HDD GURU FORUMS

Rameez, Can you suggest anyplace where i can buy some of these 'smooth' chips? I often need them for Maxtor and WD drives with burnt motor controller chips.

Thanks.

Hi everyone!

I have a fried DiamondMax Plus 9 200GB ATA 133 (disks not spinning at all)
YAR41BW0 Firmware F8FYA

I tried to swap with a pcb of a DiamondMax Plus 9 80GB ATA 133 but with another firmware version
The fried disk now is "alive", it starts spinning but after let's say 10-20 seconds it starts to click and Bios doesn't recognize it at all

So I restored the working pcb back to its orginal owner (the 80GB one) and it worked, this pcb has not been damaged.

Does this mean I have no preamp problems with the dead hard disk and should only be a pcb problem?
Just to know, since I already ordered a new matching pcb

Thanx!
Pietro

Hi

This test doesn't shows exactly your preamp's condition.
If you want to get a compatible pcb, you should match this:

F8FYA + the 4 letter code on the top lid.

No more needed.
If your drive still clicking, then the preamp is dead.

Janos

Sorry for my noob question but I AM a noob with HDs...

I'm worried about the reason why my HD looks dead. If I have any chance to recover data.
This is exactly what happened...
I wrongly plugged the power connector, and 'till that moment the disk was fully functionally
After that, platters didn't spin anymore, so I thought about a power fault.

I swapped the pcb, but I don't remember the firmware version, so I can't confirm right now if it was compatible or not.
By the way platters started to spin again, with bad click noises, but not fast repeating clicks.

I read lots of post but I preferred to directly show my issue.
Can a power failure like mine damage head and/or preamp? HD was fully functionally before I wrongly connected the power molex.
I'm scared of the click of death O_O

Thanx thanx thanx

Hi,

yes, in your case it is highly probable that preamp is dead since when you pluged the power connector reversed(if it is what you meant by 'wrongly'), the preamp received 12V instead of 5V alimentation and this causes fatal damage surely.
If the data is important you should stop DIY right now and take it to a pro.

pepe

exactly, as you said, I meant reversed.
I thought there was some kind of protection circuit which prevents damage to the inner circuits.
I'll prepare a grave for my poor HD

thank you guys for your help

Yesterday I gave a try swapping 2 not compatible PCBs between 2 Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 10

Donor (the working one)
6L200M0
BANC1G10
F/W: R3GLA
SABRE/ROHS

Receiver (with spinning platters only, head doesn't move at all, hdd not detected)
6B250S0
BANC1980
F/W: R6GBP2
SABRE/RC2

Receiver's platters started to spin, after that the head started to move and make the EXACT noise I hear from my not working DiamondMax Plus 9 of some post above.

Having this situation, can I suppose (not be sure, just suppose) the problem of my DiamondMax Plus 9 is just the pcb (since I could only try a not compatible pcb, and the head was clicking, trying to setup, or whatever) and not some internal damage?

try to be sure about your donor pcb before trying it on the patient drive.

Hi guys here I am again

I'm going crazy trying to get more info from my dead hdd...
The bios recognize it as MAXTOR CALYPSO
If I set the drive as master, it starts clicking
When slave, no clicks

I read posts regarding how to check the preamp with a multimeter in diode mode and this is my case:

3/9 GND
4/9 -5 --- 0 ohm
5/9 +5 --- 166 ohm

So I guess I have a dead preamp.
But still I read from the various posts if the preamp is dead, each donor pcb I try to swap will be burned...
But my donor pcb still works

Should I definitively give up?

Go to a pro.

You should give up DIY, and seek for a pro as Mr.Rameez said.

Would suggest you contact

the forum member: dobrevjetser

He is from your country and a highly recommended pro.

+++

Yes, agree.

Contact dobrevjetser