Samsung 2TB green drives defective firmware?

I am trying to flash the new firmware and am getting an error.

I have a Samsung HD204UI with 1AQ10001

"This system supports ATA command only.

This Program isn't available for this drive?"
 
Ryan_Brantley said:
I am trying to flash the new firmware and am getting an error.

I have a Samsung HD204UI with 1AQ10001

"This system supports ATA command only.

This Program isn't available for this drive?"
Click to expand...

You have the drive hooked up via SATA port right? Just making sure you are not using a USB dock or something.
 
Hi

I have the same problem as Ryan_Brantley.

I get , "This system supports ATA command only."

"This program isn't available for this drive."

I've gone through my BIOS and I didn't find any setting for AHCI (Biostar 790GX). No success using freeDOS with the HP USB utility, ultraISO or unetbootin. :(
 
Well per the manual for your board it is under Chipset / Southbridge Configuration/ On Board SATA Type
 
Hello
Recently I got HD204UI disk. Before using it I updated firmware with fix linked in this thread. Today I got back here, and noticed that the fix, which is available on Samsung website is no longer named HD204UI.EXE, now it is FE4G.EXE. I downloaded the new file and tried to check if they are the same. They have the same checksum:

ad1930d9fe53a6c8e20c3f57936452d1

I also used fc command in Windows cmd, and it showed that files are the same.

Any ideas why they changed the name? Should I update using this new fix?
And also, how do I check if all my data is ok, and there are no badblocks? (I used ESTOOL.EXE, is it enough?)
 
And also, how do I check if all my data is ok, and there are no badblocks? (I used ESTOOL.EXE, is it enough?)
Click to expand...

No, neither will tell you that you have corrupted data. Since the bug is that the drive randomly ignores writes if any software asks for its id during the write. This type of error will not show up as a bad block or any kind of error. The only way to tell without looking at the files is to have a checksum on each file which you probably do not have unless you use ZFS or some other filesystem that automatically does that for you.
 
Wondering if other folks are seeing the same thing I'm seeing.

I just ran (successfully I believe?) f4eg.exe on 8 drive. For each drive, I would run f4eg.exe the first time, see the normal success message, and then re-run it the 2nd time without powering down yet. For all of the 2nd runs, it would just show f4eg.exe with the timestamp, and then exit (which I took to mean it detected the new patch (?) already and thus didn't have to run again).

So on that last drive, just for kicks, after applying the patch, I restarted the machine and then re-ran f4eg.exe yet again (on an already patched drive). I was expecting that it would not apply - just show the f4eg.exe plus the timestamp and exit. Was surprised to see it applying the patch again...

I haven't yet tried any write tests to see if the patch really did take. Wanted to see if the behavior above is normal?

Thanks!
Peter
 
This issue still exists in currently-shipping drives, right? Or are drives now shipping pre-patched?
 
TheSpoon said:
This issue still exists in currently-shipping drives, right? Or are drives now shipping pre-patched?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure there are a ton of these drives out there that are unsold and not patched yet. I patched two that I got this week from the egg.
 
Wyxe said:
I'm pretty sure there are a ton of these drives out there that are unsold and not patched yet. I patched two that I got this week from the egg.
Click to expand...

Ok, thanks, was just curious. I ordered 5 of these today. Ugh, dunno how I missed this thread. Oh well, I guess I'm in for some patch-application.
 
I ran a consistency check across my 24 drive array of HD204UI's, running off a Areca ARC-1880i + Chenbro UEK13601 and had no errors. I'm still holding out for a "real" firmware update that will increment the version number. Seems to me that you will only experience problems if you are running a program that is hammering the drives with SMART identify commands, and you have enough load that writes are queueing up.
 
utar said:
Well per the manual for your board it is under Chipset / Southbridge Configuration/ On Board SATA Type
Click to expand...

Thanks. I had to play around with a couple of settings there to get it to work.

I copied 1.5TB's across to the drive and hash checked everything just to make sure there were no issues.
 
Ok. I just received these drives a couple days ago from newegg, and I was wondering if they shipped with the new F/W or not. And how do I check that on WHS. If, not, where is the DL link, and how do I fix it. (I only read the first 2 pages)

Thanks guys
 
Since the new and old firmware have the same version number you can only tell by forcing the bad behavior to happen. I believe both smartctl and badblocks are available under windows or you can just boot any linux livecd and run the "how to reproduce" test in the smartmontools webpage that is in the first post of this thread.
 
sweloop64 said:
A pretty bad decision by the tech-people not to bump the version number...
Click to expand...

Not only that, but when you look at how many times they've renamed the firmware updater on their website, I think it's clear someone at Samsung is pretty confused. Given that, it's kind of amazing that they managed to fix the actual bug (so far as we know, anyway).
 
drescherjm said:
Since the new and old firmware have the same version number you can only tell by forcing the bad behavior to happen. I believe both smartctl and badblocks are available under windows or you can just boot any linux livecd and run the "how to reproduce" test in the smartmontools webpage that is in the first post of this thread.
Click to expand...

So I am still confused. I just downloaded HDparm for windows, and I ran the batch file. What do I do from there?

{I am on my win 7 machine right now)
hdparm.png
 
In windows, create a batch file that does

:BEGIN
hdparm -I drive
sleep 2
goto BEGIN

where drive is whatever syntax that hdparm uses in windows to access your drive.


then in a second command window run a badblocks test similar to what is done in the how to reproduce section.
 
drescherjm, you know your stuff, thanks for all your help in this post and the other one where you helped me get my USB flash to boot.
----

After I did the firmware patch, can't be update if they don't change the version number, which like others have said is really stupid. I copied over until I had like 54GB free with that TeraCopy program that someone recommended earlier. I used the CRC hash check feature on it and they all checked out. Happy with that program.

However I also believe that Samsung needs to just do it right and fully correct the problem and rename the firmware. I'll be updating to the new one also. Not touching the bootable flash drive until they do, even though I want to use it for other things, no biggie want to go to Micro Center anyhow.

Even after this screw up I'm still planning on getting one. I just wish Micro Center would be more competitive than just with CPU's against NewEgg, Amazon, SuperBiiz.... (got mine from Superbiiz for $79.89) besides just CPU's. Well they are but they could be better, they should also stay open until midnight everynight, just have 1-2 employees and both with concealed weapons on them. If they had the price at $77 I would pick it up even with the tax. I mean it has to cost Newegg $3 to ship it with their free shipping option (when they had it at $80 with and without promo code).

I will say I just installed that Piriform program Speccy (going to take awhile to remember that one) and of my 5 hard drives installed they go from 39 to 43 C (103-110 F). The Samsung shows at 32 C (88 F), last night IIRC it said 31 C. That seems to be a big difference, but SMART is saying OK less than 50 C (122 F). I guess all the drives say less than 50 C, hmm I'm sure the Maxtor 6L160M0 would be close to 50 C in the summer if I didn't have fans on it with my case open all the time. Don't leave it open for that, it just looks different, since it's an all black case, even on the inside.
 
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i got the not support ata message as well and i fixed it by changing the sata port to main or main 5/7 since the last 2 are apparently weird on my mobo (asus) after that worked like a charm....

but before this thread i was seriously franticly searching on how to get a dos booatable usb drive

i mean seriously samsung this was quite a hassle, they shouldve released an actual tool or iso to fix this problem instead of just instructions that assume you know how to make bootable media

not going to judge the company//drives based on this yet (i did get em for 60 each) but that was a PITA 2 hours trying to get the bootable thing to work, which i found a simple solution here after i decided to give up on samsung's dumb 4 line instructions

anyway lost sleep but now all seems good just need to check up on the tools everyone is using to force bad data and ill be set... maybe when they release a firmware with actual new numbers i might upgrade again
 
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Southend said:
but before this thread i was seriously franticly searching on how to get a dos booatable usb drive

i mean seriously samsung this was quite a hassle, they shouldve released an actual tool or iso to fix this problem instead of just instructions that assume you know how to make bootable media
Click to expand...

Don't get me started on the pathetic state of bootable media support in the post-floppy-drive era. About the only time I've ever been able to get a bootable CD or USB firmware update to work on the first try is when the manufacturer supplies a prebuilt .iso that I can just burn to CD. Other than that, it's usually an hour or two of frustration followed by digging out my USB floppy drive (which, by the way, isn't 100% foolproof either). Lately I've been running across a number of BIOS updates that are too big to fit on a 1.44 or 2.88 floppy, so unless there's a Windows-based flasher available it's a real problem.

Fortunately, with the Samsung firmware, I had good luck with the UltraISO method, but a couple of other tasks I've had to do lately that involved bootable USB sticks cost me hours of frustration. There really needs to be a new standard boot environment. I suspect EFI may solve this problem but it will be years before this is well supported by all motherboards.
 
Here are some instructions to try. I left out some of the details, but you can get them elsewhere.

1) Download UNetbootin http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

2) Use UNetbootin to create a FreeDOS bootable USB device

3) http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/faqView.do?b2b_bbs_msg_id=386 Download the samsung firmware update, copy the .EXE file to the root directory of the USB device (if necessary, rename the file to F4EG.EXE so it has no spaces and is less than or equal to 8 characters followed by .EXE -- this will simplify running it from DOS)

4) Boot from the USB device, choosing plain FreeDOS with no extensions when prompted

5) At the A:> DOS prompt, type C: to switch to the C: drive

6) [Optional] Type DIR to view the files list

7) Type F4EG.EXE or the name of the Samsung .EXE file to run it and update the firmware

It should find your Samsung drive(s) and display the serial number(s), spend a few seconds updating each Samsung drive, and print an operation successful message for each drive successfully updated.

If it does not work, try switching your motherboard BIOS to another disk mode (IDE, compatibility, AHCI, etc.) and try again.
 
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Great thread, thanks guys.

Here's a photo of the DOS screen after flash is completed.
HD Tune showed the firmware as 1AQ10001 before and 1AQ10003 after.

I used an old 256MB CF card that I do BIOS updates with - made bootable with the HP bootable flash utility.

Happy New Year.
 
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I've tried each port on my Crosshair IV and IDE and AHCI mode. I still get the error of my system not supporting the needed commands. I guess I'll have to try it on a different machine later.
 
electricbill said:
Great thread, thanks guys.

Here's a photo of the DOS screen after flash is completed.
HD Tune showed the firmware as 1AQ10001 before and 1AQ10003 after.

I used an old 256MB CF card that I do BIOS updates with - made bootable with the HP bootable flash utility.

Happy New Year.
Click to expand...
It seems like you are using the JP version of the firmware flashing tool. I assume you have either a HD204UI/JP1 or HD204UI/JP2, is that correct?

All of my four HD204UIs report version 1AQ10001 after updating the firmware, quite crappy if you ask me.

Perhaps people can post their exact model number and firmware version before and after flashing.
 
HD204UI (from Newegg.com)
Same firmware version, 1AQ10001, before and after flash.
 
So how many of you are running these drives in a WHS box? It seems there are one or two other threads in this forum that don't recommend these drives for WHS.

Thanks
 
I have 3 running in a WHS homebrew and everything seems fine so far; been running for about two weeks. I have also updated the firmware before installation.

Edit: I have not messed with aligning the sectors either....
 
Rad0x said:
It seems like you are using the JP version of the firmware flashing tool. I assume you have either a HD204UI/JP1 or HD204UI/JP2, is that correct?

All of my four HD204UIs report version 1AQ10001 after updating the firmware, quite crappy if you ask me.

Perhaps people can post their exact model number and firmware version before and after flashing.
Click to expand...
I flashed it and still show 1AQ10001. Still seeing weird behavior with my drive though. I'm reformating it in windows xp now and will do a re-align on it after it completes. It doesn't seem like the windows 7 format worked well, even though it did show as being properly aligned. We'll see what happens.

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1574172
 
Hi, just wondering if anyone has a list of programs that could have caused data corruption. I understand any app that uses the "identify drive" command can do it. I was using this utility for a month before I patched thre drives: http://www.disk-monitor.com/

I haven't noticed any data corruption, but since it doesn't generate error messages, how would I know?
Thanks so much
 
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I suspect that most SMART software would issue the identify command.

Unless you are using the drives in a configuration where parity / checksum info is saved, such as a RAID5 array or certain filing systems you can't tell if any data is corrupted. Well not unless you have another copy elsewhere and you compare checksums.
 
Does anyone know a tool (or set of tools) for linux (debian/ubuntu) which will simulate high disk I/O to all sectors continuously, something like a high server load with an equal amount of reads and writes. I've got a few of these on the way, and with all the issues with reliability lately (probably at least half due to shipping and handling) I want to try to force out issues with the drives before I put any data on them (the drives these will be replacing are still functioning fine).

Ironically, hard drives are probably the thing I like to buy used (over forums) since the members usually package them better than places like newegg and amazon, and they are usually already a year old; most hard drives that are going to fail do so primarily in the first three months to a year (according to google's server farm testing anyway, and from my limited experience with desktop hard drives). From that point, as long as the drive is packaged well and isn't prone to high failure rates due to some hardware/firmware issue (7200.11), I find they last almost indefinitely. Unfortunately buying these used (and essentially tested) isn't an option.

Edit: Well, removing hard drive from my google queries and just looking for linux server load simulation and testing yielded stresslinux and inquisitor (which both contain a number of hdd tools, although I'm unsure they would go on to test all simulate read/write to all sectors). Still, any recommendations would be appreciated.
 
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