Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 still in BIOS, but doesn't spin

marioaraujo · Sep 15, 2013

I have a Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 500GB

Model ST3500620AS

Serial Number 5QM1L061

Firmware HP24

I have 3 HDs, the newest one is the Barracuda that stopped spinning. I can feel the vibration from the others HDs but the Seagate one is dead. First I fought it was a virus because I couldn't access the drive (I/O error) and my machine slowed down a lot. After some working I disconnected the defective drive and formatted my machine (clean slate) and my the overall performance of the PC went back to normal, but after I re-inserted the problematic drive, the old symptoms re-appeared. That was when I started looking around trying to diagnose the problem.

The HD is still being recognized in BIOS, Computer Management under Disk Management also can see the HD but when I try to right click the drive Windows Task Manager says the process is NOT RESPONDING. Chkdsk on command prompt also says that can't access the drive.

Some say that the PCB needs to be replaced but at HP and Seagate Customer Support I read that a firmware update could suffice the problem.

I was wondering about possible risks of running this update, the data on this disk is extremely valuable. Any shot on the dark would be helpful!! I am going nuts over here...

Thank you.

Pinhedd · Sep 15, 2013

marioaraujo :

I have a Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 500GB

Model ST3500620AS

Serial Number 5QM1L061

Firmware HP24

I have 3 HDs, the newest one is the Barracuda that stopped spinning. I can feel the vibration from the others HDs but the Seagate one is dead. First I fought it was a virus because I couldn't access the drive (I/O error) and my machine slowed down a lot. After some working I disconnected the defective drive and formatted my machine (clean slate) and my the overall performance of the PC went back to normal, but after I re-inserted the problematic drive, the old symptoms re-appeared. That was when I started looking around trying to diagnose the problem.

The HD is still being recognized in BIOS, Computer Management under Disk Management also can see the HD but when I try to right click the drive Windows Task Manager says the process is NOT RESPONDING. Chkdsk on command prompt also says that can't access the drive.

Some say that the PCB needs to be replaced but at HP and Seagate Customer Support I read that a firmware update could suffice the problem.

I was wondering about possible risks of running this update, the data on this disk is extremely valuable. Any shot on the dark would be helpful!! I am going nuts over here...

Thank you.

The drive is dead and needs to be replaced. The drive controller is responding, but either the motor or the motor controller has failed.

Pallimud · Sep 15, 2013

You can get away with doing a firmware update without losing the data (source: http://forums.seagate.com/t5/Desktop-HDD-Desktop-SSHD/Firmware-update-may-erase-my-hard-drive/td-p/43428), but you might want to try another means of backing it up before doing it. There is always a risk of losing the data, but it doesn't do it by default.

Try connecting the harddrive via an external enclosure via USB and see if you can access it. You can try on the same PC or a laptop. If you can't access it through that then most likely you're not going to be able to without taking it to a data recovery place or trying the firmware update.

Edit: Once you get your data, RMA it to seagate, they have one of the best RMA processes (it makes up for so many faulty drives imho).

JackNaylorPE · Sep 15, 2013

The 7200.11 did have a known firmware issue. I don't remember what this issue was but it seems odd that it would prevent drive from spinning.

marioaraujo · Sep 15, 2013

Pinhedd :

marioaraujo :

The drive is dead and needs to be replaced. The drive controller is responding, but either the motor or the motor controller has failed.

Thanx for the quick response... one question though. I think the HD was making a unusual noise (It sounded like a fan, so i thought it was a fan), do you know if this could be one of the symptoms for a motor going bad?

marioaraujo · Sep 15, 2013

Pallimud :

You can get away with doing a firmware update without losing the data (source: http://forums.seagate.com/t5/Desktop-HDD-Desktop-SSHD/Firmware-update-may-erase-my-hard-drive/td-p/43428), but you might want to try another means of backing it up before doing it. There is always a risk of losing the data, but it doesn't do it by default.

Try connecting the harddrive via an external enclosure via USB and see if you can access it. You can try on the same PC or a laptop. If you can't access it through that then most likely you're not going to be able to without taking it to a data recovery place or trying the firmware update.

Edit: Once you get your data, RMA it to seagate, they have one of the best RMA processes (it makes up for so many faulty drives imho).

That link lift some of the fear out... thank you!

Pinhedd · Sep 15, 2013

marioaraujo :

Pinhedd :

Thanx for the quick response... one question though. I think the HD was making a unusual noise (It sounded like a fan, so i thought it was a fan), do you know if this could be one of the symptoms for a motor going bad?

Hard Disk Drives use brushless DC motors just like PC fans and they do sound somewhat similar. The difference is that the HDD motor is controlled via a motor controller IC rather than a simple regulator. When the drive is powered on you should be able to feel the hum of the rotor and hear clicking from the arm. If you feel and hear nothing, then it's not spinning up.

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Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 still in BIOS, but doesn't spin

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