Help needed: Samsung HD400LD. HDD blocking POST

[syntaxerror]

Hey there,

just dropped in here, after 'silent-reading' for quite awhile. But to get to the point immediately: my HD400LD (EIDE) is currently behaving irrationally.
MOTOR WORKS, to begin with. And like stated in the subject, my HDD blocks POST procedure when connected.

Code:

Detecting IDE drives...

... hangs infinitely. (Disconnect disk = problem gone.)
Trying it on an external controller card (like my Adaptec one) gives (NOTE: HD connected to Secondary Master, all other channels are free)

Code:

Scanning for Primary Master... None
Scanning for Primary Slave... None

{ the next line takes up to 2 minutes to display... }

Scanning for Secondary Master... None

{ the next line takes another 2 minutes to display... }

Scanning for Secondary Slave... None


Since the motor is working, a PCB swap would most probably be a waste of money (in my book).

Unless this behavior is due to corrupt data in the ROM chip.
I'm afraid that the "hyperterminal procedure" won't be feasible on a Samsung, either. This is no Seagate (well, not yet )
Anyways, I'd be somewhat reluctant to throw this disk into the bin considering that mechanics and motor do work.

Any ideas, anyone?

[dmarques]

Hi,

What's your goal? Data Recovery?

You're wrong on that one, hyperterminal is also available on Samsung drives, and can shed some light on the problem.
So, if you can connect a terminal to it and check the log after power up, that would be useful.

[syntaxerror]

Hi,
What's your goal? Data Recovery?

in some way, yes. But if there is a way to reset it with an internal command, to get its head(s) clear (in the truest sense of the word), I'd not object to that, either.

You're wrong on that one

I'm glad I am!

hyperterminal is also available on Samsung drives, and can shed some light on the problem.
So, if you can connect a terminal to it and check the log after power up, that would be useful.

Great! So I will do that. And as you have already read above, being a silent reader also means that I am well aware of the fact that one silly attempt of thoughtlessly "playing around" in the terminal could kill the drive for good. So I won't do that - for sure. (Just to prevent any "lists of advices for hyperterminal rookies" <grin> )

[northwind]

I am well aware of the fact that one silly attempt of thoughtlessly "playing around" in the terminal could kill the drive for good.

TRUE.

So I won't do that - for sure.

That is good to know.

Just get a terminal output and post it here. I am suspecting a Gray err....