Firmware

Marvlin · 12 Mar 2011 at 09:28

Hi, I have a hard drive that is ticking when I reboot and isn't recognised by windows.

My Operating system is intact, this is a secondary drive.

I am under the impression that the firmware may be corrupted?

Is there a way to fix this.

Many Thanks

Marv

Purgatory · 12 Mar 2011 at 10:00

Would help if you state the make and model number of the drive you are having problems with :rolleyes:

... The force is strong but not even my Jedi powers can help you right now..

.. State the drive mate, maybe then can look it up for you and see if it has a fault or some manufacturers diagnostic software you can run on it to see what the error is.

rpstewart · 12 Mar 2011 at 10:01

It's unlikely to be a firmware problem. It's more likely that the drive is simply dying/dead.

The best option is going to be to bin it and restore from backups to a new drive. If you do need to recover anything off it then you might get lucky by sticking it in a sealed bag in the freezer for an hour or so.

Marvlin · 12 Mar 2011 at 10:12

Purgatory said:
Would help if you state the make and model number of the drive you are having problems with ... The force is strong but not even my Jedi powers can help you right now.. .. State the drive mate, maybe then can look it up for you and see if it has a fault or some manufacturers diagnostic software you can run on it to see what the error is.

There you go:

MAXTOR DIAMOND MAX22 STM3500320AS (500Gig)
P/N: 9GT-154-325
FIRMWARE: MX 15

Not sure if the following is relevant but if it is here it is:

Date Code: 08325
Site Code: WUXISG

Serial Number: 5QM0VRZ2

Marvlin · 12 Mar 2011 at 10:17

rpstewart said:
It's unlikely to be a firmware problem. It's more likely that the drive is simply dying/dead.

The best option is going to be to bin it and restore from backups to a new drive. If you do need to recover anything off it then you might get lucky by sticking it in a sealed bag in the freezer for an hour or so.

Yeh, thanks mate. I have already tried this TBH, but gratefull for the response

The drive did completely die, wouldn't spin up or anything.

I then bought an identical Logic board, same firmware etc and swapped it over.

The drive now spins up but clicks.

I am currently trying to find an identical drive to try a platter swap (risky I know, but I have nothing to lose).

My current plan is to keep searching for a donor drive and hope that over time I can find some hardware that will enable me to remove the platter and insert into the said hardware so it can be read, or an image taken etc.

I'm hoping patience will be a virtue on this one

Craig321 · 12 Mar 2011 at 10:25

Now that it's at least on, have you tried data recovery software?

Marvlin · 12 Mar 2011 at 11:10

Craig321 said:
Now that it's at least on, have you tried data recovery software?

I tried one that recovers deleted data that I have used before, but because windows wasn't recognising the drive it couldn't access the drive to retrieve the data.

I find myself wondering how the experts manage to recover the data.

I don't believe for one minute they mess about with donor drives.

They must have a generic piece of hardware that can read platters once removed from the drive as a last resort?

If this does exist, I would be very interested in aquiring it

Craig321 · 12 Mar 2011 at 12:36

Marvlin said:
I tried one that recovers deleted data that I have used before, but because windows wasn't recognising the drive it couldn't access the drive to retrieve the data.

I find myself wondering how the experts manage to recover the data.

I don't believe for one minute they mess about with donor drives.

They must have a generic piece of hardware that can read platters once removed from the drive as a last resort?

If this does exist, I would be very interested in aquiring it

Proper data recovery centres will have thousands of pounds of equipment, dust free/sterile rooms etc. to perform data recovery, not to mention specialized software and access to various board replacements and the ability to repair boards themselves etc.

Marvlin · 12 Mar 2011 at 13:36

Craig321 said:
Proper data recovery centres will have thousands of pounds of equipment, dust free/sterile rooms etc. to perform data recovery, not to mention specialized software and access to various board replacements and the ability to repair boards themselves etc.

Ah well, I think that will probably be overkill for me

I'll just have to continue down my present path.

Thanks for the help guys.

Chiribo · 12 Mar 2011 at 14:32

Marvlin said:
I am currently trying to find an identical drive to try a platter swap (risky I know, but I have nothing to lose).

If you have nothing to lose then you have nothing to gain. You're simply wasting your time. May as well just buy a new drive and be done with it.

Marvlin · 12 Mar 2011 at 14:53

Chiribo said:
If you have nothing to lose then you have nothing to gain. You're simply wasting your time. May as well just buy a new drive and be done with it.

There is data on this drive that is worth more than 100 hard drives to me. It contains sensitive data i.e bank account details. Financial records, account numbers etc etc , photos from family holidays, photos from when my children were growing up etc etc

Right now it is already lost to me. Anything I do now will not make it worse. But if it works I have everything to gain and before anyone starts with the whole back it up mantra, I know... but it doesn't change the situation.

I have been trying to recover this data for 4 months on an off and see know reason to give up now.

If the platter swap fails then I will probably resign myself to my loss but not before.

DragonQ · 12 Mar 2011 at 15:01

If the data is that important to you, just pay a data recovery service to get as much of the data back as possible.

Marvlin · 12 Mar 2011 at 15:42

DragonQ said:
If the data is that important to you, just pay a data recovery service to get as much of the data back as possible.

Did you not see this bit "It contains sensitive data i.e bank account details. Financial records, account numbers etc etc".

I don't trust anyone with that information.

Can I also remind everyone that all I wanted to know was can the firmware be fixed?

Thanks everyone anyway, you have answered my question and the answer is no.

I once again gratefull to everyone that took the time to reply, but I feel we are straying from the orginal point of the thread. How I can save this hard drive and then for me to recover the data.

Sincere regards

Marv

Craig321 · 12 Mar 2011 at 15:46

Marvlin said:
Did you not see this bit "It contains sensitive data i.e bank account details. Financial records, account numbers etc etc".

I don't trust anyone with that information.

Can I also remind everyone that all I wanted to know was can the firmware be fixed?

Thanks everyone anyway, you have answered my question and the answer is no.

I once again gratefull to everyone that took the time to reply, but I feel we are straying from the orginal point of the thread. How I can save this hard drive and then for me to recover the data.

Sincere regards

Marv

If that's the only reason you don't use a data recovery centre, then simply go with someone trusted. They won't steal your information.

Marvlin · 12 Mar 2011 at 17:11

Craig321 said:
If that's the only reason you don't use a data recovery centre, then simply go with someone trusted. They won't steal your information.

What can I say. I have learned not to trust people I don't know. In some case even those I do know

Purgatory · 12 Mar 2011 at 19:14

Marvlin said:
There you go:

MAXTOR DIAMOND MAX22 STM3500320AS (500Gig)
P/N: 9GT-154-325
FIRMWARE: MX 15

Not sure if the following is relevant but if it is here it is:

Date Code: 08325
Site Code: WUXISG

Serial Number: 5QM0VRZ2

Firmware Update for STM3500320AS, STM3750330AS, STM31000340AS [207969]

http://seagate.custkb.com/seagate/crm/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=207969

Could even try something like this if the firmware update fails ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29FztWJVxbM&feature=related

Marvlin · 13 Mar 2011 at 07:28

Purgatory said:
Firmware Update for STM3500320AS, STM3750330AS, STM31000340AS [207969]

http://seagate.custkb.com/seagate/crm/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=207969

Could even try something like this if the firmware update fails ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29FztWJVxbM&feature=related

Nice one mate. both of these solutions are just what I am looking for. I really appreciate the effort you have put into finding them.

What I have done so far:

1) Connected the Hard drive to the computer
2) executed the firmware updater
3) The system rebooted
4) It gave the boot from dvd option as it always does
5) it then said boot manager not found and hung
6) I then reset the Bios as the system wouldn't boot even though I had now removed the troublesome hard drive.
7) When I restarted after loading fail safe defaults the firmware program ran in DOS
8) The program didn't give me the option to select a drive, I assume becuase I had disconnected the only seagate drive I have. The rest are western digital.

9) The system booted back into windows

I am going to try the option 2 probably next weekend, I'll let you know if it works.

Sincere thanks again for your help Purgatory.

Marv

thunderflash · 13 Mar 2011 at 10:30

I had something similar with my drive, it disappeared from My Computer but I could still see it in Disk Manager. I used a piece of software that runs in dos and followed a few steps and that was it, it was fine again. Won't help if you can't see it in Disk Manager though. Will post the link if you want it. Am not at home just now so can't post it just now, can't find site on my iPhone or remember what it's called :rolleyes:

thunderflash · 13 Mar 2011 at 16:55

The software I used is called testdisk, Not sure if it will be of any use to you but might be to someone else.

Once installed:
A. At the first window, select “No Log” and press the <Enter> key.
B. Select which drive to analyse, choose “Proceed” and <Enter>.
C. Select partition type – Intel if it’s a PC then <Enter>.
D. Select “Analyse” then <Enter>. The drive will be analysed.
E. Select “Quick Search” at the next screen, then <Enter>.
F. Press “Y” if the partitions were created under Vista – “N” if not.
G. TestDisk should say “Structure OK”. If so, press <Enter>.
H. Select “Write” and press <Enter>.
I. Press “Y” to confirm.
J. Press <Enter>.
Close TestDisk and RESTART the computer.

Like I say disk has to be in disk management but not in my computer. Hopefully help someone if not yourself. I got back a 1tb hard drive with doing this.

Marvlin · 13 Mar 2011 at 21:30

thunderflash said:
The software I used is called testdisk, Not sure if it will be of any use to you but might be to someone else.

Once installed:
A. At the first window, select “No Log” and press the <Enter> key.
B. Select which drive to analyse, choose “Proceed” and <Enter>.
C. Select partition type – Intel if it’s a PC then <Enter>.
D. Select “Analyse” then <Enter>. The drive will be analysed.
E. Select “Quick Search” at the next screen, then <Enter>.
F. Press “Y” if the partitions were created under Vista – “N” if not.
G. TestDisk should say “Structure OK”. If so, press <Enter>.
H. Select “Write” and press <Enter>.
I. Press “Y” to confirm.
J. Press <Enter>.
Close TestDisk and RESTART the computer.

Like I say disk has to be in disk management but not in my computer. Hopefully help someone if not yourself. I got back a 1tb hard drive with doing this.

Yeh mate, as you say my drive doesn't even show up in disc management

I'm sure this will still be useful to someone else though mate, so thanks for posting.