One of the new features in the STB Suite version 8 is the ability to download firmware files into SATA drives. Two methods are provided for firmware download to either single or multiple drives at a time, and for drives connected to a motherboard SATA port as well as drives connected to a SAS controller.
As the life-cycle of a disk drive progresses it may become necessary to update the firmware which controls the drive. Most drive manufacturer-supplied firmware utilities are DOS based tools which typically allow updating the firmware on one drive at a time, and are usually limited to specific SATA controller types. The STB Suite v8 allows multiple simultaneous downloads to multiple drives, as well as a single-drive download mode.
Motherboard-connected drives
You can download firmware to a drive connected via a native (motherboard) SATA port by choosing the ATA/SATA->SATA Firmware Download menu choice. Use this menu choice to select your firmware file and which drive to download to. The program will verify that they selected drive can accept a firmware download and will then proceed to accomplish the download.
Once the download is complete the drive will be restarted and the new version information will be displayed. A Windows issue may require that you reboot your system at this point.
SAS-connected drives
Use the new SATA FW Download test in the Disk Manufacturing Module (DMM) to download firmware to one or more SATA drives connected to a SAT-compatible SAS controller. We recommend using LSI SAS controllers, either the 3800 PCI-X type or the 3801 PCI-e type. Connect this controller to a SAS-expander equipped drive enclosure. We do not support firmware download through any type of SAS or SATA RAID controller.
Firmware files
Firmware files must be obtained from the drive manufacturer.