Not sure if this news has circulated yet but a guy named lowtech figured out how to unlock the original (Non slim version) Seagate hard drive. Basically it reflashes the the logic boards firmware and when it is done the drive is unlocked.

You still need to install the drive in your PC and configure it (set jumpers) so the bios can see it but to make it as simple as possible I created a bootdisk based on opendos which will boot the pc, run the autoexec.bat file to initiate the software with the right command line switches. You can find it at the link below.

XRG Seagate Drive Unlock Bootdisk

*EDIT* You will need to download a copy of Winimage to write the IMZ file to the disk, simply copying the file to a floppy drive will not work.

I would be interested to know if the slim seagate drive can be reflashed also?

Wow. This looks promising. Can someone verify whether it works or not? Great find kris5487

Well, I honestly was doubtful but I have to try it out anyway. Tested on 3 locked black wraps and all are functional.

It completely re-writes the firmware eliminating the check procedure. This does make the old Seagate drives (Black wrap) functional again and gives hopeful for the rest for an easy solution if recovering the drive is what you need.

Edit

These are the Seagate ST310211A drives to so you are sure.

Yeah, I was skepticle at first as well but after I tried it I was impressed. The best part is you dont have to fiddle with any settings or anything, you can even connect four drives and it flashes them all without having to touch the keyboard. I think I recovered about 25 drives

Now, if only they could do the Western Digital ones...

Just curious if the data is recoverable after this, or is the MBR wiped as well?

It's to recover the hardware and not the software. All data is gone unless you know of a data revocery software for FATX format.

No, all it oes is reflash the firmware, it doesnt touch the data so everything is still in place.

I'm going to give it a try again and see if I can view the data off an unlocked hdd, the previous one I tested did not allow me to use it in a xbox again till I formatted it with Slayer but I was rushing through so I was not overly concerned. I was under the impression by the design that it did over write the MBR as well.

I can confirm that it works for a ST310211A which has been locked using configmagic (I don't currently have one still in its orignal locked state to test).

I recommend downloading the firmware directly from seagate's website rather than 3rd party sites:
http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/utils/...flash_eula.html

This firmware is not suitable for the slim white drives (ST310014ACE) - see the supported drives in the seagate link above.

Nice one, and for those of us who don't have floppy drives anymore and want a bootable CD like me,....

Download the image in the 1st post, extract the .IMA file, fire up nero, choose bootable CD, point it to the IMA file and choose floppy emulation and then burn what appears to be an empty CD, but it will be bootable and run the seagate flash proggy straight off

Worked a treat on a retail locked disk, but it knew when there was an ST310014A on there and said "not specified in family" and returned to the A: prompt.

Someone must have the skills to edit the familly table and try it though, surely

Cheers,

PimpleX

Have you guys tried to access the data after unlocking when using a chip and does it function correctly without corruption?

The tool actually works for a lot of the different drives, but listing them using the comman switch goes by to quickly. It's been awhile since I used dos but it may be possible to pipe it into a file or something.

Anyways i tried looking for the firmware for the other seagate drive but couldnt find it anywhere, the best site i found for firmware is MHDD's Firmware archive but it wasnt there.

Just because it wasn't labelled as that drive doesn't mean there isnt firmware for it on that site. Looking under SEAGATE/U-series/U-series 5/ only gives firmware for ST320413A, however from the seagate website link above the v3.39 is compatible with ST340823A, ST330621A, ST320413A, ST315311A, ST310211A, ST38411A (bold is the black seagate xbox drive being unlocked at the start of this topic).

ST320014A-3.07.rar is the closest model available on that site (same drive but 20gig) - I wouldn't be suprised if it used the exact same firmware as the ST310014ACE.


I put the drive back into a (modded) xbox and it booted the dashboard fine without having to format or reinstall. I then locked/unlocked it a couple of times without any problem.

Thanks, I definately am having some issues on my side, I did some Slayer formats and locked with DVD2XBOX uploads on the drive. They worked fine in play and rebooting but once I used the tool and unlocked I found some saves to be corrupt. I'm just going to have to check out things on my end.

Also, for the other drives' firmware, I'm going to have to check to see what I have on file. I have a bunch of discs for the PCI-PC3000 that just might have them.

kewl, well give it a try and let us know how it goes.

I dusted off the old dos book and brushed up on the command switches. Here is a list of the drives it works on

Firmware Upgrade Utility v3.44
Copyright 2000-2005 Seagate Technology LLC, All Rights Reserved

Vail models:
ST330630A ST320420A ST315320A ST313520A ST310210A ST39111A
Vail100 models:
ST330631A ST320424A ST315324A ST310216A
U5 models:
ST340825A ST340823A ST330624A ST330621A ST320415A ST320413A
ST315311A ST310217A ST310211A ST38411A ST37511A
Aspen models:
ST340824A ST330620A ST320414A ST315310A ST313624A ST310215A
ST39113A
Snowmass models:
ST380021A ST360021A ST340016A ST330011A ST320011A ST315313A
Saturn models:
ST940020A ST930020A ST920010A ST915311A ST910211A ST940421A
ST930421A ST920411A ST915410A ST910410A
Avalanche models:
ST3120024A ST3120023A ST380024A ST380023A ST360016A ST360015A
ST340017A ST330013A ST320013A
U7 models:
ST3120020A ST380022A ST360012A ST340012A ST330012A ST320012A
AvalancheSA models:
ST3120023AS ST380023AS ST360015AS ST340017AS ST330013AS ST320013AS
Alpine models:
ST3160023A ST3160021A ST3120026A ST3120022A ST380013A ST380011A
ST360014A ST340014A
U9 models:
ST3160022A ST3120025A ST380012A ST340019A
U9CE models:
ST3160022ACE ST3120025ACE ST380012ACE ST340019ACE
AlpineSA models:
ST3160023AS ST3160021AS ST3120026AS ST3120022AS ST380013AS ST380011AS
ST360014AS ST340111AS ST340014AS
Neptune models:
ST940011AM ST920011AM ST94811AB ST94811A ST94011A ST93812A
ST93012A ST92811A ST92011A
N1 models:
ST940110A ST94019A ST94018A ST93015A ST93014A ST92014A
ST92013A
Pluto models:
ST980021AS ST960021AS ST940021AS
AlpinePlus models:
ST320021A-RK ST3200822A ST3200021A ST3100011A
AlpinePlusSA models:
ST3200822AS
Raven models:
ST980827A ST980227A ST960227A ST960827A ST9402110A ST9408110A
ST930216A ST930816A ST920215A ST920815A
Puma models:
ST3160827AS ST3160023AS ST3160021AS ST3120827AS ST3120026AS ST3120022AS
ST380817AS ST380013AS ST380011AS ST360014AS ST340111AS ST340014AS
Mercury models:
Family Code 08
N2 models:
Family Code 08
M72 models:
Family Code 07
Tonka models:
Family Code 01
Tonka2 models:
Family Code 0C
Mercury2 models:
Family Code 06
Puma2 models:
ST340212AS ST340812AS ST380219AS ST380819AS ST3120228AS ST3120828AS
ST3160228AS ST3160828AS

H'mmm What are you supposed to do exactly with the files in the St320014A-307.rar once unzipped??

The seagate disk program on floppy looks for the .fls, .ovl, .crt files it knows and if they are not the original ones (thru renaming the 320014a.bin file etc) then it says so and goes to command prompt.

Also there's a WD file on that site also: http://files.hddguru.com/index.php?action=...irectory=WD/EB&

But again, WTF is all that about? I can't see any bios or flash in there so don't think it is of any use at all

Cheers,

PimpleX

The .rpm files in those downloads are of linux file extension, .... some people just really like to make make things difficult for others don't they eh?...

Here's the tool to convert em for windows: (i hope) http://www.altap.cz/salam_en/features/tar.html (free trial) v2 can't unpack rpm files,......you then need the v2.5 on top of it it looks like. ....downloading now on my super narrow band 56kb modem!

I'll have it ready to try in ooooh about 20 minutes

Cheers,

PimpleX

Still can't do bugger all with the .rpm files in those downloads except view them as hex sorry

Oh well.

PimpleX

Here is another good place for hdd support if your curious;

http://sluzhebka.com/index.html

I just tried this method and it worked first time.
Also I've thought of something that may be useful for unlocking other hard drives.
Can someone extract the current firmware on other Seagate drive (ST310014ACE) and then reflash the firmware again.

And which firmware dump software would you suggest?

Here is a link to the page from Llamma's site;

llamma unlock Seagate

Hi

I'm french and I read the post but I didn't all understand.

I have un HDD seagate model ST310014ACE, have you find how unlock it ?

bob_l'éponge38.

Will this method work for the larger 300 gig seagate hdd?

no. only the stock drive and only the older rubber coated one at the moment.
-nB

Can you unlock the larger 300 gig seagate hdd?

Sorry if I midunderstood, but does this work on the non rubber coated stock Seagate drive (ie. the newer slim white one)?

Me personally? only if I have the key.
-nB

There is a list of drives this works for posted on the first page, as far as the xbox goes though... it only works with the blacktop ST310211A.

The ST310014ACE is not in the same family as the previous one nore is it supported by this flash. Still looking for options on this and the other xbox drives.

has anyone confirmed if this works or not.....?

Errrm...

If you have read over the post you would see that it has worked for all of us who tried it on the ST310211A. That is the only one which has been confirmed from the list so far.

ok, im just wondering if someone could help me. im having a few troubles

I boot upto the A drive with the seaflash disc in and when i have the xbox seagate drive before it boot the flash utility i get an error which i have to press F1 to skip.
It still picks my drive up fine in the BIOS and stuff with this error.

So after pressing F1 it goes into the DOS flash utility and does all its procedures then at the end where the list of devices come up and there status.

it has my drive model and under it it says "upgrade not required"
ST310211A
Upgrade not required

What the heck am i doing wrong, ive changed all the jumpers on the drive but still get the status report of it not being required to upgrade.

cheers guys

What exactly is this error that you get?

Primary master hard disk error

I then have to press F1 to skip this and boot from A:/

Is the drive recognized in the BIOS at boot? On boot up go to the bios setup and make sure it is properly configured. There should be no error on boot for all it is doing is recognizing the drive and not actually accessing it, first boot should be set to the A: drive.

There might be damage to the drive or cables.

Yes it shows in the BIOs, and even when i start my P.C upto the desktop it says found new hardware:Medel numer of drive.

so its definitely being picked up by the P.C, i think im setting the jumpers wrong or something.

i really dont know

i have obviously made the boot disc right and it runs automatically.

i have a Seagate sata hdd in there aswell as a maxtor. both are recognised and they both say incompatible drives or something.

Just disconnect the other drives, install the Seagate on IDE-0 and boot with the diskette. Set the Seagate to cable-select, it should work.

This is not some hacked proggie that some one whipped up, it is an actual Seagate tool and all that was done to it was an autorun command added so you would not have to type the proper command in dos. This autorun command is only targeting the U5 drive and not any other on the list, to access one of the other drive types then the command would have to be altered appropriately.

Are you sure your PC is set to boot first from the a: drive?

OK, i will try it with no other drives connected.
And yeh my BIOS is set to boot from A:/, the program runs and all.

What is ide 0 though, primary master ?

ill have a play around with no other drives, does this include DVD/CD drives?

thanks,
eminvil_12

Ok, im quoting myself lol.

i did what was suggested, i took out all the DVD drives and hard drives i have in my p.c and just put the xbox hdd in there.

i then booted to the A drive and still get the "upgrade not required" message, its not really an error but could this drive have updated firmware or something?

cheers

Well I guess I'm miffed, all the drives I tested it on worked fine multiple of times without the error.

Once again I just want to make sure;

1. The drive you are using is a Seagate U series 5 ST310211A

2. You have initial boot in the PC bios set to A: and not IDE-0 (Which would initiate the drive) then jump to A:

3. You do not have another hdd connected (Not that this would matter for the software works around this but just as a safety precaution)

4. Firmware posted on the actual hdd label is 6.55


Have you tried the link off llamma and entered the commands manually?

Answers
1. The drive im using is definitely a U series 5 ST310211A from a XBOX.

2. I have set the BIOS to boot from 3 1/2 floppy which is the A drive.

3. Nothing else is connected except the floppy drive.

4. The firmware is indeed 6.55

I will go and try llama now but im not to good with raw commands lol.

Ok,

I just used the files off of llama's site, make a MS-DOS bootdick by cimply formatting it, and then entered the code.

Thanks for the help, so the problem layed within the seaflash diskette?

Yep, it would appear so, sometimes (And I'm not exactly sure why, just depending on the PC) the auto execute commands just don't read true or just a transfer error. That is why it is always good to get the files from the source whenever possible.

Good to hear it finally worked....


Edit

You really have to watch out for those bootdicks though... (Couldn't resist it....

can you boot these files off of a cd disk if so is there a certain way to burn it??? just wondering if anyone has tried this

I actually made a bootable ISO for a CD version, if there is a demand for it then I will place it on a server for download.

YGPM + bump everyone needs to see this

Sounds cool....got a link??

yea he should definatly but that on a server and this topic should be pin im so happy i can finally fix these paper weight hopefully on of u boy genusis can figure out the seagate slim model

i did not mean to say that.