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The Solution for Seagate 7200.11 HDDs


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but I take it logically and hope if I do the steps right, I will succeed. First of all, I read of a lot of hardware equipment (that customized cable) that will connect HDD with PC, I ordered mine (I am waiting to arrive) from e-bay. I don't know if I am allowed to post a link, so I am waiting permission to do so, if that's ok. T

Sure you can post a link to the adapter you ordered :), though "logically" you should have read the read-me-first, and the FGA's and the recommended guide before. :whistle:

The BSY state is typical of a particular issue of the earliest firmware, BUT it can happen (and sometimes be solved) also to later releases (most probably for "different reasons"), this should be clearly understandable from the read-me first, in the FOREWORD:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=143880

and/or in the FGA''s (#2 actually):

and/or in the recommended guide:

http://www.mapleleafmountain.com/seagatebrick.html

jaclaz

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Thanks, jaclaz. That was fast answering. :) I ordered the cable from here. Please tell me I didn't do a stupid thing. :Dhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/FT232BM-BL-Seagate-Barracuda-7200-11-Firmware-Fix-tool-complete-USB-powered-/280748167812?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415de51284

I will read the forum and the links but the more I read, the more I get confused by the wide variety of adapters and/or software commands, so I try to keep the reading to a minimum, so to speak. :D I hope you'll be helpful enough to guide me if I'll have any problems.

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Thanks, jaclaz. That was fast answering. :) I ordered the cable from here. Please tell me I didn't do a stupid thing. :Dhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/FT232BM-BL-Seagate-Barracuda-7200-11-Firmware-Fix-tool-complete-USB-powered-/280748167812?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415de51284

I will read the forum and the links but the more I read, the more I get confused by the wide variety of adapters and/or software commands, so I try to keep the reading to a minimum, so to speak. :D I hope you'll be helpful enough to guide me if I'll have any problems.

Read a few posts starting here ;) :

jaclaz

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Well, I read that page before your post, but I am still in the unclear. After all, I did a mistake or not ? Will it work or I threw away money ? By the way, I "did" spot out the link at the bottom of the page from first try :D But the link is from another website, that is actually my first forum I read regarding my problems with the HDDs. I am still in the unclear if the ordered cable comes with the drivers or not. I downloaded the drivers from the link posted 2 pages before this, hope it will work. :(

And another thing, the drive with SD33, from your experience, can be bought to life by using the classic method used at S15 case ?

Further edit (sorry for being annoying): I have another (a third Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 drive), working, but it has the same faulty S15 bug.

Name: ST3500320AS

S/N: 6QM04K7Z

Revision: SD15

This drive is working at the moment, but it still has the faulty firmware on than can hit at any time. I downloaded the executable Seagate Firmware Update Utility 1.0.0, that supposedly should update the drive to SD1A. The file is one executable file, 31,566,952 bytes and named ms-sd1a.exe. Is it ok for me to run this file and allow the new firmware update ? I don't want to lose any data. Is it safe to do it ? The drive has an operating system on it. Again, thanks.

Edited by Phaenius
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Well, I read that page before your post, but I am still in the unclear. After all, I did a mistake or not ? Will it work or I threw away money ? By the way, I "did" spot out the link at the bottom of the page from first try :D But the link is from another website, that is actually my first forum I read regarding my problems with the HDDs. I am still in the unclear if the ordered cable comes with the drivers or not. I downloaded the drivers from the link posted 2 pages before this, hope it will work. :(

Well, if you follow the thread, you will see how OP standingbear is now among the happy bunnies :thumbup :

BTW you already "owe" us a cute happy bunny pic for the consultancy given till now ;).

And another thing, the drive with SD33, from your experience, can be bought to life by using the classic method used at S15 case ?

Cannot say, basically - provided that Seagate is telling the truth - later fiirmwares do not suffer from the SAME bug, but - as seen extensively - can get in the BSY issue allright nonetheless.

The "fix" is basically a way to get off a BSY loop, but since we don't know why exactly the disk enters this loop (and when/how it does so) there is no way to know in advance IF it will be effective, let alone "actually fix" anything.

Any disk "repaired" this way (as well as *any* disk *anytime*) may fail again (for the same or for other causes).

Further edit (sorry for being annoying): I have another (a third Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 drive), working, but it has the same faulty S15 bug.

Name: ST3500320AS

S/N: 6QM04K7Z

Revision: SD15

This drive is working at the moment, but it still has the faulty firmware on than can hit at any time. I downloaded the executable Seagate Firmware Update Utility 1.0.0, that supposedly should update the drive to SD1A. The file is one executable file, 31,566,952 bytes and named ms-sd1a.exe. Is it ok for me to run this file and allow the new firmware update ? I don't want to lose any data. Is it safe to do it ? The drive has an operating system on it. Again, thanks.

As a "rule of thumb" it's not like that, i.e. it is not that you need a backup before attempting a (risky) operation such as a firmware update, you should have a backup ANYWAY (actually two of them, on different media and kept in two different physical locations) of any data that you value.

Normally a firmware update should NOT create any data loss, but Murphy's Law is EVERYWHERE, continuously trying to prove itself true once again.... :ph34r:

jaclaz

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Murphy's law, adapted to Phaenius' law, that says that if a thing could go wrong, it will. That's why I have to take all necessary precautions and ask all those questions to the point of annoying people. :D But baaaaaad things do happen to me quite often, in this case, power outage, all sorts of other "rare" things that can occur (in my case "will"). So, risking throwing a stick at me, am I at least 70% safe on flashing the (working) drive without me losing data ? I can't backup it, all is valuable, it would require and additional HDD and I don't have it.

Thanks again. I will read the linked threads. Everytime there is a link, more (contradictory in my case) information comes to me that confuse me. I may end up myself in a human BSY mode. :wacko:

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Murphy's law, adapted to Phaenius' law, that says that if a thing could go wrong, it will. That's why I have to take all necessary precautions and ask all those questions to the point of annoying people. :D But baaaaaad things do happen to me quite often, in this case, power outage, all sorts of other "rare" things that can occur (in my case "will"). So, risking throwing a stick at me, am I at least 70% safe on flashing the (working) drive without me losing data ? I can't backup it, all is valuable, it would require and additional HDD and I don't have it.

Thanks again. I will read the linked threads. Everytime there is a link, more (contradictory in my case) information comes to me that confuse me. I may end up myself in a human BSY mode. :wacko:

The "most dangerous" thing that can happen when "flashing" something is a power outage/failure, personally (and this applies also to BIOS flashing, modem/routers, etc.) I wouldn't EVEN THINK of performing a firmware flashing without having everything connected to a suitable UPS.

The chances are low, but it can happen.

70% is not a "logical" request, most probably you are above 95% with a trend towards 99% :thumbup BUT the whole point is the remaining 1÷5% :ph34r:

IMHO if your data has less value than 70 US$ or so (a street price for a 500 Gb hard disk), it means that they have no value at all.

Additionally, since you are going to spare that money for a backup, I am led to believe that you intend to re-use the "fixed" disk as primary and "only" data storage.

In this latter case you have 100% probabilities to lose the data :w00t: , the question becomes not anymore "IF", but rather "WHEN"... :whistle:

jaclaz

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70% is not a "logical" request, most probably you are above 95% with a trend towards 99% :thumbup BUT the whole point is the remaining 1÷5% :ph34r:

In my case, 70% is pretty good. You don't know my luck. I don't have an UPS. I flashed things in the past (firmware for BIOS, optical drives, etc.), but never an HDD. Seagate recommends backing up data. I can't, that's why I asked what are my chances of succeeding without losing data.

IMHO if your data has less value than 70 US$ or so (a street price for a 500 Gb hard disk), it means that they have no value at all.

My data has value to me. Personal stuff, things I collected in several years.

Additionally, since you are going to spare that money for a backup, I am led to believe that you intend to re-use the "fixed" disk as primary and "only" data storage.

In this latter case you have 100% probabilities to lose the data :w00t: , the question becomes not anymore "IF", but rather "WHEN"... :whistle:

This I didn't get it. What do you mean ? I intend to reuse all the drives, that's why are there for. From what I read, the drives are good, they just have a firmware glitch. But mechanical, the drives are ok. Currently I have 4 drives. All Seagate. 3 of them are 7200.11 (two bricked and one working, but a S15 time bomb) and one 7200.10.

Shall I go with the flash on my working drive ? If so, if you don't see me post for a long time, I bricked that one too.

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This I didn't get it. What do you mean ? I intend to reuse all the drives, that's why are there for. From what I read, the drives are good, they just have a firmware glitch. But mechanical, the drives are ok. Currently I have 4 drives. All Seagate. 3 of them are 7200.11 (two bricked and one working, but a S15 time bomb) and one 7200.10.

A perfectly "mechanically sound" AND new (and never "fixed" - BTW along an UNdocumented, UNofficial, UNsupported, casually discovered/leaked method) hard disk may fail tomorrow (or the day after tomorrow) or even NOW, for NO apparent reason.

Hard disk failures are UNpredictable.

There are chances that the same two hard disks (model, make, manufactured the same day, with just one single digit of the serial number increased, bought the same day in the same shop) used by two twin brothers in two identical PC's, physically located in the same, room, powered by the same line, with exactly the same contents and read/wrote in exactly the same way fail - respectively - after 1 week and after 3 years (or one or both never fail in their usage lifetime).

Seriously, I have seen identical drives in identical RAIDs fail for no reason, and no, it wasnt the case about which tray (upper, lower, one of the middle ones) they were in.

Shall I go with the flash on my working drive ? If so, if you don't see me post for a long time, I bricked that one too.

I would make a tested PE of some kind or a Linux Live (please read as "emergency way out") before that.

Not to put you down in any way mind you, I actually tend to be an optimist :), only trying to make you fully aware of the possibilities...

Your playing against the odds is a lot like "playing against the house", it will win. (in the long run)

But, on, the other hand:

Life is "trying things to see if they work".

:thumbup

jaclaz

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What do you mean "a tested PE of some kind" ?

Anyway, I know generally, like Forrest Gump would say, "s*** happens", but very low odds aside, wanted to know what are the odds of me of flashing at first (until my cable - of which I don't know if it's good or not, even after I read the linked threads - arrives) the working drive. Seagate recommends backing it up as a precaution measure, but at the moment I can't. Not to mention I can only easily backup storage data (not Windows and every setting there is in it at the moment, or any other installed software). I suppose, you as one of the big guns from this forum, encountered a lot of situations, firmware upgrades and all. So, basically, from your experience, is more safer than unsafe to do the flashing ? I repeat, the program will be run from Windows, there is an operating system on the drive and drive is bootable.

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What do you mean "a tested PE of some kind" ?

Anyway, I know generally, like Forrest Gump would say, "s*** happens", but very low odds aside, wanted to know what are the odds of me of flashing at first (until my cable - of which I don't know if it's good or not, even after I read the linked threads - arrives) the working drive. Seagate recommends backing it up as a precaution measure, but at the moment I can't. Not to mention I can only easily backup storage data (not Windows and every setting there is in it at the moment, or any other installed software). I suppose, you as one of the big guns from this forum, encountered a lot of situations, firmware upgrades and all. So, basically, from your experience, is more safer than unsafe to do the flashing ? I repeat, the program will be run from Windows, there is an operating system on the drive and drive is bootable.

A Pre-install Environment, something that you can boot in emergency from a DVD or USB stick and that can be used to boot the PC (and possibly connect to the internet) even with a failed hard disk.

Running *any* firmware upgrade from a Windows (generally) and from a Windows Vista :ph34r: or later is what I call "asking for troubles" or "pure folly".

IMHO firmwares should be updated from the most "reduced" simple, UNconnected to *anything* environment in which it would run (typically DOS, and DOS booted from a CD).

This is how the "right" Seagate firmware updating works:

http://support.seagate.com/firmware/firmware_update_procedure.html

What you want is the appropriate .iso from here (and NOT the Windows tool):

http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/207951en

Of course if the Seagate guys provide a Windows tool, it must be "safe" to use it, only issue is that there is NOT one way on earth they can have reproduced the exact same situation of your peculiar Windows 7 install, and BTW the guide:

http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/210091en

is clearly Windows XP related (but then again there is NOT one way on earth they can have tested the tool on an exactly similar system to your Windows XP install)

About the cable/adapter, what we know is that a member bought one from that same e-bay seller and the one specimen he got did work, do you want a written guarantee (from me) that the specimen you will get will work? :w00t:

Sure :) I guarantee that in case of malfunctioning you will get your money back (of course limited to the amount of money that you will send me in exchange for the guarantee - which becomes operative and legally binding after 7 days from the receiving of the payment on my Cayman Island UNtraceable :w00t: account ) ;).

jaclaz

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I tried Seagate ISO images to boot from CD but it doesn't work. I have KNOPIXX, but if the drive fails, nothing can save me from there.

Sure I don't want a guarantee. :) Some feedback from people. Great that it worked.

Edited by Phaenius
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I tried Seagate ISO images to boot from CD but it doesn't work.

Look, I don't want to seem grumpier that what I normally am, but while in the case of the adapter we have a single report of it working, the bootable CD .iso have worked for tens, hundreds and possibly thousands of users.

You must have an issue with the CD, the downloaded .iso, the burning app you used or something else, those .iso:

  1. do work
  2. do boot

translated to

"burning cd's?"

"you are doing it wrong!"

demotivation-posters-auto-368534.jpeg

Which means that you should be nice, start a new thread describing the issues you are having with that .iso/CD.

Until you have solved that issue DO NOT attempt a firmware upgrade from Windows.

jaclaz

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Well, I burned the CD, I boot from CD, but on the menus I don't have mouse and I can't do anything. My mouse is a wireless USB mouse and it's not detected by the Seagate bootable CD program. Don't know why, but it doesn't. So, I must do the thing from inside Windows. So to speak, because computer is rebooting and I think it makes some sort of RAM drive or something and works from there.

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