Seagate Momentus Firmware update problem (to fix clicking noise)

See if they will send you a new one with the image and backup and windows7 installed on it. That will help you by not looking for drivers.

bimki:

I'm before 21 day :) So, I'll let You know tommorow in the evening.

and won't this run your battery down faster? I only get 1  1/2 hrs at best now with it set at balanced.

You should not have to jump through hoops on this one. Not that many are computer literate to do the above. No reason for it since Dell needs to make it good

Hi All,

This problem was fixed by Dell giving me a new drive.

I checked, and both (the clicking and the quiet one) had the same firmware version : 3SDM1 (or 0003SDM1)

I don't know if the new drive I got is new or refurbished (how can I check it?)

But I don't really care as this is a company laptop...

Good Luck!

John

Hi,

super :)

did You have to reinstall windows or they've copied all data from old drive to new one?

regards

Bimki, after hours on the phone the supervisor of techs agreed to send me a refurb drive. I said no I wanted new since this ticking was a known problem for a long time and they should not have continued to use SG. Finally they agreed to send me a drive but BLANK. Now think about this, blank drive means you backup your files, then install Vista OS, then reinstall your files and then wait on the win7 update to get to you via mail (who knows when that will be).

Next step, Win7 upgrade comes in and you have to backup your files again. Install Win7 and hope you don't lose any files. Possibility you have to reinstall some files from your backup.

Since all this is work, and time I told them I wanted a drive along with the win7 complete cd so I only hd to backup one time and restore files one time. They said this could not be done. Since win7 is out now and they are building new computers with it and sending the cds out with the computers I don't see why they can't do this.

At this point I am waiting for someone from the escalating team to call me back regarding this. I only got this computer the end of Sept. and reported this problem within the return time.

On the other side of the coin I am thrilled with the computer today. I dl, and avi file and was able to play it hdmi on my tv. perfectly along with the sound coming out of the tv. I want to keep this computer just not the intermittent clicking.

Keep us posted what you do and I will do the same.

bimki:

Hi,

super :)

did You have to reinstall windows or they've copied all data from old drive to new one?

regards

Bimki, after hours on the phone the supervisor of techs agreed to send me a refurb drive. I said no I wanted new since this ticking was a known problem for a long time and they should not have continued to use SG. Finally they agreed to send me a drive but BLANK. Now think about this, blank drive means you backup your files, then install Vista OS, then reinstall your files and then wait on the win7 update to get to you via mail (who knows when that will be).

Next step, Win7 upgrade comes in and you have to backup your files again. Install Win7 and hope you don't lose any files. Possibility you have to reinstall some files from your backup.

Since all this is work, and time I told them I wanted a drive along with the win7 complete cd so I only hd to backup one time and restore files one time. They said this could not be done. Since win7 is out now and they are building new computers with it and sending the cds out with the computers I don't see why they can't do this.

At this point I am waiting for someone from the escalating team to call me back regarding this. I only got this computer the end of Sept. and reported this problem within the return time.

On the other side of the coin I am thrilled with the computer today. I dl, and avi file and was able to play it hdmi on my tv. perfectly along with the sound coming out of the tv. I want to keep this computer just not the intermittent clicking.

Keep us posted what you do and I will do the same.

bimki:

Hi,

super :)

did You have to reinstall windows or they've copied all data from old drive to new one?

regards

Hi,

I can't comment on Dell consumer support policies (if you get an OS re-installed etc.) as the laptop is maintained by our IT staff, so they took care of re-imaging it.

The reason I tried solving this problem using this forum (without our IT contacting Dell Corporate support to replace the drive) is that I was hoping I did not have to do all the customizations\installations again.

Regards,

John

John, that is one of the reasons that I want an imaged drive with win7 on it. I don't think that I would know all the drivers etc. to dl. Being 72 years old it might be a challange. I used to be able to do all this but sometimes now I tend to forget.

The way the computer works now is wonderful and I don't want to mess anything up. I might just go with hearing the clicking sound as it is intermittent and not all the time.

Thanks for the reply.

You did a lot better then me. I still have not gotten it resolved. The supervisor refuses to give me a new drive. I finally said I would accept a refurbished if it had the windows 7 on it along with the windows 7 cd in so I would not have to keep backing up files and restoring them with new drives with vista installed and then go through an upgrade to win7. They have refused and insist on me using the file posted that was mentioned in this thread to correct the problem. If you look at the firmware file it does not apply to a Studio xps 1640 or my hd.

Dell strikes again.

Meggie

darthrussard:

The phone conversation went a lot better then I thought it would. They tried the refurb drive option and I said no way I want brand new drives since the laptops were just purchased. There's like a 21 day policy she said that if the hardware is defective within those days they will replace it.  I'm past the 21 days by a few days but since all 5 laptops set in my office for 2 weeks before I unpacked them they offered to replace the drives with new ones and I didn't have to push too hard. I'm just hoping the new drives will work good. The drives will be blank which is fine because I create my own images! I'll send another update once I get the new drives and test them.

You did a lot better then me. I still have not gotten it resolved. The supervisor refuses to give me a new drive. I finally said I would accept a refurbished if it had the windows 7 on it along with the windows 7 cd in so I would not have to keep backing up files and restoring them with new drives with vista installed and then go through an upgrade to win7. They have refused and insist on me using the file posted that was mentioned in this thread to correct the problem. If you look at the firmware file it does not apply to a Studio xps 1640 or my hd.

Dell strikes again.

Meggie

darthrussard:

The phone conversation went a lot better then I thought it would. They tried the refurb drive option and I said no way I want brand new drives since the laptops were just purchased. There's like a 21 day policy she said that if the hardware is defective within those days they will replace it.  I'm past the 21 days by a few days but since all 5 laptops set in my office for 2 weeks before I unpacked them they offered to replace the drives with new ones and I didn't have to push too hard. I'm just hoping the new drives will work good. The drives will be blank which is fine because I create my own images! I'll send another update once I get the new drives and test them.

Got the new drives installed and imaged finally. They were the exact same drives that came with the laptops. They make the clicking sounds off and on but not like before so I'm wondering now if it's just a bad batch of drives in the assembly line some people are getting. Dell is really getting bad in their support. They have such a huge customer base they really do not care if a client chooses another vendor. I think the drives are fine but I know the second I deploy one people will speak up about the sound. I'm going to have to call them back but it will be in a few days unfortunately.

I still have not resolved my problem. Dell offered to give me my money back but I want to get the computer right. I think I made a big mistake. My daughter was here yesterday with her Tob...a and it works like a charm.

I was told by a tech that Dell had ordered a number of the Seagates and until they are used up they will continue to use them. After that Seagate will correct the problem in their new drives to Dell. So yes, it is all at this time a "bad' if you want to call it that batch of Seagate drives. My drive does not click constantly just at times and I can't pinpoint what starts it up.

The tech wanted me to install a firmware update. Good thing I didn't since when I read the specs on it it was not for a 1640. So now we are on hold again. It used to be you could reason with Dell and get a resolution to problems but that is no longer true.

I am tired of dealing with them and hearing the "stories" that I know are not true. Next computer will not be a Dell.

Hope you get your problem fixed. How dumb to send out another Seagate knowing you would have the same problems.

Today they've send me Fujitsu MHZ2250BJ in place of  Seagate ST9250410AS.

As I saw benchamarks http://www.notebookcheck.com/Notebook-Festplatten-HDD-SSD-Vergleich.22087.0.html Fujitsu is slower then segate and has just 8MB cache...

I still like the WD or Hitachi drives the best. Seems like Dell is trying to save money and lower their quality by putting in cheaper products. Sometimes cheaper does not save money as this thread and others about Seagates made for Dell proves. I am sure they have lost money on returns and time spent trying to correct the problems. Being Seagate doesn't appear to be concerned in helping Dell and Dell has to use up the drives they have lots of money was thrown out the windows.

bimki:

Today they've send me Fujitsu MHZ2250BJ in place of  Seagate ST9250410AS.

As I saw benchamarks http://www.notebookcheck.com/Notebook-Festplatten-HDD-SSD-Vergleich.22087.0.html Fujitsu is slower then segate and has just 8MB cache...