Switch to full style
Data recovery and disk repair questions and discussions related to old-fashioned SATA, SAS, SCSI, IDE, MFM hard drives - any type of storage device that has moving parts
Post a reply

Recovering WD7400 Raptor

July 3rd, 2013, 9:48

Hello,

I'm new to HDD recovery. Hope that my DIY recovery can get it fixed. I have basic electronics background so any complicated advice is welcome.

So the story begins when two Western Digital WD740 Raptors started their journey together and worked in strip relentlessly. One unsuspecting day, when the PSU was replaced on the PC and the modular cables that came with the PSU was not replaced since the previous PSU. Turned out that the cable ports were same but the wires were in different places. I don't know exactly what went where but I guess, the little two Raptors got 12V in their 3.3V Sata-power inlets. Jipes! They both went out with a bang and flash. The End

Now to same some of your time, I will go trough what I have done so far to recover them:
    * Found exact same two Raptors. Models, PCB, Firmware - all seem to match. Donors are manufactured only 36 days earlier.
    * Replaced one PCB on the Raptors and replaced the ROM chip also
    * Drive spins up, rotor seems to move and click 10 times, pauses, spins up again and repeats clicking
    * Drive is not discoverable on PC
    * Tried another drive, same clicking, tried PCB without ROM replacement, same clicking

Both drives are with same symptoms.
Here is audio of the drive clicking for better analysis: http://www.vanarebane.com/files/WD740_clicking.wav

HDD info:
Western Digital WD740GD-00FLC0
Drive Parameters: LBA 145226112
DCM: HBCAJAB
PCB: 2060-701213-004 REV A
Firmware: 2061-701213-100 AU

Re: Recovering WD7400 Raptor

July 3rd, 2013, 18:28

vanarebane wrote:I guess, the little two Raptors got 12V in their 3.3V Sata-power inlets.

Usually similar drives don't have any connection to the 3.3V SATA power input pins, so your theory is likely not quite correct. It would be helpful if you can work out what voltages your new PSU actually supplied, to which power input on the drives.

You haven't supplied any photos of the original drive PCBs, and the donors. I suggest you supply those, as readers here may notice something important.

If you have moved the correct component to the donor PCBs (some people don't!), and if that process did not cause any further damage, and if the donor PCBs are really compatible, then it seems likely that the drives may have been damaged internally by the (somehow) incorrect power that was applied e.g. pre-amp damaged. Replacing that is not a realistic DIY job. :(

Re: Recovering WD7400 Raptor

July 4th, 2013, 2:30

Very probably burned preamp, have seen a few like this.

Only the other week a client had a PSU issue which blew a 300gb and a 1tb velociraptor, both had blown PCB and preamp.

We got them both recovered, but it was difficult and expensive.

Replacing heads assembly in these is difficult for most pros, let alone DIY, so it's not an option I'm afraid :-(

Re: Recovering WD7400 Raptor

July 4th, 2013, 3:40

Specially on Raptors, I think DYI is not an option.

Re: Recovering WD7400 Raptor

July 5th, 2013, 12:32

Oh my..

I had hoped that there is some chance for me. I actually have a Hitachy 750GB drive with the same death sentence. So will see what good comes from that when I receive the donor.

Here are the WD740 drive info for future info seekers:
1,2 are the dead patients and 3, 4 are the donors:
HDD front
PCB back
PCB front

There are some dead components shown on the PCB. I found that one chip also had a blown tiny hole. Like a laser had cut it or something.

So you all think that the Pre-amp is blown too? And replacing the Pre-amp is difficult. I know opening HDD is very likely to fail. Specially DIY.

Does anyone can share experience with Raptors?
Where can be found the exact torque for the screws, are they trade secret?
I have to find the head remover tool probably too, for specially Raptors or have some found tools fitting?

Here is the PSU cables of how the power wires were sorted differently. There is no warning that I have seen ever. The cables fit nicely without any resistance to give hint that there might be a problem connecting old cables to new PSU. Old was some Zalman 500W and new was SeaSonic fanless 460W. If your PSU hangs or does not want to start when you installed new PSU, disconnect hurriedly from the mains and disconnect all cables. Next step is to check the PSU without any devices and to see what voltages go to where. You can see from the modular cable ends, that connect to the PSU, if the voltages go to correct places.
Do not connect any devices to test the voltages!
Modular PSU 6pin cable differences - DANGEROUS!

Thanks for all your help!

Re: Recovering WD7400 Raptor

July 5th, 2013, 15:03

If data has some value, you must seek professional help : you need clean room environment, specialized tools AND the necessary experience to perform a headswap safely and successfully.

It is VERY unlike that you can gain the necessary experience , parts and tools at a reasonable price in a reasonable time.

Even if it won't be cheap, the cost shouldn't be excessive like in case of a physically damaged drive.

Everything depends on you / irreplaceability of data .

Good luck whatever you decide.

Re: Recovering WD7400 Raptor

July 5th, 2013, 15:44

Agree. Raptors are not for DIY. Very difficult.

Re: Recovering WD7400 Raptor

July 5th, 2013, 16:39

The drives were clobbered on the +5V supply rail. That is consistent with preamp damage. I don't know how that relates to the pinhole in the SMOOTH motor controller, though.

Your Hitachi PCB may provide an additional clue. Look for a shorted 5V TVS diode, if it has one.

BTW, the capacitors appear to be rated at 10V (the markings aren't clear), so I would think that they should have tolerated 12V, at least for a short while. Could the wiring error have involved a polarity reversal??? That would explain the catastrophic failure. Is there any way you could measure the voltages at the SATA power connector (with the HDDs disconnected) without damaging your machine?

Re: Recovering WD7400 Raptor

July 5th, 2013, 21:41

@vanarebane,

Thanks for the photos. The difference on the wiring of that PSU connector is a surprise (at least to me). I just did a quick search and here's an example of someone being told they could use the modular power cables from a different PSU:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/295 ... lar-cables

So I expect other people will fall into the same trap as you. :(

@fzabkar,
fzabkar wrote:The drives were clobbered on the +5V supply rail. That is consistent with preamp damage.
[...]
BTW, the capacitors appear to be rated at 10V (the markings aren't clear), so I would think that they should have tolerated 12V, at least for a short while. Could the wiring error have involved a polarity reversal???

Based on the OP's photo showing the power connector wiring, I think that's exactly what happened - look at the top-right and bottom-right pins, and it seems that the +5V and 0V are reversed between the connector variants (amongst other differences). :(

Re: Recovering WD7400 Raptor

January 30th, 2014, 17:02

I made a little blog post of this PSU wiring hazard to warn others: http://groundify.com/psu-modular-connec ... dangerous/

Re: Recovering WD7400 Raptor

January 30th, 2014, 17:37

the little two Raptors got 12V in their 3.3V Sata-power inlets


The 3.3V pins are not used.
Post a reply