I just got myself four Samsung HD103UJ to be used in a NAS, but because that didn't work out initially, I switched off the 48-bit LBA mode using ES-Tool from the Samsung homepage. It was curiosity, and I thought I could always just switch it back on again...

Big mistake, 'cause it would seem that I can't.

Neither ES-Tools nor HUTIL nor HDat2 nor HDD Capacity Restore could perform this trick. ES-Tool and the like telling me "Error : Abort command", HDD Capacity Restore telling me that the drive (any of the four) "is not accessible or damaged in some way. Therefore factory capacity cannot be recovered. Please try this program on another platform".
Which I did. Same difference.

I now have 4 hard disks that cost me 120 Euros each and only have some 131GB capacity instead of the original terabyte, and Samsung are being di... fficult about it, saying to switch off the 48-bit mode is not the "intended use" and therefore they don't have to help me or much less replace the drives (which I didn't even want, some help with restoring the 48-bit mode would have been sweet enough). I asked if they could just send me the firmware, hoping that ironing over the firmware would also reset everything to factory defaults, but they just said that they're not giving out firmware this lightly...

So let's see now, if you're really the HD Gurus! What do you make of this, and how can you put me out of my misery?

Or, to put it bluntly: Help... please...

Have to deal with internal modules and need specific tools - not easy as 'flash' a rom. Strange behaviour, though. If I were you I'll WANT the drives serviced for free if they did not advice of the possibility of such problem...

Return to retailer as unwanted merchandise. Get some new drives. The retailer will return them to Samsung. Ultimate result would be the same as if you convinced Samsung. Should be done with no questions asked. Fry's never asks questions about returned drives anyway, as long as all serial numbers match.

I have the same issue than you with a HD501LJ.

I would like to force the firmware rewrite but I do not know how

Ideas or commands to force firmware update with Dell utility?

nachin11

Applying Dell OEM firmware to a retail drive can be disastrous.

See http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/26978 ... j-firmware

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.