PC-3000 Forum

Hi!

I had a Seagate Momentus 7200.4 ST9320423AS-FW:0003HPM1 with "0MB" error. Checked the HDD I found that module "2B" was bad.
I tried the "solution" on PC3000UDMA, the outcome became the HDD has full capacity, but only 50% of the data area is visible.
Did I do something wrong, or that solution is not working on that model?

Any idea?

I have exactly the same problem with a 5400.6 with module 2B bad and detecting as 0Mb.

I have not tried the "fix" yet. Is there something we can do to fix this?

Save all SA resources before attempting repair, when 2B i repaired, write all other SA modules back.

This is common problem recently, and hardware errors relocated to the surface during the repair prevent access to surface and translator cannot correctly load.

I do not know solution for this which for moment involves lengthy process of identifying and manually relocating these errors. I only know how to prevent it.

@Kezo = did you use autorepair feature in PC3K? If so I think it saved all SA first so write all modules back except 2B any others that were affected by 0MB.

Please write back here your results

Was advised to regenerate translator which I did. I then got access to some data.

Tried to re-write old modules, but no luck. Can 2B be used from the same firmware drive, or is it related to translator?

Why were you not able to rewrte original modules before repair? I do not mean write 002B, this can not be written from donor as far as I know. You should try rewrite original SA modules except 002B, which should be regenerated correctly following the repair

No Good. I tried rewriting all modules but 2B, but it errored out after 16000000 sectors. All the way to the end of the drive. It looks like the translator regeneration did not work. I replaced 2B with one from the same model, and the translator needed to be regenerated again.

Is there a list of what modules are in the Seagate and what they are (P-List etc) so I can use other modules from another drive?

Hello guys
We call such issue "postprocessing problem".
We would like to tell some words about it.
On the factory while HDD's surface scanning all its defects are being added to the P-list for further translator creation. After that they create translator using defects that were added into Plist. Then they launch scan once more and all found defects are being added to the Translator directly. Let's call these defects "additional"
2B is translator module. If 2B is damaged you should regenerate the translator.
If you perform the translator regeneration, defects will be placed from P list only, but HDD has additional defects.
And after this regeneration you can read surface exactly till first additional bad sector (that presents on disk and was added in translator on factory, but was not added when you regenerated it).
Unfortunately there is no complete automatic solution yet.
There is one procedure with terminal command (G6c) , that allows to add additional defects in G list, then you should regenerate the translator, taking into account G list. You should repeat this procedure for each additional defect. So this method is not quiet universal.
There are several cases when data was recovered with this method, but mostly it does not work.
And now good news!
We are planning to add automatic mode for such cases in next update and I hope it will work well.

The additional defects I believe are stored in a list which can be restored after translator regeneration if possible, also as preventative measure during repairs i would suggest that clearing defect lists should not be done to prevent the bug.

Now we have a new update, how do we go about fixing this problem. I received an email saying it is possible, but no explanation as to how.

Hello!
Yes, now there are several solutions in the utility for such problem.
First.
Full automatic solution. You should launch option that is shown on the picture below

Then you will see window where you can select "First start" of procedure or "Continue from LBA".
If you know that P list is damaged you should unmark "Take into account P-list"

So if you launch this solution first time and suppose that P list is OK you should just press on the "OK" button and wait till end of procedure.
It may take long time.
Second.
Task in DE.
If you want to use this solution you should create task in DE in mode "Create virtual translator" (and "make data copy" of course).

Then you should select reading mode "Read from active utility"

In this mode reading will be slowly than in UDMA mode. But you will get full image of disk with shifts.
Then you should create virtual translator via menu of DE.

Third.
This is manual solution.
It will be described detailed in new manual for Seagate F3, that will be released soon.

Hi Igor,

I have one case like this with a ST9500325AS. I tried first step but at LBA 515882490, I have the following error : "Translation "fork" direction detection ambiguity ! Correct it manually !".

Please can you describe manual procedure ? And do I have to finish reallocation manually or I can continue automatically ?

rcz wrote:Hi Igor,

I have one case like this with a ST9500325AS. I tried first step but at LBA 515882490, I have the following error : "Translation "fork" direction detection ambiguity ! Correct it manually !".

Please can you describe manual procedure ? And do I have to finish reallocation manually or I can continue automatically ?

Hi
If you get such result during this procedure, reach please us via e-mail or some messenger (Skype, MSN).

Igor,

We solved this case together one month ago.

rcz wrote:Igor,

We solved this case together one month ago.

Hi
Yes, i know
I meant if some other user will get such error he can ask our help via instant messenger.

Ok ! The "you" was ambiguous !

So I can testify Igor can help "you" if "you" have a problem.