The Solution for Seagate 7200.11 HDDs

[CODEBLUE001]

Hi

My Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 stopped working in 2009. I never tried to fix it until now.  I came across this forum and read up on the solutions, but I can't get past my first road block. I am running windows 10, and I purchased a FT232BM/BL Seagate barracuada 7200.11 firmware fix tool, complete usb from ebay

First Road block:

My USB 3.0 to SATA Adapter Cable cannot power my HDD. I know it works because it powers my other HDDs

Second Road Block:

USB 3.0 to SSD/2.5a Sata Dual Bay Hard Drive Docking Station can power my HDD but it's a docking station so it's impossible to connect the firmware fix tool.

Please advise

Thanks

[jaclaz]

Generally speaking, 10 it is not the best OS in the world to do this kind of things, for a number of reasons, that might become Road Block 0.

If you have (or can borrow from a friend) an old PC (desktop) you will go past all two three roadblocks in a whim, and also the possible fourth  one. that might be grounding problems if power comes from different power supplies (nothing particularly difficult, but a lot of people had issues in the past in grasping the concept of grounding).

I doubt that *any* USB 3.0 to SATA adapter can power *any* 3.5" SATA hard disks, they are made for 2.5" hard disks, you need a power supply with both 5 V and 12 V, the adapter you posted most probably is 5 V only.

If you have not access to a Desktop PC, get an el-cheapo USB 2.0 SATA/IDE to USB adapter with a power brick, such as (example):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-USB-2-0-to-IDE-SATA-S-ATA-2-5-3-5-Hard-Drive-HD-HDD-Converter-Adapter-Cable-/131139498971

or get a USB SATA 3.5" case and use it temporarily.

jaclaz
 

[CODEBLUE001]

Thanks Jaclaz...just to make sure I understand you perfectly:

Desktop >Laptop (because I have a laptop)

Windowns XP > Windows 10 (What other OS can I use if I can't get a windows xp desktop?)

Am I right to assume that everyone is powering their HDD with their desktop power supply through sata cables?

[CODEBLUE001]

1 hour ago, jaclaz said:

Generally speaking, 10 it is not the best OS in the world to do this kind of things, for a number of reasons, that might become Road Block 0.

If you have (or can borrow from a friend) an old PC (desktop) you will go past all two three roadblocks in a whim, and also the possible fourth  one. that might be grounding problems if power comes from different power supplies (nothing particularly difficult, but a lot of people had issues in the past in grasping the concept of grounding).

I doubt that *any* USB 3.0 to SATA adapter can power *any* 3.5" SATA hard disks, they are made for 2.5" hard disks, you need a power supply with both 5 V and 12 V, the adapter you posted most probably is 5 V only.

If you have not access to a Desktop PC, get an el-cheapo USB 2.0 SATA/IDE to USB adapter with a power brick, such as (example):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-USB-2-0-to-IDE-SATA-S-ATA-2-5-3-5-Hard-Drive-HD-HDD-Converter-Adapter-Cable-/131139498971

or get a USB SATA 3.5" case and use it temporarily.

jaclaz
 

Thanks Jaclaz...just to make sure I understand you perfectly:

Desktop >Laptop (because I have a laptop)

Windowns XP > Windows 10 (What other OS can I use if I can't get a windows xp desktop?)

Am I right to assume that everyone is powering their HDD with their desktop power supply through sata cables?

[jaclaz]

Yes, you got it right.

The idea is that *any* desktop has (even temporarily) a free power connector for SATA devices with both the +5V and +12V rails and, if you use the same desktop for connecting (via the USB to TTL adapter) to the disk, ground will already be "in common" between all the devices (and if needed adding an additional ground to another unused IDE/Molex connector of the desktop PSU would be very straightforward) and XP already comes with a suitable "Terminal" program and all-in-all is "less picky" with the needed (USB to Virtual COM port) drvers, on later systems you will need Putty (or another similar terminal program) and possibly on 8 and later you will have issues with drivers signing, UAC, and what not.

Most people have a desktop and use its power supply, but as said you can use *any* suitable power supply, I used in the past one similar to the el-cheapo USB/SATA/IDE I posted a link, to, other people used just a spare desktop PSU they had lying around (you need to short two pins on the 20/24 connector to actually switch on an ATX PSU, green wire to *any* black one):
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-power-up-an-ATX-Power-Supply-without-a-PC/

but for all that matters you could use two power supplies, one giving 5V (1A) and another one giving 12 V (also 1A) or a set of batteries, the desktop (or desktop PSU) is just something that is easy to have around or borrow.

jaclaz 
 

[CODEBLUE001]

1 hour ago, jaclaz said:

Yes, you got it right.

The idea is that *any* desktop has (even temporarily) a free power connector for SATA devices with both the +5V and +12V rails and, if you use the same desktop for connecting (via the USB to TTL adapter) to the disk, ground will already be "in common" between all the devices (and if needed adding an additional ground to another unused IDE/Molex connector of the desktop PSU would be very straightforward) and XP already comes with a suitable "Terminal" program and all-in-all is "less picky" with the needed (USB to Virtual COM port) drvers, on later systems you will need Putty (or another similar terminal program) and possibly on 8 and later you will have issues with drivers signing, UAC, and what not.

Most people have a desktop and use its power supply, but as said you can use *any* suitable power supply, I used in the past one similar to the el-cheapo USB/SATA/IDE I posted a link, to, other people used just a spare desktop PSU they had lying around (you need to short two pins on the 20/24 connector to actually switch on an ATX PSU, green wire to *any* black one):
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-power-up-an-ATX-Power-Supply-without-a-PC/

but for all that matters you could use two power supplies, one giving 5V (1A) and another one giving 12 V (also 1A) or a set of batteries, the desktop (or desktop PSU) is just something that is easy to have around or borrow.

jaclaz 
 

Copy and thank you. I will try and get a desktop and give it a try.

[CODEBLUE001]

I just found a 1.6GHZ AMD Sempron, 1 GB Ram (memory); 120GB HDD;
Genuine WindowsXP Professional with SP3 on craigslist for $30, will this be possible enough to power the harddrive and unbrick it, or do I need a more powerful desktop?

[jaclaz]

2 hours ago, CODEBLUE001 said:

I just found a 1.6GHZ AMD Sempron, 1 GB Ram (memory); 120GB HDD;
Genuine WindowsXP Professional with SP3 on craigslist for $30, will this be possible enough to power the harddrive and unbrick it, or do I need a more powerful desktop?

Should be more than fine  , if it is a very old machine with a non-SATA PSU, at most you will need a IDE/Molex to SATA power connector converter, something *like*:
https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/productimage/12-200-061-02.jpg

jaclaz
 

[CODEBLUE001]

3 hours ago, jaclaz said:

Should be more than fine  , if it is a very old machine with a non-SATA PSU, at most you will need a IDE/Molex to SATA power connector converter, something *like*:
https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/productimage/12-200-061-02.jpg

jaclaz
 

Thanks again... I got the PC but it doesn't have to sata PSU, I have already started shopping for molex to sata. I know I can get it online but I am hoping I can get it on Craigslist or in store somewhere so I can start right away. I will keep you updated on my success

[CODEBLUE001]

How disappointing, I can't get past the loop back test. I get a tx feedback but no rx response on the loopback tester

[jaclaz]

16 hours ago, CODEBLUE001 said:

Thanks again... I got the PC but it doesn't have to sata PSU, I have already started shopping for molex to sata. I know I can get it online but I am hoping I can get it on Craigslist or in store somewhere so I can start right away. I will keep you updated on my success

If you are US based, Walmart has it:
 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/StarTech-SATAPOWADPL-4-Pin-Molex-to-Left-Angle-SATA-Power-Cable-Adapter-6-Universal/22952972

About the USB to TTL adapter, it is not entirely unheard of that the thingy is DOA (Dead On Arrival), these thingies are actually sold for a handful of bucks (more or less the same as the Walmart price for the mentioned - passive only -  power adapter, that proportionally is one of the most expensive things in the world, bar Apple products ) and then are (I don't know how much you paid for the one you got) often re-badged "the solution for 7200.11 troubles and re-sold for as much as several tens of doillars, still their "value" is 3 or 4 bucks.

jaclaz 
 

[CODEBLUE001]

5 hours ago, jaclaz said:

If you are US based, Walmart has it:
 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/StarTech-SATAPOWADPL-4-Pin-Molex-to-Left-Angle-SATA-Power-Cable-Adapter-6-Universal/22952972

About the USB to TTL adapter, it is not entirely unheard of that the thingy is DOA (Dead On Arrival), these thingies are actually sold for a handful of bucks (more or less the same as the Walmart price for the mentioned - passive only -  power adapter, that proportionally is one of the most expensive things in the world, bar Apple products ) and then are (I don't know how much you paid for the one you got) often re-badged "the solution for 7200.11 troubles and re-sold for as much as several tens of doillars, still their "value" is 3 or 4 bucks.

jaclaz 
 

I was able to get the Molex to SATA from a local PC repair store for $5. The USB to TTL was $18 on ebay. Now I am skeptical to buy another one. I was really excited about recovering my data; I mean, I had given up on my HD for 8 years  But I couldn't even get past the first trial, which is the loopback test, is discouraging. I have decide to give it a rest for now and try again at a later date. Thanks Jaclaz for all your support. If I ever get it to work I will let you know.

[CODEBLUE001]

I gave it another go, but I keep getting stuck at the point when I enter N1. 3 times in a row when I get to that point and press enter I get a Init SMART Fail error and then it continues to show LED:000000CC FAddr:00250067 see below:

Rst 0x20M
(P) SATA Reset

ASCII Diag mode

F3 T>/2

F3 2>Z

Spin Down Complete
Elapsed Time 430.172 msecs
F3 2>U

 HighPowerMode
ExecuteSpinRequest

Spin Up Complete
Elapsed Time 10.280 secs
F3 2>1

Invalid Diag Cmd

F3 2>/1

F3 1>N1

Init SMART Fail
LED:000000CC FAddr:00250067
LED:000000CC FAddr:00250067
LED:000000CC FAddr:00250067
LED:000000CC FAddr:00250067
LED:000000CC FAddr:00250067
LED:000000CC FAddr:00250067
LED:000000CC FAddr:00250067
LED:000000CC FAddr:00250067
LED:000000CC FAddr:00250067
 

[CODEBLUE001]

I tried a slightly different method I saw on another site, still no luck. Please see below:

ASCII Diag mode

F3 T>/2

F3 2>Z

Spin Down Complete
Elapsed Time 431.953 msecs
F3 2>U

 HighPowerMode
ExecuteSpinRequest

Spin Up Complete
Elapsed Time 16.050 secs
F3 2>/

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

Init SMART Fail
LED:000000CC FAddr:00250067
LED:000000CC FAddr:00250067

[jaclaz]

Wait a minute.

Did you power off the drive and waited some 60 seconds at the right step in the procedure?

Just in case, FORGET about anything you have read anywhere else and ONLY try re-doing from start, following EXACTLY this guide, WITHOUT introducing any changes to it:
http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/133387-debricking-the-seagate-drives/
 

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=38656

Which contacts where you insulating (heads or motor)?

jaclaz