The Solution for Seagate 7200.11 HDDs

[demo2]

I have the 7200.11 and got the BSY issue. I contacted Seagate and they seem to agree it's one of the HDD's suffering from the defect issue. They offered this solution:

"We provide a service to update the firmware on the drive if you cannot. This may be able to restore the drive to proper operation (and thus the data). "

Basically, I send it in and they upgrade the firmware (not sure how since bios can't see it) and it should solve the problem. But I was told by someone that if they upgrade the firmware, I will lose the data and won't be ablke to read the drive anymore? Does anyone know either way whether this firmware upgrade would help, hurt, or not effect the problem one way or another?

I'm willing to try the solution in post #1, but it's a little intimidating to someone like me who had no experience with electronics ... plus I'd have to order stuff in. So if just sending it in for a firmware upgrade would help, that seems like the easiest route? Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[BlouBul]

"We provide a service to update the firmware on the drive if you cannot. This may be able to restore the drive to proper operation (and thus the data). "

Basically, I send it in and they upgrade the firmware (not sure how since bios can't see it) and it should solve the problem.

Hi demo2, Welcome to MSFN

They will basicly "reset" the drive to the way it was with a similar method as suggested here and then upgrade the firmware that the bug will not strike again. The way I understand it, Seagate normally do not send you the same drive back, but another one (maybe they have changed that thinking by looking at what you quoted), so just confirm that.

But I was told by someone that if they upgrade the firmware, I will lose the data and won't be ablke to read the drive anymore? Does anyone know either way whether this firmware upgrade would help, hurt, or not effect the problem one way or another?

Do not believe everything "someone" tells you. Ask "someone" where he/she got the info from, as there is obviously a lot of people who upgraded their firmware and not lost their data and has still been able to read their drives (some evidence in the previous 3200 posts). This bug is a firmware issue and can be prevented from happening again by upgrading the firmware. Unfortunately you have to "fix" your drive first before you can upgrade the firmware. It is also strongly recommended to first backup your data when you get your drive working before attempting the firmware upgrade (see read-me-first)

I'm willing to try the solution in post #1, but it's a little intimidating to someone like me who had no experience with electronics ... plus I'd have to order stuff in. So if just sending it in for a firmware upgrade would help, that seems like the easiest route? Thanks for any advice you can offer.

If Seagate is just around the corner from you and they are willing to do as they said in your post, that will be the easiest option, otherwise you can try it yourself. As has been said before:

Anyway, it's not really difficult, you just need some patience and time, and be calm.

If you have a friend with a minimal experience in electronics/electricity that can help you there won't be ANY problem at all.

Read also the replies to Coffeecup's post on the previous page (he is a self-proclaimed "doorknob").

Edited September 23, 2010 by BlouBul

[jaclaz]

I'm willing to try the solution in post #1, but it's a little intimidating to someone like me who had no experience with electronics ... plus I'd have to order stuff in. So if just sending it in for a firmware upgrade would help, that seems like the easiest route? Thanks for any advice you can offer.

What normally Seagate does is:

1. get drives to be refurbished
   
2. refurbish drives
   

Since they have NO obligation whatsoever about your DATA they will (99% probabilities):

1. put your drive on a stack
   
2. get ANY drive from the stack, check it, test it, refurbish it, REALLY low level format it, install to it the new firmware, apply to it a "refurbished label", send it to you
   

If you obtain that your drive is treated (Free of charge) by their Data recovery division i365 they will (99% probabilities):

1. get your drive on a stack
   
2. get your drive from the stack, check it, test it non-destructively, make sure your data is readable, apply to it the new firmware, make sure your data is readable, send it to you
   

When you send a drive there are the ADDITIONAL risks of it:

• being damaged during shipping
  
• being lost during shipping
  
• being stolen during shipping
  

( x 2 times as the drive goes to Seagate and back)

You choose , but now you know the risks involved and a not-so-random estimation of probabilities of what may happen.

jaclaz

[demo2]

Thanks for the replies, Bloubul and jaclaz jaclaz, it is the i365 division you mentioned. At least that was the link he gave me. Here was the full email:

We provide a service to update the firmware on the drive if you cannot. This may be able to restore the drive to proper operation (and thus the data). Here is a web link to contact our i365 service regarding this service: www.i365.com/data-recovery . Please include your name, phone number, case #******** and let them know that the case is validated when you contact this service.

If you have any additional questions, please let me know.

[BlouBul]

That sounds good! If they provide this service for free of charge this would definitely be the way to go. (unless off course if you want to experience the adrenaline rush when you get your drive working yourself )

Edited September 23, 2010 by BlouBul

[jaclaz]

That sounds good! If they provide this service for free of charge this would definitely be the way to go. (unless off course if you want to experience the adrenaline rush when you get your drive working yourself )

Still :

When you send a drive there are the ADDITIONAL risks of it:

• being damaged during shipping
  
• being lost during shipping
  
• being stolen during shipping
  

( x 2 times as the drive goes to Seagate and back)

jaclaz

[BlouBul]

Hi demo2, just to try and clarify your options

If Seagate is just around the corner from you and they are willing to do as they said in your post, that will be the easiest option, otherwise you can try it yourself.

If you can take it to them and they can fix it while you wait, that will be first prize.

If you want to ship it to them, you must take the following in consideration:

How important is the data on the disk?

If it is just all your illegal downloads of movies/music which is already backed up on all your friends computers or anything backed up somewhere else, you can look at shipping.

If it is the only copy of your thesis on why it is important to always have a backup (or the only copy of anything you consider really important), you have to reconsider (we would really like to see that published).

Also, depending on your location. If you live in the middle of Africa and have to ship it halfway across the globe through crocodile-infested swamps and corrupt border posts, you might have a problem (my experience). Reading what jaclaz said, if you live in the middle of Europe, it might be the same problem.

Anyway, evaluate the value of your data and location and decide. Choices, Choices.

[jaclaz]

Also, depending on your location. If you live in the middle of Africa and have to ship it halfway across the globe through crocodile-infested swamps and corrupt border posts, you might have a problem (my experience). Reading what jaclaz said, if you live in the middle of Europe, it might be the same problem.

Naaah , we don't have a lot of crocodiles and swamps in the middle of Europe and not even that many borders (corrupt or not ), real problem is elephant stampedes .

jaclaz

[BlouBul]

I was actually referring to the problem of the drive being lost/ damaged/ stolen during shipping (x2)

Talking of elephant stampedes being worse, you should have seen the one yesterday (even joined by a couple of hippos, rhinos and buffalo) when they read demo2's post and realised that seagate are actually now doing something about the drives that they caused to brick. (they battle to do the unbricking themselves due to a lack of fingers) The crocodile-infested rivers/swamps and corrupt border posts didn't stand a chance. I'm glad I'm not the one having to tell them that is only for the drives that Seagate thinks (or rather publicly admits) is affected...

Edited September 25, 2010 by BlouBul

[Mapex]

Hi everyone. I've been following this thread for a few months now that my HDD bricked (I had no idea of this widespread problem beforehand unfortunately) and after a fair amount of trial and error I've decided I cannot progress without seeking the experts' advice.

I have the LBA=0 issue with the 500GB 7200.11 and these are the following steps I take to hopefully communicate with my HDD:

OS: Windows 7 64-bit

My USB to TTL adapter: http://www.virtualvillage.com/pc-usb-to-rs232-rs485-uart-ttl-signal-converter-006401-041.html

Wires: the same as those in the OP (the ten SparkFun 5" Jumpers and Headers).

Procedure:

1) Turn off echo mode in terminal (I've used HyperTerminal, HyperTerminal PE, and PuTTY and they all work fine).

2) Set baud and all other settings for both the COM port and the HT session.

3) Connect RX to TX on adapter for loopback test, connect USB cable from PC to adapter, and test keyboard commands in terminal.

4) Undo loopback connection. Connect RX (adapter) to TX (HDD) and vice-versa. Connect GND between adapter and HDD. Plug in SATA power to HDD and press CTRL-Z in terminal.

Step 3 is successful every single time, but I fail to progress past step 4. Ctrl-Z never brings up a prompt no matter which client I use and how many times I switch RX and TX connections.

I've also tried connecting a CR2032 battery to the Vcc and GND ports of the adapter while maintaining the common ground connection between adapter and HDD, but that hasn't done anything either (and I'm not sure it would because the adapter is USB powered anyway).

Thanks in advance for any suggestions on how to continue.

[netxare]

First of all, my humble thank you to all that are really trying to help each other with all the knowledge available from sources I can't even dream to discover or be able to find, since English is only my 2nd language - basically, it lifts up my spirit to see such a community.

A bit of my archaic past experiences: In the past I've putted in place a simple solution that worked at clients I've worked with ... just replace the PCB with an equal one from another drive available, connect it, withdraw the data, return the PCB to it's original drive and just bang the faulty drive to oblivion.

But this time it's personal. It's videos and photographs of my life, it's part of my portfolio as a freelance webdesigner, school memories, etc..

At a time of change, where I'd seen friends DVDs get fungus that ate the middle layer and made it useless and with GByte / Euro being more cheaper in the form of HDDs, I decided to store and only plug-in this external drive often enough as needed to mostly input more data, or withdraw when needed, functioning mostly - as you've guessed - my all-time backup "system".

Moving along and getting to the point that brings me here... with a good friend that works with electronics almost all the time, we've learned in this thread how to try mend what Seagate has created as faulty.

Early this year, my Seagate 7200.11 1000GBytes ST31000333AS firmware: LC15 drive that I'd purchased almost 2 years ago in the form of an LaCie external drive, just stopped working properly.

What's the first suspect hypothesis according to the sound it provides? Reading-heads are not being commanded properly. So as in the past I would be trying to replace the PCB and moving on ... but this time I can't find such a drive, and I've searched all around Portugal's forums and what not.

Anyway ... apparently and mind you this is and uneducated guess, there's something really wrong with the ROM or ROMs on my drives PCB ... because all commands I type came out with an error that appears to be an indication in form of a memory address where there's an instruction that make it stumble.

I know - I also try to guess every week to get the EuroMillions contest in order to pay some freak to just restore my hard drive and get over it.

I beg for help, 'cause I already got the confirmation from the retailer that sold my this hardware that is going to due the waranty at the end of this year, that they don't know if when sent to repair, the drive will be replaced altogether or just repaired and format.

If the second was the case, I would not be much worried 'cause I would use Recuva or Spinrite and just get the data back ... but I know that most cases they just give you a new piece of hardware and that's that.

So please, check out this prinscreens I've captured in my Hyperterminal to learn if there's hope for me.

Again, THANK YOU.

1. http://pixxtra.com/i...8975/909825.png

2. http://pixxtra.com/i...76/56247594.png

3. http://pixxtra.com/i...977/5463559.png

4. http://pixxtra.com/i...78/51586038.png

Or see the attached files to this post. Tnx

Please note that the attached images are "reverse" positioned for viewing - can't change that now :/

Edited September 26, 2010 by netxare

[BlouBul]

4) Undo loopback connection. Connect RX (adapter) to TX (HDD) and vice-versa. Connect GND between adapter and HDD. Plug in SATA power to HDD and press CTRL-Z in terminal.

Step 3 is successful every single time, but I fail to progress past step 4. Ctrl-Z never brings up a prompt no matter which client I use and how many times I switch RX and TX connections.

Hi Mapex,

Welcome to MSFN

You have describe in detail the converter setup (which sounds right, especially the successful loopback. But you have not said anything about the Hdd. Did you manage to disconnect the PCB before trying the reset?

I've also tried connecting a CR2032 battery to the Vcc and GND ports of the adapter while maintaining the common ground connection between adapter and HDD, but that hasn't done anything either (and I'm not sure it would because the adapter is USB powered anyway).

The adapter is normally USB powered (but not always). The link doesn't say if the supplied voltage is 3.3 or 5V. The 3.3V normally works better. Do you know what the supply voltage is?

See also Read-me-First Point 10&11

Edit: Sorry, see now it is LBA0- shouldn't need to disconnect PCB.

Edited September 26, 2010 by BlouBul

[BlouBul]

Hi netxare,

Welcome to MSFN

So as in the past I would be trying to replace the PCB and moving on ... but this time I can't find such a drive, and I've searched all around Portugal's forums and what not.

NO!!! Never try a PCB swap with these drives. It won't work and besides that, you can damage both drives.

Your hyperterminal commands look funny. It seems some are missing, and others are different. Please try the commands EXACTLY as given in this guide: http://www.mapleleaf...agatebrick.html

I beg for help, 'cause I already got the confirmation from the retailer that sold my this hardware that is going to due the waranty at the end of this year, that they don't know if when sent to repair, the drive will be replaced altogether or just repaired and format.

If the second was the case, I would not be much worried 'cause I would use Recuva or Spinrite and just get the data back ... but I know that most cases they just give you a new piece of hardware and that's that.

If you read a couple of posts back on this page, you will see this:

What normally Seagate does is:

• get drives to be refurbished
• refurbish drives

Since they have NO obligation whatsoever about your DATA they will (99% probabilities):

• put your drive on a stack
• get ANY drive from the stack, check it, test it, refurbish it, REALLY low level format it, install to it the new firmware, apply to it a "refurbished label", send it to you

If you obtain that your drive is treated (Free of charge) by their Data recovery division i365 they will (99% probabilities):

• get your drive on a stack
• get your drive from the stack, check it, test it non-destructively, make sure your data is readable, apply to it the new firmware, make sure your data is readable, send it to you

That means that normally if they format your drive (and even if you can get the same drive back), you won't be able to recover anything. If you can't get them to do the data recovery, it is better to do it yourself if you want your data back.

[Mapex]

The adapter is normally USB powered (but not always). The link doesn't say if the supplied voltage is 3.3 or 5V. The 3.3V normally works better. Do you know what the supply voltage is?

See also Read-me-First Point 10&11

Thank you for the welcome.

The voltage isn't listed in the link, but the FTDI chip is listed to work at both 3.3V and 5V. Is it possible to read at exactly what voltage I am transmitting data? If so, is it then possible that using resistors in parallel can give me the 3.3V necessary?

Regarding the converter: I'd prefer to have one that has header pins for the TTL, because I'd rather not purchase a soldering kit for one-time use, and also is USB-powered so I don't have to fumble with power nor have to obtain a serial port expansion card. So, if I need a new converter, could this one fulfill my requirements?: http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-USB-2-0-UART-TTL-Serial-Converter-Terminal-Strip-/170526720870?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b42f4366

Edited September 27, 2010 by Mapex

[BlouBul]

The voltage isn't listed in the link, but the FTDI chip is listed to work at both 3.3V and 5V. Is it possible to read at exactly what voltage I am transmitting data? If so, is it then possible that using resistors in parallel can give me the 3.3V necessary?

Regarding the converter: I'd prefer to have one that has header pins for the TTL, because I'd rather not purchase a soldering kit for one-time use, and also is USB-powered so I don't have to fumble with power nor have to obtain a serial port expansion card. So, if I need a new converter, could this one fulfill my requirements?: http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item27b42f4366

Hi Mapex

You can test with a multimeter the Voltage between VCC and GND. It is probably possible to reduce the voltage with resistors (just wait for jaclaz to confirm this - he will hopefully also have a couple of good comments)

That type of converter is actually recommended (why trying to solder if you are not used to it and trying to power it externally if not neccessary).

Edited September 27, 2010 by BlouBul