[rescue] HDD firmware utilities

[Les Connally]

what _is_ the deal with firmware utilities?  I gather many manuf
utilities will only upgrade drives with that manuf's ID on them eg Sun.
I have also seen Dell firmware utilities.. not seen any Seagate firmware
utilities but they must exist.. I had a friend that did AVID stuff, and
the Seagate rep would do firmware stuff for him.. seaget rep wouldnt
return _my_ calls though.

I was also told about a SUN utility (fload) that would make non-sun
drives Sun ID-d

what else does anyone know? why -cant- a Tandem drive be 'fixed'?