Looks like WD is first to the party... http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/storag...TB_Hard_Disk_Drives_from_Western_Digital.html
Yea, a low level format will really help with a firmware bug that causes a drive to become non-responsive. Thanks for the tip sparky!
I have a Maxtor 7200.11 and according step 2 at http://seagate.custkb.com/seagate/crm/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=207931 my ST3500820AS could be potentially affected by these issues. Step 1 suggests to use Seagate Tools in order to read the serial # but this utility does not work with ST hard disks tru USB external case. Any help please about another utility able to check serial numbers on USB drives ? Bernard
How about you open the case and look at the drive? The S/N is printed on the drive label. AFAIK, you can't get the serial number via a USB enclosure - the interface doesn't support that type of query.
The S/N printed on drive label is about Packard Bell product; clearly using that # at Seagate validation site, the result is 'Invalid Input'. I can't open the drive enclosure, otherwise the warranty is broken. Currently the Packard Bell tech support does not ... support the issue: the philosophy is "if it's not broken does not fix it" and we don't know anything about ST hard drive failures. Any other idea?
If you haven't opened the enclosure then how do you know what the S/N is printed on the drive label? I'm not talking about the enclosure S/N, I'm talking about the drive itself. I don't understand what answer you are looking for here - its not possible to query a drive S/N via USB. Your options are to leave it alone or to open the case.
You wrote "AFAIK".. so I possibly expected someone else ideas. Simple. Now you're affirmative with no possibilities other than opening the case; thanks for the explanation.
If you have to open the case, might want to replace it with an "external enclosure". They are designed to be opened and to replace the HDD as necessary. I once had a SimpleTech external.... it failed and the only way I could get into the enclosure was to break it. (There was some plastic part which had been snapped into place to hold the drive mounting plate and the the rest of the case together.... no access to releasing the plastic part other than to break it.) The drive was fine... the box electronics had failed. Interestingly, the drive was a 250G Seagate which still had 3-years remaining on the warranty. The 1-year warranty on the SimpleTech "box + drive" had already expired.
Awwwwww, did someone hurt your feelings? Poor baby...now go run along and play in chit chat where you belong.