the other box and place it back inside your workstation (or server).

5. Reformat and repartition the drive.

6. Copy all the files back onto it (if you want to).

After I issue the m0,2,2,0,0,0,0,22 I need to wait for a prompt?

[mundy5]

After I issue the m0,2,2,0,0,0,0,22 I need to wait for a prompt?

Well, yes, there is a message that the HDD gives you and then there is the regular prompt.

[VideoRipper]

...like this:

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 Successful - Elapsed Time 0 mins 00 secs

F3 T>

[franklink]

Waiting for the prompt to come back did it! Thanks a TON guys!

TWO 500GB drives recovered thanks to this thread!

[mundy5]

Congrats! That's what we want to read!

Waiting for the prompt to come back did it! Thanks a TON guys!

TWO 500GB drives recovered thanks to this thread!

[jaclaz]

F3 1>m0,2,2,,,,,22

The disk now detects. I can see it in windows, but in disk management it shows up as an uninitialized drive. Is there anyway I can recover data from it now? What exactly did I do with the F3 1>m0,2,2,,,,,22?

ANY help is appreciated!!!

If the drive is detected by BIOS, AND is detected by Windows (seen as unallocated space in Disk Management), the drive is functional, as long as this thread is concerned.

You will need to use TESTDISK and/or similar partition recovery software to (if possible) re-map the partition(s) you had on the disk, otherwise you will need file based recovery tools.

If you need help, start a new thread, here are a couple ones from which you may get the basics:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=142083

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=141687

jaclaz

[seloqxt]

Seagate Drive : ST3500320AS , Firmware : SD15

Problem: BSY

My 500GB HDD initially had BSY problem. I successfully completed the steps till the point where I have to type "N1" for a SMART erase. But it just hangs there when I enter N1. The cursor keeps blinking and the next prompt doesn't appear, I kept waiting for 20 mins but still the same. What might be wrong?

After this, I tried connecting back the hdd with sata cable to check if it works. This time it is recognized in BIOS, but doesn't show up in My Computer. Opening Device Manager>Disk Management pops up a window as seen in the snap below:

Direct Image Link

When I press OK, it pops up a Dialog Box saying "Incorrect Function".

Later I tried patching up the firmware update from seagate. Even though the drive detect software from seagate doesn't recognize the HDD, however running the firmware patch during start up detects it, and Says: "Model Matched, Firmware not matched" even though the patch is the correct one: http://seagate.custkb.com/seagate/crm/selfservice/news.jsp?DocId=207951

[Sovereign01]

I'm very close on this, I figured out that the USB-Serial chip needs powering, and the HDD board needs connecting to the PSU as well, I can talk to the drive with hyperterminal, but keep getting LED:000000CE FAddr:00280569

LED:000000CE FAddr:00280569 when I enter Z after the /2 command.

I see there are two sets of contacts/pins between the PCB and the HDD case, a rectangular set with a screw hole in the middle, located near the top left of the drive in the picture, and a set of three wire contacts that lead to the motor in the middle. Which set do I put the insulator in between, or do I put it between both sets?

Edited March 28, 2010 by Sovereign01

[mundy5]

Consider going through the procedure again.

Seagate Drive : ST3500320AS , Firmware : SD15

Problem: BSY

My 500GB HDD initially had BSY problem. I successfully completed the steps till the point where I have to type "N1" for a SMART erase. But it just hangs there when I enter N1. The cursor keeps blinking and the next prompt doesn't appear, I kept waiting for 20 mins but still the same. What might be wrong?

After this, I tried connecting back the hdd with sata cable to check if it works. This time it is recognized in BIOS, but doesn't show up in My Computer. Opening Device Manager>Disk Management pops up a window as seen in the snap below:

Direct Image Link

When I press OK, it pops up a Dialog Box saying "Incorrect Function".

Later I tried patching up the firmware update from seagate. Even though the drive detect software from seagate doesn't recognize the HDD, however running the firmware patch during start up detects it, and Says: "Model Matched, Firmware not matched" even though the patch is the correct one: http://seagate.custkb.com/seagate/crm/selfservice/news.jsp?DocId=207951

[mundy5]

The answer is the one with the screw in the middle. You also might not be waiting long enough for the hdd to spin down after you initially plug it in. I got that type of error because I was trying to enter commands while it was still spinning up.

I'm very close on this, I figured out that the USB-Serial chip needs powering, and the HDD board needs connecting to the PSU as well, I can talk to the drive with hyperterminal, but keep getting LED:000000CE FAddr:00280569

LED:000000CE FAddr:00280569 when I enter Z after the /2 command.

I see there are two sets of contacts/pins between the PCB and the HDD case, a rectangular set with a screw hole in the middle, located near the top left of the drive in the picture, and a set of three wire contacts that lead to the motor in the middle. Which set do I put the insulator in between, or do I put it between both sets?

[VideoRipper]

The three contacts connector in the middle is for the platter-spindle (the motor).

The twenty contacts connector at the top right is for the actuator and R/W heads.

Some people insultate the motor (the heads can't read the firmware because the disc

isn't spinning), others insulate the actuator (PCB cannot read the platters, since

it's disconnected).

In my opinion, it's best to temporarly cover both connectors (or at least the heads/

actuator-connector, because when only insulating the motor, it will not spin, but

the heads will move...

FYI: the heads would normally hover over the platters by the thin layer of air that's between them when the platters

are spinning, but now they won't hover, since the platters aren't spinning and I don't like the idea of my heads

crashing on the platters.

Effectively this is what happens, when a normal working drive is powered up:

1. Power applied to PCB
   
2. PCB does a quick electronics self-test, puts its interface in BSY-mode 'till
   it's finished with starting up (step 5) and turns on splindle-motor
   
3. On-board controler reads firmware from platters (note here: opposed to
   other devices, the firmware and certain data-tables are actually stored
   on the platters, not on the PCB)
   
4. Firmware is initialized and executed
   
5. PCB releases interfaces (turns off BSY-status) and drive is ready for
   use over the (S)ATA interface

Because of a bug, after 320 log-entries the firmware hangs on step 4 and

never turns off the BSY-status, leaving you with a bricked drive.

By temporarly disconnecting the PCB from the drive, the on-board controler

will never be able to load the firmware (and thus will never be able to hang)

and will enter debug-mode, so you will be able to access the controler via

the debug-port over TTL-RS232.

Because the controler only *thinks* the motor is spinning (in reality it isn't),

you first have to give it the instruction to spin down the motor.

Now you can re-attach the PCB again and give the instruction to spin the motor

up again (note: since the drive is in debug-mode, it will not try to load or

execute the firmware on the platters).

By doing N1 (in Level 1), you'll do a SMART erase (or actually "Create SMART sector").

After recreating the SMART-sector, the firmware shouldn't hang anymore when power

is applied to it, so we'll power it off and on.

The last step in the process is regenerating the partition (m0,2,2,,,,,22 in level T)

and now the drive *should* be visible again as a drive in the BIOS.

Greetz,

Peter.

[EDIT]Bugger... Mundy beat me to it

Edited March 28, 2010 by VideoRipper

[Simba7]

Ahh.. Finally fixed the LC15 Firmware issue and successfully upgraded my drive to SD1B Firmware..

What you do is download the Firmware Upgrade ISO.. Then exit the tutorial and hit CTRL-C at the menu (yes, abort the .bat file).

Enter this command: sf.exe -m BRINKS -f 6HBXR1B.LOD -s -x -b

After that, it'll come back to you as FW SD1B instead of FW LC15.

[VideoRipper]

Great job, Simba, that might be usefull for other members with your

type of drive/firmware

Although I would like to emphasize that playing with the command-line

options of the firmware-updater is at the user's own risk.

Flashing a drive with incorrect/incompatible firmware will kill it.

Greetz,

Peter.

[NAILLMCLEAN]

Hi,

I’m new to this forum.

I have the Barracuda 7200.11 500GB ST3500320AS and surprise surprise I’m having issues. I think I have is the 0 LBA problem, when the drive is plugged in it shows 0mb in the disk management.

I have followed the instructions on the main page and it looked like it was working, i was getting back all the information that i was supposed to, the only difference is that my drive returned 2 lines:

User Partition Format 5% complete, Zone 00, Pass 00, LBA 00004339, ErrCode 00000000

User Partition Format 5% complete, Zone 00, Pass 00, LBA 00008DED, ErrCode 00000080

When i plugged the drive back into the PC nothing has changed!!! Its still showing as 0mb.

Could this be something to do with the drive having two partitions before it bricked?

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

[jaclaz]

When i plugged the drive back into the PC nothing has changed!!! Its still showing as 0mb.

Could this be something to do with the drive having two partitions before it bricked?

No, nothing connected on how the drive is partitioned.

Try using this alternate method:

http://www.mapleleafmountain.com/seagatebrick.html

jaclaz