Hi all,
I would appreciate your help to get needed software tools, advices and firmware/loader, in order to recover the data or reflash the firmware on my Maxtor DiamondMax 10 6L300R0. I got into the classical corrupted firmware problem. I know that it is not that complicated, with the right tools and the hd in safe mode (by moving the jumper in the right place). Thanks a lot for your collaboration. M

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PC Image Data Recovery
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Can you describe a little better what is the problem with the drive ? Does it spins at all ? Does it clicks ? Does it identify on bios with incorrect model name ?
Is the data on the drive important ?
Are you intending to do-it-yourself only or are you considering to send the drive for someone to attempt a fix on it (and PAY to get the data recovered) ?
Best regards.

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Thanks to both of you guys for your contribution.
About the questions:
1. te drive is correctly identified in the bios. In the O.S., win xp and others (tried on more pcs), the model is correctly identified, the size is 0 byte and, when clicking on the disk icon in "my computer", i/o error shows.
The disk spins for half a second every 10 seconds during about 1 minute.
I'm surprised by your 2 last questions.
Are you meaning that tools and software needed to reflash the firmware change depending of the importance of the data?
For the last question, I'm also surprised. I feel strange to ask and collect all software tools needed, then send it to someone and pay him to do it for me. So, I will try my best to do it myself, with the support of internet users like you.
If you need further information feel free to ask.

1 - If the drive have important data you might consider sending it to someone with experience to fix it, instead of trying to fix it yourself and kill the rest of the drive.

2 - You can't flash the firmware on the maxtor as on a cell phone.

3 - The tools to fix the drive firmware are not free and are software/hardware tools, and the cheaper one will be arround $500 usd.

4 - Free sofware to play with thd maxtor firmware like HDD REPAIR will kill the drive for good. You will need proper tools.

5 - Drive might have faulty heads and if so you can't fix it with the firmware tool. If the heads are failing but still read you will need hardware cloning tool like ddi4 or Acelab DE (PC3K), SD data compass, etc...

6 - Even if you have all of that and if the drive problem is just a damaged translator on firmware you still need knowledge on how to fix it.

Then you have the question "is your data important for you and are you willing to pay to someone to get it recovered ?"

best regards.

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Thanks for your clarification.
The post mentionned by pcimage says that I can put the hd in safe mode, load a temporary firmware in its ram and then proceed to replace the corrupted rpm modules. Here I have an hardware tool which connects to serial port from one side and has a data line which can be connected to the maxtor hd. This can be used to directly communicate with the hd. So, if I correctly understand, what I need is:
1. the maxtor diamondmax 10 6l300r0 loader, in order to load it as a temporary firmware in the hd ram, when it is in safe mode
2. the rpm modules for this hd, to replace the corrupted ones.
3. a tool which already "knows" the ata commands to give to the hd, or searching for the commands myself.
Is it correct?
Otherwise, once that I have got the loader and that I have loaded it in the hd ram, can I recover the data in that moment, without repairing the hd firmware?

When the only tool that you have is an hammer all of your problems start to look like nails.

I'm very sorry but you can't fix your maxtor with a TTL adaptor and you can't replace modules like the translator with ones from other drives, as they will be unique to your drive and necessary to access the data.

At this point and judging for what you are writting i would strongly advice you to take the drive to a data recovery firm near you or to ship it to someone who can fix it for a price.

Either that or buy a new drive and move on.

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thanks for your considerations. I'm a curious person, willing to learn. Can you please explain me why I can't reflash my firmware once I have the ttl adaptor, a software tool which comunicates via ata commands with the hd, the loader and the firmware rpms? What am I missing then in the logic process?

- Translator is exclusive for your drive.

- You can't connect the Maxtor to TTL to do anything usefull with it (write/read modules) like you do on seagate.

- Let's say you buy drive 0000001, drive 0000002 will have a different set of defects on platters, adaptives on heads, etc ... even if they are just one serial number apart and were produced on the same assembly line. There are modules on the firmware that are unique to the drive and you can't just replace them.

- You will need more than software tools, you would need to know vendor specific commands. Lacking that (that you don't have because if you had you wouldn't be here asking this kind of questions) you will have to buy something like PC3K (that costs $6000 USD) or MRTLab tool that costs just a little less then $400 with shipping costs (to use for 30 days) and you would still have to know what to do with the tool.

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I'm beginning to understand, I still need a clarification in order to have a clearer view. Let's say I don't want to repair the hd, but I only want to load the temporary firmware in the hd ram with the hd in safe mode, bypassing the firmware on the hd, then take a raw image of the hd and elaborate it with software tools. Is it feasible?

Ok.

I've stated my version already, and i don't think that you are understanding what i'm saying.

So let's ear what you have to say. Let's say that the "translator" is damaged on your drive, and assume all the rest is good, including heads.

How do you intend to put that firmware on RAM ? What tools or software do you intend to use ?
You will use some sort of ATA Vendor Specific commands that you somehow will have to figure out (they are propriatary of each maker and are not on the ata standards) and somehow you will have to fix the translator of your drive... of course without tools....

Any plan on how to start ?

What do you intend to do ? What do you intend to use ?

I want to know ! Let's ear your version now. What is the plan ?

And then you can also take a VERY GOOD look at this :

http://www.deepspar.com/media/PC3000Demo.wmv

And tell me how do intend to do something without a tool like that. And it costs $6000 USD or more depending on where you live ....

Good luck.

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Also please read here :

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=12671

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If you still want to do-it-yourself instead of sending it to a data recovery lab you can buy this :

http://en.mrtlab.com/

And if the problem is just firmware it will help you to fix it and to extract the data out of the drive.

Price :

360 USD
Today

3,000 USD
Within 60 days of activation

3,360 USD
Subtotal

Or if you want to pay little by little you can chose the on-line version :

Price :

360 USD
Today

150 USD
150 USD / month x 23 months

3,810 USD
Subtotal

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I may have an old unsupported SD Maxtor Doctor sitting around...perhaps I should offer it.

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Luke
Recovery Force Data Recovery

Sure Salvation Data Maxtor Doctor should be able to solve this issue as well, if it's just firmware !!!

SD tools are very bad but the Maxtor tool from salvation is not that bad ....



If the OP is looking for tools he maybe both of you can make a deal, or he can browse ebay for a used SD Maxtor tool !!!

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