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Data recovery and disk repair questions and discussions related to old-fashioned SATA, SAS, SCSI, IDE, MFM hard drives - any type of storage device that has moving parts
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Flashing firmware for a different drive onto this PCB?

July 12th, 2016, 7:29

So my new PSU killed 3 drives, 2 seagate (One 2TB and one 3TB) and a toshiba 2.5". Both the seagate drives have the same revision of PCB which I thought that it would be the PCBs that are dead because its impossible to have 3 drives have a mechanical failure at the same exact time, and they weren't powering at all. So I bought a new PCB and put it in and finally the drive comes back to life.
Anyway now the drive is running and detected in windows but the firmware that is on it is for the 1tb model (Model: ST1000DM003, Serial: S1DBG83N, Firmware:CC44)
Image
Now my understanding is that the firmware can just be updated for the 2tb model (image here: note the different serial and FW etc.)
The stock firmware for my drives dead PCB was CC27 and upon looking up the serial on Seagates download search tool it comes up with CC29 which is my guess to be a newer version of CC27. I download the file and inside the .zip is some linux related folder, a firmware folder that is EMPTY, and a bootable iso folder, which has a ISO and a .exe to install said iso onto a usb. I did this and it boots into the USB fine, but comes up with FAIL when i try to flash it?
I also contacted seagate and got firmware from them but it still fails. I am at a loss. I have never done this before so maybe i'm wrong and I can only use a 2TB PCB (I didn't know this PCB was for a 1TB hdd, i just bought one that had the same revision.) So am I doing something wrong or is it not possible to install the 2TB FW over the 1TB FW. Sorry if my explaining is confusing. Thanks in advance.
Photo of the iso failing to install or what ever.
http://i.imgur.com/9nxXCag.jpg

Re: Flashing firmware for a different drive onto this PCB?

July 12th, 2016, 15:44

Modern Seagate PCB's ALL have unique info in the "ROM" chip on them, including the serial number.

So it is IMPERATIVE that this info is transferred (either by physically moving the chip, or by using special tools), you WILL NOT get another PCB to work without doing this.

Either that or repair the original PCB (check forum for "TVS")

Re: Flashing firmware for a different drive onto this PCB?

July 12th, 2016, 16:34

TVS Diode FAQ:
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=100&t=86&p=102

Re: Flashing firmware for a different drive onto this PCB?

July 17th, 2016, 4:39

pcimage wrote:Modern Seagate PCB's ALL have unique info in the "ROM" chip on them, including the serial number.

So it is IMPERATIVE that this info is transferred (either by physically moving the chip, or by using special tools), you WILL NOT get another PCB to work without doing this.

Either that or repair the original PCB (check forum for "TVS")


Not even with a PCB that already has the correct firmware? Otherwise how do people successfully do platter transplants if its not the same PCB in the donor drive? Also if my rom chip is damaged am a f**ked or can my data still be recovered by a professional perhaps?

Re: Flashing firmware for a different drive onto this PCB?

July 17th, 2016, 4:49

We use a donor HSA but still use the original ROM adaptives

Re: Flashing firmware for a different drive onto this PCB?

July 18th, 2016, 7:33

I still need a answer about using another pcb that already has the firmware for this drive.
Im guessing ROM is just another name for BIOS chip because it currently looks like this.
http://imgur.com/z1JWyJM
This is why I ask if I screwed if its broken like this. This was a attempt to re solder it onto the new board me and my uncle tried. As you can see it did not go well.

Re: Flashing firmware for a different drive onto this PCB?

July 18th, 2016, 18:27

Really did not go well.

You can use another pcb, but probably you will still need the data that is in the old ROM chip. An experienced person/lab can extract the data from your broken chip , or rebuild it. Either way, it should not be a cheap fix anymore.

Re: Flashing firmware for a different drive onto this PCB?

July 18th, 2016, 18:37

Singularity wrote:I still need a answer about using another pcb that already has the firmware for this drive.

"pcimage" already answered the question
pcimage wrote:Modern Seagate PCB's ALL have unique info in the "ROM" chip on them, including the serial number.

So it is IMPERATIVE that this info is transferred (either by physically moving the chip, or by using special tools), you WILL NOT get another PCB to work without doing this.

Either that or repair the original PCB (check forum for "TVS")

In short, no you can't use another PCB WITHOUT transferring the ROM/bios (whatever name you might call it) or its contents

Re: Flashing firmware for a different drive onto this PCB?

July 18th, 2016, 18:45

If all pins still have accessible stubs, then you should be able to find a technician who would be willing to read and copy the chip by soldering wires to each of the pins.

Try asking here:
http://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php

Re: Flashing firmware for a different drive onto this PCB?

July 19th, 2016, 7:45

rogfanther wrote:Really did not go well.

You can use another pcb, but probably you will still need the data that is in the old ROM chip. An experienced person/lab can extract the data from your broken chip , or rebuild it. Either way, it should not be a cheap fix anymore.


Well now I feel like an idiot.
Only 4 of the 8 stubs are still on it. the other 4 broke off :/
Well im off to find the closest HDD repair shop.
Thanks for the help.

Re: Flashing firmware for a different drive onto this PCB?

July 20th, 2016, 14:41

I suggest you contact member "digisupport" in Denmark before your local repair shop butchers it beyond any chance.

If there is the slightest chance of getting this massacred chip read, he's your man!

Re: Flashing firmware for a different drive onto this PCB?

July 20th, 2016, 16:00

Singularity wrote:Well im off to find the closest HDD repair shop.

The people at EEVBlog are experienced techs and engineers. I would ask there first. The owner of the site is an Australian who is well known in the electronics game.
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