Barracuda XT, Barracuda, Barracuda Green, DiamondMax and other desktop SATA and IDE drives

[archinla]

"...Did you burn the .iso as an image (correct) or do you have a cd with just a .iso file sitting on it (incorrect)?..."

Mounted the ISO so it appeared as a disk on the desktop; used Disk Utility to burn that. Also tried Toast, making an ISO 9660 disk and dragging the contents into that. Neither worked. 

The thing is I have a still working drive in the Mac Pro as well as the dead one. If this darn Seagate boot disk would boot I might then be able to see both. Seeing as the working drive has non-critical data on it i HAVE backed up I could try doing the firmware update on that one as a test before trying to revive the dead one. 

With so few Mac people commenting here or on any other discussion I've found on the same subject I'm not even sure this boot disk functions, let alone the firmware update it carries. 

[Photodom]

DennisC

Eh!, you mean that there is a solution (?) that does not require buying £500 ($500) worth of kit and the Seagat Forum MODS won't let you post it???

Sorry guys, but whether it be approved or unapproved, shouldn't matter.

Surely the MODS job is to ensure no libelous comments, not restrict the transmission of information between consenting (and in some cases) desperate adults.

To the MODS, any explanation as to why the link is disallowed.

And if the cure is a simple as Dennisc describes, why are Seagate not actively promoting it??

Thanks

[noegruts]

Well at least it appears that there is some accountability:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/05/seagate_fires_vps/

Seagate swings hefty axe at execs

Brian Dexheimer, 22 others jettisoned

By Chris Mellor • Get more from this author

Posted in Storage, 5th March 2009 12:05 GMT

Free whitepaper – Data center projects: growth model

Seagate has given several execs the boot, including consumer products divisional president Brian Dexheimer, whose division's products didn't exactly set the world on fire.

According to an SEC filing Dexheimer will leave his post at the end of the financial year, June 30, to effect a smooth transition, following which there will be a to-be-negotiated separation agreement, presumably with no-compete clauses. After 20 years at Seagate, this will be a body blow.

A total of five SVPs and a whopping 17 VPs will go, a fifth of the VP and SVP ranks at Seagate. This is an executive bloodbath caused by Seagate's recent red ink and follows the ousting of ex-CEO Bill Watkins, a ten per cent staff cut, facility consolidation and Barracuda quality problems.

CEO Stephen Luczo's purpose, in this dismantling of the Watkins empire, is to save costs, increase spans of control and flatten management. He wants Seagate to be less sluggish and move much more quickly to address its problems and opportunities in future.

The 22 will leave Scotts Valley on May 4 and their names are not being released. ®

[TechLord]

Hi guys,

I had bought a Seagate HD some 6 months ago and so far I don't think there are any problems with it...I do use it very little since I am at work for most of the day and the HD is in my home computer. I had been going through the messages in this forum and was getting worried...Some users were saying that the disk may fail after some 400 hours of use etc...

The serial checker says that my disk is not affected but I want some opinions and advice from actual users of the drive please, whether its wise to wait and watch or whether to upgrade my firmware...

The specifications are:

Seagate 7200.11 SATA 500 GB internal hard disk

Model No: ST3500320AS

Serial:9QM4L5T8

Firmware: SD15 ( according to the diskchecker tool)

Kindly advise...

Many thanks. 

[Cantbecanit]

Your drive IS effected bud, I'd flash it asap if I was you, I know cos I have a dead one sitting alongside me right now.

[TechLord]

@cantbecanit: Thanks bud for the reply...

Can anyone suggest a way to backup my old firmware, in case I may want to revert back to it? I mean the way one can back up the motherboard BIOS so that they can go back to it in case  they don't like the new one after flashing...?

Thanks... 

[HughR]

---

Cantbecanit wrote:
Your drive IS effected bud, I'd flash it asap if I was you, I know cos I have a dead one sitting alongside me right now.

---

That seems to me to be a highly irresponsible statement.

What makes you sure that your dead drive was killed by the particular bug fixed by this firmware?

What makes you sure you know about his drive?

[TechLord]

Yes... I am quite cautious about jumping in and flashing my drive...Especially since it appears to be ok presently...

But what i am afraid is, is that I may have used it for some 60 hours or so max, so far...So not sure if it would fail in the future. I had recently bought it since my 160 GB drive was getting filled up...

I would consider flashing it if someone can give an idea as to how to back up my old firmware first! I have flashed many of my DVD-Writer drives before, but usually a facility is given to back up your old firmware first. SO I always used to back it up before proceeding to flash it!

Hope someone guides me how to back up my old firmware of the hard drive( if it is possible to do so in the first place). I don't see any reason why it should not be possible to backup the firmware from HD when it can be done for DVD Drives! 

[szape]

I've contacted Seagate support, but they suggested me to ask firmware from OEM. The fact is that OEM is not replying to my e-mail and ignoring to help me. I mailed seagate support again, but no luck so far they closed the case, but it's still unsolved for me. Case number is 00274328, model number is ST31000333AS, firmware version is SD35, serial number is 9TE0EWBD.

[helsby]

TechLord from what I have read in this forum, you can't put your old firmware back on your drive when you have flashed it with a new version. A few people have asked the same question and have always been told that you can't go back to a previous version.