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

[fzabkar]

HughR, you wrote that "according to the serial number checker, your drive is subject to the firmware problem. On the other hand, LC11 is not listed as a possible original firmware".

I notice that the flash.bat executable in the firmware update packages approaches the update in two ways:

(1) FDL477A1.EXE -s -x -b -v -a 20 -h BR-SD1B.CFS

(2) fdl464.exe -m Moose -f SD1A2D.LOD -i ST3500820AS -s -x -b -v -a 20

The updater can either (1) compare the existing parameters of the drive to be updated against a list of matches in a CFS file, or (2) the updater can match the drive against the family and model number explicitly called out in the command line.

In fact, in those cases where the same firmware is offered both as a bootable CD ISO and as a Windows executable, one method sometimes relies on the CFS file, while the other uses method (2). This explains why sometimes the FreeDOS method works while the Windows method fails.

I haven't yet completely decoded the CFS format (it's a simple substitution cipher), but here is what the BR-SD1B.CFS file looks like:

http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/BR-SD1B.TXT

The layout seems to be ...

(model number) (parameters before update) (firmware filename and type) (parameters after update)

Here is my QBasic program which I use to decode the CFS files:

http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/UPGRADE.BAS

FWIW, you can see references to LC1A and LC15 in the Brinks configuration file.

[fzabkar]

Here is the Moose CFS configuration file:

http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/ms-sd1a.cfs

This is what I have managed to decode so far:

http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/MS-SD1A.TXT

The underscores (_) represent unknown characters.

I am open to suggestions.

On the following page ...

Firmware Update for ST3500320AS, ST3500620AS, ST3500820AS, ST3640330AS, ST3640530AS, ST3750330AS, ST3750630AS, ST31000340AS [207951]:

http://seagate.custkb.com/seagate/crm/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=207951

... is a link to "firmware update utility GPL open source downloads":

http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&name=gpl&vgnextoid=02d819e56cdee010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD

Unfortunately the promised source code does not appear to be there. :-(

Message Edited by fzabkar on 19-12-2009 02:34 PM

[Arun kumar]

Thanks for trying to help

am searching for Seagate "Authorized Service Center" number in Hyderabad or secunderabad (INDIA) But no USE. 

I don't understand why such a big company, with good reputation (But now... Very little left, because of poor Customer service) shows no interest and wants to loose customers in Hyderabad / Secunderabad.  Already some of my friends are taking WD HDDs because one of my friend lost all data because of Seagate 500GB Great Crash, paid huge Penalty to his customer for Failing to delivery the Print work in time. And now its my turn.  Come-on-Seagate wakeup, You are not Supposed to Hibernate.

Please anyone knowing The Customer Care / Service Center number, Please post here.

Thanks in Advance

Arun

Message Edited by Arun kumar on 12-19-2009 05:06 AM

[HughR]

---

Arun kumar wrote:

am searching for Seagate "Authorized Service Center" number in Hyderabad or secunderabad (INDIA) But no USE. 

---

1. Calm down.  (You appear to be yelling.)

2. I don't think that Seagate support works the way you think that it works.

3. Unfortunately, big companies expect you to work with their systems, not the other way around.

Please try to go through normal Seagate support procedures.  They might actually work for you.  Unfortunately, there is a significant chance they won't, but it is worth a try.

Look to the left to find a starting point for Seagate support procedures.  I've mentioned in a previous message some things that you should try to communicate to Seagate.

[fzabkar]

FWIW, there is a toll free number here:

http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/about/contact_us/contact-techsupport-apac

[HughR]

---

fzabkar wrote:

I haven't yet completely decoded the CFS format (it's a simple substitution cipher), but here is what the BR-SD1B.CFS file looks like:

---

I thought you Australians got roped into legislating the equivalent of the DMCA.  We (Canadians) may soon join you.

PS: nice work.

When are you going to hack the firmware to enable time bounds on error recovery? 

[fzabkar]

The "code" is just a substitution cipher. I remember playing with them in primary school class.

In any case, Seagate's web site directs you to the GPL source code, or at least that appears to be the stated intention.

Fortunately I don't have any serious programming knowledge, so I can't do any damage, at least not intentionally :-)

[Arun kumar]

Hi friends,

I've contacted and submitted My HDD to  local SeaCare on 21-Dec-2009.

It took 3 Days to find this as no help was available. I'll post the address and rout map as soon as possible. So that persons with same problem as mine and who live in Hyderabad or Secunderabad can get there very easily.

I'll keep on posting the Drive status.

[zhoujie9324]

I am from China, and my disk 6QM06TW9 is "product of China", a victim of the well known bug. My BIOS failed to detect the disk all of a sudden couple days ago.

Contacted Seagate support and  was redirected to a repair center, however they did not gurantee the data on this disk.

Rumor says some guy in Seagate set a back door in the firmware on purpose, maybe was threatened and under heavy pressure of the global economy recession. I start to believe it now, all the disk without firmware updated will be dead before 2012.

Googled, and some one suggested to buy a new disk with same model, and migrate the circuit board from old to new disk, and then it is possible to do a firmware update. I did that, and it seemed the new disk (5QM438989 4D1A already) could be detected with a old circuit board ! After "send binary to downloads", I powered off and  put the circuit borad to old disk again, still same thing, no luck. , And I switched the circuit board again, and found the old circui is still 4D15, what a bad experience!

 Arun, please let me know whehter you get your data back

I will call the seagate service next Monday , will let them know I am victim of the bad product by seagate.

[HughR]

---

zhoujie9324 wrote:

I am from China, and my disk 6QM06TW9 is "product of China", a victim of the well known bug. My BIOS failed to detect the disk all of a sudden couple days ago.

Contacted Seagate support and  was redirected to a repair center, however they did not gurantee the data on this disk.

Rumor says some guy in Seagate set a back door in the firmware on purpose, maybe was threatened and under heavy pressure of the global economy recession. I start to believe it now, all the disk without firmware updated will be dead before 2012.

Googled, and some one suggested to buy a new disk with same model, and migrate the circuit board from old to new disk, and then it is possible to do a firmware update. I did that, and it seemed the new disk (5QM438989 4D1A already) could be detected with a old circuit board ! After "send binary to downloads", I powered off and  put the circuit borad to old disk again, still same thing, no luck. , And I switched the circuit board again, and found the old circui is still 4D15, what a bad experience!

 Arun, please let me know whehter you get your data back

I will call the seagate service next Monday , will let them know I am victim of the bad product by seagate.

---

I seem to remember that the problematic data is on the drive platters so moving the platters to a new drive is unlikely fo fix the problem.  Remember: the procedure that lets us fix our own drives involves disconnecting the platters from the electronics, preventing the unit from freezing.

Why would you follow goofy instructions involving buying a new disk when there are quite a few write-ups of the procedure that does work and quite a few people who report that it works for them?

Unfortunately, I would expect Seagate to refuse to service your drive after you've done that to it.

Of course a bug could have been intentionally added, but bugs are very easy to create unintentionally. If I were to create one intentionally, I'd make it one that was a lot easier to control.  Or impossible to control.