UNDERSTANDING HARD DRIVE FIRMWARE FAILURE

The firmware is the software of the hard disk drive (HDD). It is best to think of it as the ‘operating system’ of the HDD; without it, the HDD would not even spin up to the correct speed. Just like Windows or OSX it too can become corrupt. The revision is usually listed on the white label on the front of the hard disk drive. In general, it is stored on the platter surface. When a hard disk drive has a firmware failure there can be a number of different symptoms

Most computer users don’t, because it runs in the background and there’s no reason to ever worry about this little piece of software… that is until it stops doing its job.

As with any bit of code, your hard drive’s operating system, same as firmware, can become corrupted or damaged as a result of viruses, incompatibility, or even manufacturing failure. If a program failure incurs, you may lose access to your data instantly. it could stop your hard drive from spinning or cooling correctly, which can lead to more significant damage.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE A HARD DRIVE FIRMWARE FAILURE?

Some signs of a firmware failure include freezing a startup, inability to recognize the drive by any reader, or partial or complete mechanical failure of the hard drive. In this problem can cause complete failure of the drive, even if there is not physical damage to it.

WHERE IS THE FIRMWARE LOCATED?

The firmware is a set of codes positioned on the service area of the platters and also in the ROM of the PCB. It’s not something that is visible because it is not a physical part of the hard drive.

WHAT DOES FIRMWARE DO?

When the hard drive is powered on, a small part of firmware on the PCB is starting the whole process of booting the drive. It sends the command to power on the motor and tells the heads to move over the spinning surface to catch the synchronizing marks of the platter in order to stabilize the speed. Then the microcode on the service zone starts loading into the drive’s memory.

Then the microcode on the service zone starts loading into the drive’s memory. That piece of loaded code from the disk platter must be matched to the firmware code from the circuit board. Otherwise, the integrity of the whole drive’s software system is violated.

SOME OF THE COMMON CAUSES OF HDD FIRMWARE DAMAGE

One sign that could indicate that your hard drive is faulty, is when your computer sees it as blank, thus indicating a “Not Initialized” error. This message could mean issues like bad sectors on the platters, problem with the read/write heads, or program.

Repetitive clicking noises can most of the time be thought of as mechanical issues, which can mean that the head comes apart and crashes onto the platter. Mechanical problems can also be due to power surges or outages. However, a corrupted program can also cause the drive to make clicking noise.

A firmware malfunction can result in slow hard drive, to the point of getting a “Not Responding” error repeatedly.

Another sign of possible corrupted program or read/write head failure is when you computer is unable to detect your hardware. However, sometimes, it could be due to bad or loose cable to the drive or malware infection.

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