Recover files from HP Simplesave 1TB

[cescpistol]

I have an HP Simplesave 1TB md1000h External HDD. The power adaptor got fried some time ago. It took me a while to find a similar one but I finally got a replacement. When I plug it in, the blue light comes on but it does not blink (as it usually does to suggest 'reading'). My laptop (running Windows 7 Basic) does not detect any external storage device. Listening to the device, it hums but the hard disk itself does not run.

So I take out the SATA (WDC WD10 EAVS-00M4B0 Caviar Green) and connect it to my laptop via SATA dock. The disk physically runs, but the computer cannot detect the partition in My Computer. When I go to disk management, the drive is recognized but appears as 'unallocated'. I tried running testdisk but it didn't help at all. After further research, it appears that the PCB control board is required for the hard disk's contents to be accessed. I deduce that the problem might be with the PCB.

Here's what I would like to know:

1.Is it possible to access the hard drive (and recover my data) given my current situation?
2. Assuming that the PCB is the problem, if I get a replacement (same model), how likely is it that I could get it to work? The replacement is not cheap, so I'd like to know my chances first.
3. Are there any other alternative solutions to recover the data from my HDD?

I really need the files in the hard disk. So I would really appreciate any and all help I can get.

[laptokowiec]

Does the DMDE see it ?

[Nick_CT]

The problem is that the USB to SATA bridge board in the HP Simplesave device has an Initio IC which encrypts and decrypts all data passing through it.

So, if you connect just the HDD itself to a machine and the HDD is functional, then you will see the drive but will not be able to read any data as it is encrypted.

You need to repair or replace the USB to SATA bridge board in the HP Simplesave enclosure and access the drive through that interface in order to get your data back.

It's the same story as the WD My Book drives.

Last edited by Nick_CT on April 27th, 2012, 11:06, edited 1 time in total.

[loki]

Hi,

Seek a DR PPO.

You mention when connected via SATA dock "The disk physically runs, but the computer cannot detect the partition in My Computer. When I go to disk management, the drive is recognized but appears as 'unallocated'.

This would indicate the hdd PCB is ok


Loki

[loki]

It's the same story as the WD My Book drives.

Is the fix the same?
do they need to come from the same model / hdd size? or can the board come from a say 2Tb?
PM me if you rather?
Or I will have to buy a couple & test out of curiosity


Thanks

Loki

[loki]

Looked on HP site & theres no mention of encryption or Initio?

http://desktop-external-hard-drive-revi ... eview.html
The above link says "The HP SimpleSave doesn’t have any type of encryption options, password protection or a security slot to prevent theft. If you're using this hard drive to back up your home computer or non-sensitive, personal documents, this setup is fine"

OP could try FTKImager or R-Studio data recovery software trial if its not encrypted?

Loki

[Nick_CT]

Loki,

Here's a pic I just took of a bridge board from a WD My Book Essential (left) and a bridge board from a HP SimpleSave (right). The circled ICs are both Initio INIC-1607E.

So, the same applies to the SimpleSave that applies to the My Book, you can't just remove the HDD and connect it up and access the data as it's encrypted, you need to access the drive via the Initio IC.

Attachments

Last edited by Nick_CT on April 27th, 2012, 13:12, edited 1 time in total.

[Nick_CT]

Ugh, I put the wrong names on the wrong sides in the image. Doesn't matter though, you get the point

[Cleanroom]

They are encrypted like WD drives. I have seen a few of these come my way and i have had to repair the usb/sata bridge to get the data

[loki]

Seriously thanks for taking the time for that.
I like it when i learn something new

Loki

[cescpistol]

Nick_CT,

Would you know how to repair the USB to SATA bridge board? It still lights up but it appears that the power does not reach the hard disk. Neither is the CD drive (which auto-runs when the external HDD is plugged) detected by my computer.

If I get a replacement, would it work as long as I get the same model? I found an exactly similar one but the seller says it was taken from a WD My Book. Since I have an HP Simplesave, would there be an issue? But I am 100% sure that the boards are exactly alike.

Is there really no other way to access the data?

[fzabkar]

@cescpistol,

There was recent thread where a WD Passport Elements model that used the INIC-1607E chip was not encrypted, so the presence of AES encryption in the bridge chip does not necessarily mean that it is enabled.

Here is a thread where a HP Simplesave owner converted his drive to a WD model:
disk-with-sata-usb-adapter-remove-virtual-rom-t18492-40.html

In that particular case the data were of no consequence, so it is not something that you should do. Nevertheless the exercise shows that the two devices are essentially the same.

If you decide to swap the board, then you may need to transfer the firmware from the original bridge board to your replacement board. On Nick_CT's photo, there appears to be an 8-pin Winbond serial flash memory IC at the left side of the PCB, below the "SS35-09041-33" text.

However, before doing anything, I would check whether Microsoft's UVCView utility can see the external drive:
http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/USB_ID ... ew.x86.exe

This will confirm whether the Initio bridge IC is working, and that the USB connection is OK.

From the symptoms, I suspect that the 8-pin MOSFET ("TPCxxxx") in the top right corner of the board may be faulty. I believe it switches +5V and +12V power to the drive's SATA connector. If you can tell us its part number, someone may be able to suggest a suitable replacement. Otherwise a competent technician should be able to bypass it with wire links.

[cescpistol]

The number is Q3 with "TPC8405 9:34" written on the IC.

[fzabkar]

As expected, Q3 is a dual MOSFET. The "934" would be a date code (week 34 of 2009).

If you can carefully measure the voltages on all 8 pins with a multimeter, then we will be able to determine what is happening. Be very careful, as a slip of the probes will destroy the board.

Here is the datasheet:

TPC8405, Toshiba, dual MOSFET, P-ch & N-ch, 30V, 6A/-4.5A:
http://datasheet.elcodis.com/pdf/5/69/5 ... e12lqm.pdf
http://www.datasheetarchive.com/dl/Data ... 765264.pdf

[cescpistol]

@fzabkar:

In case I decide to change the bridge board, how exactly do I "transfer the firmware from the original bridge board to your replacement board"?

[fzabkar]

To transfer the firmware, you would need to move the Winbond serial flash memory IC, or its contents, to the donor PCB. Your local TV/AV repair shop should be able to do this for you.

[cescpistol]

Problem still not solved. Please help again.

Here's what happened:

1. I ordered a similar PCB. When I connected it to the hard disk and the PC, the PCB would light up and the hard disk would spin but it's not detected by the PC.

2. I figured that I needed to swap the firmware (Winbond IC, as stated above). I brought it to a service center who could perform such work.

3. When I connected it to the hard disk and PC, the same thing happened as before--the hard disk would spin but it's not detected by the PC. I used the UVCView program, and it cannot detect any USB connection.

What should I do? One service center said I should bring it in for data recovery. But the amount they're charging is ridiculous! The replacement PCB I bought wasn't cheap either, so I hope I can at least make it work properly. Any ideas?

[fzabkar]

@cescpistol, you may be able to repair the original board at little or no cost, if the problem is indeed the TPC8405 dual MOSFET. You would just need to remove the chip (with flush cutters) and replace each MOSFET with a wire link. Your service centre should be able to do that for you if necessary.

[Secmas]

Hi,
sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I have a similar situation and I need to buy a new one SS35-09041-33 and with the TPC8405 9:29 and INITIO INIC-1607E.

Do you know where it will be the best place to buy it online?

Thanks.

[cheadledatarecovery]

I've just had a 2.5" WD disk in which had been in an HP SimpleSave caddy. The caddy had been disposed of by a PC Shop as the USB connector had been broken away. They put it in a standard caddy which they sold to the customer. She could not get her data when she got it back. Then another PC shop had an attempt - needless to say they could not recover the data either.

The HP Simplesave caddy appears to be a copy of WD My Passport encryption. In this case, using the INIC1607E processor. It was possible to read encryption keys from the from the SA, then decrypt in Data Extractor. Nice and straight forward and glad I didn't have to start searching eBay for a matching HP SimpleSave caddy from 2010!

John.