low performance on Samsung hd103uj - firmware needed

[ColoQ]

Hello,

I just have a quick question if someone knows where I can find an appropriate firmware update for my drive:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Model : SAMSUNG HD103UJ
Firmware : 1AA01113
Serial Number : S13PJDWS316978

Samsung is now Seagate and they can't help.

I found a file at DELL, but I am not sure if it will fit my Retail Drive. But the description fits exactly my problem, the system hangs from time to time if the HD103uj is used as system disk or stores execution relevant files. It has no errors or signs of failure, but it slows down the system. I have had this behaviour from the start 2 years ago, and never had any data loss or corruption. With a hd103sj as my system drive those hangs are gone.

Can I use the DELL file with Version Nr.: A00 1AC00017 here ? I read different things on the Net, from great success to total failure. Mostly drives with firmware 1AA01118 shall not be upgradable.

Thank you very much.

[poehere]

No Dell is for Dell and not for your system. Sorry

[falther]

Pardon, aber da muss ich antworten !

Wie kommt man auf die Idee bei einer Festplatte eine "neue" Firmware aufzuspielen?
Das ist wie wenn man wegen Kopfweh hat, eine Herztransplantation machen will...

Ein "neue" Firmware ist nichts für den Normalverbraucher - sorry, aber das ist absurd.

Mein Rat: Entweder diese Festplatte (am besten als 2. Festplatte an/in einem anderen
PC anschließen) Testen. z.B. mit HDSentinel - da werden die SMART-Werte ausgelesen

- oder, diese Festplatte bei einem guten PC-Service testen lassen. Das kostet (fast)
nichts und dauert ein paar Minuten.

***
Sorry, but I have to answer !

How can someone have the idea to install a "new" firmware onto a hdd ?
Thats like planing a hart transplant because of head ache....
To install a new firmware is no procedure to be done from a normal user
- sorry this is complete nonsens.

Suggestion: Connect this (slow) hdd to another pc as additional (2nd)
hdd and test it - i.e. with HDSendinten - and check the SMART values
- or better, have the drive tested for a small amount at a recommended
PC-Service. That takes a few minutes only.

[fzabkar]

I am aware of a thread at Tom's Hardware where a Samsung user applied a Dell OEM update to a retail drive. The result was a bricked HDD. My recommendation is not to try it.

[ColoQ]

Hello,

I did the update and everything worked well, the freezes that occured with disk access seem to be gone. Seems the DELL Update is compatible to my model of the 103UJ.

It looks now like this:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
SAMSUNG HD103UJ
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Model : SAMSUNG HD103UJ
Firmware : 1AA01117
Serial Number : S13PJDWS316978
Disk Size : 1000.2 GB (8.4/137.4/1000.2)

@falther: Your answer misses the point and in this is pretty arrogant. I wrote that there are no errors on the disk, but that it freezes the system from time to time on access. These freezes never caused any problems, they were just annoying. This is exactly the problem that DELL announces on the download page, so THAT IS WHY I WOULD INSTALL THE UPDATE - I know that I cannot fix broken sectors with a firmware update. And why should I pay someone to test my hard drive?

[labtech]

It is recommended to run some benchmark tests to see if the issues are indeed true. Then check SMART raw values before and after tests and so on.

We are curious now to see if the update really solved the problem entirely!

If you feel like it, of course.

Thanks

[fzabkar]

I did the update and everything worked well, the freezes that occured with disk access seem to be gone. Seems the DELL Update is compatible to my model of the 103UJ.

It looks now like this:

Model : SAMSUNG HD103UJ
Firmware : 1AA01117
Serial Number : S13PJDWS316978
Disk Size : 1000.2 GB (8.4/137.4/1000.2)

The OP in the following thread updated a HD103UJ using Dell's firmware (version 1AC00017) and ended up with a bricked drive that identified itself as an HD753LJ:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/26978 ... j-firmware

[ColoQ]

I don't know what I should test now, my system no longer freezes, so I think the update did exactly what was promised by DELL.
I did a smart self test and surface scan before the update and found no error.

I know the thread on TH but what has this to do with me? My Disk is fully functional. I guess the OP there had a different initial Firmware / Model than me.
For me it was trashcan or update so nothing so lose.

[fzabkar]

I'm happy for you but, like you, I am puzzled as to why you have been successful while others have failed.

Moreover, I find it odd that your drive went from 1AA01113 to 1AA01117 after applying 1AC00017 firmware. I wonder if Dell hasn't messed up the numbers somewhere.

[angel2167882]

Thank you ColoQ, I juste upgraded my Samsung HD103UJ just like you with the Dell firmware you posted and works like a charm.

Here's info of my drive:
-Samsung HD103UJ REV. A
-Original FW: 1AA01113
-Korean model ID: SEC-HD103UJ(B)
-Korean date: 2008.10

It was inside of a LaCie "White Lego Brick" external USB 2.0 drive bought in 2009.

Because this drive is perfect for multimedia (1TB / 7200RPM / 32MB) I made it an eSATA drive for my Scientic-Atlanta Explorer 8300HD HDTV PVR 1 year ago.

But I had often small lag and "hang" from it so I made search on the WEB and find this post among the other at Tom's Hardware.

I was first afraid to do the upgrade but finally, it went fine! I used a Dell Optiplex 980, only drive in PC with Sata mode in "Legacy", used a USB bootable memory stick in DOS and ran "F1_FW_17.exe"

Have heard the drive parking, took 10 sec max and done!

Rebooted, BIOS see it still as a HD103UJ, shutdown.

Rebooted as secondary, boot Windows 7, ran SeaTools, ran SMART and Short DST, Formated to NTFS, everything goods!!

Oh and SeaTools report firmware 1AA01117 so even better!!

Just to let you know guys!

[angel2167882]

Actually, I did not use the link provided by ColoQ on Dell, it doesn't work. I ran a Google search on "R220314.exe" and find this link:
http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/ ... erid=Y2W3P

So this is the EXE I downloaded to make it works

Just have to test it back in my PVR to see if the small "lag" and "hang" has disappear or not

[ColoQ]

Glad to hear I could help, angel.

My Hard Drive works like a charm up to this day, so I would still say the whole operation was a success.

I think it really matters what Firmware-Version you are coming from, before doing the upgrade to 1AA01117. I think the guys ending up bricked were coming from a higher version number like 1AA01118, so maybe that was the problem.

Best Wishes

Colo