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The Solution for Seagate 7200.11 HDDs


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Okay, I have the BSY dead drive. (Actually have a couple :o( ) I purchased a USB to TTL converter on Ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300442860749

I have installed on an XP box, loop back test works fine. I have configured HT as stated in threads. I have connected from this converter to the disc with the TX, RX and gnd.

I have used an ohm meter to verify connection from the converter to the pin on the PCB. But, no matter what I try, I cannot talk to the disc. I have tried the isolation of the drive motor.

I have tried the PCB totally off. I have tried the isolation of the connector between the drive and PCB with letting the motor totally spin down. Nothing seems to allow my to get the ctrl z command to work and communicate with the drive. Any ideas what else to try that I have messed up on?

Anyone in Northern California do this fix?

Thanks

Is your converter set for 3.3V or 5V? The 5V can't always talk to the hdd.

Also try switching Rx and Tx around.

Edited by BlouBul
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I have the same exact drive with the same problem. After contacting Seagate support, i was told that our SD81 firmware is not affected with the BSY error... After many attempts to prove them wrong, i realized i was fighting an uphill battle and gave up. I have since ordered a USB Fix cable to attmpt the repair myself. I will let you know if it works as i also have family photos, etc at risk of loosing.. I'll keep you posted!

Hi Murisr!

Just to let you know, I also have a Seagate with the SD81 firmware on it. And Wednesday evening my computer suddenly refused to detect it. Searching the internet, I luckily found this thread (thanks to all the contributors!). I took the drive to uni with me the next morning, as we have RS232-to-TTL equipment there. The fix worked perfectly well. I used the trick with the paper-cards between the contacts, so that you don't need to put all the screws back into the PCB during the process.

The only difference I saw to the official fix is that with this firmware, it seems that the drive output after the command

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

is one line shorter. What I got was:


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

User Partition Format Successful - Elapsed Time 0 mins 00 secs

After that message, I switched the drive off, connected it to the computer, and windows recognized it immediately. :-) I was one happy man Thursday morning!

And of course: Seagate support also told me that this drive is not affected by this bug. I wrote back "Why then did the fix work?" and they haven't gotten back to me since. I think, the refusal of Seagate to accept that their drives have a problem is the actual problem here. If they don't acknowledge that they have a problem, they won't fix it.

As a safeguard I now bought a WD drive and put it into my computer next to the Seagate and I have a sychronization tool running daily to copy my data over to the WD. Next time the Seagate screws up, I'll just chuck it.

Thanks again to all the people who worked on the fix!

Torsten

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How do you know? The converter has both 3 and 5 volt pins, but I am not using these since I assume not needed.

I bought the ubs to ttl 3.3 volt also and still nothing. Now, currently I have been powering the converter off a portable,

and my disc from a totally different power sata source. Could this be an issue? I have read that some are getting power for the disc

from the SAME system the converter is plugged into.

Is there a way to change the voltage setting? I assume this is the TTL voltage?

Thanks

Is your converter set for 3.3V or 5V? The 5V can't always talk to the hdd.

Also try switching Rx and Tx around.

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Hi h2ofun,

I would first try switching Rx and Tx around, that is normally the cause for Ctrl Z not to work. As for the Voltage, I do not know that converter, maybe it is a jumper setting, maybe it picks it up automatically. Did it come with a manual?

No problem if you power it from a different computer, BUT if you power it from a different computer, you must connect ALL your grounds together. That can also cause Ctrl Z not to work. See also Point #7.

Edited by BlouBul
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i've been cracking at this (the BSY) fix for the past few days, and i can only get as far as passing the loopback test. when i plug in the rx, tx, and sata power to the drive, the only feedback i recieve after hitting ctrl + Z is a random character, instead of the prompt. when i throw the ground wire into the drive, i get nothing from the ctrl +z command. i've tried using two power supplies (the 5v psu, and a 3v battery), swapping the rx-tx lines, and grounding everything in sight. i've lightly browsed this thread to see if anyone else had this problem, and just can't figure out what i'm missing. any tips?

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i've been cracking at this (the BSY) fix for the past few days, and i can only get as far as passing the loopback test. when i plug in the rx, tx, and sata power to the drive, the only feedback i recieve after hitting ctrl + Z is a random character, instead of the prompt. when i throw the ground wire into the drive, i get nothing from the ctrl +z command. i've tried using two power supplies (the 5v psu, and a 3v battery), swapping the rx-tx lines, and grounding everything in sight. i've lightly browsed this thread to see if anyone else had this problem, and just can't figure out what i'm missing. any tips?

It doesn't work like this. :(

WHICH adapter are you using?

You don't throw "random" power voltage to the adapter.

You give the one appropriate for the adapter.

You make sure the adapter is of "the right" type.

The Seagate 7200.11 wants the lower TTL level (the one around 3 volts max).

You don't ground "anything in sight", you ground what should be grounded.

Read carefully (again) the read-me-first:

From what you report it is likely you are using a 5 V TTL adapter (which won't work).

jaclaz

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WHICH adapter are you using?

i'm using the pololu adapter that supports the 3v-5v range, the one that carter-in-canada recommends (being connected with a straight rs 232 cable to a serial port). i initially used the psu in the computer (measuring out 4.9v), but just switched to the 3v battery this morning. i figured i could use either/or because the adapter supports a range, but whatever. i'm pretty sure my issue has to have something to do with grounding, but i've read the read-me-first and various tutorials, and still cannot figure out what i'm missing.

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WHICH adapter are you using?

i'm using the pololu adapter that supports the 3v-5v range, the one that carter-in-canada recommends (being connected with a straight rs 232 cable to a serial port). i initially used the psu in the computer (measuring out 4.9v), but just switched to the 3v battery this morning. i figured i could use either/or because the adapter supports a range, but whatever. i'm pretty sure my issue has to have something to do with grounding, but i've read the read-me-first and various tutorials, and still cannot figure out what i'm missing.

If you power THAT adapter at 5 V it won't probably work with the Seagate drive, as CLEARLY stated in the read-me-first point #11, where there is a note about that particular adapter.

If you power that adapter at around 3 V it may work (make sure that the batteries actually give 2.9V or 3.0 V and nothing less).

You should better use power from an Orange cable of a normal PSU (3.3 V) as suggested there.

When you ground together several devices, you create a (low) equipotential line, if the voltage from the batteries is a little below "target" specs or if any of the other devices have a slightly negative potential it is very possible that the adapter does not get an adequate voltage to work properly.

The fact that as soon as you connect the ground you don't get anymore anything on hyperterminal suggests this is likely cause of the problem.

Appropriate voltage levels of the TTL signals (please re-read points #6 and #7 of the read-me-first AND liks in them) is VITAL.

jaclaz

Edited by jaclaz
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This is though when it does not work and others just so easy. :o(

I first purchased this adapter. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300442860749

If I short the tx/rv together, hypterm works fine. But, not matter which disc I hook up to, I have 3 bad, I never see anything back. I have swapped tx/rv. I have the paper under

the PC board such that I let the drive spin up, then listen to it spin down, before I connect.

So, assuming this would not work for some reason, I purchased FTDI TTL-232R-3V3 USB Cable that some others have used and worked. Again, everything worked just like the above.

Fine until I connect.

I just got a power adapter so I was able to put the disc into the same computer the USB was powered from. Again, just like above, exactly the same results.

Any other ideas to try? I need this disc back badly

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Hello.

Like many others I have found my way here after suffering a failure of my Seagate drive :(

A Barracuda 7200.11 500GB which was working fine until the weekend when it stopped being detected by the BIOS.

So I am 99% sure I have the BSY issue.

Finding this thread has been great as it has provided me some hope that I will be able to recover my data (mostly backed up but certain family photos not so much :()

So, I have some reading to do, (starting with the READ_ME_FIRST), some kit to buy, (I need to work out the best/easiest TTL device that I can get in the UK) and some nervous wiring/data entry once I am ready to go!

I am sure that I will have questions, hopefully you will be gentle with me!

Cheers.

rmg.

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Can anyone recommend a uk supplier of either a 232 side powered 232 to TTL or an ebay supplier of a nokia cable that actually works? most of the links in this thread are US based :(

Edited by rmg
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Can anyone recommend a uk supplier of either a 232 side powered 232 to TTL or an ebay supplier of a nokia cable that actually works? most of the links in this thread are US based :(

NOONE can "recommend" a Commercial product or supplier on the MSFN board, I had a quick look on http://shop.ebay.co.uk/ and there are several options if you use "Europe Union" as target.

If you want "real UK based" there are fewer options, like:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Micro-USB-RS232-UART-TTL-/220691378063?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item33623b2f8f

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MAX232-RS232-TTL-Converter-Adapter-Module-Board-/120637873074?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c1693dbb2

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB-TTL-Converter-/220682258137?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item3361b006d9

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DFRobot-USB-TTL-Converter-CP210-/140460217627?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20b414d51b

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB-TTL-Serial-Cable-/290488791420?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item43a27b317c

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB-TTL-serial-Convertor-/310122268633?pt=UK_AudioElectronicsVideo_Video_TelevisionSetTopBoxes&hash=item4834ba47d9

What you want (and you may want to contact the seller beforehand to make sure) is a 3V TTL level adapter (and NOT a 5V one).

Rules are easy, if the seller doesn't know what the heck are you asking about TTL levels, do not trust him and go elsewhere.

Compare with points #6 and #10 of the read-me-first:

jaclaz

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F3 T>/2

F3 2>Z

LED:000000CE FAddr:00259C49

Rst 0x20M

O.K. After a bit troubleshooting it was a bad cable connection ( mostly )

Now it spins down ( Z ), but the spin up is not being done..

Any ideas ?!?

Edited by afrin
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Cannot get the F3 T>

Only Rst 0x10M, and when i plug all the connectors i get that:

(P)SATA Reset

Pass

RW: Error processing performance parameter File: 203C

No Phy: Staggered spin bypass

What does it means?

PS:I'm using a diy RS232-TTL Interface (Max232)

Edited by momo2011
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@momo2011 I don't think that your disk is BSY cuz then the SAT will be blocked completely, you may have a truly dead drive ( i hope not ), recheck cable connection ( i had such prob., i still have not made it, but making some progress until fix or until i see the "magic white smoke" :) )

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