hi to all.
I have some older posts on this issue.
I have an old 2.5 Toshiba 30GB HDD model MK3018GAP with damaged firmware.
using an 2.5 to 3.5 IDE adapter computers see the drive as 169.07GB. And of course when running Low Level software such as PowerMax and Hitachi DFT it craches and/or gives errors.
Also BIOS detects the drive as TOSHYBQ MK3018 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
All this indicates firmware corruption.
As far as I know it is very dificult, almost impossible to get firmware update for HDD's.
Browsing the web searching for firmware I found out in some forums that Dell once shipped notebooks with this HDD and issued an HDD firmware upgrade util for these notebooks. I would like to try this util to see if I can repair my HDD firmware.
However I can't find the util not even can find the notebook models.

Can anyone help me?

Thanks

I'm just a shadow of my former self!

Are you sure it's not the "2.5 to 3.5 IDE adapter" that's causing the problem?

yes i'm sure
The adapater works fine with any other HDD.
Also if I use an USB adapater I can't format the drive.
And when connected to a notebook that same happens BIOS sees 169.07GB and is detected as TOSHYBQ MK3018 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.
Its firmware, I'm sure of it.

I'm just a shadow of my former self!

I think there is a problem with the circuit board or the connection to the motherboard rather than a firmware problem. Notice the following:

TOSHYBQ
TOSHIBA

It appears to be picking the 3 bit.
I = 49 hex
Y = 59 hex

A = 41 hex
Q = 51 hex

if you can't fix this drive with the manufacturers website i defenitly do not think you are going to be able to fix it with del software unless it is in a dell computer
you prety much need the fix from toshiba or whomever made the hdd
is the hdd under warranty?
is ther very important info that you cannot loose?
i had a teacher that sent his hdd to a forensics lab to retrieve the files from a hdd that he could not fix (costly but did work) dont expect a rose garden when you get it back but the files are there

I really don't care about whats on the HDD!
It's not under warranty. Its very old.
Toshiba doesn't provide HDD tools.
Usually Hitachi DFT is used on toshiba HDD. I can't use because I can't properly detect the drive in BIOS.
I tested several components on the PCB. If is a PCB problem I'l just use the drive for parts.
I used this HDD in an external enclosure.
I just wanted to try to recover this HDD because It's the largest 2.5" I have.
I have several 20GB HDD's I could use. But IF I could recover this 30GB would be great.

I'm just a shadow of my former self!