Avoid Seagate Flash SD1A On ST3500320AS

[Freestone]

For the time being, I highly advise against flashing any Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 Model ST3500320AS to the SD1A level. Not sure of other models, but probably best to not flash those too.

This is from download site

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

Note: This file has been temporarily taken offline as of Jan 19, 2008 8PM CST for validation.

Against my better judgment I installed this update. It proceeded to flash BOTH of my drives. I am now the owner of two non-functioning drives . Numerous others in Seagate forum

http://forums.seagate.com/stx/board...&thread.id=5625&view=by_date_ascending&page=1

have bricked drives too.

 

[Freestone]

I should have added I had flashed my drives BEFORE the flash file was pulled by Seagate...grrr

 

[BadBigBen]

Thanks for the info...



Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.

 

[wahnula]

Thanks Freestone...I had read that certain versions of the 7200.11 were earning the nickname "the new Deathstars" in the UK (referring to IBM's failed DeskStar drive a few years back):

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17937547

It could also be anecdotal, as all (4) of my 7200.11 320GB's are fine, and I've read nothing but rave reviews of the 1.5 TB 7200.11.

I guess this is a side effect of cheap storage. I think it's too early to shun the 7200.11's in general, just back up regularly!

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[Freestone]

I am learning more than I care to about the 7200.11 drives. It appears that it is the 1 TB drives that have had consistent problems, but the firmware update was for other sized 7200.11 drives such as mine.

The latest scuttlebutt is 24-48 hours for a fix that supposedly will return life to the drives with data intact. I may have made matters worse though by trying to repartition my apparently empty drives. After a reboot, no partitions still showed on either drive, so maybe the data survived. I'll just be happy to see two functional drives as I have the data backed up somewhere in all the other PCs and sundry external drives laying about.

Like you, Tony, I had no problems with my 500GB's, but the (sad) kicker to this is the leading statements about the firmware upgrade:

... A number of Seagate hard drives from the following families may become inaccessible when the host system is powered on ... Once a drive has become affected the data becomes inaccessible to users but the data is not deleted

So personally I am kicking myself for ignoring that little voice saying to wait for a day or two, and for assuming that I would be able to choose which of the drives to flash. I never expected both to be flashed. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks, they just need to be painful enough to get their attention.

At any rate, if my post prevented at least one other person from bricking their drive, or even worse as I've read, drives, then it was worth my time.

The saga continues --- Dell

 

[Freestone]

If anyone is following this thread, you may find the following an interesting read. Someone claiming to be an employee of Seagate authored it. It reads legit, or someone really had way too much time on their hands.

http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1098793&cid=26542735

 

[Freestone]

Seagate has re-released the SD1A firmware update for certain models of the 7200.11 family of drives, while other models' firmware update is still in validation. Other family of drives affected are the DiamondMax 22, and Barracuda ES.2 SATA.

http://seagate.custkb.com/seagate/crm/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=207931

I can report that this new firmware update has revived both of my ST3500320AS drives with no readily apparent data loss. Further testing is required, but things look good at the moment.

From my reading, the 1 TB model of the 7200.11 family seemed to be the most plaqued with the drive inaccessability problem, but Seagate's announcement referenced above admits to the problem possibly extending to other models. Reading the announcement does not make it easy to tell what one's chances are of their drive turning belly up. They are now calling this a proactive update.

 

[paparazi]

Same here Freestone...just flashed my new drive (got it this morning)..thankfully no drama's...now SD1A firmware on a ST3500320AS same as yours.
Martin

On wings like angels whispers sweet
my heart it feels a broken beat
Touched soul and hurt lay wounded deep
Brown eyes are lost afar and sleep

 

[Freestone]

Martin - My drives have been working fine after they revived by the proper SD1A firmware. I think yours will be fine.

Dell

 

[paparazi]

Hey....been saying this for years: what other electrical products could get away with such developement imaturity and be forgiven and still loved.
PC component manufacturers are very priveledged to have a buying public 'happy' to put up with so much crap!
The last 3 motherboards I have used in my personal machine have ALL had to be flashed out the box to function correctly....now it seems that extends to hard drives as well....nothing new then I suppose and actually not too much hassel for what I hope is a fast reliable drive.
Martin

On wings like angels whispers sweet
my heart it feels a broken beat
Touched soul and hurt lay wounded deep
Brown eyes are lost afar and sleep

 

[wahnula]

Martin...I think what's happening is that the hardware we love and use is, by nature and definition, cutting-edge and not allowed to mature in-house like TV sets, stereos, etc. because if it did, we wouldn't want it anymore because it's "old". Manufacturers force products to market because we demand it...and we're a relatively small but important segment of the buying public, in essence beta testers in return for having the latest & greatest!

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[Freestone]

Now I wish this thread title could be changed since the SD1A firmware seems to be fixed.

 

[paparazi]

I love Seagate's.....Now you can't get more of an endorsement than hearing that from a user who just bought one of the effected drives but hey!!!!! no drama....5 minutes tweaking, a pretty simple and straight forward flash process and all is fine.
Personally I don't think much damage has been done to this drives reputation....afterall, the drive itself seems to be solid enough and this was just a firmware glitche. OK, how this issue and subsequent bad flash release came about definately should lead to a few red faces but Seagate have been pretty open about the problem even offering to carry out full software recovery to effected drives, this is definately NOT the new deathstar, those particular drives were fundamentally flawed where no amount of flashing or tweaking helped.
Martin

On wings like angels whispers sweet
my heart it feels a broken beat
Touched soul and hurt lay wounded deep
Brown eyes are lost afar and sleep

 

[Freestone]

Martin - Good thing you didn't brick your new drive with the flawed SD1A firmware. Or maybe not a good thing as I sure would have loved to read your comments then. I am sure the words "no drama" would not have appeared anywhere

I agree that Seagate's reputation has not been hurt much. But I think if they produce another line of drives that require flashing, it may become questionable.

 

[paparazi]

Of course you are right Freestone, it's alright me being smug, reporting my relatively trouble free flash after having the advantage of knowing about it before the drive caused a problem. I'm sure there are many users out there who are either unaware of any problem or who have had less than sucessful results from flashing either with the bad file or when something just went wrong. This is not good but as someone said: Demand and competition has created a situation of lower prices, corners are being cut in the quality, developement and associated support for these products...something has to give! they just don't make them like they used to lol.
Martin

On wings like angels whispers sweet
my heart it feels a broken beat
Touched soul and hurt lay wounded deep
Brown eyes are lost afar and sleep