The Solution for Seagate 7200.11 HDDs

[my77stang]

aviko,

If you are so unhappy with the guide that was originally laid out PLEASE give us a list of commands you recommend to safely fix our drives. I have the BSY error, and should be getting my cell phone cable any day. I want to make sure I do not loose all my data.

Thanks

[enrolb]

I would like to say thanks to Gradius2 and I know there were others that first decided and then provided a solution to "debrick" our drives. Seagate has been more arragont than anyone on this forum, as they knew about the issue, knew who could have the problem (if one registered), knew how it could be stopped until solution (leave drive running), and been a lot more understanding of those who had a "bricked" drive.

In defence of Gradius2 and others who, if they hadn't pursued the simple solution to this problem, we might never have known how really simple the problem is to solve. Instead we all would have had to pay big dollars to data recovery companies for something they could fix in 15 minutes. I for one was quoted a cost of $500 for fixing my drive and I know some probably would have had to pay a lot more.

Its interesting how the "data recovery people" are jumping into the forums since a solution has been posted. Why did't they try to help from the start!

Anyway I don't want to start a flame war again. Now I do see merit in what Aviko is saying about powering down/up PCB during the fix that issues could occur. I concur with a previous post that Aviko, if you have a better safer solution to fixing these drives then post your solution in full and let the users decide which one they want to use... Then there can be Kudos to both!

[aviko]

I would like to say thanks to Gradius2 and I know there were others that first decided and then provided a solution to "debrick" our drives. Seagate has been more arragont than anyone on this forum, as they knew about the issue, knew who could have the problem (if one registered), knew how it could be stopped until solution (leave drive running), and been a lot more understanding of those who had a "bricked" drive.

In defence of Gradius2 and others who, if they hadn't pursued the simple solution to this problem, we might never have known how really simple the problem is to solve. Instead we all would have had to pay big dollars to data recovery companies for something they could fix in 15 minutes. I for one was quoted a cost of $500 for fixing my drive and I know some probably would have had to pay a lot more.

Its interesting how the "data recovery people" are jumping into the forums since a solution has been posted. Why did't they try to help from the start!

Anyway I don't want to start a flame war again. Now I do see merit in what Aviko is saying about powering down/up PCB during the fix that issues could occur. I concur with a previous post that Aviko, if you have a better safer solution to fixing these drives then post your solution in full and let the users decide which one they want to use... Then there can be Kudos to both!

you are wrong. Gradius2 didnt provide anything.

ok, as you wish

Drive is busy example, not solution: drive ST3500320AS SD15

remove 3 screws nearest heads connector, motor connected, put something between pcb and hda to lift pcb and prevent contact.

power on, wait until drive stops motor


(ctrl+z)

F3 T>/2

F3 2>Z

Spin Down Complete
Elapsed Time 0.146 msecs 

[color="#FF0000"]ADDED: Now its time to put pcb back to hdd and install it.[/color]

F3 2>U

Spin Up Complete
Elapsed Time 6.864 secs 

this part is not necessary, use when firts try fails

F3 2>/

F3 T>F712
Byte:0712:	   RealTimeUpdatedFlags = 00 00
Byte:0712:		   Bit:0, HPA_SET_BY_SETMAX = 0
Byte:0712:		   Bit:1, HPA_SET_BY_SETMAX_EXT = 0
Byte:0712:		   Bit:2, DCO_SET_ACTIVE = 0
Byte:0712:		   Bit:3, CONGEN_READ_FROM_MEDIA = 0	   <- configuration not loaded from surface

F3 T>F,,22

Drive Configuration restored to defaults.

F3 T>F712
Byte:0712:	   RealTimeUpdatedFlags = 08 00
Byte:0712:		   Bit:0, HPA_SET_BY_SETMAX = 0
Byte:0712:		   Bit:1, HPA_SET_BY_SETMAX_EXT = 0
Byte:0712:		   Bit:2, DCO_SET_ACTIVE = 0
Byte:0712:		   Bit:3, CONGEN_READ_FROM_MEDIA = 1	   <- done

(end of part to skip at first attempt)

F3 T>/1

F3 1>N1

F3 1>/

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 Rewrite Retries = 0000

User Partition Format   5% complete, Zone 00, Pass 00, LBA 00008DED, ErrCode 00000080, Elapsed Time 0 mins 05 secs		
User Partition Format Successful - Elapsed Time 0 mins 05 secs		

F3 T>	  

(finished, power off)

happy now?

@edit: added missed step to install pcb back on drive.

Edited February 5, 2009 by aviko

[aviko]

Sorry I was not clear at all. I will try again.

I have two drives ST31000340AS, lets call them A + B.

A is good and updated to firmware SD1A.

B has SD15 but cannot be seen in BIOS, hd light is constantly on.

Can I take pcb from B put it on A, flash the drive to SD1A, then put the pcb back to B.

Will this work without damage to both hardware and data?

it makes no sense,

1. update firmware is not only on pcb

2. drive A will not work with pcb from B

3. firmware update will not fix bsy and cap. 0 problem

why cant you fix drive B ?

[puma34]

Hi

I rescued my data

My priceless thanks ($30 ) go to Gradius2 and all the people who made his tutorial possible

Now mister aviko

Do you think you have contributed anything useful up till now?

Personally I wouldn't dare to follow any of your instructions

Besides I comprehend only half of what you are saying

Is there any moderator who can rescue this thread by showing 'someone' the door - give him his own thread or something

puma34

[aviko]

Hi

I rescued my data

My priceless thanks ($30 ) go to Gradius2 and all the people who made his tutorial possible

Now mister aviko

Do you think you have contributed anything useful up till now?

Personally I wouldn't dare to follow any of your instructions

Besides I comprehend only half of what you are saying

Is there any moderator who can rescue this thread by showing 'someone' the door - give him his own thread or something

puma34

bye

[Gradius2]

Fourth: making unnecessary double signal conversion is a potentialy source of problems: from USB (which is +5V) to RS232 levels (which are -12V to +12V) and back to TTL levels (+5V) which btw is a little too much but noone fried his drive due that.

I'll only talk about this part, is the only one "interesting".

Valid signals are plus or minus 3 to 15 volts for RS232.

From wiki:

A common deviation from the standard was to drive the signals at a reduced voltage: the standard requires the transmitter to use +12V and -12V, but requires the receiver to distinguish voltages as low as +3V and -3V. Some manufacturers therefore built transmitters that supplied +5V and -5V and labeled them as "RS-232 compatible."

Many adapters also includes an Optocoupler inside on IC or component.

This is my last reply for aviko, if you want to continue this flamewar, go to a place like youtube and start putting comments on any video there, I bet you'll get a lot more fun there.

[spankerer]

Hi all,

I finally managed to revive my HDD with the Nokia CA-42/DKU-5 cable.

To whomever it was who came up with the steps to recover the HDD, you have my heartfelt gratitude, whether it be gradius or the dudes at Ace Labs or the HDD Doctor dudes. Without the instructions, I would not have been able to revive the HDD, without gradius I'd still be searching (and waiting) for a working solution.

Thank you, my data was worth far more than a crummy Seagate HDD

[Gradius2]

Well guys, I have bad news for those who just did an update from (for example) SD15 to SD1A, when the drive didn't showed any 0 LBA or BSY symptom.

I'll open a new topic talking about it.

Edit: ok here is: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=129459

Edited February 3, 2009 by Gradius2

[my77stang]

im so confused, i dont know which procedure to use

[Guest yura's_friend]

@my77stang:

Yura is well known data recovery researcher, aviko works in data recovery company and posted yura's solution. The original solution was given into public domain in Polish, gradius is from Chile - do you think he understand Polish better then aviko? I don't think so. He used translator to make his 'help topic' - just for profit as we see now (gradius registerd puma34 account just to force people to pay more and discredit aviko - which is even more unfair than stealing somebody's work).

Use aviko's step-by-step solution. We know what we're talking about - we fix these drives on a daily basis.

[alexx86]

Hi again,

Now i've tried the loopback test so my setup is correct.

I dont get any response from the terminal, I dont get "F3 T>", but i can type..

I placed a paper card between the motor connector and the harddiskmainboard like in post #1, attached the tx and rx cables, opened hyperterminal, and then powered on the drive, and then pushed CTRL+Z... But i don't get anything?

Anyone that can help me? Over msn maybe?

I have a 3500320AS with SD15 firmwire. And i bought i RS232-TTL usb-converter.

[Gradius2]

@my77stang:

Yura is well known data recovery researcher, aviko works in data recovery company and posted yura's solution. The original solution was given into public domain in Polish, gradius is from Chile - do you think he understand Polish better then aviko? I don't think so. He used translator to make his 'help topic' - just for profit as we see now (gradius registerd puma34 account just to force people to pay more and discredit aviko - which is even more unfair than stealing somebody's work).

Me? for profit? registered puma34? LOL !!!

You guys are too funny.

Nice try aviko's clone.

Edited February 3, 2009 by Gradius2

[Gradius2]

Hi again,

Now i've tried the loopback test so my setup is correct.

I dont get any response from the terminal, I dont get "F3 T>", but i can type..

I placed a paper card between the motor connector and the harddiskmainboard like in post #1, attached the tx and rx cables, opened hyperterminal, and then powered on the drive, and then pushed CTRL+Z... But i don't get anything?

Anyone that can help me? Over msn maybe?

I have a 3500320AS with SD15 firmwire. And i bought i RS232-TTL usb-converter.

Turn off all, remove the PCB from HDA, power on, then try CTRL+Z.

[aviko]

im so confused, i dont know which procedure to use

dont be confused, method is same, i just removed all steps which is potentialy dangerous for data.