attention: At first execution of v5.5, a prompting box will be pop up indicating updating of console. Users need to wait for its finish. It's forbidden to quit the program before finishing updating. Otherwise, firmware of the console will be lost causing the console unusable. Moreover, the former version can no longer be used any more after updated to v5.5!!!
Release date: 2010-12-14
update version: V5.5
new features:
A. Add the feature to read firmware modules in level f
there's "safe mode" for seagate drive from barracuda v to barracuda 7200.10, which is also known as level f. Level f means only firmware on pcb has been initialized successfully. For the drive which works in level f, you will get "f >" in terminal. Generally, it's impossible to read firmware from the drive which is in level f. This is because that read cache cannot be detected automatically, thus the console cannot read correct firmware. Moreover, read cache in level f is different from that in level t. Therefore, users need to manually configure read cache to allow correct reading of firmware modules.
The following steps should be followed to read firmware modules in level f.
Step 1. Load from hdd, you will get the information like below:
Step 2. Manually select drive family and input read cache in level f.
After that click button to configure it .then you can read firmware modules. Generally, read cache is fixed which are 200 for the family before barracuda 7200.7 and 400 or 480 for the family after barracuda 7200.7.
Attention: It's impossible to read the whole cert module for the drive with multi-head. This is because there's another portion of cert module stored in secondary head!!!
B. Add the feature to load ata module to ram.
Ata is the critical modules for normal function of a drive. If ata is invalid, the drive will not report on readiness causing it undetectable and inaccessible to data area. You will get the following terminal message:
The message means ata is invalid and cannot be loaded to ram. There are three situations causing such error:
1. Ata corruption.
The content of ata modules is corrupted. It can be repaired by rewriting a donor ata module.
2. Logical bad sectors or unstable sectors
there are logical bad sectors in the track where ata module locates or the sectors are unstable. The problem can be solved by repeating rewriting donor ata module.
3. Physical bad sectors
physical bad sectors locate at ata track. In such situation, it's impossible to rewrite donor ata module. The only solution is to directly load donor ata module to ram, which is added in version 5.5.
Instruction to use the feature is like below：
first, click load from hdd.
Second, enter the menu of "boot management". Select the location of donor ata module, and then click .
After the prompt of finish, enter terminal mode. Press keyboard [ctrl] plus [c] to reset the drive. You can access data area when the drive reports on readiness.
Attention: Do not power off during data copy, as the data in ram will be gone once power is off!!!
C. Add the feature to modify model name, serial number and lba for barracuda 7200.11/7200.12.
For the drive before 7200.11/12, hdd parameters like model name, serial number and lba are stored as stuff module in service area on disk platter. However, in barracuda 7200.11/7200.12, seagate introduces cp (configuration page) on pcb to store such hdd configuration. Version 5.5 allows you to access cp to configure hdd id. The operation is the same as before.
Attention: It's recommended that users first save all cp before modifying any hdd id. Moreover, do not power off before modification is finished, otherwise it will damage rom data causing the drive undetected. And do not modify lba to 0; otherwise it may cause non-stop clicking.
The feature may not support those early barracuda 7200.11/12 drives.
D. Improve the feature of power monitor
in old version, the utility follow strict criteria to monitor voltage. If voltage of 12v input exceeds 5%, the console will automatically cut power off and alarms with beep sound. However, new seagate drive especially barracuda 7200.11/12 drives have more consumption on power and the voltage will sometimes exceed 5% to cause console automatically cutting power off. To support more new drives with big capacity, the restriction has been relaxed in version 5.5.
