Seagate 200G drive ugly clicking when idle!

Drive(s) in question - Seagate PATA 200G ST3200822A 7200.7 ones.
Number of them - There.
Description of problem - in folding machines, they are mostly idle. Yet each about 45sec or something a self check (or something like this INTO the drive, no IDE activity shown) is started. This generate click noise and such sounds like HDD activity and it is extremely annoying. I did not want to hear these clicks. Otherwise I'm happy with the drives, but I just want this to STOP. It is VERY annoying.
Affected machines - Any. It simply did not matter on what machine they run, it is always the same. Noise, clicks, noise, clicks...

Its called STIR (Seek To Improve Reliability) where the drive does random seeking to avoid the head sitting on the same place on the disk, which they reckon could heat up that particular track on the platter.

Pictures of 200G Seagate drivers, from left my7200.7 and then 7200.8 type (this one won't click/generate noise in iddle):

(click to see full size)

It is obvious that they do differ, but still, I heard that for the STIR, there is a firmware update possible with cure it

Anyone already got it? I did not yet recieved a reply from Seagate, so... I better ask the public

PS. I already get suggested to use SysTool http://www.techpowerup.com/systool/ to disable the AAM :lol:

Of course, the drives have NO AAM to set or disable

Well, at least ppl's is trying to help.

PS2. 7200.9 and 7200.10 types won't click also, so, Seagate stoped doing that crap

A little bit of help need, guys

I wonder if the never firmware (it is firmware?!) 3.01.075 does this STIR still?

http://files.hddguru.com/index.php?&dir ... a%207200.7

ST3200822A-3.01.075.zip
APLUS

Anyone know?

AFAIK, there is only one way to disable this — is to patch the firmware... I would suggest you to relax and live with it

maysoft - patching firmware then! :twisted:

Damn, I do anything to get rid of it, this is unbearably annoing for silent computing freak like me... :oops:

Or maybe the slightly more recent one can do it?

Or maybe - as there is hint in folloving Seagate reply, there is a 3rd party app that can disable it?

We do not have any firmware updates available for any PATA hard drives, and we do not support using 3rd party applications to change the way the hard drive works. The STIR and offline-scan features are designed to extend the life of the hard drive and maintain data integrity. They cannot be disabled.

Mike H.
Seagate Technical Support

Well... I really think it will be easier to just sit somewhere far enough from the computer or even change your HDDs to lets say Maxtor...

Unfortunately this is really not a option

Futhermore Seagate acquired Maxtor recently (yep, I love my Maxtors...), so we have to find a solution for this.

The problem is, that I have there these drives and can't return 'em, because they are perfectly fine - except the "feature"

^bump^ for solution? :roll:

Spildit wrote:<start of silly post>
If your HDD is still under waranty;

1- Backup your data.
2- Do some damage to the firmware using PC3000 or simmilar to write random things to the SA
3- Send the drive to be replaced.
P.S. - Don't tell anyone that you have damage the drive by your free will.

</end of silly post>

Ooooh my God....... :lol:

I thought we are here in this forum to fix HDD, not damaging them.... :cry:

Practice on them whats the warranty for , good idea Spildit. That way we get a free hdd to practice on .