Is it possible to get these SAS Hitachi drives to work on a "normal" system?

Notice: Page may contain affiliate links for which we may earn a small commission through services like Amazon Affiliates or Skimlinks.
Terry Kennedy

Terry Kennedy

Well-Known Member
Jun 25, 2015
1,143
597
113
New York City
www.glaver.org
bustedtyre said:
Indeed it isn't: firmware is 900k, while the size of the chip is 512k - it'd not fit.
Click to expand...
For many years, the flash chip on the drive only stores enough code to be able to spin up the media and respond to a subset of commands from the host system - the rest of the firmware is written to the media and loaded as overlays by the loader in the flash chip. That's "free" (to the manufacturer) extra firmware space. The only reasons the flash chips used haven't decreased in size are a) Below a certain capacity there's no price decrease on smaller parts, and b) The command set the host system expects to be able to issue to a non-spinning drive has increased over time, requiring a relatively large amount of flash-resident code.

This is also why you can't generally swap logic boards between drives of the same model unless they are running the same firmware version.
 
BeTeP

BeTeP

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2019
661
441
63
Since (my last post in this thread in) March I have bought at least 2 dozens of different SAN vendor branded HUC1090(CobraE) and HUC1060(CobraD) drives for less than $5ea - hoping to get a single drive with this problem. Tough luck - all of them worked just fine after formatting to 512b sectors. With prices having dropped so low I do not have any incentive to spend any more of my own time on this.

But there is a guy from Singapore taunting the guys at HDDGuru forum who claims to be able to reflash the drives.
 
M

mzfk

New Member
Feb 11, 2019
15
0
1
Good news man, but firmware update need HYDATA DRT-SCSITOOL utility. I cannot find this anywhere.

this is link to hydata
宏宇DRT-SCSITOOL服务器硬盘数据恢复工具软件

no clickable link to download :(


BeTeP said:
Since (my last post in this thread in) March I have bought at least 2 dozens of different SAN vendor branded HUC1090(CobraE) and HUC1060(CobraD) drives for less than $5ea - hoping to get a single drive with this problem. Tough luck - all of them worked just fine after formatting to 512b sectors. With prices having dropped so low I do not have any incentive to spend any more of my own time on this.

But there is a guy from Singapore taunting the guys at HDDGuru forum who claims to be able to reflash the drives.
Click to expand...
 
E

Etzion

New Member
Aug 13, 2019
1
0
1
Hi. I would like to add. I have a few of these disks. See this list:

# lsscsi -g
[0:0:0:0] storage HP P410i 6.40 - /dev/sg0
[0:0:0:4194240] storage HP P410i 6.40 - /dev/sg3
[0:1:0:0] disk HP LOGICAL VOLUME 6.40 /dev/sda /dev/sg1
[1:0:0:0] disk SE_HGST DKR5D-J600SS B8B8 /dev/sdb /dev/sg2
[1:0:1:0] disk HITACHI DKR5C-J600SS APAP /dev/sdc /dev/sg10
[1:0:2:0] disk HITACHI DKR5C-J600SS ARAR /dev/sdd /dev/sg4
[1:0:3:0] disk SE_HGST DKR5D-J900SS B8B8 /dev/sde /dev/sg5
[1:0:4:0] disk SE_HGST DKR5D-J900SS BEBE /dev/sdf /dev/sg6
[1:0:5:0] disk SE_HGST DKR5D-J900SS B8B8 /dev/sdg /dev/sg7
[1:0:6:0] enclosu NETAPP DS224IOM6 0173 - /dev/sg8
[2:0:0:0] cd/dvd Optiarc DVD RW AD-7561S AH52 /dev/sr0 /dev/sg9

The interesting disks are sg2 to sg7 + sg10. I tried using SeaChest_Firmware by Seagate, which identified the disks correctly, however, failed to change firmware (unsupported). I have tried using sg_write_buffer, but again, for no avail (the command I have used was sg_write_buffer -v -m 5 -I /tmp/sas/payload/N440.fwh /dev/sg2 - I have Dell firmware called N440.fwh), but it failed.
I found HGST tools in this FTP server: ftp://ftp.abacus.cz/distribuce/HGST/ where I got "HGST device manager" (used for ST disks, so not for me) and 'hugo' which seems like the best tool for the task. The tool shows the disks, is willing to download their logs, and happy to do whatever I say, except that it claims that the disks are in 'self test' mode, which prevents doing anything. Hugo command to abort the self-test fails.
Hugo shows the disks like this:
(hugo) s

Manuf. Model Serial Interface Capacity Type Firmware Status
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) HGST DKR5C-J600SS PZJA671D SAS 600 GB HDD APAP In Test
2) HGST DKR5D-J900SS KVH97PRF SAS 900 GB HDD B8B8 In Test
3) HGST DKR5D-J900SS W8G608MX SAS 900 GB HDD BEBE In Test
4) HGST DKR5D-J900SS KVH3ZRMF SAS 900 GB HDD B8B8 In Test
5) HGST DKR5C-J600SS PPX1EZ8D SAS 600 GB HDD ARAR In Test
6) HGST DKR5D-J600SS W7GDSM3X SAS 600 GB HDD B8B8 In Test

And, as I've already written - an attempt to abort the test fails:
(hugo) abort -s PZJA671D


Drive self test status for Device: PZJA671D... Running [abort failed].

So firmware updates fail as well:
(hugo) u -s PZJA671D -f /root/firmware/CEGNB5B0.bin

Update not executed, device is currently in test: PZJA671D
WARNING: Firmware on device PZJA671D did not change from previous version.

If anyone has any further ideas, I would be glad to hear them. I have many more disks like this (they were from NetApp, I think) of 600 and 900GB, and I would really like them to work. I hope I give some additional info which will make some of you able to make these disks work.

Thanks!
 
B

Belial

New Member
Aug 20, 2019
1
0
1
Perhaps this link may give everyone a further boost on this subject. I have a few of those HGST drives also that I would like to use.

EBLEND IT: Flash Dell Firmware into Seagate Generic Drives (ST3450856SS to HS11 Firmware update, maybe others)

This is the Dell HGST update firmware

HGST SAS drive models HUC109030CSS600, HUC109060CSS600 and HUC109090CSS600 firmware version N440 | Driver Details | Dell US

If there is an utility to flash it, why not use it? The HYDATA DRT-SCSITOOL is way too expensive for the average users here having a few of those drives so the Dell flash utility may be worth looking into.
 
Last edited:
M

mzfk

New Member
Feb 11, 2019
15
0
1
Belial said:
Perhaps this link may give everyone a further boost on this subject. I have a few of those HGST drives also that I would like to use.

EBLEND IT: Flash Dell Firmware into Seagate Generic Drives (ST3450856SS to HS11 Firmware update, maybe others)

This is the Dell HGST update firmware

HGST SAS drive models HUC109030CSS600, HUC109060CSS600 and HUC109090CSS600 firmware version N440 | Driver Details | Dell US

If there is an utility to flash it, why not use it? The HYDATA DRT-SCSITOOL is way too expensive for the average users here having a few of those drives so the Dell flash utility may be worth looking into.
Click to expand...
Thanks dude , but Seagate drive not same as HGST drives. I flashed firmware on many seagate drives with no problem , and some hitachi models, but only Cobra D can't reflash any methods.
 
B

BuZa

New Member
Feb 13, 2019
13
1
3
DKR5*-***** disks reprogrammed succeeded. But the procedure requires intervention with special equipment. In the process of updating the firmware on these disks, several checks are performed, which cannot be performed only using software methods with the help of controller commands.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184111761571
 
M

mzfk

New Member
Feb 11, 2019
15
0
1
hi!

as i know, some peoples find method how to reflash these drives... can somebody give us method to do this?
 
B

BuZa

New Member
Feb 13, 2019
13
1
3
It is necessary to pick in the service sectors and ROM. Writing a loader and loading it only programmatically does not work.
 
B

bustedtyre

New Member
May 11, 2019
6
0
1
I just got my 60pc. DKR5D-J600SS unlocked, reflashed with standard A5B0 firmware and reformatted to 512 bytes/sector. Drives work like a charm!
 
O

opasha

New Member
Aug 13, 2020
5
0
1
Etzion said:
Hi. I would like to add. I have a few of these disks. See this list:

# lsscsi -g
[0:0:0:0] storage HP P410i 6.40 - /dev/sg0
[0:0:0:4194240] storage HP P410i 6.40 - /dev/sg3
[0:1:0:0] disk HP LOGICAL VOLUME 6.40 /dev/sda /dev/sg1
[1:0:0:0] disk SE_HGST DKR5D-J600SS B8B8 /dev/sdb /dev/sg2
[1:0:1:0] disk HITACHI DKR5C-J600SS APAP /dev/sdc /dev/sg10
[1:0:2:0] disk HITACHI DKR5C-J600SS ARAR /dev/sdd /dev/sg4
[1:0:3:0] disk SE_HGST DKR5D-J900SS B8B8 /dev/sde /dev/sg5
[1:0:4:0] disk SE_HGST DKR5D-J900SS BEBE /dev/sdf /dev/sg6
[1:0:5:0] disk SE_HGST DKR5D-J900SS B8B8 /dev/sdg /dev/sg7
[1:0:6:0] enclosu NETAPP DS224IOM6 0173 - /dev/sg8
[2:0:0:0] cd/dvd Optiarc DVD RW AD-7561S AH52 /dev/sr0 /dev/sg9

The interesting disks are sg2 to sg7 + sg10. I tried using SeaChest_Firmware by Seagate, which identified the disks correctly, however, failed to change firmware (unsupported). I have tried using sg_write_buffer, but again, for no avail (the command I have used was sg_write_buffer -v -m 5 -I /tmp/sas/payload/N440.fwh /dev/sg2 - I have Dell firmware called N440.fwh), but it failed.
I found HGST tools in this FTP server: ftp://ftp.abacus.cz/distribuce/HGST/ where I got "HGST device manager" (used for ST disks, so not for me) and 'hugo' which seems like the best tool for the task. The tool shows the disks, is willing to download their logs, and happy to do whatever I say, except that it claims that the disks are in 'self test' mode, which prevents doing anything. Hugo command to abort the self-test fails.
Hugo shows the disks like this:
(hugo) s

Manuf. Model Serial Interface Capacity Type Firmware Status
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) HGST DKR5C-J600SS PZJA671D SAS 600 GB HDD APAP In Test
2) HGST DKR5D-J900SS KVH97PRF SAS 900 GB HDD B8B8 In Test
3) HGST DKR5D-J900SS W8G608MX SAS 900 GB HDD BEBE In Test
4) HGST DKR5D-J900SS KVH3ZRMF SAS 900 GB HDD B8B8 In Test
5) HGST DKR5C-J600SS PPX1EZ8D SAS 600 GB HDD ARAR In Test
6) HGST DKR5D-J600SS W7GDSM3X SAS 600 GB HDD B8B8 In Test

And, as I've already written - an attempt to abort the test fails:
(hugo) abort -s PZJA671D


Drive self test status for Device: PZJA671D... Running [abort failed].

So firmware updates fail as well:
(hugo) u -s PZJA671D -f /root/firmware/CEGNB5B0.bin

Update not executed, device is currently in test: PZJA671D
WARNING: Firmware on device PZJA671D did not change from previous version.

If anyone has any further ideas, I would be glad to hear them. I have many more disks like this (they were from NetApp, I think) of 600 and 900GB, and I would really like them to work. I hope I give some additional info which will make some of you able to make these disks work.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Were you or anyone able to figure this out? Thanks!


bustedtyre said:
I just got my 60pc. DKR5D-J600SS unlocked, reflashed with standard A5B0 firmware and reformatted to 512 bytes/sector. Drives work like a charm!
Click to expand...
I have all the standard firmware, but what tool did you use to flash the firmware? HGST and HUGO don't work. Neither does DELL's SASDUPIE.exe. Thanks!
 
P

Popica

New Member
Oct 7, 2020
3
0
1
Romania
Hi there,
Hitachi DKR5E-J1R2SS 1.2TB HUC101212CSS600
i just formated into 512b from 520b and i can't write anything on them,
All steps for reformat was made unde Windows with sg3_utils, so i think need to make one fw update ?
Now they show fw: GCGC
Have one FW : U5E0.fwh
Anyone can help me to figure out what happen and how to make them work ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom