Hello everyone,

i am trying all day to find i solution to my broken Seagate ST3250318AS hdd and so i stumbled onto this forum.
Most of the post i read are about the 7200.11 0 lba problem but i am not sure if the same fix is applicable to the 7200.12.
Anyway i will post some info of the problem here and pray someone helps me.

The drive is not recognized my the Bios ( it times out ). If i continue and let it boot from my other HDD it will hang the Os boot up indefinitely.
If i disconnect it before powering up the pc and connect the hdd after windows boot up it recognizes the disk in Device manager but it does not show up in the Management section of the HDD's.

I tried the Seatool for windows. It passes the fast basic test but fails everything else ( the dos version fails everything )
The drive infomation of Seatools gives me this stats
SMART: Supported and enabled
48-bit Address feature set supported: True
Max LBA: 0
Host Protected Area features: Supported and enabled
Mandatory Power Management: Supported and enabled
Security Mode: Supported not enabled
SET MAX security extension: Supported not enabled
Advanced Power Management: Not Supported
Download Firmware: False
SMART self-test supported: True
SMART error logging supported: True
Drive Temperature(C/F): 0/32
Power-On Hours: 0

can anyone give me any tips?

Thanks in advance

Seems a '0 lba' issue.
Usually this means that there are a lot of bad sectors or bad heads (or both things).

Do you hear clicking noises when you power on the drive?
Does it spins down after few seconds since you power on it?

You may try MHDD to see what error registers shows on bottom left (download the ISO and burn it on a CD):
http://hddguru.com/software/2005.10.02-MHDD/

If data are important don't play with the drive, 7200.12 terminal solution is different from 7200.11, you can try to see what hyperterminal shows when you power on the drive (but do not insert any command)

_________________
My firmware database:
https://mega.nz/folder/O01DkBRI#MxP2J6ZNqXDcrX40I8MoQQ

thanks for the quick reply.

I don't hear any strange sounds whatsoever and the disks keep spinning for a long time.

Do you have rs232/ttl adaptor to post a terminal log?
If you have it post here what hyperterminal shows when you power on the drive, don't give any command!

_________________
My firmware database:
https://mega.nz/folder/O01DkBRI#MxP2J6ZNqXDcrX40I8MoQQ

it is a easy 0 MB problem data recovery and repairing of hdd is possible.

I think that this might be the case where disabling relocation with cogen and do a reverse clone with DDI or DE might do the trick ....

Be aware that you SHOULDN'T USE the 7200.11 fix on this drive as it will have Non-Resident G-List entries and you will end up with a bigger problem (partial LBA access).

The best that you can do without proper tools is to get a TTL adaptor and INSTEAD of using the 7200.11 fix (DO NOT DO THIS), just disable relocation and try to reverse clone the drive with something like prosoft media tools.

http://malthus.zapto.org/viewtopic.php?f=83&t=557

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So since i dont have a ttl adaptor i am about to order one from ebay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-to-RS232- ... 19dcda36e9

will this adapter do the trick?

I don't have this adapter so i can't say for sure if is able to build a terminal connection with the drive, but it should work.

Maybe, depends on the type of problem.
First, show us what you get in hyperterminal when powering on the drive, then we can tell you what commands to insert and if is possible to fix via terminal.
For example, if there is a pending sectors issue (NRG-list) would not be a good idea to regenerate the translators or reset the G-list, you would not do nothing but worsen the situation.
If the NRG list is empty then you can try to regenerate the translators via terminal, assuming that there are no other problems (eg weak heads or bad sectors on SA).

_________________
My firmware database:
https://mega.nz/folder/O01DkBRI#MxP2J6ZNqXDcrX40I8MoQQ

can anyone tell me if the above adapter will work?

Hello everyone. So i got my TTL adapter at last today. I try to connect the RX, TX and Ground cables to the HDD but i don't get any readings. Anyone got a guide that shows me how to connect it correctly so i don't do anything stupid?

Best advice is to connect it to a good working Seagate drive first! That way you know your working setup and method are good.
Then connect it to the faulty drive.

Guide on how to connect the TTL to the Seagate.

http://malthus.zapto.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=193

your drive is F3 Arch.

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The HDD Oracle - Platform for OPEN research on Data Recovery.

If you connect the Tx and Rx terminals together, do you see your typed characters being echoed on your screen?

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

atlast i got the ttl adaptor working the only thing i see on putty is this : Rst 0x08M

i dont have any idea that it means

That means its working!
Now you have to get to T level Ctrl+Z would be a good start. You need to see F3 T>

yeap thats right.... i see F3 T>

Good. Don't do any more until you are advised by one of the other members

ok thx

Ok,
on F3 T> issue

m0,6,3,,,,,22

press enter and wait for it to finish. Do not power off the drive untill it finish and drop again to F3 T>

Then to help with recovery (copy files out) disable relocation by sending the followin commands one by one (press enter at the end of the 22) :

F0A2,00,22

F01E4,00,22

F057C,043C,22

Now try to clone the drive or copy the data out.
FAST !!!! Because if this works the drive will die soon no matter what.

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The HDD Oracle - Platform for OPEN research on Data Recovery.

thx for the instructions Spildit. But what do you mean by fast? and why will the drive die again?