I resolved this issue over a year ago!! I contacted Samsung hdd department and they sent me new firmware. They also told me that hdds manufactured from January 2010 onwards have the new firmware. So you lot relax!

I've recently bought Samsung 2TB HD204U...

 

I've just bought one yesterday.

 

manufactured in 2011 with serial number different than those listed on Synology wiki, so it should be OK.

 

The manufacturing date on mine is 2011 06 and the serial number is ...B0... rather than ...Z..., as quoted in the Synology wiki, so I should be okay.  However, the firmware version is still reported as 1AQ10001 - Samsung really should have sorted that out by now.

 

So, should I still be reflashing mine?  Where can I get the new image from now?

 

 

Edit:

 

Okay, I found the F4EG.exe and HD240UI_JP.exe (sic!) files at http://seagate.custkb.com.

 

According to the instructions on the web site I should be using F4EG, but most here seem to have used the JP file.  I suspect that one of these alters the firmware version id, and the other doesn't.

I've got a quick question.  I installed a F4 Samsung drive a few months ago, which I took out from an external Fantom enclosure.  Will this drive be affected as well?  I should flash it to be on the safe side huh?

I have 3 F4 drives that I flashed....its worth doing because the thought of corruption will always linger in the back of your head.

I've got a quick question.  I installed a F4 Samsung drive a few months ago, which I took out from an external Fantom enclosure.  Will this drive be affected as well?  I should flash it to be on the safe side huh?

 

Go to seagate's warranty checker and punch in the serial numbers. I believe these drives came with 3yr warranty and the firmware was fixed in drives made after Dec 2010. You can do the maths and figure out whether you need to patch or not.

Stupid of them not to change the version number.

I've got a quick question.  I installed a F4 Samsung drive a few months ago, which I took out from an external Fantom enclosure.  Will this drive be affected as well?  I should flash it to be on the safe side huh?

 

Go to seagate's warranty checker and punch in the serial numbers. I believe these drives came with 3yr warranty and the firmware was fixed in drives made after Dec 2010. You can do the maths and figure out whether you need to patch or not.

Stupid of them not to change the version number.

 

Yeah, I checked the manufacturing date and S/N, and mine is okay.  Built on 8/2011.  I wish I had knkw this prior to messing up my array.

Just bought one.... so that means it should be ok with out flashing right?

 

I'll check the date when it comes.

 

Just bought one.... so that means it should be ok with out flashing right?

 

I'll check the date when it comes.

 

 

I'd certainly think so, just double check the date

So got my HD204UI in.... DOM: 03.2012 

 

Should be fine then....    going to pre clear now.....

Anyone noticed that the F4 is a little louder at wake up then other HD's in your rig?

Anyone noticed that the F4 is a little louder at wake up then other HD's in your rig?

 

NO NEED TO SHOUT....

 

TBH, I have not.. my older seagates make a lot more "clicking" noises.. also when i wake mine up, i tend to wake up 8-16 drives at a time so it is not a fair judgement..

 

I have had very few issues with the samsung version of these drives..

the seagate versions.. only time will tell.

 

on a side note. i have started having failures in my Samsung F2 1.5 TB drives recently. they are failing on me in clusters. all about the same age and were in RAID5. (good thing I kept backups.)

I am not shouting...      but thank your for your reply. Will leave the bold off... 

I've just got two HD204UI/Z4 drives which I'm in the process of preclearing, warranty is till 2014 so based on the issue being fixed and being slightly paranoid about it now,

 

Is the any issue just doing the firmware fix anyway just to be sure? The drives are already in a 2nd test PC so wouldn't be much fuss.

Should I go ahead anyway, does it effect the preclear in anyway or would I be safe to carry out the firmware and just use the disks like any other.

 

Very glad I've seen this thread in 'BRiT's signature!! Thanks and very useful - never though to search on drive issues before commiting to buy

unless you have one from that specific run, I would not worry about it.

 

all of mine are from before the snaffu and from the last run samsung made (long after it was fixed), and a few from seagate.

 

I have not patched any of them. i have dozens of these drives and they are are stellar performers.. no data loss yet.

if you have not yet placed it into production. then, it never hurts to make sure your at the latest bios.

 

(Most of mine are in hardware raids. I'm not going to take the chance of breaking the array to update).

 

 

This the correct patch?

 

http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/223451en?language=en_US