You can view the DFL case studies and FAQs here so that you can understand how to use the DFL data recovery tools better

Dolphin Data Lab has created and released many new Seagate hard drive firmware repair videos and data recovery videos free for DFL users to download.

These videos are very helpful for users to understand the Seagate hard drive failures, firmware repair and data recovery solutions and users can use all DFL firmware repair tools and data recovery hardware tools more effectively and efficiently.

The following are the new videos added on Dolphin file share platform:

Data-Recovery-from-Head-Damaged-Seagate-Hard-Drives.7z
How-to-Fix-Seagate-ST5000DM000-Busy-HDD.7z
How-to-Fix-ST2000LM007-Slow-Firmware-Backup-and-Click-Problem.7z
How-to-get-the-head-map-of-Seagate-hard-drives.7z
How-to-Recover-lost-data-from-Seagate-ST4000DM004.7z
How-to-recover-lost-data-from-ST1000LM035-1RK172-Capacity-0-by-DFL-SRP-USB3.0-data-recovery-equipment.mp4.7z
How-to-Reset-Smart-Repair-Firmware-Corruption-For-ST4000NM0053.7z
How-to-Unlock-Seagate-Firmware-Area-Within-DFL-DDP-Data-Recovery-Program.7z
How-to-Work-with-Seagate-Patient-HDDs-for-Data-Recovery-At-High-speed.7z
Latest-Seagate-Hard-Drive-Firmware-Repair-and-Data-Recovery-Solutions.7z
Seagate Constellation ES.3 SED HDD Firmware and Data Recovery Steps.mp4.7z
Seagate Rosewood HDD Head Map Editing in ROM by DFL-Seagate HDD Repair Tool.7z
SEAGATE ST4000VM004 ST4000VX005 B2 HDD LED 0X0BD SPIN UP AND DOWN HDD Repair and Data Recovery Steps.7z
Seagate-External-Portable-Hard-Drive-ST1000LM038-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
Seagate-LX-SSHD-Firmware-Unlock-Steps-by-DFL-Seagate-HDD-Repair-Tool.7z
Seagate-Portable-ST2000LM007-LED-HDD-Firmware-Repair-and-Data-Recovery.7z
Seagate-ROM-RAM-Loading-Slow-Fix.7z
Seagate-Rosewood-Portable-HDD-Partial-Sector-Repair-and-Recovery.7z
Seagate-SMR-Hard-Drive-Format-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
Seagate-ST500LT012-Capacity-0-Head-0-Damaged-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
Seagate-ST500LX025-SSHD-Firmware-Unlock-and-ROM-Backup-At-High-Speed.7z
Seagate-ST1000LM035-1RK172-LED-Undetected-HDD-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
Seagate-ST1000LM035-Rosewood-AF-Capacity-0-HDD-Repair-and-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
Seagate-ST1500LM012-1R817G-HDD-Recovery Steps.7z
Seagate-ST2000LM007-HDD-Head-Damage-Diagnosis-Recovery.7z
Seagate-ST2000VX000-Error-HDD-Firmware-Backup.7z
ST1000LM035-1RK172-EB01-Capacity-0-HDD-Repair-and-Data-Recovery-Steps-Case-Study-from-Indonesia-Data-Recovery-Engineer.7z
ST1000LM035-1RK172-FW-LVM1-Capacity 0-HDD-Repair-and-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
ST1000LM035-All-Sectors-0-HDD-Repair-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
ST1000LM035-Partial-Sector-Access-Auto-Repair.7z
ST1000LM048-2E7172-LED-HDD-Repair-and-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
ST1000VX005-2EZ102-HDD-Firmware-Repair-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
ST1500LM012-1R817G-HDD-Repair-and-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
ST2000LM007-1R8174-Busy-Inaccess-Data-Area-HDD-Repair-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
ST2000LM007-1R8174-Full-Disk-Red-Blocks-HDD-Repair-Data-Recovery.7z
ST2000LM007-1R8174-Janus-AF-Family-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
ST2000LM007-1R8174-Seagate-Rosewood-Portable-HDD-Partial-Sector-Access-Data-Recovery.7z
ST2000LM007-1R8174-WDZCVF7K-Partial-Sector-Access-HDD-Repair-and-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
ST2000LM007-SP-Regen-FAIL-Update-Mask-Data-Recovery-Steps_.7z
ST5000DM000-1FK178-HDD-Firmware-Repair-and-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
ST5000LM000-2AN170-Hard-Drive-Firmware-Access-and-Repair.7z
ST8000DM004-2CX188-Busy-Undetected-HDD-Data-Recovery-Steps.7z
ST8000NM0105-Unlock-Video.7z
More data recovery videos are coming…

Any question is welcome to sales@dolphindatalab.com or add Dolphin Skype ID: dolphin.data.lab

This Seagate ST2000LM007-1R8174 faulty hard drive was capacity 0 detected and after initial firmware repair there’re many bad sectors by logical scan.

Patient HDD ID:

Model : ST2000LM007-1R8174
Serial : WDZKYE4W
Firmware : EB01
Capacity : 3907029168 (1863.02GB)
Sector size : 4096
Heads number : 4

FW info : Obtained
FW version : R1AEA069E.SDM4.AA4901.EB01
FW package P/N : 100849195
FW ID : 00305567
FW creation date : 2019/01/22
FW creation time : 20:23:31
CFW version : R1AEA069E.SDM4.AA4901.01618036.0
SFW1 version : 0305567.EB01

Modules list : Obtained
Modules number : 57

Patient HDD Failure Symptoms:

Undetected/wrongly detected/Many bad sectors

Required HDD repair tools and Data Recovery Tools to recover lost data:

DFL Seagate HDD Repair Tool
DFL DDP Data Recovery Equipment

HDD Repair and Data Recovery Steps:

1, Backup ROM;
2, Generate unlock ROM and write unlock ROM;
3, Power off and on and send unlock key;
4, Backup important sys files;
5, Clear g-list, clear smart;
6, Initialize ID (ATA), clear media cache, disable vacant active, etc.

Any question is welcome to sales@dolphindatalab.com or add Dolphin Skype ID: dolphin.data.lab

This is one successful Western Digital hard drive firmware repair and data recovery case study for one Dolphin user in Peru.

Patient HDD ID:

WDC WD5000LPVX-80V0TT0
WD-WXQ1E34CLXH4
465 GB(976773168)
SPT: 1437
Family: HUBBLELT

Patient HDD Failure Symptoms:

Inaccessible data area, full disk bad sectors

Required HDD repair tools and data recovery tools to fix the faulty hard drive:

DFL-WD hdd repair tool
DFL-DDP data recovery equipment

Patient HDD repair and data recovery steps:

1, Backup ROM and key firmware modules;
2, Slow fix;
3, Test firmware modules and found the module 32 was corrupted and couldn’t be read;
4, Wrote donor module 32;
5, Right click on module 32 and clear the module;
6, Restart firmware;
7, Open DFL-DDP data recovery equipment and the lost partition and folders and files were all recovered.

Any question is welcome to sales@dolphindatalab.com or add Dolphin Skype ID: dolphin.data.lab

This is one successful western digital undetected hard drive firmware repair and data recovery case study from one DFL user in India.

Patient HDD ID:

Model number: WDC WD20NPVZ-00WFZT0
Serial Number: WD-WXN1A776ZHTN
Capacity: 1863GB
Head number: 8
SPT: 1480
Family: SHREKLT

Patient HDD Failure Symptoms:

Undetected/data inaccessbile

Hard Drive Firmware Repair Tools and Data Recovery Hardware Tools Required:

DFL Western Digital HDD Repair Tool
DFL DDP Data Recovery Equipment

Hard Drive Firmware Repair and Data Recovery Steps:

Backup ROM;
Disable 411 and restart firmware;
Refresh hdd ID;
Backup hard drive firmware modules (important modules);
Slow fix-mode 1;
Enable 411 and restart firmware;
Refresh hdd ID;
Open DFL-DDP data recovery equipment and software;
Set up head map and image good heads and good sectors and then weak heads and sectors;
Finally all lost data was recovered from the faulty WD hard drive.

Any question is welcome to sales@dolphindatalab.com or add Dolphin Skype ID: dolphin.data.lab

This is one nice data recovery case study from one DFL user in India, the patient drive is firmware locked and the data area is not accessed.

Model : ST1000VX005-2EZ102
Serial : Z9CC69D2
Firmware : CV11
Capacity : 1953525168 (931.51GB)
Sector size : 4096
Heads number : 2

Rst 0x40M
2Sync:01 0E

EDAC Value = 00000000FFFFFFF5

EDAC Value = 00000000FFFFFFF5
Retry delay

EDAC Value = 00000000FFFFFFF5

EDAC Value = 00000000FFFFFFF5
Retry delay
LD: Size:00000028 HBlocks:0000 Size:002BD17F HBlocks:0032 Size:00282A49 HBlocks:0032 FlashRestore 00000000 00000028 ECBD
PP: Size:0000B400 HBlocks:0000 FlashRestore
PVTSize: 000150C8 CompSize: 000002B2 DeCompSize: 000150C8 00000000 000002B2 9E03
2Sync:00 04
DSP022B
No HOST FIS-ReadyStatusFlags 0002A1A1
2Sync:01 0C
Boot 0x40M

SpinUp
RECOV Servo Op=0100 Resp=0005
RECOV Servo Op=0055 Resp=0005[LBA=0x00006B6F]N[LBA=0x00006C28]N0[LBA=0x00006D5D]N0[LBA=0x000070A1]N0[LBA=0x000070C2]N0[LBA=0x0000737C]N0[LBA=0x000073EB]N0[LBA=0x000074EE]N0[LBA=0x00007500]N0[LBA=0x0000775C]N0

Trans
Rst 0x40M
2Sync:01 0E
2Sync:01 0E
2Sync:01 0E
2Sync:01 0E
2Sync:01 0E

(P) SATA Reset

LD: Size:00000028 HBlocks:0000 Size:002BD17F HBlocks:0032 Size:00282A49 HBlocks:0032 DiscRestore 00000000 00000028 04ED
PP: Size:0000B400 HBlocks:0000 DiscRestore
PVTSize: 000150C8 CompSize: 000002B2 DeCompSize: 000150C8 00000000 000002B2 9E03
2Sync:00 04
DSP022C^c

ASCII Diag mode

F3 T>^l

Diagnostic Port Locked

To fix above patient drive, the user used DFL Seagate hdd repair tool to backup rom, generate unlock rom, write unlock ROM, power off and on, send unlock key, backup important SYS files, clear g-list, regenerate translator, etc.

After fixing the firmware area, the users tested the data area and found there’re some bad sectors in the front, the middle and ending parts of data areas were accessible.

The user set up head map, edited the LBA range to image the patient hdd by heads within DFL-DDP data recovery equipment and finally most data was recovered, only some system files were missing which are not important at all.

Any question is welcome to sales@dolphindatalab.com or add Dolphin Skype ID: dolphin.data.lab

Dolphin Data Lab has released the new DFL all in one data recovery software V20230301 to work with the data recovery hardware tools.

The new V20230301 data recovery software has been uploaded to DFL user-only forum and users can login the forum to upgrade to the latest. It’s strongly recommended for all DFL users to upgrade to latest for the best firmware repair and data recovery success rate.

What’s new in this new software upgrade?

01: ST8000NM0105 G001 G004 Firmware Repair Support Added to DFL Seagate HDD Repair Tool, other firmware versions can be unlocked with old software. There’s now a new mode option-Mode 2 when users are trying to generate the unlock ROM, users need to select mode 2;
02: Seagate SMR hdd format data recovery such as rosewood EB01 format recovery;
03: Seagate weak head repair for new F3 families for data recovery purpose, it is very helpful for some weak head cases which don’t require head swap;
04: DFL-DDP image setting enhancement: enhance success rate for the following drives and cases:
WD SMR drives with all sectors 0000, Seagate drives SEDU, 241A, etc.
05: Full firmware repair and data recovery software codes improvement to get the software working more smoothly and excellently;

Any question is welcome to sales@dolphindatalab.com or add Dolphin Skype ID: dolphin.data.lab

This is one Seagate Rosewood portable hard drive-ST2000LM007 and when our engineer was trying to backup the firmware modules, it’s very slow with some slight noises.

It seems like some noises from the heads, seems like some kind of damage on the heads but actually not.

Patient HDD ID:

Model number: ST2000LM007-1R8174
Serial number: WDZVJ06Z
Firmware: EB01
Capacity: 3907029168
Sector Size: 4096
Heads number: 4
Family: Janus (AF)

ST2000LM007 Error messages:

Rstᅠ0x80M

T:0x0000 0x3FFFFFFF

FTU
TCC:0014:001D EMCDataErr:0000000C

PrgF

(P)ᅠSATAᅠReset

RAWᅠOFF

ᅠPASS

ᅠBothᅠcopyᅠisᅠsame!ᅠᅠᅠLPCDisc=01ᅠ1A326711ᅠ00C5

PrgF

6GbᅠMaxᅠSpeedᅠloweredᅠtoᅠ3GbᅠforᅠIntelᅠbug

SendᅠStatus:ᅠCOMRESETᅠseen

CSpd=ᅠ3Gbps

FIS34ᅠ
IDLE1
VC0

XI2
VC1

VC2Up
IDLE2
VC0

VC1

VC2Up
XI2
TCC:0014:0019 EMCDataErr:00000000

FAFH_TRIGGER_POWER_UP
IDLE2
VC0

It’s very easy to fix above firmware failure and get the ST2000LM007 patient hdd repaired by DFL Seagate hdd repair tool.

All users need to do is to go to the ‘Defects Management’>Initialize ID (ATA) and it’s just one simple click to fix above issue.

Any question is welcome to sales@dolphindatalab.com or add Dolphin Skype ID: dolphin.data.lab

This is one more successful Seagate ST1000LM035 undetected LED HDD firmware repair and data recovery case study from one DFL user in Indonesia.

Patient HDD ID:
Model number: ST1000LM035 1RK172
Family: Rosewood A5

HDD Repair Tools and Data Recovery Equipment Required:
DFL-SRP USB3.0 all-in-one Data Recovery Equipment

Error Messages within COM Terminal:

‘Boot 0x80M
QB
Rst 0x80M
Srv DETCR init 0x0000

FTU

(P) SATA Reset

RAW OFF

PASS

(DOS Table) Worst Count: 00000FF8 At SU: 0000523E NT: 00000000 OT: 000000C5
(MC POR Duration): 000000007B

Intel 6G->3G

Send Status: COMRESET seen

CSpd= 3Gbps

DSC

Update Mask – 000000000D0A3EB8 – 00000008 – 00

Update Mask – 000000000D0A3EC0 – 00000008 – 00

Starting LBA of RW Request=0001A13C9F Length=00001DD0

ProcessRWError -Read- at LBA 0001A147F9 Sense Code=43110081

Common path start quit now
ProcessRC: 00000000,00000000
SkipLen: 00000000
ReadContinuous: 01A1468F,00000350
UnrecovSectorCount:002B,0236
NumUDEs: 0000002B,00000031,00000236
Passed: 00000080,00000153,000002FB
Out:

PrgF

LED:0x000000BD FAddr:0x0000780F
LED:0x000000BD FAddr:0x0000780F
LED:0x000000BD FAddr:0x0000780F’

View and watch the Undetected LED ST1000LM035 1RK172 HDD Firmware Repair and Data Recovery Steps video case study here

Any question is welcome to sales@dolphindatalab.com or add Dolphin Skype ID: dolphin.data.lab

This is one second-hand Seagate ST8000NM0105 enterprise SED HDD data recovery case from one DFL user in Germany and the user couldn’t recover the lost data with any other tools because they couldn’t unlock the firmware area properly and couldn’t repair the firmware corruption.

This user applied for remote support and wish his case could be fixed by DFL Seagate hdd repair tool and remote support.

Patient HDD ID:
Model number-ST8000NM0105
FW version: G004
Family-MakaraPlus (91)

Patient HDD symptoms:
Capacity 0
Firmware unlock failure

ST8000NM0105 Data Recovery Steps:

01: Backup ROM;
02: Generate adaptive ROM by DFL Seagate hdd repair tool;
03: Power off and on and …;
04: …
05: Send unlock key and backup important sys files;
06: View NGlist;
07: Clear G-list and regenerate translator.

Read complete steps here in the Dolphin user-only forum.

After firmware corruption is fixed, users can go to DFL-DDP data recovery equipment to image the patient HDD or extract the lost files directly.

Any question is welcome to sales@dolphindatalab.com or add Dolphin Skype ID: dolphin.data.lab

The following is one email from one DFL user in Germany asking for the compatibility between two Seagate hard drives, one of which requires head swap.

‘DONOR is ST1000DX001
Patient HDD: ST1000DM003

Hello,

i have here a Seagate ST1000DM003 – Drop down failure.

In first test i can see error message = damaged heads / and may be platter damaged

FAIL Servo Op=0100 Resp=0003
ResponseFrame EC40 0046 03B2 4900 0008 0000 0000 0000 0966 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 57D1 F98F FFFF 2000 2412 0000 0000 4947 0000 4947 0000 007F 0000 0020 0012 0004 0000
FAIL Servo Op=0100 Resp=0003

I have only one donor HDD – ST1000DX001 and i know many people change heads between different hdds
and the preamp is the same.

Question: should i change the heads without create adaptive rom? (DM/DX possible !?)
or must i create a adaptive rom?

Or does it make no sense to swap the heads, what is your recommendation?

Patient: ST1000DM003 – 2 Heads
Preamp: B2 03
S/N: Z1D
PN: 9YN162
FW: NDP3
SITE: TK
Family: Grenada

Donor: ST1000DX001 – 2 Heads
Preamp: B2 03
S/N: Z1D
PN: 9YN162
FW: NDP
SITE: TK’
Family: Grenada”

For Seagate hard drive head swap, users need to check the preamp type, family, PCB number and sometimes head map, for some drives, even they have the same model number, they may have different head map.

After head swap, if the drive clicks, users need to create adaptive rom and write adaptive rom and try again. For the head swap cases, it’s very important for users to air blow the platters and the hdd inner parts and also need to check the surfaces carefully.

Tools required to fix above cases:

DFL Seagate hdd firmware repair tool
DFL DDP data recovery equipment
Seagate hdd head replacement tool

Any question is welcome to sales@dolphindatalab.com or add Dolphin Skype ID: dolphin.data.lab