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4 Reasons Why Your Data Recovery Device Should Support SATA Native Functions
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4 Reasons Why Your Data Recovery Device Should Support SATA Native Functions

By Alison Gresik

[Note: This blog entry was written by DeepSpar staff and I rewrote it extensively.]

Just because your device has a SATA interface, that doesn’t mean it provides native support for SATA. Yes, it’s convenient that you can connect a drive without an external adapter, but the device may be using a built-in SATA-IDE adapter or its software may not be providing native support for this interface.

Don’t be fooled – adapters could be implemented anywhere: in a motherboard, a dedicated host device, or even a SATA drive! In fact, all early SATA drives were IDE drives with built-in SATA-IDE adapters on their boards.

Without native support, you can’t take full advantage of the interface and its extra functionality and performance. So don’t make the mistake of choosing a data recovery device just because it has a corresponding interface. Instead, you should look for a tool that:
- Uses all the functionality of the interface, such as PHY (Physical Layer) control
- Increases the performance of the entire system by using the higher speeds provided by the interface

Here’s why.

1. You can send more effective device resets to unstable drives.

Native SATA functions give you a regular COMRESET command, which is as effective as the IDE Reset signal.

You also get a more efficient Physical Layer (PHY) reset. (The SATA Physical Layer is responsible for detecting a SATA device on the cable, and for link initialization.) This reset mimics disconnecting the SATA cable from a drive and connecting it back without powering off the drive.

You would use the PHY Reset when a regular hardware reset is not efficient enough to force the drive to abort a currently executed operation and move on to the next command. The PHY Reset lets you avoid extra cycles of repowering the drive during imaging, which minimizes the risk of complete drive failure caused by unnecessary repowering procedures.

You can also reset the drive indirectly using a third method, by resetting the SATA controller, since the SATA physical link initialization involves reset and synchronization phases. This kind of reset isn’t possible in IDE because of the static level nature of its signals.

These two extra hard drive resets, PHY Reset and SATA Controller Reset, can help a lot when a regular COMRESET isn’t enough to force the drive to respond.

2. The imaging process is more stable for certain drives.

SATA-IDE adapters cause a number of instability issues because of inefficiencies in processing the drive initialization. This instability happens whether the adapter is external or built-in.

The problem is that processing hardware and software resets depends very much on a SATA-IDE adapter. Some adapters simply freeze when executing a software reset on certain drives, meaning a drive becomes unresponsive until after a repowering cycle. In this situation, the drive looks like it stays busy, even though the problem is actually with the adapter.

SATA-IDE adapters may also experience incomplete or non-synchronous initialization during the power on.

When you use SATA native functions, you avoid all of these drive initialization issues.

3. You get higher interface transfer speeds.

Modern drive capacity is measured in terabytes nowadays, which means that even copying data from good areas of the drive takes many hours.

SATA-IDE adapters slow down the imaging process for two reasons:
- The highest PATA UDMA transfer mode is slower than SATA transfer speed
- Some SATA-IDE adapters don’t support UDMA modes higher than 4, which is 60MB/s, while the data access speed of modern drives is over 100MB/s.

Note that the speed we mention relates the imaging speed of good areas of the drive, while the imaging speed of unstable drives with many bad sectors depends much more on the ability of the data recovery imaging product to handle bad areas than on the data transfer speed of the interface. Processing bad areas of some drives may take days or even weeks compared to a few hours spent on imaging good areas.

4. You get diagnostics functions via SATA PHY link.

SATA interface allows you to identify a failed board, issues with the SATA interface, and in some cases, corrupted firmware in ROM.

Here is the list of SATA PHY states and potential issues associated with each of those states:

a) “No device detected” (PHY State 0). The drive’s board is dead. Usually this means a failure of the power circuitries, such as a burned fuse, or a failure of the power converter chip or its components.

b) “Device detected but PHY link is not established” (PHY State 1). Some SATA pins are not properly connected due to bad/noisy SATA cabling or an issue with the SATA connector or interface wiring on the drive’s PCB.

c) “Device detected and PHY link established” (PHY State 3). If the drive’s ATA Status registers are not accessible in this PHY state (that is, no BSY or DRDY state is detected), the drive usually has firmware problems, such as corrupted ROM, or a failed microcontroller unit.

This extra diagnostics functionality available with native SATA support (that is, PHY link status control) is especially useful in identifying electronic failures of the drive’s PCB.

In short, you want a device that supports SATA native functions.

To check whether your imaging tool has native support of the SATA interface, verify whether it has control of SATA native functions. For example, you should be able to see a SATA drive’s PHY status and select the type of SATA hardware reset to use when imaging the drive.

No need to check up on DeepSpar Disk Imager 4: the newest release introduces support for SATA native functions. All of the control, reset, and diagnostics functionality that comes with native SATA support will help you image SATA drives that have various kinds of read instability issues with better speed and reliability.
10 signs of walking depression
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10 signs of walking depression

By Alison Gresik

by Alison Gresik


Let’s play a little word association.

When I say someone is DEPRESSED, what comes to mind?

How about: Gloomy unshowered schmuck. Stuck and unmotivated. Unable to work. A drag to be around. Broken. Victim. Complainer. Crying all the time. Never leaving the house.

That’s the stereotype, isn’t it? And there’s some truth there. Allie at Hyperbole and a Half draws a vivid picture of this kind of depression.

But depression has many different faces and manifestations.

I was one of the walking depressed. Some of my clients are too.

We don’t collapse and stay in bed all day. We keep working, keep writing, keep looking after our families. Keep blogging and tweeting and going out with friends. Keep taking our car to the service station. We just do it all while being profoundly unhappy.

Because we’re strong-willed creatives. We are so strong that we endure unendurable situations far longer than we should. We are deeply committed and we want to do our best for others.

Jen Lee has coined the term Dutiful Creatives to describe those of us who are inclined to take care of our responsibilities before anything else.

“If life were a meal, you’d consider your creativity as the dessert, and always strive to eat your vegetables first. Pacing and knowing how to say No are your strengths, but your creativity is more essential to your well-being than you realize.” from Jen Lee’s Quiz: What Kind of Creative Are You

Too many years of denying ourselves the pleasures of our creative pursuits and it’s no wonder we blunder into sadness.

10 Signs of Walking Depression

“I once read that succumbing to depression doesn’t mean you are weak, but that you have been trying to be strong for too long, which is maybe a form of denial. So much of life happens somewhere in between being okay and complete breakdown—that’s where many of us live, and doing so requires strength.” ~ novelist Matthew Quick

Walking depression can be hard to recognize because it doesn’t fit the stereotype. But it’s just as dangerous to our well-being when left unacknowledged.

This list isn’t meant to be an exhaustive diagnostic. But these are some of the signs I’ve observed in myself and those I’ve coached:

Nothing is fun. You root around for something to look forward to and come up empty.

You can’t find flow. Working on your creative projects feels like a grind, but you keep plodding away. There is research that shows that neuroticism (the tendency toward negative moods) is associated with lower rates of flow.

Your energy is low. Maybe you’re not getting enough rest because you’re too anxious to sleep, or you’re trying to cram too many tasks into a day, or you’re punishing yourself by staying up. Whatever the reason, you are effin’ tired.

You feel worse in the morning and better at night. I remember explaining this to a friend, who found it mystifying. In the morning I felt the crushing weight of all the things I had to do that day. In the evening I was temporarily free from expectations and could enjoy a moment’s respite.

You have simmering resentment toward the people you’re helping. Sure, you’re still doing what everybody asks of you, but you stew in anger the whole time.

Your self-talk gets caustic. You say nasty things in an effort to shock yourself into action. You use shame as a motivator.

You feel distanced from people around you. It’s hard to have genuine, intimate conversations because you have to keep up this front that you are alright.

You deprive yourself of creative work time (the artist as sadomasochist). This helps you exert some control and stirs up feelings of suffering that are perversely pleasurable. Also, taking on new projects that prevent you from writing or making art lets you prove to yourself that you’re still strong and capable.

You notice a significant mood change when you have caffeine or alcohol. A cup of coffee might make you feel a lot more revved-up and optimistic. A glass of wine might make you feel really mellow and even ~ gasp! ~ happy. (That’s how I finally realized that I was depressed.)

You feel like you’re wasting your life. Strong-willed creatives have a high sensitivity to the inherent meaning in what we do. Creativity coach Eric Maisel calls this our “existential intelligence.” If our daily activities don’t carry enough significance ~ if they don’t feel like a worthwhile use of our talents and passions ~ then soon we are asking ourselves, “What’s the point? Why should I keep going?”

(Eric Maisel has just published a book called Rethinking Depression, and I will be hosting a stop on his blog book tour on April 1, so watch for that.)

Why is it hard to admit that you have walking depression?

You may recognize many of these signs in your life but still be slow to admit that you are depressed. Why is that?

Because it feels presumptuous to put yourself in that category when you’re still getting by. You feel like it would be insulting to those who are much worse off than you.

Because your pride and your identity take a hit. You have to admit vulnerability and allow that you are not the all-conquering superwoman you thought you were.

Because you realize that you and your life need to change, which feels like more work piled on your plate.

Because you are admitting your own responsibility for your unhappiness and that can trigger self-judgment.

Because you might uncover grief or anger at those around you for not seeing and taking better care of you.

What to do, what to do?

I’ve posted another entry about how creatives heal from walking depression, and here are a few more ideas:

- Start using 750words.com to write out your feelings each day.
- Rachelle Mee-Chapman‘s depression shows up as stuckness, but her suggestions for getting through it are effective for the walking variety too.
- Check out how novelist Sara Zarr is coming to grips with her walking depression in the post Prozac vs. Jesus.
- Call my new hotline at 1-613-454-5594 to hear an encouraging message. Leave a voicemail and let me know how you’re doing.
- Book a free 30-minute coaching session with me. Talking to someone who understands can help a lot.

Important: If you are in dire straits, please contact your doctor or visit the International Suicide Prevention Wiki to find a hotline near you.

Are you surprised that I work with depressed creatives?

Some people wouldn’t want to touch them with a ten-foot pole (see stereotype above).

But I have a tender heart for people who find themselves in this place. I know ~ God, I know! ~ what it feels like. And I know how to find the path out. I can sit with deep sorrow and speak hope. I can come alongside and walk with you towards happiness. This is what my coaching service, Enter the Labyrinth, is all about.

Of course, coaching is not therapy, and my clients have other professionals who help them deal directly with their depression. I believe that therapy is awesome for artists and I highly recommend it.

But coaching can be an invaluable part of the recovery process. A creativity coach gets your artistic needs and identity in a way a doctor or therapist might not. One of my clients had a doctor who suggested she just do writing as a hobby so she could stay in her draining government job. I had a well-meaning therapist tell me the same thing. But a creativity coach knows that there comes a time when 15 minutes a day doesn’t cut it anymore.

Let me know in the comments: do these signs ring true for you? Have you ever been depressed and kept on walking?

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