Seagate ST9500325AS Hard Drive Data Recovery

Seagate's ST9500325AS, like many other hard drives, has faced its share of challenges when it comes to data recovery, leaving users grappling with frustrating problems.

seagate ST9500325AS 0mb problem data recovery

Physical Damage: One of the primary issues encountered with Seagate ST9500325AS hard drives is physical damage. Whether due to mishandling, dropping, or exposure to extreme temperatures, physical harm can render the drive inoperable. Internal components might get damaged, leading to read/write head misalignment or motor failure. This physical damage poses a significant obstacle to data recovery, often requiring specialized expertise and equipment for any chance of retrieval.
Firmware Corruption: Firmware acts as the bridge between a hard drive's hardware and software components. In Seagate ST9500325AS drives, firmware corruption can occur due to various reasons, including power surges, improper shutdowns, or even manufacturing defects. When the firmware gets corrupted, the drive might become inaccessible, leading to data loss. Retrieving data from a drive with corrupt firmware demands intricate technical knowledge and specialized tools to repair or bypass the issue.
Logical Errors and Bad Sectors: Over time, hard drives can develop logical errors or bad sectors, where portions of the drive become unreadable or fail to retain data reliably. Seagate ST9500325AS drives are susceptible to such issues, which can arise due to software conflicts, aging components, or even manufacturing inconsistencies. Recovering data from sectors with errors or bad sectors can be a complex process, often requiring professional data recovery services with advanced software tools.
Virus or Malware Attacks: Like any other storage device, Seagate ST9500325AS drives are vulnerable to virus and malware attacks. These malicious programs can corrupt files, alter drive structures, or even render the drive inaccessible. Data recovery in such cases involves not only removing the malware but also attempting to salvage the compromised data, which can be a painstaking and challenging task.
Natural Wear and Tear: As hard drives age, they undergo natural wear and tear, leading to a decline in performance and reliability. Seagate ST9500325AS drives are no exception. With prolonged use, components may degrade, causing the drive to malfunction or fail entirely. Data recovery from such drives might require careful handling and sophisticated techniques, considering the drive's deteriorating condition.

In conclusion, while the Seagate ST9500325AS hard drive is a reliable storage solution for many, it's not immune to a range of problems that can lead to data loss. Physical damage, firmware corruption, logical errors, malware attacks, and natural wear and tear are among the significant challenges users face when attempting to recover data from these drives. Seeking professional assistance from data recovery specialists with experience in handling Seagate drives becomes imperative when faced with such issues, ensuring the best possible chance of retrieving valuable data from these troubled drives.

Seagate ST9500325AS 0mb Data Recovery Case Log

21Dec23: This hard drive does spin up and but detects with 0mb capacity. Its from a laptop. Its sounds fine but no access to any firmware. The solution to this 0mb problem is to fix the translator as mentioned below. Also translator recovery is important.

Model : ST9500325AS
Serial : S2W5TQY2
Firmware : 0011
Capacity : 0 MB ()

Family ID by HDD ID: 3C
Selected Family ID: 3C
Family ID by HDD ID: 3C
Selected Family ID: 3C
Selected family......................... : 3C, Wyatt
Model by ID............................. : ST9500325AS

Loading default settings!
Use the options dialog to review and save utility settings.
Then press OK!

Family default settings loading!

Tech Key...

Requesting FW Pkg ver ........ WY05A7.LVM1.DA113D.

Detecting SA Phys Sct Size...
Result.................................. : 512

Detecting UA Phys Sct Size...
Result.................................. : 512

Detecting Max Head number...
Phys. heads............................. : 4

Obtaining Saved Mode Pages File information...
Reading Saved Mode Pages...
Parsing Saved Mode Pages...

LBA alignment........................... : 0

Obtaining Registry File information...
Reading Registry File...
Parsing Registry File...

Media Cache
===========
MC is not supported / NVC caching

Collecting Sys Files information...
ID Len
===============
0 2 Reserved Defect Table (SA defect table)
1 2 Drive Information File (DIF)
2 16 Performance Parameter File (PPF)
3 1870 Primary Defect File (P-List)
4 9 Servo Adaptive Parameter File (SAP)
5 4 Manufacturing Information File (MIF)
6 85 Read Adaptive Parameters File (RAP)
7 1 Controller Adaptive Parameters File (CAP)
8 2400
9 1 SMART Configuration File
A 2251 SMART Data File
B 1000
C 64000 Serial Port Test Results File (Self Scan Log)
D 160
E 432 Data Integrity Check (DIC), HEAD 0
F 223 DIC Dummy File
13 8 Disc Registry File (settings, security, etc)
15 100 BGMS File (Directed Offline Scan)
16 2
17 40
19 24 Log File
1A 33 Log File
1B 1 Log File
1C 9
1D 128 Physical Overlay File 0
1E 128 Physical Overlay File 1
1F 640 Physical Overlay File 2
22 80 Drive Self Test (DST), Head 0
23 80 Drive Self Test (DST), Head 1
24 80 Drive Self Test (DST), Head 2
25 80 Drive Self Test (DST), Head 3
2A 9 Saved Mode Pages (HDD settings)
2B 535 R/W Operating Parameters (translator, etc)
2C 432 Data Integrity Check (DIC), HEAD 1
2D 432 Data Integrity Check (DIC), HEAD 2
2E 432 Data Integrity Check (DIC), HEAD 3
33 4576
34 640 Packed CONGEN XML definition
35 26 SMART Data
Collecting Sys File Infos completed

Collecting DT Infos...
ROM:
ID MemOffs Len
===========================
0 6020100 43520 Read Adaptive Parameters File (RAP)
1 6020000 256 Controller Adaptive Parameters File (CAP)
4 4000000 4096 Servo Adaptive Parameter File (SAP)
5 6C000 81920 Servo Firmware Table
A 609993C 1024 Seek Profile
13 60A41E4 768 Dependent Zone Table for User Area
14 60A44E4 64 Dependent Zone Table for System Area
15 0 524288 Flash ROM
1B 60A2FCC 4632 Dependent Zone Group Tables for User Area
1C 60A2E8C 320 Dependent Zone Group Tables for System Area
1D 6020120 208 VBAR Configuration File
1E 6020380 3216 Zone Format Parameters File

RAM:
ID MemOffs Len
===========================
0 6020100 43520 Read Adaptive Parameters File (RAP)
1 6020000 256 Controller Adaptive Parameters File (CAP)
2 60201F0 400 Zone Table
4 4000000 4096 Servo Adaptive Parameter File (SAP)
5 6C000 81920 Servo Firmware Table
6 1D4E40 40996 Servo Flaw Table
A 609993C 1024 Seek Profile
13 60A41E4 768 Dependent Zone Table for User Area
14 60A44E4 64 Dependent Zone Table for System Area
15 0 524288 Flash ROM
16 6020100 32 Drive Configuration Table
17 6022A60 1616 Temperature Control Configuration
1B 60A2FCC 4632 Dependent Zone Group Tables for User Area
1C 60A2E8C 320 Dependent Zone Group Tables for System Area
1D 6020120 208 VBAR Configuration File
1E 6020380 3216 Zone Format Parameters File
1F 6144678 1728 RW working user preamp table
20 6144D38 72 RW working system preamp table

Collecting DT Infos completed

System Files I/O method detection... ATA(indirect)

Reading autotuning buffer............... Ok
Buff Root FAT searching in RAM......... Ok
Searching module table in RAM... ....... Ok
Searching DT table(RAM, WR) in RAM...... Ok
Searching DT table(RAM, RD) in RAM...... Ok
Searching volume 0 file table in RAM.... Ok
Searching volume 1/2 file table in RAM... Ok
Searching volume 3 file table in RAM.... Ok
Searching volume 4/5 file table in RAM... Ok
Request for volume 9/A file allocation table in RAM Error
Searching SMP RAM FID in RAM............ Ok
Searching Non Resident G-List FID in RAM Ok
Searching CFW OVL FID in RAM............ Ok
Search for DBA Base in RAM.............. Ok
Search for RW Sys File DBA in RAM....... Ok
Search for MCMT RAM FD in RAM........... Error

Terminal output

*bc!BB6(b(B#cQ:sZ!CcBCBB.cBcJKB
RW cmd 0002 req = 75 5F 02 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 88 41 07 00 07 4D 08 00 88 41 07 00
opts = 00001121

RW Err = C4090082

ASCII Diag mode

F3 T>
ASCII Diag mode

F3 T>
Wyatt TetonST4 Mule 01 Teton4.2 DDR160M 240M 248SS ZG
Product FamilyId: 3C, MemberId: 01
HDA SN: S2W5TQY2, RPM: 5449, Wedges: F8, Heads: 4, Lbas: 3A386030, PreampType: 5A 14
PCBA SN: 0000N215BKPF, Controller: TETONST_4(63A2)(3-0E-4-2), Channel: AGERE_COPPERHEAD_LITE, PowerAsic: MCKINLEY MOBILE PLUS Rev 15, BufferBytes: 800000
Package Version: WY05A7.LVM1.DA113D., Package P/N: ---------, Package Builder ID: 84,
Package Build Date: 04/18/2011, Package Build Time: 12:22:23, Package CFW Version: WY05.LVM1.00349731.8400,
Package SFW1 Version: 7AEE, Package SFW2 Version: ----, Package SFW3 Version: ----, Package SFW4 Version: ----
Controller FW Rev: 01130001, CustomerRel: 0011, Changelist: 00349731, ProdType: WY05.LVM1, Date: 04/18/2011, Time: 122223, UserId: 00080603
Servo FW Rev: 7DED
RAP FW Implementation Key: 0E, Format Rev: 3D03, Contents Rev: 26 1E 04 05
Features:
- Quadradic Equation AFH enabled
- VBAR with adjustable zone boundaries enabled
- Volume Based Sparing enabled
- IOEDC enabled
- IOECC enabled
- DERP Read Retries enabled
- LTTC-UDR2 compiled off

Solution

Test : Translator regeneration
Result.................................. : Ok

Reload utility and backup firmware. Translator works about 2/3 of user data. We also recovered the translator for the remaining fork.

HDD family detecting...

Family ID: 3C
Selected family......................... : 3C, Wyatt
Model by ID............................. : ST9500325AS

Loading default settings!
Use the options dialog to review and save utility settings.
Then press OK!

Family default settings loading!

Test : Resource master copy creation in DB
Folder: /Wyatt/ST9500325AS 0011 S2W5TQY2

Saving ROM to DB
File : <root>/Seagate F3 Architecture/Wyatt/ST9500325AS 0011 S2W5TQY2/ROM/ROM_S2W5TQY2_024EE3E9.bin
Result.................................. : Ok

Reading modules to DB
Folder: <root>/Seagate F3 Architecture/Wyatt/ST9500325AS 0011 S2W5TQY2/ModDir

Will be skipped : 000C, 000E, 000F, 0022, 0023, 0024, 0025, 002C, 002D, 002E

Module 0000, Reserved Defect Table (SA defect table).................. : Ok
Module 0001, Drive Information File (DIF)............................. : Ok
Module 0002, Performance Parameter File (PPF)......................... : Ok
Module 0003, Primary Defect File (P-List)............................. : Ok
Module 0004, Servo Adaptive Parameter File (SAP)...................... : Ok
Module 0005, Manufacturing Information File (MIF)..................... : Ok
Module 0006, Read Adaptive Parameters File (RAP)...................... : Ok
Module 0007, Controller Adaptive Parameters File (CAP)................ : Ok
Module 0008........................................................... : Ok
Module 0009, SMART Configuration File................................. : Ok
Module 000A, SMART Data File.......................................... : Ok
Module 000B........................................................... : Ok
Module 000D........................................................... : Ok
Module 0013, Disc Registry File (settings, security, etc)............. : Ok
Module 0015, BGMS File (Directed Offline Scan)........................ : Ok
Module 0016........................................................... : Ok
Module 0017........................................................... : Ok
Module 0019, Log File................................................. : Ok
Module 001A, Log File................................................. : Ok
Module 001B, Log File................................................. : Ok
Module 001C........................................................... : Ok
Module 001D, Physical Overlay File 0.................................. : Ok
Module 001E, Physical Overlay File 1.................................. : Ok
Module 001F, Physical Overlay File 2.................................. : Ok
Module 002A, Saved Mode Pages (HDD settings).......................... : Ok
Module 002B, R/W Operating Parameters (translator, etc)............... : Ok
Module 0033........................................................... : Ok
Module 0034, Packed CONGEN XML definition............................. : Ok
Module 0035, SMART Data............................................... : Ok
Modules reading process completed

Reading HDD ID pages list...
Reading HDD ID pages...
ID Page 00............................................................ : Ok
ID Page 01............................................................ : Ok
ID Page 02............................................................ : Ok
ID Page 03............................................................ : Ok
ID Page 04............................................................ : Ok
ID Page 08............................................................ : Ok
ID Page 09............................................................ : Ok
ID Page 0A............................................................ : Ok
ID Page 0B............................................................ : Ok
ID Page 0C............................................................ : Ok
ID Page 0D............................................................ : Ok
ID Page 0E............................................................ : Ok
ID Page 0F............................................................ : Ok

Reading System Files to DB
Folder: <root>/Seagate F3 Architecture/Wyatt/ST9500325AS 0011 S2W5TQY2/SysFiles
Copies : 0 1

Sys File FC000000(0), Reserved Defect Table (SA defect table)......... : Ok
Sys File FC000000(1), Reserved Defect Table (SA defect table)......... : Ok
Sys File FC001203(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC001203(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC002204(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC002204(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC003205(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC003205(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC004206(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC004206(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC00520B(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC00520B(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC00620C(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC00620C(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC00720D(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC00720D(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC345010(0), Primary Defect File (P-List).................... : Ok
Sys File FC345010(1), Primary Defect File (P-List).................... : Ok
Sys File FC34D01C(0), R/W Operating Parameters (translator, etc)...... : Ok
Sys File FC34D01C(1), R/W Operating Parameters (translator, etc)...... : Ok
Sys File FC34F026(0), Non Resident G-List............................. : Ok
Sys File FC34F026(1), Non Resident G-List............................. : Ok
Sys File FC350027(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC350027(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC353100(0), Physical Overlay File 0......................... : Ok
Sys File FC353100(1), Physical Overlay File 0......................... : Ok
Sys File FC354101(0), Physical Overlay File 1......................... : Ok
Sys File FC354101(1), Physical Overlay File 1......................... : Ok
Sys File FC355102(0), Physical Overlay File 2......................... : Ok
Sys File FC355102(1), Physical Overlay File 2......................... : Ok
Sys File FC356103(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC356103(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC357104(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC357104(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC358105(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC358105(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC359106(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC359106(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC35A107(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC35A107(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC35B108(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC35B108(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC35C109(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC35C109(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC35D10A(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC35D10A(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC35E10B(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC35E10B(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC35F10C(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC35F10C(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC36010D(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC36010D(1).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC361110(0).................................................. : Ok
Sys File FC361110(1).................................................. : Ok
System Files reading process completed

Reading loader data to DB (LDR)
Scanning LOD files...
Reading ROM...
ATA, DT
Parsing container segment....... Flash ROM image
Segment: CFW
Parsing segment....... CFW
End parsing segment... CFW
Segment: CAP
Parsing segment....... CAP
End parsing segment... CAP
Segment: RAP
Parsing segment....... RAP
End parsing segment... RAP
Segment: SFW
Parsing segment....... SFW
End parsing segment... SFW
Segment: SHELL
Parsing segment....... SHELL
End parsing segment... SHELL
Segment: SAP
Parsing segment....... SAP
End parsing segment... SAP
End parsing container segment... Flash ROM image
reading file FC353100...
Importing: Overlay ID = 00
reading file FC354101...
Importing: Overlay ID = 01
reading file FC355102...
reading file FC356103...
Importing: Overlay ID = 04
reading file FC357104...
Importing: Overlay ID = 05
reading file FC358105...
reading file FC359106...
LOD.0(DFW.0)...
reading file FC00620C...

Disk FW
=======
Parsing container segment....... Flash ROM image
Empty container!
End parsing container segment... Flash ROM image

Appending overlays...
LOD.1(DFW.1)...
reading file FC00720D...

Disk FW
=======
Parsing container segment....... Flash ROM image
Empty container!
End parsing container segment... Flash ROM image

Appending overlays...

Backup of service information completed

Translator recovery

Start scanning...
"Fork" searching: 0 - 976773167
Verify sectors ext error Device error detected "UNC"
"Left fork", LBA = 00584347681, pattern 0x00
Defects hiding (P)...
Moving defects to Slip-List...
Translator regeneration...
"Fork" searching: 584347681 - 976773167
Verify sectors ext error Device error detected "UNC"
"Left fork", LBA = 00584347680, pattern 0x00
Defects hiding (P)...
Moving defects to Slip-List...
Translator regeneration...
"Fork" searching: 584347680 - 976773167
Verify sectors ext error Device error detected "UNC"
"Left fork", LBA = 00584347679, pattern 0x00
Defects hiding (P)...
Moving defects to Slip-List...
Translator regeneration...
"Fork" searching: 584347679 - 976773167
Verify sectors ext error Device error detected "UNC"
"Right fork", LBA = 00584349123, pattern 0x00
Defects hiding (P)...
Moving defects to Slip-List...
Translator regeneration...
"Fork" searching: 584349123 - 976773167
Verify sectors ext error Device error detected "UNC"
"Right fork", LBA = 00584349123, pattern 0x00
Defects hiding (P)...
Moving defects to Slip-List...
Translator regeneration...
"Fork" searching: 584349123 - 976773167
Verify sectors ext error Device error detected "UNC"
"Right fork", LBA = 00584349123, pattern 0x00
Defects hiding (P)...
Moving defects to Slip-List...
Translator regeneration...
"Fork" searching: 584349123 - 976773167
Verify sectors ext error Device error detected "UNC"
"Right fork", LBA = 00584350566, pattern 0x00
Defects hiding (P)...
Moving defects to Slip-List...
Translator regeneration...
"Fork" searching: 584350566 - 976773167
Verify sectors ext error Device error detected "UNC"
"Right fork", LBA = 00584350566, pattern 0x00
Defects hiding (P)...
Moving defects to Slip-List...
Translator regeneration...
"Fork" searching: 584350566 - 976773167
Verify sectors ext error Device error detected "UNC"
"Right fork", LBA = 00584350566, pattern 0x00
Defects hiding (P)...
Moving defects to Slip-List...
Translator regeneration...
"Fork" searching: 584350566 - 976773167
Translator recovery is completed!