Firmware update for 1TB Seagate ST31000520AS not executed?!?

JZL240I-U · 12-29-2013, 12:24 PM

S.M.A.R.T. told me there is a firmware update for my drive. So I went to the Seagate site and and downloaded the appropriate CC35.iso update and burnt it on CD. On running it and trying to write the update ("download" as the program calls it) I get:

Quote:

Model ST31000520AS SN 5VX0VRDP PW Model Matched, No Firmware Match! Will not Download Firmware! Firmware Version is not compatible.

Aha. Hardware matches, old Firmware CC32 does not match new CC35. Now what? Is there an update for my drive and if so, how do I get and apply it? Any hints, answers or helpful URLs would be highly appreciated.

thorkelljarl · 12-29-2013, 02:35 PM

Curious...

Everything on the Seagate site says you have the right download for updating the firmware on this HDD; Seagate must be in error somewhere. That, or they don't mention that there is more than one version of his HDD with the same model number, and the update isn't an exact fit for the one you have.

Assuming that the latest firmware version is an option but not a necessity, you may not find it advisable to load the new version. However, it seems to be possible to force the upgrade. After a full backup of your data:

http://niallbest.com/seagate-2tb-st3...mware-upgrade/

In addition, you might seek more information on the HDD by running the command "lshw" in a terminal to see what the HDD reports about itself and its firmware or download and run the Seagate HDD utility "Seatools" to see what it reports.

http://www.seagate.com/support/downl...ls-dos-master/

JZL240I-U · 12-31-2013, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorkelljarl

...After a full backup of your data:

http://niallbest.com/seagate-2tb-st3...mware-upgrade/

I'll wait with that one a little more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorkelljarl

...In addition, you might seek more information on the HDD by running the command "lshw" in a terminal to see what the HDD reports about itself and its firmware or download and run the Seagate HDD utility "Seatools" to see what it reports.

lshw is not part of the openSuSE setup. I'll dig up their command still... I downloaded the seatool thingy, but I have not burnt it yet. Will report if there is something worthwhile. What I did try as a consequence of reading your first link was to switch from ACPI to ATA mode in the BIOS, but to no avail. Same error as before.

thorkelljarl · 01-01-2014, 06:07 AM

To force or not to force...

As I looked through various posts on the Internet, I saw that the reason owners of these HDDs needed to find a way to force the firmware upgrade was that the drive exhibited a potentially destructive clicking with the older firmware.

Whatever you choose to do, regularly checking the hardware status and having a through and timely backup of this HDD would be advised.

You can find a package for "lshw" through the openSUSE Package Search web site.

JZL240I-U · 01-02-2014, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorkelljarl

...I saw that the reason owners of these HDDs needed to find a way to force the firmware upgrade was that the drive exhibited a potentially destructive clicking with the older firmware...

Thas is not my problem, or rather the drive is pleasantly quiet even during accesses.

I just found in the S.M.A.R.T. protocol that a new firmware version might be / was out. On checking this out I read Seagate advising to do regular updates since the earlier bugs and problems were cleared and the updates guarateed better data security and lifetime for the drives. Thus I'm trying to follow a manufacturers recommended procedure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorkelljarl

Whatever you choose to do, regularly checking the hardware status and having a through and timely backup of this HDD would be advised.

Indeed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorkelljarl

You can find a package for "lshw" through the openSUSE Package Search web site.

It is called something different here, I just don't recall what at the moment

.

<edit> I just recalled it, it is called "hwinfo" on open SuSE. Will run it later. </edit>

JZL240I-U · 01-02-2014, 10:27 AM

This is the output from hwinfo:

Quote:

PC:~ # hwinfo --disk
34: IDE 00.0: 10600 Disk
[Created at block.245]
Unique ID: 3OOL.K+dVc3bvxr2
Parent ID: 7EWs.834oaTB3pAF
SysFS ID: /class/block/sda
SysFS BusID: 0:0:0:0
SysFS Device Link: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:11.0/ata1/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0
Hardware Class: disk
Model: "ST31000520AS"
Device: "ST31000520AS"
Revision: "CC32"
Serial ID: "5VX0VRDP"
Driver: "ahci", "sd"
Driver Modules: "ahci"
Device File: /dev/sda
Device Files: /dev/sda, /dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST31000520AS_5VX0VRDP, /dev/disk/by-id/scsi-1ATA_ST31000520AS_5VX0VRDP, /dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST31000520AS_5VX0VRDP, /dev/disk/by-id/wwn-0x5000c500251284e6, /dev/disk/by-path/pci-0000:00:11.0-scsi-0:0:0:0
Device Number: block 8:0-8:15
Geometry (Logical): CHS 121601/255/63
Size: 1953525168 sectors a 512 bytes
Capacity: 931 GB (1000204886016 bytes)
Config Status: cfg=no, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
Attached to: #5 (SATA controller)

Any technical findings in them?

thorkelljarl · 01-02-2014, 01:40 PM

linux is choice...

I see nothing of alarm in the results of "hwinfo". I mentioned possible sources for gathering information on your HDD in case you wanted to see some background on its setup and running state or wanted to be able to check the disk at intervals. I assume that you have SMART running as a constant monitor, and it will do its best to warn of a problem.

If you note any signs of trouble or you're simply feeling adventurous sometime, you can force the update; it seems to have a good rate of success.

JZL240I-U · 01-03-2014, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorkelljarl

...I see nothing of alarm in the results of "hwinfo"...

Ahh, thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorkelljarl

...I mentioned possible sources for gathering information on your HDD in case you wanted to see some background on its setup and running state or wanted to be able to check the disk at intervals. I assume that you have SMART running as a constant monitor, and it will do its best to warn of a problem...

Again thanks and yes, SMART is runnning. As I wrote, I found the hint for a firmware update in its output.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorkelljarl

...If you note any signs of trouble or you're simply feeling adventurous sometime, you can force the update; it seems to have a good rate of success.

Perhaps during the weekend -- or some time later, depends mostly on the time I can spare for adventures

.

JZL240I-U · 02-18-2014, 01:14 PM

So I felt adventurous and I dared it...

I issued the command as recommended by seagate

Code:

FDL486A -m Hepburn -f HECC358H.LOD -s -x -b -v -a 20

Results:

Code:

Model ST31000520AS ... CC32 Bus 0 Device 0
Invalid data..1:00
Download procedure failed
Model ST31000520AS ... CC32

Press 'c' to go back to Windows/Linux OS

Grrrr. I hate it when a manufacturer doesn't even understand its own devices

.

metaschima · 02-18-2014, 02:06 PM

Put in the serial and model number given by smartctl or lshw in:
https://apps1.seagate.com/downloads/request.html
It should give you the right firmware.

thorkelljarl · 02-19-2014, 04:38 AM

A little different...

The instructions on the original Seagate site are not exactly the same.

Quote:

1. Burn as an ISO image and boot to the provided firmware flash ISO

2. The first screen you will see is a disclaimer and some instructions on how to proceed (Please read the disclaimer)

*If these drives have any data that is of value and that data is not backed up prior to attempting this or any firmware upgrade backup the data, if not then proceed.

3. When you are done you can press the [Esc] on your keyboard.

4. At this screen you will see options D-Z. On you keyboard press both the [Ctrl] + [c] keys.

5. Press the [Y] key on your keyboard to exit the batch file.

6. At the command link type in the following command then press enter on your keyboard:

FDL486A -m Hepburn -f HECC358H.LOD -s -x -b -v -a 20

At this point the firmware flash should start and complete.

Make sure to only have to two drives that you are updating connected to system when attempting to update the firmware.

The blog from nialbest was this.

Quote:

"1) updating from a bootable CD
2) Allow the update to fail on the first pass. Wait for the following message: "The system will power off after pressing any key..."
3) Abort the batch by typing Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break.
4) Type the following line at the FreeDOS prompt:
FDL486A -m Hepburn -f HECC358H.LOD -i ST32000542AS -s -x -b -v -a 20
5) Power cycle the drive when the update is complete."

Did you try the update after exiting or letting the procedure fail before you issued the command? Did you set the BIOS for ATA?

You might download the firmware update again using the model and serial number in case Seagate has changed anything, and try the command with the exact information from the results of your "hwinfo" as in nialbest. If that doesn't work, try without again, as in the Seagate post. I noticed that the blog post from nialbest now uses the command without specifying the HDD model, as Seagate recommends, so it should have worked-?.

http://niallbest.com/seagate-2tb-st3...mware-upgrade/

Seagate is not a firm noted for its thoroughness.

JZL240I-U · 02-19-2014, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metaschima

It should give you the right firmware.

It is the right firmware according to the seagate link in the output of "smartctl -a /dev/sda"

Quote:

http://knowledge.seagate.com/article...S/FAQ/207931en http://knowledge.seagate.com/article...S/FAQ/213915en

The original message was

Quote:

Model ST31000520AS SN 5VX0VRDP PW Model Matched, No Firmware Match! Will not Download Firmware! Firmware Version is not compatible.

As an aside, the site of your link proclaims no firmware for this model as of today

...

metaschima · 02-19-2014, 11:00 AM

If the site says no firmware is available then maybe it is right. Remember that it depends on both model and serial number that's why I prefer that link.

JZL240I-U · 02-20-2014, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorkelljarl

Did you try the update after exiting or letting the procedure fail before you issued the command? Did you set the BIOS for ATA?

Failing won't work, because one can't get back to the command line. I retried with BIOS set for ATA, with the same results. (Sorry, that's why I'm posting only now).

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorkelljarl

...as in nialbest. If that doesn't work, try without again, as in the Seagate post. I noticed that the blog post from nialbest now uses the command without specifying the HDD model, as Seagate recommends, so it should have worked-?

Sorry, but it did not work...

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorkelljarl

Seagate is not a firm noted for its thoroughness.

Indeed. Alas.

thorkelljarl · 02-21-2014, 04:41 AM

Just so I understand the problem...

The method is based on having the Dos program run with the commands you need to force the update. This is done either before it normally runs, by pressing [Esc] in the case of Seagate's recommendation, or after it runs and fails, as stated by niallbest.

I understand that you can press (Esc) at the right moment and get to a Dos prompt, but the update command still fails. However, you can't let the update fail and get to a prompt with Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break to enter the command.

The only thing I can think of is to set your BIOS CD/DVD and HDD controller settings to IDE in case the Dos based live-CD can't find itself. I have to do this to run a Samsung HDD utility with my CD/DVD drives connected with SATA cables to the same controller as my HDD.

You can try again in various combinations, but unless you're thinking of using this HDD in a RAID array, or it shows aberrant behavior, you don't need to update the firmware. If you're stubborn you can download and burn the ISO file again or try the update with the Windows .exe, but would it make any difference?

Spring is upon us, and might present more interesting moments than those spent on this endeavor. Today I'll bicycle out into the rain, but shall return if you require.