Firmware issue

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rick S. Martin
  • Start date Start date
R

Rick S. Martin

Hello,

I have an older Maxtor drive that gets detected by bios but not by the
system.
I was told that its firmware needs repair.

Where can I buy a hardware/software that will deal with this, please?

thank you

rick
 
Rick said:
Hello,

I have an older Maxtor drive that gets detected by bios but not by the
system.
I was told that its firmware needs repair.

Where can I buy a hardware/software that will deal with this, please?
Click to expand...


You can not download software to upgrade the firmware of a hard drive.

Use an 80 wire, 40 pin IDE cable. Check jumper settings. Check to be sure
the controller in enabled in the BIOS.

If none of the above helps, run their diagnostic software.

http://tinyurl.com/mdr5b
 
Hello,

I have an older Maxtor drive that gets detected by bios but not by the
system.
I was told that its firmware needs repair.

Where can I buy a hardware/software that will deal with this, please?

thank you

rick
Click to expand...


Told by who?

You have two options:

1) Throw it away, if it's an old drive it can't be worth
much.

2) Run the HDD manufacturer's diagnostics and if it checks
out ok, it's probably a system or OS problem, not the drive.
 
S.Heenan said:
You can not download software to upgrade the firmware of a hard drive.
Click to expand...

Firmware upgrades are rare but have been issued, and example being one
for WD drives that reported errors too often.
 
Rick said:
I have an older Maxtor drive that gets detected by bios but not by the
system.
I was told that its firmware needs repair.
Click to expand...

What are the qualifications of the person who told you that?
Where can I buy a hardware/software that will deal with this, please?
Click to expand...

If it's available, the manufacturer will provide it for free, but I
doubt it's available, and I seriously doubt the firmware is your
problem. More likely a system file or the partition table has become
corrupted. Get the manufacturer's drive diagnostic, or go to
www.hgst.com and get Drive Fitness Test or www.seagate.com and get
SeaTools, both which will diagnose any brand of drive, at least
partially.
 
I have an older Maxtor drive that gets detected by bios but not by the
system.
I was told that its firmware needs repair.
Click to expand...

You probably misunderstood.
Both the drive and your PC hold 'firmware'.
In a PC, it is generally known as BIOS.

It's that BIOS that may need an upgrade in order to support your
drive.
Be careful: there is only one thing easier than upgrading your
BIOS. And that is: ruining your PC :-)

Basically, upgrading BIOS is a very simple process. BUT: it is
absolutly imperative that the BIOS you want to upgrade to is a
100.00 % perfect match to your motherboard.
If it is not exactly the correct type, it will more or less
destroy your motherboard.

By the way: the same thing applies to a harddisk firmware upgrade
:-)
 
Hey guys,

tnx for your replies.

Well, on other forum (not usenet) I got info that my Maxtor went
south, it gets recognized only by its factory alias: Maxtor N40P.

I cant just throw it away, I have some important stuff on it, so...

I don't think it is my PC, I replaced the disk with a newer one and it
works just fine.

Well, I googled the issue and found this:
http://www.salvationdata.com/view/product_detail.asp?pn=00007

Any comments on this software, please?

I don't want to send the drive to data recovery company, as they are
just too expensive...

Tnx for your help
 
Rick said:
Hey guys,

tnx for your replies.

Well, on other forum (not usenet) I got info that my Maxtor went
south, it gets recognized only by its factory alias: Maxtor N40P.

I cant just throw it away, I have some important stuff on it, so...

I don't think it is my PC, I replaced the disk with a newer one and it
works just fine.

Well, I googled the issue and found this:
http://www.salvationdata.com/view/product_detail.asp?pn=00007

Any comments on this software, please?

I don't want to send the drive to data recovery company, as they are
just too expensive...

Tnx for your help
Click to expand...
Can't you get your important data from your backup?
Regards
Lee

Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php
 
Hey guys,

tnx for your replies.

Well, on other forum (not usenet) I got info that my Maxtor went
south, it gets recognized only by its factory alias: Maxtor N40P.

I cant just throw it away, I have some important stuff on it, so...

I don't think it is my PC, I replaced the disk with a newer one and it
works just fine.

Well, I googled the issue and found this:
http://www.salvationdata.com/view/product_detail.asp?pn=00007

Any comments on this software, please?

I don't want to send the drive to data recovery company, as they are
just too expensive...
Click to expand...

Add your drive as a second drive to an other computer. (Mind the
slave jumper :-)
Sometimes you just get lucky.
Sometimes Windows just reads a drive, while bios doesn't even see
it's there. (Leave it's Bios setting at auto, not 'not present!)
 
Gerard Bok said:
On Sat, 03 Jun 2006 12:46:14 +0200, Rick S. Martin
Click to expand...
Add your drive as a second drive to an other computer. (Mind the
slave jumper :-)
Sometimes you just get lucky.
Sometimes Windows just reads a drive, while bios doesn't even see
it's there. (Leave it's Bios setting at auto, not 'not present!)
Click to expand...
Recently someone wrote in that a drive that they could not read with
windows, they could read with a Linux CD.

Todd
 
kony said:
Told by who?

You have two options:

1) Throw it away, if it's an old drive it can't be worth
much.

2) Run the HDD manufacturer's diagnostics and if it checks
out ok, it's probably a system or OS problem, not the drive.
Click to expand...

This has just piqued my curiousity. I've seen the firmware version for HDDs
quoted in various diagnostic programs but have never heard of updating HDD
firmware. Is it possible? If so is there any benefit?

Just curious. :-)
 
This has just piqued my curiousity. I've seen the firmware version for HDDs
quoted in various diagnostic programs but have never heard of updating HDD
firmware. Is it possible? If so is there any benefit?
Click to expand...

I vagely recall firmware updates for drives to address some
specific problem but it is very uncommon. So yes it's
possible IF the manufacturer releases one to address a
problem (that a firmware could fix).
 
kony said:
I vagely recall firmware updates for drives to address some
specific problem but it is very uncommon. So yes it's
possible IF the manufacturer releases one to address a
problem (that a firmware could fix).
Click to expand...

Thanks. Just curious. :-)

Hope you're well.
 
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