how to update samsung f3 firmware?

tr1cky

tr1cky

tr1cky

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Hey guys, literally ripping my hair out. I have been trying for the day now to update my hard drive with the following firmware;

http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/faqView.do?b2b_bbs_msg_id=308

So I can complete my new build and access all my important data. Basically I have no idea how to update the files, I have tried making a bootable usb drive but just can't seem to get it right. My mobo is ASUS M4A87TD and it is not picking up the hard-drive. I am hoping if I get this installed it will all be working properly.

If anyone can give me a good explanation on how I do this I would much appreciate it.
 
tr1cky said:
My mobo is ASUS M4A87TD and it is not picking up the hard-drive.
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Have you tried all the SATA ports, in all available modes, and also a different HDD (to eliminate the possibility of a faulty mobo)?

If you've done that and the mobo can't still see the HDD at all (a bit of googling does suggest there are some compatibility issues with this particular combination), I doubt if you'll be able to do anything useful - do you have another machine you could use to flash the drive?

tr1cky said:
access all my important data
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Just to be clear, and bearing in mind a failed flash could easily brick the drive, you do have a backup don't you?
 
jbloggs said:
Have you tried running it from a floppy?
Click to expand...

I don't have a floppy drive - and I dont know how to run it from the USB, I have updated the mobo bio's but that is a different file type, when I try it for the samsung firmware the ez flash bio's just doesn't pick up the file.

CaptainCrash said:
Have you tried all the SATA ports, in all available modes, and also a different HDD (to eliminate the possibility of a faulty mobo)?
Click to expand...

The mobo is fine as I am running an older HDD with windows installed on it. I have tried changing the sata ports but no luck.

CaptainCrash said:
If you've done that and the mobo can't still see the HDD at all (a bit of googling does suggest there are some compatibility issues with this particular combination), I doubt if you'll be able to do anything useful - do you have another machine you could use to flash the drive?
Click to expand...

Unfortunatly I dont have another machine but as I got this one running fine apart from the F3 drive I can flash it on here? I just dont know how to do that.

CaptainCrash said:
Just to be clear, and bearing in mind a failed flash could easily brick the drive, you do have a backup don't you?
Click to expand...

I dont have a backup for all of the stuff on there no but it there is no work files on it just a TB of personal stuff like music and videos etc. Im willing to take the risk. Although I will be devestated if I loose all my music collection!

Cheers for the help guys
 
I will try and find out for you tonight mate.

I built my new rig recently and had the same problem. My mate, who does post on here occasionally, sorted mine out for me as I am a complete nub with these things.

I will ask him exactly how he did it. He might even post on here himself if I give him a nudge. :)
 
have gone into disk management to see if your hd is there?

sometimes it will not show up in my computer if it is not partitioned or formatted.
 
PapaLazaru said:
I will try and find out for you tonight mate.

I built my new rig recently and had the same problem. My mate, who does post on here occasionally, sorted mine out for me as I am a complete nub with these things.

I will ask him exactly how he did it. He might even post on here himself if I give him a nudge. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot man!
 
tr1cky said:
My mobo is ASUS M4A87TD and it is not picking up the hard-drive.
Click to expand...
When you say "not picking up", do you mean that the F3 can't be found in the BIOS, or that it's listed in the BIOS but you just can't see it in Windows?

Unfortunatly I dont have another machine but as I got this one running fine apart from the F3 drive I can flash it on here? I just dont know how to do that.
Click to expand...
Well, no... if the motherboard itself doesn't recognise the F3 at all, then how can you use it as a platform to flash the drive's firmware? The mobo doesn't even know the drive is there, so as far as it's concerned there's nothing to flash. Unless you can connect the drive to another board which *does* recognise it, presumably one which doesn't have the troublesome SB850 chipset, you're stuck in a chicken-and-egg situation - you can't flash the drive if the mobo can't see it, and the mobo can't see it until you flash the drive firmware (assuming this is in fact the problem).

I don't have a floppy drive - and I dont know how to run it from the USB, I have updated the mobo bio's but that is a different file type, when I try it for the samsung firmware the ez flash bio's just doesn't pick up the file.
Click to expand...
I've tried to make sense of this, and I'm guessing that you've tried to use the *motherboard's* flash utility to update the drive's firmware (correct me if I'm wrong). This won't work, you have to use Samsungs own executable file (F3.exe), run directly from a bootable medium (USB or floppy drive).

If you're having trouble actually creating a bootable USB drive (apologies if I'm off the mark but, again, you're a bit vague on this point), follow the instructions here, then unzip the contents of F3.zip onto it. When you look at the drive in Explorer, you should just see a single file (F3.exe). Power off the computer, disconnect all drives *except* the F3, restart, go into the BIOS, select the USB drive as the first boot device, reboot again, and you should be delivered to a command prompt - just type in "F3.exe" (without the quotes), hit Enter and follow the instructions.

Once again, though, for this to work the motherboard needs to know the F3 is there - if it did, I don't suppose you'd have the problem in the first place...
 
I had the same problem, try this before you update the firmware:

update to the most recent bios, then performed the firmware flash, as directed above. Then when thats done:
open BIOS -> Storage Configuration -> OnChip SATA Speed and choice : SATA 3.0GB/s -> save -> boot

Edit: if not then I can try and give you the steps I did when I had this problem but I don't know if it worked as I then did the above method and that made it work.
 
thanks a lot CaptainCrash and stromatolites.. it wasn't working intill I chaned the sata speed!

Does this mean that it'll only be running as sata 3 if I buy another HDD that is sata 6?
 
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