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update from seagate website
- Thread starter cavi
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Coincidental timing but I was looking into this, if by PAK PAKing you mean the sound the hard drive makes regularly and rarely with pause?
The hard drive in my iMac 2010 27" model is a ST31000528AS running firmware revision AP25. I entered my serial number on the Seagate firmware page and it says there is no update for my serial number.
I yesterday installed Windows 7 under bootcamp. I am currently running tests under SeaTools for Windows but I doubt it will find any problems.
It occurs to me that having run SeaTools for Windows that Firmware 'AP25' sounds like AP as in Apple. Perhaps, unless there really is a hardware fault above and beyond Seagate saying that noisy drive is a known issue, perhaps Apple will issue a Firmware update (as Seagate apparently have for non Apple users of the drive) if enough people contact them?
Hi freinds,
The PAK PAK sound is not regular. I think that every 5-10 seconds they appear.
I spoke with seagate before and they told me that these noise is a re-calibration noise and they have a firmware update for that but because Apple use there own firmware we can't instal it on iMac.
Apple know this problem. why they not doing anything? I really don't know.
I saw in the web page an option to make non windows boot CD with explenation how to make one in OSX. maybe this is the solution for us but because it's not an official update from Apple Seagate keep this quite?
The PAK PAK sound is not regular. I think that every 5-10 seconds they appear.
I spoke with seagate before and they told me that these noise is a re-calibration noise and they have a firmware update for that but because Apple use there own firmware we can't instal it on iMac.
Apple know this problem. why they not doing anything? I really don't know.
I saw in the web page an option to make non windows boot CD with explenation how to make one in OSX. maybe this is the solution for us but because it's not an official update from Apple Seagate keep this quite?
I have never done a firmware update with an Apple product but I would assume it is similar to other hardware products where when you install new firmware the product's old firmware is first backed up. I think we would need to find someone who has backed up firmware from their quiet Seagate drive and give that a try, that is assuming their drive is the same revision number as our noisy ones. That said, the idea of using firmware from some relatively faceless anon is not a comfortable thought.
chris98vf
macrumors regular
Firmware updates are done through the usual Software Update. There was one for my 2006 iMac and it went through without a problem. If Apple decides to push the update it will be through that. However since it is a piece of hardware that Apple doesn't make it may not ever happen. I would go for the Windows update via Bootcamp if you don't want to wait.
Hi Chris98vf. I installed Windows a few days ago because I assumed I would have to flash the hard drive using through Windows using Seagate's firmware tool, similar to routines I have performed in the past with other firmware updates on other hard drives on regular PC builds, via Windows. But as I say, assuming the post I read wasn't misquoting, Seagate were apparently saying last September that Apple re-badge their Seagate drives and flash them with Apple-specific firmware - which Seagate can't supply.
I might be incorrect in my interpretation of the few long forum threads that I have read but it appears that Apple, publicly at least, don't seem to accept there is a problem. Some people have had their drives replaced for ones just as noisy. Others have had better luck.
Apparently if you swap your 1TB Seagate for, say, a store bought 1TB Seagate with the same model number but which doesn't come with the needed Apple firmware... your iMac cannot get the correct thermal data from the jumper connection and you might have fan speed problems. One user reported that 'the fan speed increases to full over a time period of 10 minutes'. Some people have fitted old iMac external temperature sensors, some have gone for a zero ohm resistor. Again, I am quoting.
I found a further post, though it it's not clear which model of iMac the user is referring to beyond that it is an 'aluminum' model, where the user bought an optical drive sensor (Apple part #922-9141) and used it in place of the original HD sensor. He says it plugs into the logic board where the old HD sensor did and that you stick the sensor onto the hard drive with adhesive that is already on said sensor. That returned the system fan's behavior back to normal.
I found a further post, though it it's not clear which model of iMac the user is referring to beyond that it is an 'aluminum' model, where the user bought an optical drive sensor (Apple part #922-9141) and used it in place of the original HD sensor. He says it plugs into the logic board where the old HD sensor did and that you stick the sensor onto the hard drive with adhesive that is already on said sensor. That returned the system fan's behavior back to normal.
chris98vf
macrumors regular
Sounds like a headache waiting for Apple to update the firmware. They may just say it's within acceptable parameters and that will be the end of it. Depending on manufacture I've heard much louder drives. Think of the IBM Deathstar drives if anyone remembers those hunks of crap.
I was keen to just change out the hard drive for one with a larger capacity using one of a couple of possible hard drives that Apple use in the current iMacs, but even replacing hard drives like-wth-like you don't have access to Apple's firmware for said drives so you are replacing one problem with a new problem (re temperature sensing and HD fan control).
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As an experiment I entered my drives serial number into Samsung's Firmware check and it said there was no replacement Firmware for it. I think if you externalize the drive in a caddy/enclosure you will have the same problem of not being able to flash it to Seagates own firmware (CC46). Perhaps there is a brute force hack to install that firware but I don't want hacks anywhere near my iMac. Has anyone had any problems using their 'Apple' Seagates externally? I haven't come across any reports and so am hopeful. At this point, though I might have to give in and just somehow return my iMac in another city via public transport, I am looking into ways of making my own thermal sensor to use with, perhaps, a quiet 500GB drive. Hopefully Apple don't manufacturer them in-house with non-stock parts; though I spent a lot on the iMac and it seems churlsih $22 still seems like a lot for a couple of wires and a temp sensor.
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