Anyone remember where the IBM/Hitachi hard drive patch is?

[026TB4U]

I remember reading a blurb on a program that did something to IBM/Hitachi drives that help prevent failures. I thought I saw it at Storage Review, but I can't find it.

I did a search and nothing.

Anyone remember?

[Alakazam]

I'm not sure if this is what you want or not 0-60, and yes, I do remember reading something about those hdd and it wasn't that long ago either but I'll be darned if I can recall it.

It could be SMART Defender and you'll find it at

http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/download.htm

[026TB4U]

Found it!!

http://www.storagereview.com/php/tiki/tiki-index.php?page=DeathStar

It's not a patch but actually a firmware update. I saw it right before my 60GXP on my son's machine took a crap. I had to do a complete reinstall. I wonder if it would have prevented it. I still have 2 60gxp's, so I'm definitely going to apply it now.

[Jizzy]

Dang, thanks for this. Probably could've saved at least one of the three drives I had to RMA. I'll install this over Christmas break if I come back.

[Techvillage]

Thanks for brining the topic back up 0260B4U :) - I still have a couple of 60GXP's....that are still working hard for me, I was *just* waiting for one or both to go tit's up when the scare was on... as they were expensive inthose days - I paid £180 a piece for them back then and IBM's return turnaround is slow to say the least.

Tech makes note to do the firmware update this weekend.

[026TB4U]

I did the firmware upgrade. You have to download the identification program that tells you whether or not you need an upgrade. One of my drives did. Based on the firmware needed, you download a program that creates a bootable DFT disk that updates the firmware. IBM made it a little more difficult than it really needed to be, but it worked.

I ran before and after benchmarks with ATTO and saw no performance decrease. So hopefully now the drive won't fail.

[floppybootstomp]

think I'll be doing that as well to the two 20 giggers I still have in use

thanks for that 0-60

[Three D]

I got mine thru the Dell support site for my new Dimension 4600.