- This is a firmware update for those who may need it. It's from Dell, not Seagate or Asus, so do it at your own risk.
Drive Model:
- The ST9500420AS is the Seagate 7200 500GB drive that came with my G73jh-A2.
Problems I had:
- I had a problem where my HDD would constantly click beep and when it did so would cause a slight intermitten pause to my system. This wasn't constant but every once in a while. This is a flaw in the firmware with the HDD's power saving. This happens when the HDD parks it's head for power saving.
- My HDDs were also pretty loud. The noise from my G73jh-A2 for a while I thought was my fan, but then I noticed the fan like noise was from the front, it's the HDDs.
- I also noticed the 2nd HDD showed errors on HDTune Pro 4, but the HDD had no errors, worked fine and passed all tests with other utilities.
- I noticed the transfer speed of large files from one partition to another or one HDD to the next was around 20 MB/S and sometimes as low as 15 MB/S
Normal Fix, Solution:
- Normally you just edit the Windows Power Saving options. You go to Power Saving, click on advanced settings and then find the Hard Drive setting and set it to Never. Not zero. You just keep scrolling down or hit the down button until it says Never.
- This forces your HDD to never go to sleep or park it's head. This means it's more responsive, no click beep noise etc.
Do you have a firmware where the above settings does nothing?
- I did. I found out that there is an updated firmware from Dell dated December, 2009. Seagate has made the ST9500420AS for quite a while, it's an old model. And the firmware they ship it retail with is old. Asus does not have an OEM model on this, it's just the retail model I believe.
- Mine shipped with 2SDM1, this update is 5SDM1
Download firmware:
Dell Download Site: Drivers and Downloads
If you don't want to deal with that, here is Zippyshare: http://www15.zippyshare.com/v/19556405/file.html
- The firmware is straight from Dell but I still scanned with MalwareBytes and MSE 2.0 just to reassure any of you.
- MD5: B171842A707A721161D6EC5AA0B96370
- SHA-1: 2D5847A0229AEEA3366634CCF457D608EE9A2AF1
Instructions:
Custom Instructions for R250679.EXE:
* PLEASE PRINT THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS *
For Bootable CD option
(PLEASE MAKE SURE A/C POWER IS BEING USED WHILE UPDATING YOUR HARD DRIVE)
1. Click on the (R250679.EXE) file and select "RUN" then "RUN" again.
2. Press "Continue" then "OK" to extract the files to the provided location.
3. If you have CD imaging software that supports the .ISO image format the file "C:DELLDriversR250679Seagate Utility.ISO" is an image for a bootable CD that will automatically run the application.
4. Boot to the CD.
5. The Seagate utility will start automatically.
6. Because this updates a Dell OEM firmware, it will not recognize your retail firmware, will not update and go straight to DOS prompt.
7. Force install the Firmware with the following line
8. FDLH -m HOLLIDAY -f 0005SDM1.LOD -i ST9500420AS -b -v
This will scan for all HDDs that are ST9500420AS and update them. So with one command line, both my HDDs were updated.
Don't have ISO Image Burner or just don't Nero, Roxio or any other junky bloated crap that sometimes just fail with DVD and DL DVDs?
- Imgburn! It's the fastest DVD/CD burning software I've come across. Completely free. Absolutely light weight, nothing there that you don't need. A very simple and easy to use GUI with a lot of information. And so far, not one failed DVD burn.
http://www.imgburn.com/
Results of the Firmware Update?
- FINALLY NO MORE CLICK BEEP NOISE, QUIETER AND MORE RESPONSIVE!
- My transfer speed was around 20MB/S from one HDD2 to HDD1 and now it's at around 64-120 MB/S.
As here can see I have the latest new Firmware 0005SDM1
Automatic Acoustic Management (IDE Only, AHCI not supported, haven't found an AHCI supported tool in 64 bit mode yet
This is what keeps your HDD quiet. After the flash the AAM may have been disabled. To resolve this use HDDScan
1. Download: http://hddguru.com/software/2006.01.22-HDDScan/
2. Unzip to any directory.
3. Run HDDScan.exe as administrator
4. Select the drive you want to adjust in the "Select Drive" drop down.
5. Select Tasks > Features > IDE Features.
6. If AAM is disabled the "On" label in the Automatic Acoustic Management box will be red. Change the value in the "Current" text box to match the value in the "Recommended" text box.
7. Press the "Set" button. The "On" label should turn green and your drive should instantly become noticeably quieter.
Reply 1 : Seagate ST9500420AS Firmware Update
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Ruckus 
- My transfer speed was around 20GB/S from one HDD2 to HDD1 and now it's at around 64-120 MB/S, starts to get slower after a while.[/b] |
thanks for sharing
you mean 20mb/s ?
EDIT :i am not having the transfer problem nore it is pausing my system
and i think they are quiet enought
Reply 2 : Seagate ST9500420AS Firmware Update
I see that this is the standard drive that came in most of the A1, A2, and X1 models like mine. I just upgraded the firmware on my drive with a bootable USB flash drive. Thanks for the find and post Ruckus!
Reply 3 : Seagate ST9500420AS Firmware Update
Get an SSD and call it a day. I have the 320GB 7.2K Seagate, its zippy for a mechanical drive but still sllloooowww.
Reply 4 : Seagate ST9500420AS Firmware Update
Seems few didn't read what I wrote or why I posted this. This isn't to speed up your HDD to something like an SSD. C'mon use your head, don't fantasize. This is if you notice like I did I wasn't getting the expected performance from a 7200 HDD, power management issues, and some other oddities.
Keep this thread clean for those who have issues with their ST9500420AS 500 GB drive that the G73jh-A2 and countless other laptops come equipped with.
- This isn't the thread to market or boast about how awesome your SSD is. Plenty of other threads to do that.
Keep this thread clean for those who have issues with their ST9500420AS 500 GB drive that the G73jh-A2 and countless other laptops come equipped with.
- This isn't the thread to market or boast about how awesome your SSD is. Plenty of other threads to do that.
Reply 5 : Seagate ST9500420AS Firmware Update
i've understood perfectly but looks like someone doesn't
i don't have the problems you've mentioned so i am not going to do nothing
+1 rep
i don't have the problems you've mentioned so i am not going to do nothing
+1 rep
Reply 6 : Seagate ST9500420AS Firmware Update
The thing loaded up with a green background and a command prompt appeared, but when I put in the command, it said no firmware file was found?
First I extracted the files and it made a folder called Dell with some folders to click through, then it came into a folder with another folder called files and Seagate Utility. So I right clicked Seagate Utility and opened it with ImgBurn and burned it. Was I supposed to do something with the folder called files too?
First I extracted the files and it made a folder called Dell with some folders to click through, then it came into a folder with another folder called files and Seagate Utility. So I right clicked Seagate Utility and opened it with ImgBurn and burned it. Was I supposed to do something with the folder called files too?
Reply 7 : Seagate ST9500420AS Firmware Update
No... As per direction you are supposed to burn the image file. Segate Utility ISO.
Reply 8 : Seagate ST9500420AS Firmware Update
Ok, that's what I did, but it doesn't work, the thing pops up when the computer starts, then I type in the command and it says: Error Opening Firmware file.
Ok I fixed it, this is what happened, you wrote in:
FDLH -m HOLLIDAY -f 0005SSDM1.LOD -i ST9500420AS -b -v
but it should be: FDLH -m HOLLIDAY -f 0005SDM1.LOD -i ST9500420AS -b -v
You put an extra "S" in the "0005SDM1.LOD" part
Ok I fixed it, this is what happened, you wrote in:
FDLH -m HOLLIDAY -f 0005SSDM1.LOD -i ST9500420AS -b -v
but it should be: FDLH -m HOLLIDAY -f 0005SDM1.LOD -i ST9500420AS -b -v
You put an extra "S" in the "0005SDM1.LOD" part
Reply 9 : Seagate ST9500420AS Firmware Update
Sorry about that.
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