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Seagate hard drive problems

V

VanMan

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 1, 2007
19
0
Vancouver, B.C. CANADA
I purchased one of the new Seagate 7200.11 750 GB hard drives with 32MB cache for my early 08 Mac Pro. I noticed when I installed it that System Profiler listed the model as "invalid". On the newegg forums they say that many of these models shipped with deficient firmware that causes the computer to see 0 MB of cache. My attempts at getting support from Seagate have resulted in them sending me .exe and DOS files to upgrade the firmware even though I made it very clear I have a Mac. Does anyone else have the same problem or a solution?
 
VanMan said:
I purchased one of the new Seagate 7200.11 750 GB hard drives with 32MB cache for my early 08 Mac Pro. I noticed when I installed it that System Profiler listed the model as "invalid". On the newegg forums they say that many of these models shipped with deficient firmware that causes the computer to see 0 MB of cache. My attempts at getting support from Seagate have resulted in them sending me .exe and DOS files to upgrade the firmware even though I made it very clear I have a Mac. Does anyone else have the same problem or a solution?
Click to expand...

Well you should go back to seagate and ask them how they would like you to use an .exe file on a Mac?
 
Also, if they tell you which version of the firmware will work with the MP, let us know. I'm not sure if the firmware version is printed on the outside of the packaging or not.
 
The answer is to borrow a friend's PC for 15 minutes to update the firmware. Yeah I know it's stupid, but it'll work no problem and honestly it'll take far less time than to argue with Seagate and get some sort of alternate solution.
 
SolrFlare said:
The answer is to borrow a friend's PC for 15 minutes to update the firmware. Yeah I know it's stupid, but it'll work no problem and honestly it'll take far less time than to argue with Seagate and get some sort of alternate solution.
Click to expand...

Argue with Seagate. It's a matter if principle.
 
SolrFlare said:
The answer is to borrow a friend's PC for 15 minutes to update the firmware. Yeah I know it's stupid, but it'll work no problem and honestly it'll take far less time than to argue with Seagate and get some sort of alternate solution.
Click to expand...

I have a PC laptop from work. How would the drive connect for a firmware upgrade? It only has USB, VGA and no floppy (has CD/DVD). Also, no external HD enclosure available.
 
I just ordered two new seagate 500gb drives. Wonder if i'll have the problem. Keep us apprised. Also How did you get in contact with seagate about the problem. Maybe a direct line or something?
 
This is exactly why I went with the Samsung drives ove the Seagate drives. The problems and performance issues.
 
Mr.PS said:
This is exactly why I went with the Samsung drives ove the Seagate drives. The problems and performance issues.
Click to expand...

I have heard that many people have been having issues with the Samsung drives too. When I finally get my Mac Pro, I will install my two Hitachi Ultrastar 750GB drives.

They aren't quite as fast as the other drives, but I am more interested in reliability than speed.

Hickman
 
Brian Hickman said:
I have heard that many people have been having issues with the Samsung drives too. When I finally get my Mac Pro, I will install my two Hitachi Ultrastar 750GB drives.

They aren't quite as fast as the other drives, but I am more interested in reliability than speed.

Hickman
Click to expand...

Hundreds of people on Newegg reported the Samsung drives on Newegg to be DOA. But the issue was reality the Via and Nforce chipsets, not the drives. Samsung did numerous tests on the drives that were considered DOA and I believe they were all perfectly fine, it's a chipset issue. A bios issue should be able to solve it. I believe...

I order two of the 750GB Samsung Spinpoint drives. Too bad I have to send my Mac Pro back.
 
knome said:
I just ordered two new seagate 500gb drives. Wonder if i'll have the problem. Keep us apprised. Also How did you get in contact with seagate about the problem. Maybe a direct line or something?
Click to expand...

I have two of the 500GB Seagate 7200.11 w/32MB cache drives installed in my MP, with no problems. Model # ST3500320AS, Revision # SD04.
 
The hard drives still work but...

mrcandy said:
I have two of the 500GB Seagate 7200.11 w/32MB cache drives installed in my MP, with no problems. Model # ST3500320AS, Revision # SD04.
Click to expand...
The drives still work with the deficient firmware but don't get the benefit of the 32MB of cache (or so I read on the Newegg forums).
 
Seagate it seems is screwing up alot lately with bad firmware:(
i used to like seagate but i just sold 4x500 aak drives:eek:
 
VanMan said:
The drives still work with the deficient firmware but don't get the benefit of the 32MB of cache (or so I read on the Newegg forums).
Click to expand...

I thought they were also supposed to report the model number incorrectly? Which mine report correctly, so I wasn't concerned. Is there a way to check the amount of cache they have reported under OSX?

I've downloaded the firmware update, but about to head out of town so it will have to wait a couple of days before I can get around to installing it.
 
mrcandy said:
I thought they were also supposed to report the model number incorrectly? Which mine report correctly, so I wasn't concerned. Is there a way to check the amount of cache they have reported under OSX?

I've downloaded the firmware update, but about to head out of town so it will have to wait a couple of days before I can get around to installing it.
Click to expand...

I wish I knew if there was a way to check the amount of cache it is reporting. I suspect there is but I don't know. The firmware updates are .exe or DOS for Windows only.
 
No help from Seagate

I've copied the official response, sounds like tough luck for you because you have a Mac:
Dear Mark

Thank you for sending your Seagate E-mail inquiry.

Unfortunately in order to apply the firmware update on this drive you would need to find a PC to install this drive on and apply the firmware. Once this is done you should be able to take the drive to your MAC and run the drive as normal. We do not have a firmware update procedure for MACs.

If you have any additional questions, please let me know.


Regards,

Alan TS49
Senior Technical Support for Seagate/Maxtor
 
VanMan said:
I've copied the official response, sounds like tough luck for you because you have a Mac:
Dear Mark

Thank you for sending your Seagate E-mail inquiry.

Unfortunately in order to apply the firmware update on this drive you would need to find a PC to install this drive on and apply the firmware. Once this is done you should be able to take the drive to your MAC and run the drive as normal. We do not have a firmware update procedure for MACs.

If you have any additional questions, please let me know.


Regards,

Alan TS49
Senior Technical Support for Seagate/Maxtor
Click to expand...

Tell him you dont have a f**king PC you have a Mac, and you will send it back to them and they can send you a correct firewire version, the cheeky f**kers :mad::mad: Thats what I will do if I get mine and it doesn't work. Honestly companies really know how to take the piss, they mess up and expect you to do all the running about.
 
Get the Samsung drives. The Seagates are great drives but they seem to have issues right now. It's like the Ati 2600XT vs the 8800GT. The Ati has issues now, just go for the 8800GT and save yourself the head ache. The Spintpoints are just as much as the Seagates too.
 
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