PC-3000 Forum

Hello All,
I have experienced problems with Seagate drives when swapping heads. I am currently battling with a ST31000528AS.

When I received the drive it was clicking after shoe-shine, but did come ready. Once I modified Saved Mode Pages module for pending error, disabling the background processes, the drive stopped clicking. I was then able to copy heads 01_3 with no problem via Data Extractor.

After completing the copy without head 2, I put the drive to sleep, removed the PCB and replaced the heads. When I returned from the cleanroom I realized that I had not updated the settings in Data Extractor and the power to the PCB was off. I connected the PCB to the drive and powered up, but the drive clicked and spun down. I returned to the cleanroom and put the original heads back in the drive and was going to boot it, then sleep the drive and try again, however, the original heads only click.

I have experienced this with Seagate drives often, where the original heads will not work after using another set. Is there some ROM information that is updated when a new head stack is inserted? I have never had this problem with WD drives.

Thank you.
Tim Cason
Data Mechanix

Update:

When I return the donor heads back to the donor it worked. Then I put the patient heads in the donor, it did a shoe-shine then clicked (as the patient did originally). Then I put the donor heads back in the donor drive again and now it only clicks. I'm in the process of trying another set of heads in the patient drive.