Dear Sirs

I have made an rs232 adapter according to this page: http://hddguru.com/content/en/articles/ ... schematic/ but I am having problems with it (I just don't know why it isn't working) and that is why I would like to ask you some questions:
1. I am using HyperTerminal 6.3 Private Edition and are these parameters correct for communicating with a seagate drive: 9600 bit/s, 8 data bits, parity - none, 1 stop bit, flow control - none
2. Does all seagate drive have the ability to communicate via rs232? (I've got an old seagate st34321A)
3. After connecting to the com port and plugging in the power cable of the drive it should respond automatically (write anything to the terminal), right? Or do you have to give it some kind of identify command?
4. Should the 40-pin interface be also connected or it's not required?
5. If we assume that the interface is as follows:
40.................7.5.3.1...........................
:-----------:------------:-----------------:
: 40 pin : * * * * : * * * * :
:.......< < : * * * * : Power con. :
:-----------:------------:-----------------:
................... 8 6 4 2 .........................
TX == 3, RX == 5 right? If it's true, is it also true for any seagate drives or all of them could have different tx and rx pin numbers?

I would be very grateful for answers (and a little patience as I suppose many people like me bug you with their questions) because they will help me diagnose if something with the rs232 circuit is wrong or just I am doing something wrong. Thank you very much in advance.
Yours faithfully
Tom

pls see picture.

So you are saying that the schematic diagram from hddguru.com is bad?
And thanks for a reply.

It's my bad. At first it looked totaly diferent but it is basicaly the same diagram, only transmiter and receiver pins are changed. So it leads to a conclusion that something was soldered badly cause the drive should respond.
Thanks for help and regards
Tom