Maxtor question for gurus only

[jono-ats]

I've got a Maxtor 250 GB Sabre drive that thinks it's a 320 GB and won't read any LBAs.

Any ideas on causes and cures?

Thanks

Jon

[dobrevjetser]

Hi Jon,

Did this drive came straight to you, or did someone else had allready a look at it ?
Never had a case where a maxtor pretended to be bigger than it actually is.
Seems like a bad or overwritten mod to me.

Dobre

[jono-ats]

I removed this drive from the computer myself.

I've never seen anything like it either!

Jon

[Doomer]

I think it's in C-SA
post the drive's firmware revision here (not from the lid but from drive's passport)
you can find out the revision with MHDD program

[jono-ats]

Here's the ID info from PC3000, including part of the Extended Zone Log, separated by *****:

RATION GENERAL INFORMATION:
ATA device
Fixed device and/or controller

Logical cylinders count..................................... 38895
Logical sectors per track................................... 384
Logical heads count......................................... 8
Model....................................................... Maxtor 6B320S0
Serial number............................................... B6225FFH
Firmware.................................................... BCNC1E30

Maximal block size for READ/WRITE MULTIPLE commands......... 16

Features
Stop Timer Value
IORDY............................................. Supported
LBA Mode.......................................... Supported
DMA Mode.......................................... Supported

Current Logical Parameters
Cylinders......................................... 57 481
Heads............................................. 57 613
Sectors........................................... 63
Capacity.......................................... - 1 819 267 765 Sectors (- 888 314.3 Mb)
Capacity available in LBA Mode.................... 268 435 455 Sectors (131 072 Mb)
Capacity available in LBA 48 Mode................. 632 672 208 Sectors (308 922 Mb)

Available DMA Mode
Multiword DMA Mode 0
Multiword DMA Mode 1
Multiword DMA Mode 2
Active DMA Mode............................................. Multiword DMA Mode 2

Active UDMA/33 modes
Ultra DMA/33 Mode 0
Ultra DMA/33 Mode 1
Ultra DMA/33 Mode 2
Ultra DMA/33 Mode 3
Ultra DMA/33 Mode 4
Ultra DMA/33 Mode 5
Ultra DMA/33 Mode 6
Current UDMA/33 mode........................................ [none]

Current PIO mode
Supported Enhanced PIO Modes
PIO MODE 3
PIO MODE 4

Minimal multiword DMA cycle time............................ 120 ns
Recommended multiword DMA cycle time........................ 120 ns
Minimal multiword PIO cycle time w/o stream control......... 120 ns
Minimal multiword PIO cycle time with IORDY................. 120 ns

Supported standards
ATA - 3
ATA - 4
ATA - 5
ATA - 6

Supported Command Sets
S.M.A.R.T functions

Security system............................................. Not supported
condition flags :
password set...................................... NO
HDD Locked........................................ NO
HDD Frozen........................................ NO
wrong password count exceeded..................... NO
security erase support............................ NO
security level.................................... HIGH
Master code................................................. 0000

* * * * * *

Extended Zone log:

Firmware Version........................ : BCNC1E30
Number of valid heads................... : 6
Head map................................ : 0,1,2,3,4,5
Number of Zones......................... : 17
Utility Zone number..................... : 16
Head Skew............................... : 4636
Zone Skew............................... : 0
Number of H-sectors per track........... : 192
Demod cycles from end of one servo gate to beginning of next servo gate
........................................ : 6078
Demod clock (MHz)....................... : 150
-------------------------------------------------------------------

[thatdellguy]

Does the serial number B6225FFH match what is on the front sticker?

[Doomer]

BCNC1E30 - drive is in C-SA
That means - SA damage
you need to load A-loader from safe-mode and fix A-SA

[jono-ats]

Yes, the S/N's match.

Doomer - I feel like a moron. Don't know how I missed it - you are right about the S/A.

I'll try to fix the modules and will get back.

Thank you!!

[jono-ats]

I was able to fix SA enough for data recovery. Thanks for your help!

Jon