seagate 2.5 hard drive (cannot be seen in the BIOS anymore)

[gg64]

Hey,

I got a st95000423as 2.5 7200rpm with 0005DEM1 as firmware (seagate).

One day it just stop showing up in the bios.

It never did anything suspicious beforehand.

Question:

Could it be a hdd stuck in the BSY mode ?

Such as this known hdd:

https://msfn.org/board/topic/128807-the-solution-for-seagate-720011-hdds/



FYI:

I just got my USB to RS232 board today in a package, should I proceed ?

[fzabkar]

Start by capturing the terminal output. Don't issue any commands just yet. The "7200.11 busy fix" can break 7200.12 and later models.

[gg64]

hey thanks for the answer.

So is it safe to type just enter to see if I am connected ?

(I just prep up the disk with the cartboard and the rs232 connected)

EDIT: I only got one desktop (my NAS) so anything would be annoying to pull off but it is doable. The rest is laptops (far from the best case scenario ikr)

[fzabkar]

You can capture the terminal output without disturbing the PCB.

[Psi]

Check the PCB near the +5V/12V power connector.
Look for SMT fuses or big SMT diodes and check them.

It's not uncommon for them to fail and the drive doesn't get power.
I had one fail like that, it was working fine and then just stopped dead from a blown power diode.

[gg64]

Hey, so I check I already got a drive spin, so should I try the serial port ? (nothing in the disk manager)

[fzabkar]

Yes, post the output of the serial port.

[gg64]

Hey, so I connected the serial with the pcb plugged the regular way:

I can't get putty to open a serial connection for some reason (I tried on putty on w10 with the COM6 port, I check the speed and options).

I tried on a linux puppy, did a diff inside the /dev, the name are either:
serial
ttyUSB0

I can't get it to open the terminal for some reason either.

For the record I connected: rx->tx, tx->rx , gnd->gnd

But I can get things by doing a 'sudo cat /dev/ttyUSB0', so it is communicating.

The w10 was a laptop, and the linux puppy was on another one.

I am going to try to use the 2nd usb to rs232 I got, I also need to try with 9600 as baud rate (I was using 38400b/s).

EDIT: I am using a desktop aside to power the hdd (my nas stuck in the bios). I was worried about ground looping but it seems fine so far.

EDIT: btw the R led is blinking (on the USB to RS232 stick) when it is plugged and then goes pretty much 'quiet' blinking from time to time.

[Psi]

As a check, do a loop back test. Unsolder from HDD, short TX to RX and confirm if you send 'A' you get back 'A' etc.

Then maybe confirm if the TX/RX labeling is correct. Sometimes devices are labeled wrong and TX is actually RX.

Another thing to check is voltages, i'm not sure what voltage the uart is on the HDD, could be something weird like 1.8V and your FTDI could be 5V.

You may have to powercycle the HDD with the uart connected to see any data.

If you pick a fast baudrate, like 115200, even if its wrong you will at least see garbage if the HDD says anything.  At a slow baud sometimes fast data doesnt show up as garbage.

Confirm you have hardware flow control disabled.

[gg64]

Hey, thanks for the reply.

I did power cycle the hdd in order to get the garbage in the terminal when I did 'sudo cat /dev/ttyUSB0'.

I tried the other one, the board is different between the two I got from the same seller (wth).

I still can't get putty to open on it (COM7 this time) on w10.

EDIT: neither on linux puppy:

My parameter are:

/dev/ttyUSB0
speed 115200
databits 8
stop bits 1
parity None
Flow control None

on w10:
COM7
rest is the same

[gg64]

Then maybe confirm if the TX/RX labeling is correct. Sometimes devices are labeled wrong and TX is actually RX.

I confirm the silk screen ain't right on the 2nd USB to RS232.....

EDIT: sorry my bad maybe not

[fzabkar]

The baud rate should be 38400bps and the interface is 3.3V LVTTL.

[gg64]

I am not so sure I could use these then (I got 2 of those, not even the same...):

https://www.ebay.fr/itm/291963594952

There is a warning sign onto the device itself on w10, I tried to fix it, but no luck so far. I think, I got what I paid for, garbage...

[gg64]

The PL-2303HX is not supported on w10:

According to PL2303 Windows Driver Manual v1.20.0.pdf

http://www.ignitech.cz/zdroj/usb/documentation/PL2303%20Windows%20Driver%20Manual%20v1.20.0.pdf

So, I got a w7 laptop which I need to give a try with. (It is not going to convert the TTL to LVTTL but still).

Btw someone already did something similar with an adapter which likealike mine:

https://youtu.be/GY70YRXBbg4?t=157

[cologneled]

There is a warning sign onto the device itself on w10, I tried to fix it, but no luck so far.

[gg64]

There is a warning sign onto the device itself on w10, I tried to fix it, but no luck so far.

I think you tried to quote me, or maybe you got the same issue ?

[gg64]

So I tried on 7, driver is fine, detected no warning but still cant use it for some reason.
Putty would not open any window.

[Macbeth]

"Fake" ebay PL-2303's only work with the earlier drivers on Win 10. The simplest way to install them is from http://www.ifamilysoftware.com/news37.html

[gg64]

Turn out, I was using the tree option on the left instead of using the radio buttion in the User Interface right at the first screen.

I typed enter by accident already but here is the output

LED:000000BC FAddr:00006220

This is send periodically I guess

[gg64]

https://imgur.com/a/hbScp77

Here is an output

EDIT: It is not looking good, it seems like I can't really input anything, it seems like pressing f and power cycle could help.

But it sounds like a but joking meme more than anything (I tried, but did not help much), it changed the starting output a little though.

EDIT2: https://www.hddserialcommander.com/seagate/

I actually never expected that level of control.

EDIT3: if I can change the LBA address, that would be:

Level A Commands
‘F’ Command: Translate LBA

But I need to read and get some piece of advice before doing anything.

[fzabkar]

The "pending" errors are the drive's attempts to reassign the LBA of a bad sector to a good spare. If the drive takes too long to process these requests, or fails to do so, then the drive doesn't come ready before the BIOS times out.

You can disable some of these processes in the firmware:

http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=1842&start=80
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=83&t=557

Be VERY careful as the commands are Case Sensitive. Also, the same command may do different things at different Levels. It would be advisable to read the entire threads before embarking on this exercise.

To interrupt the drive before it becomes unresponsive, you can short the read channel test points with tweezers.

Tip: How to identify the Read Channel test points:
www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=123&p=149