Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 HD Owners - Must read!

Tipstaff · Jan 19, 2008, 06:40 AM

The supplier I get all my drives from pointed me to this posting on Seagates site that has to do with a firmware update to the 7200.11 Barracuda drives. Apparently (and I confirmed this with a drive I had at the store) the problem is this:

Barracuda 7200.11 Reporting Wrong Cache Size

Seagate has recently discovered that some of Seagate’s Barracuda 7200.11 hard drives with firmware version SD04 or SD14 will report an incorrect cache size.

The discrepancy is due to the firmware incorrectly identifying the cache size during the buffer size auto detection algorithm. This incorrect value will be passed from the drive, via the “Identify Drive” command to the system BIOS, which in turn reports the incorrect cache size.

The following Barracuda 7200.11 models have been impacted:

ST3500320AS PN 9BX154-302 with firmware code SD04 or SD14
ST3750330AS PN 9BX156-302 with firmware code SD04 or SD14
ST31000340AS PN 9BX158-302 with firmware code SD04 or SD14

For all inventory with the Seagate P/Ns mentioned, a simple firmware update is needed to resolve this issue. No action required for -302 with firmware code AD14. Additionally, no action on your part is required for the Barracuda 7200.11 drives that have already been shipped to end users – Seagate will provide end user support at the Seagate Support Web Site.

Provided below is the link to the code upgrade utility which will complete reloading of corrected firmware for all Seagate models. The new Firmware release is AD 14.

Download the AD14 firmware

Source: Seagate

Now my little warning: I take no responsibility for this update. Be sure to first check that you have the effected drive/s, as well as the firmware version of your drive before you go updating it by not only checking the label on the drive, but the firmware version Windows reports (which you can easily do by going into "Device Manager", opening up the properties of your drive, clicking on the "Details" tab, and checking the "Device Instance ID" listing). Also, if you decide to use it, don't blame me if all hell breaks loose..... OK? Please?

Zelig · Jan 19, 2008, 07:05 AM

Is this why the 7200.11 drives were doing so badly in benchmarks, considering their specs?

Tipstaff · Jan 19, 2008, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zelig

Is this why the 7200.11 drives were doing so badly in benchmarks, considering their specs?

Originally, yes. At least that'd be my guess too. One the reasons why I didn't jump all over them when they first came out was due to those reviews, and my own experience with them. The performance wasn't "all that" when compared to any competitors drive whether they were using 16mb or 32mb cache. They were all promise, and no substance. Then I noticed that some of the computers I was putting together with an ST3500320AS drive were just flying. They'd load faster, pages would just pop up... I was like, "Holy crap! WTF?". Night and day performance compared to the same drive released not too long ago. With one drive I was getting a Vista rating of 5.3 or so, and all of a sudden that rating went to 5.8/5.9 with the new firmware.

One thing I didn't mention was that this firmware also includes the hard drive clicking noise issue that is present in early launch drives.

Erroneus · Jan 19, 2008, 02:06 PM

Interesting! That could maybe explain the problems with the ES2 discs also?

**kris23** · Jan 19, 2008, 02:11 PM

yup.... looks like i got me a pair of those....

cozumel · Jan 19, 2008, 02:41 PM

It's amazes me how these errors get past QA. Every manufacturer does it. What the hell do they do during testing?

**kris23** · Jan 19, 2008, 02:54 PM

maybe cache size wasnt tested? i mean the drives work, they work very well

cozumel · Jan 19, 2008, 03:06 PM

Yeah I Know the drives work well but with the firmware fault it appears to have caused a major slowdown in comparison to similar products. Surely if they had compared to similar spec'd models from other manufacturers the problem would have been identified. Like I said though, every manufacturer does it and it doesn't change the fact they are all guilty of releasing products that haven't been tested thoroughly enough.

Zelig · Jan 19, 2008, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tipstaff

Originally, yes. At least that'd be my guess too. One the reasons why I didn't jump all over them when they first came out was due to those reviews, and my own experience with them. The performance wasn't "all that" when compared to any competitors drive whether they were using 16mb or 32mb cache. They were all promise, and no substance. Then I noticed that some of the computers I was putting together with an ST3500320AS drive were just flying. They'd load faster, pages would just pop up... I was like, "Holy crap! WTF?". Night and day performance compared to the same drive released not too long ago. With one drive I was getting a Vista rating of 5.3 or so, and all of a sudden that rating went to 5.8/5.9 with the new firmware.

Darn, I just ordered some Hitachi drives instead, I would have stuck with Seagate if I'd known the performance was going to be improved.

Chuck_W · Feb 11, 2008, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tipstaff

The supplier I get all my drives from pointed me to this posting on Seagates site that has to do with a firmware update to the 7200.11 Barracuda drives. Apparently (and I confirmed this with a drive I had at the store) the problem is this:

Barracuda 7200.11 Reporting Wrong Cache Size

Seagate has recently discovered that some of Seagate’s Barracuda 7200.11 hard drives with firmware version SD04 or SD14 will report an incorrect cache size.

The discrepancy is due to the firmware incorrectly identifying the cache size during the buffer size auto detection algorithm. This incorrect value will be passed from the drive, via the “Identify Drive” command to the system BIOS, which in turn reports the incorrect cache size.

The following Barracuda 7200.11 models have been impacted:

ST3500320AS PN 9BX154-302 with firmware code SD04 or SD14
ST3750330AS PN 9BX156-302 with firmware code SD04 or SD14
ST31000340AS PN 9BX158-302 with firmware code SD04 or SD14

For all inventory with the Seagate P/Ns mentioned, a simple firmware update is needed to resolve this issue. No action required for -302 with firmware code AD14. Additionally, no action on your part is required for the Barracuda 7200.11 drives that have already been shipped to end users – Seagate will provide end user support at the Seagate Support Web Site.

Provided below is the link to the code upgrade utility which will complete reloading of corrected firmware for all Seagate models. The new Firmware release is AD 14.

Download the AD14 firmware

Source: Seagate

Now my little warning: I take no responsibility for this update. Be sure to first check that you have the effected drive/s, as well as the firmware version of your drive before you go updating it by not only checking the label on the drive, but the firmware version Windows reports (which you can easily do by going into "Device Manager", opening up the properties of your drive, clicking on the "Details" tab, and checking the "Device Instance ID" listing). Also, if you decide to use it, don't blame me if all hell breaks loose..... OK? Please?

Tipstaff,
I looked on the Seagate website for the affected models, and unless I am mistaken, they are contradicting what you say regarding the models affected by the firmware upgrade.

Tipstaff · Feb 11, 2008, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck_W

Tipstaff,
I looked on the Seagate website for the affected models, and unless I am mistaken, they are contradicting what you say regarding the models affected by the firmware upgrade.

It's correct. Since my posting Seagate has redone their page. The bulk of my post was a direct copy/paste from their site, hence the "Source" link at the bottom of the post. Rest assured, it is, or rather was their words, not mine.

What Seagate has done is removed the direct link to their firmware update, as well as reworded their site to remove the part numbers, and specify the actual sizes per model affected model number. What's misleading is that their original site had the model numbers shown in lower to higher size range, and now are in reverse, from higher (1TB) to lower (500GB), but the model numbers are still the same.

In any case, I'm glad you pointed out the change to their site. Fortunately the download link to the firmware still works in my original post, so if you need it, it's there.

Chuck_W · Feb 11, 2008, 04:33 PM

Tipstaff,
I am going to flash the firmware and I will get back to you on the results.

Chuck_W · Feb 11, 2008, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tipstaff

It's correct. Since my posting Seagate has redone their page. The bulk of my post was a direct copy/paste from their site, hence the "Source" link at the bottom of the post. Rest assured, it is, or rather was their words, not mine.

What Seagate has done is removed the direct link to their firmware update, as well as reworded their site to remove the part numbers, and specify the actual sizes per model affected model number. What's misleading is that their original site had the model numbers shown in lower to higher size range, and now are in reverse, from higher (1TB) to lower (500GB), but the model numbers are still the same.

In any case, I'm glad you pointed out the change to their site. Fortunately the download link to the firmware still works in my original post, so if you need it, it's there.

Tipstaff,
Success. The firmware to my drive has been upgraded without problem.

Tipstaff · Feb 12, 2008, 08:54 AM

Good to hear.

Oh, and btw, welcome to the forums!

Judas · Feb 12, 2008, 09:40 AM

apparently i have no hardrives with those models.. including my current 6x500gb raid array.....

that's maybe why i'm pushing numbers people claim i've been misleading about

vasilii1977 · Mar 7, 2008, 08:19 AM

Hi guys,

I updated my ST3500320AS, update went successful but when I look up the HD cash value (which suppose to be 32MB) with batch of programs none of them shows the cash.

Do you able to see 32MB indicated after firmware update?

Thanks

V.

Tipstaff · Mar 11, 2008, 06:35 AM

Welcome to the forums, vasilii.

Your best bet would be SiSoftware's Sandra, and you can download the Lite version from HERE on Softpedia's site. Completely free of course.

Once you get the program installed start it up, and you will notice a bunch of tabs at the top. The one you want is "Hardware". Choose it, and from the many icons that show up pick "Physical Disks". It'll scan your system, and come back with a list of drives installed, including optical and physical drives. Pick the drive you want, and you will see a listing that says "cache size", which in this case it should say "32MB".

H82LUZ · Mar 12, 2008, 03:15 AM

I just had one go poof ,So I RMA it last Friday and i just received word also my UPS tracking number from Seagate.I must say there turn around is much like Maxtor was...fast.

Tipstaff · Mar 12, 2008, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H82LUZ

I must say there turn around is much like Maxtor was...fast.

<cough> before or after Seagate bought them? <cough><cough>

H82LUZ · Mar 12, 2008, 06:47 AM

Oh you got my sarcasim

H82LUZ · Mar 15, 2008, 04:16 AM

I just received this as my replacement..ST3500320AS PN 9BX154-302 with firmware SD15 any news or stuff to worry about?