The Solution for Seagate 7200.11 HDDs

[ivan1214]

i know about that part "newer" is not always "better".

and i disconnet all other hard disk before i do it

i read this http://blog.yimingli...-firmware-sd1a/ btw yesterday before posting post here.

i asked for SD2A update becase i read somewhere i think it was youtube comment about

that SD1A update on my disk model ST3750330AS 750 GB not all baracuda 7200.11 brings another kind problems like bad sectors etc,

but we all know that people writte all kind of bul***** on internet, but i who know it can true , so i ask if somebody knew something about it or had experinace with my model of barracuda (ST3750330AS)

I done update SD1A so we will see if i got any problems i ll post here, so other with same model can see.

About SD2A i didn t find that in any other place beside those ukrain site i post it before and i am not sure if is it official firmware from seagate,but when it comes about tehnology most of time if look for something i find it on russisan or ukrain sites or something like that with a help of google trasnslator of course,

Like i said we will see how long it is gona work etc.

and thanks for help jaclaz

[jaclaz]

Well, I don't have any particular doubts about the file you found "in itself", I have some about it being suitable to your actual disk model and/or to your current firmware revision.

You see, there are also firmwares SD1B and SD2B, but not necessarily they apply to your exact drive model.

Compare with:

http://forums.seagate.com/stx/board/crawl_message?board.id=ata_drives&message.id=25131

and:

http://web.archive.org/web/20110809212506/http://seagate.custkb.com/seagate/crm/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=207957

jaclaz

[Blondie]

Hi))

I'm sorry to ask a stupid question. But I have an issue with my HP External Hard Drive (Seagate Barracuda 7200.11), it says USB device is not recognized. Before I break my brain reading through all this thread that looks very helpful for people, could anybody please let me know if I am in a right place with my problem?

Edited October 23, 2013 by Blondie

[jaclaz]

Hi))

I'm sorry to ask a stupid question. But I have an issue with my HP External Hard Drive (Seagate Barracuda 7200.11), it says USB device is not recognized. Before I break my brain reading through all this thread that looks very helpful for people, could anybody please let me know if I am in a right place with my problem?

Possibly yes, but I would first check a number of other things.

An External Hard Disk Drive basically is made of four things:

1. the actual hard disk drive
2. the actual enclosure (metal or plastic case)
3. some electronics (to provide power to the hard disk)
4. some (more complex) electronics, including a controller that converts the hard disk bus (SATA) to the external (USB) bus

Excluded #2 above, any of the other three may be cause (or part of the cause) of your issue, to which you add that there could be similar issues caused by the actual OS install/Registry settings.

If I were you I would start a new thread here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/forum/169-hard-drive-and-removable-media-issues/

speciific to your issue.

Once your issue will be diagnosed and will result as belonging to a "bricked" disk, you may be pointed back to here, but right now it is only a possible but not particularly probable.

In any case you might need additional instructions/advice on how to disassemble that external case that surely do not belong to this thread.

jaclaz

[blazindave]

Question: How do you know if you have the BSY error? (Other than just the fact that it's not recognized by BIOS)

I have a different model Seagate, it's a ST9500420AS, that my BIOS won't recognize. I actually bought an identical drive, swapped the PCB boards hoping that would work, but didn't. I tried swapping the platters, and that didn't work. Swapped them back, so now I have my original drive, in it's original non-working condition, as well as a "new" (used) drive, that doesn't appear to work either. Unfortunately I can't really return the drive since I've taken it apart. Now neither drive gets recognized in the BIOS Hard Disk Diagnostic. Each drive spins up, and the drive heads come in maybe 1/3 the radius of the platters, then they go back out, and repeat the in/out cycle a few times. So mechanically, they seem to be working, but the drives just aren't recognized. One set of platters has all my data on it, one should be clean. I just want to get my data back, preferably without paying a recovery service lots of money. Can someone make a reasonable estimate that a company would charge to recover data from a 500 GB hard drive that's maybe half-way full?

Being that this is a different drive model than the original topic, I'm wondering if the "stuck in BSY state" even could apply to me or if it's likely something else? I'd prefer to know that I'm having this same error condition before attempting the RS232 to TTL stuff. How do people judge that they have a BSY error? Just knowing that it is common for their specific drive, combined with the fact that their BIOS doesn't recognize it? Can you do the RS232 to TTL board and get diagnostic info from the drive to indicate BSY or some other error mode? Is there a comprehensive document that indicates which commands/parameters can be communicated to/from the drive via this method?

Thanks!

[jaclaz]

I have a different model Seagate, it's a ST9500420AS, that my BIOS won't recognize.

Which is bad , both because of the non-detection and because you posted in the wrong place, yours is a 7200.4.

Is there a difficult part in "7200.11" that confused you?

I actually bought an identical drive, swapped the PCB boards hoping that would work, but didn't.

Which is bad , both because it didn't work and because it means you did not take some time to research before attempting it.

I tried swapping the platters, and that didn't work.

Hardly surprising.

Swapped them back, so now I have my original drive, in it's original non-working condition, as well as a "new" (used) drive, that doesn't appear to work either.

Unfortunately I can't really return the drive since I've taken it apart. Now neither drive gets recognized in the BIOS Hard Disk Diagnostic. Each drive spins up, and the drive heads come in maybe 1/3 the radius of the platters, then they go back out, and repeat the in/out cycle a few times. So mechanically, they seem to be working, but the drives just aren't recognized. One set of platters has all my data on it, one should be clean. I just want to get my data back, preferably without paying a recovery service lots of money. Can someone make a reasonable estimate that a company would charge to recover data from a 500 GB hard drive that's maybe half-way full?

Maybe this hints that you weren't capable (no offence intended ) to properly swap them.

The probability of someone that attempts a PCB SWAP to be capable of doing a platter swap are so low that the Heart of Gold Improbability Drive could run a couple years on that math.

If ALSO the "donor" disk, once re-transplanted it's original parts is not working anymore it means that your procedure is incorrect or that you have not the suitable tools or both.

Being that this is a different drive model than the original topic, I'm wondering if the "stuck in BSY state" even could apply to me or if it's likely something else? I'd prefer to know that I'm having this same error condition before attempting the RS232 to TTL stuff. How do people judge that they have a BSY error? Just knowing that it is common for their specific drive, combined with the fact that their BIOS doesn't recognize it? Can you do the RS232 to TTL board and get diagnostic info from the drive to indicate BSY or some other error mode? Is there a comprehensive document that indicates which commands/parameters can be communicated to/from the drive via this method?

Maybe had you read BEFORE the READ-ME-FIRST:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/143880-seagate-barracuda-720011-read-me-first/

and the FGA's:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/147532-fga-for-the-seagate-720011-drives/

You would have already learned that:

• a BSY or LBA0 has to be diagnosed
• this thread is for the 7200.11 ONLY
• that a PCB SWAP won't work
• that even THINKING of doing a platter swap will ruin the drive for good
• that even IF the commands for the 7200.4 were known, the idea is to fiddle with the RS232/TTL thingy and attempt diagnosing the issue BEFORE disassembling a disk drive.

What isn't written there is that besides a platter exchange being one of the most difficult things to perform (in controlled environment only) when it comes to multi-platter disk is a nearly impossible task for a non-professional without all the needed tools, but more than that without the specific experience and knowledge.

Unless I am mistaken that disk has two platters.

The diagnosis of your disk is thus currently:

• no matter what was the original cause of failure, you have now a disk with platters that may be contaminated but that are SURELY misaligned .

Of the several professional data recovery companies out there, only a few are actually capable (and have the tools) to do a platter swap on a multi-platter drive, and none or next to none will be able to re-align two platters.

I could name you two firms, i365 (which is Seagate's own data recovery firm) and Kroll Ontrack that may be able to do that.

We are talking anyway of something that IF possible at all, will be in the several (many) hundred dollars, possibly thousands.

Sorry being a bearer of bad news, but your chances with DIY are 0 (zero) and possibly even for a professional they are very near to that.

jaclaz

Edited October 31, 2013 by jaclaz

[Highlander4BR]

I have an st31500341as, p/n 9JU138-302 and firmware: CC1H with 3 partitions of 500GB, when i turn it on as an external HD, windows 7 recognize each partition as RAW and 100% free space (but all of 3 partitions have a lot of data), and few seconds later they disappear from the Storage Disk Management monitoring.

The main problem now is that i can't communicate to the HD by hyperterminal to send the commands and follow the procedure to fix BSY error I've read since the beginning of this forum.

When i hit "Ctrl Z" it doesn't prompt to communication. I've already change position of Rx and Tx for make sure and do nothing, the 5V is ok.

Is there any step i can try for beginning the communication with hyperterminal?

Thanks!

[jaclaz]

I have an st31500341as, p/n 9JU138-302 and firmware: CC1H with 3 partitions of 500GB, when i turn it on as an external HD, windows 7 recognize each partition as RAW and 100% free space (but all of 3 partitions have a lot of data), and few seconds later they disappear from the Storage Disk Management monitoring.

Hmmmm.

This happens connected through an USB/SATA adapter/converter?

What happens when the disk is connected "internally" to the SATA bus?

What does the BIOS see?

The main problem now is that i can't communicate to the HD by hyperterminal to send the commands and follow the procedure to fix BSY error I've read since the beginning of this forum.

Well, but what you described above are seemingly NOT the symptoms of a BSY, what makes you think that your disk is affected by that problem? (and not by anyone else among the zillon things that may happen to a hard disk?)

When i hit "Ctrl Z" it doesn't prompt to communication. I've already change position of Rx and Tx for make sure and do nothing, the 5V is ok.

WHICH "5 V"?

You are not by any chance using a 5V TTL interface, do you?

Have you already verified that the terminal and adapter are working (loopback test)?

Is there any step i can try for beginning the communication with hyperterminal?

I would make sure first that you actually are having the issue for which the fix is proposed AND that you have a suitable TTL adapter/converter.

Have you READ (NOT "skimmed, NOT "had a look at", actually READ) the READ-ME-FIRST and the FGA's?

Just in case:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/143880-seagate-barracuda-720011-read-me-first/

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/147532-fga-for-the-seagate-720011-drives/

jaclaz

[SHALAM]

Thank you!! This was very informative.

[Confused07]

Hi,
I need some help please. I have a ST31500341AS, Barracuda 7200.11, Firmware: CC1H

I went through all the steps, I've actually done this before succesfully to recover from a Seagate 1TB, unfortunately it's not working out the same this time around.

On either Hyper Terminal or Putty, CTRL+Z doesn't seem to do anything. I've tried it with caps lock on & off.

I've tried every pin combination as well.

Someone please help

[jaclaz]

I've tried every pin combination as well.

It's not like "gambling".

You connect to the "right" pins.

Last character in the above sentence is a full stop or period.

You can try making a loopback test (do READ the Read-me-first: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/143880-seagate-barracuda-720011-read-me-first/ ) to verify that the TTL adapter is working.

You can try with the PCB fully detached from disk. if it doesn't work, it is likely that your disk is suffering form ANOTHER problem (NOT BSY, NOT LBA0) or that the board is "dead" .

jaclaz

[Confused07]

I aimed at the right pins at first but when it didn't work I thought they could've been wrong, and read elsewhere that I'd have to trial & error.

I already tried a board swapped, I have multiple of these units. Which BTW, are being replaced by Western Digitals now. But I really need the data off this one

I'll try the loopback test and will report how that goes.

EDIT:

I'm a little confused by the loop back. I have the wires connected to these pins, so does the RX & TX just need to be touching each other? Should the ground be plugged in?

Edited November 25, 2013 by Confused07

[jaclaz]

I already tried a board swapped, I have multiple of these units.

Which nicely confirms that you completely failed to READ the info available BEFORE doing crazy (or random) or BOTH attempts, you know, like this sticky here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/150215-dont-even-think-of-swapping-pcbs-on-720011/

or the FGA's:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/147532-fga-for-the-seagate-720011-drives/

I'll try the loopback test and will report how that goes.

EDIT:

I'm a little confused by the loop back. I have the wires connected to these pins, so does the RX & TX just need to be touching each other? Should the ground be plugged in?

No, the ground has no meaning as there is only "one" device, (the PC and attached to it the TTL adapter, which being attached to it has already a common ground).

The loopback test only checks for the actual "Hyperterminal to TTL and back" path working, see also here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/128807-the-solution-for-seagate-720011-hdds/?p=1016161

If you have a "wrong" TTL adapter (5V TTL instead of 3.3V TTL) or "wrong" settings for transmission parameters it will work as well.

jaclaz

[Confused07]

Which nicely confirms that you completely failed to READ the info available BEFORE doing crazy (or random) or BOTH attempts, you know, like this sticky here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/150215-dont-even-think-of-swapping-pcbs-on-720011/

or the FGA's:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/147532-fga-for-the-seagate-720011-drives/

*Sigh* Unfortunately. I came across this thread & this forum by googling the problem I was directed to about half way through this thread. I didn't venture out beyond that. I only made an account and began posting after I already done testing. Other google results suggested trying to switch the PCB, so that's what I did.

I'm sure many others experiencing the HD faults are discovering this place just the same. They're landing in the middle of this thread.

[jaclaz]

I'm sure many others experiencing the HD faults are discovering this place just the same. They're landing in the middle of this thread.

Sure , and since it's like almost 5 (five) years that on nearly each §@ç#ing page of this thread (including this #182 one) there is a post mentioning the Read-me-first and/or the FGA's (often by yours truly ) I am pretty sure that some (out of the many) actually read them before posting the same questions already asked and possibly this partially explains why I seem grumpier than what I normally am .

More seriously, even a TTL adapter that has worked once or more than once before may become dead suddenly (as an example the new version of a "good" adapter has an added capacitor to prevent spikes that have killed tens of these particular TTL adapters in the past), and doing a loopback test is the first thing to check.

jaclaz