ST1000LM025 conversion

[osity]

I'm having some difficulty sourcing a conversion PCB for a 2.5" Samsung ST1000LM025 USB 3.0. Can anyone offer any suggestions?

[jermy]

whats the BF41 number ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231548303365
http://www.hdd-parts.com/14060103.html

[fzabkar]

Find a PCB with the same MCU and motor controller.

[osity]

Jermy: Im not sure what BF41 number you're referring to. Im trying to convert to SATA, not just find a replacement.
I tried a ST1000LM024 but the drive wont spin up at all, (adaptives were transferred)

fzabkar:The MCU is different, but I'm not sure if that's what's causing it.
Source PCB MCU=88I9422-NDB2.
I would guess that this MCU is used on USB drives only.

[arvika]

Please write PCB number. It is printed directly on PCB.

[Mikippp]

Hi,
This PCB has already Seagate designation!
SATA equivalent is M8_REV.07 100720903

Mikippp

[fzabkar]

Jermy: Im not sure what BF41 number you're referring to. Im trying to convert to SATA, not just find a replacement.
I tried a ST1000LM024 but the drive wont spin up at all, (adaptives were transferred)

fzabkar:The MCU is different, but I'm not sure if that's what's causing it.
Source PCB MCU=88I9422-NDB2.
I would guess that this MCU is used on USB drives only.

ISTM that you have a fundamental lack of understanding of PCBs.

1/ Samsung PCBs have a BF41 part number printed on the artwork, at least prior to Seagate's acquisition.

2/ I hope that you are experimenting with your own drive, not your customer's, because a dissimilar PCB can have disastrous consequences, especially if the HDA connections are different.

3/ You need to understand what a SATA conversion really is. A USB drive is actually a SATA drive with a USB-SATA bridge tacked onto the front end. It is just an external drive with all the bits on the same board.

HDA <--> HDD PCB <- SATA -> bridge <- USB -> host

A SATA conversion involves either of two approaches. The first is to tap into the SATA Tx/Rx pairs between the MCU and the bridge IC. The second is to find a SATA PCB that is as close as possible to the USB PCB between the HDA and the bridge, then transfer the "ROM". This means that the MCU and motor controller should be identical. A different MCU may not be code compatible with your ROM, and a different motor controller may also not be code compatible.

4/ ROM code is matched to SA code, especially the MOVLY001 module. You need to transfer more than just "adaptives", assuming that your drive has any (?).

My searches for ST1000LM025 turn up a part number (aka Samsung model number) of HN-M101ABB and a PCB number of BF41-00373A.

http://ep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-144375849714 ... 6013-7.gif

The MCU is 88i9322-TFJ2 and the motor controller is TLS2602.

The 100720903 PCB has an 88i9422-NDB2 MCU and TLS2605 motor controller, plus it looks nothing like the BF41-00373A. Obviously this is unsuitable.

http://ep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-144375849714 ... 4141-9.gif

However the BF41-00354A has the same MCU and motor controller as the BF41-00373A, plus it looks very similar. It would be my choice for a potential conversion.

http://ep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-144375849714 ... -fw-11.gif

[arvika]

+1 for Mikippp.

[osity]

Mikippp: thanks I will check it out.

fzabkar:

1. That may have been the case but I'm finding that newer Samsung USB drives don't use BF41.
2. I am a full time DR guy. This I how I make my living. I do DR practically every single day and with an excellent success rate (except for DM series). I only get paid if I recover data. In fact, I recover jobs that labs with over 10 years on me have deemed unrecoverable..(including drives with scratched platters) but thanks for the warning. I know you mean well.
3. I understand all that, perhaps I didn't ask clearly, I was looking for a response like Mikippp's.
4. PC3k should take care of this point.
Your search brought up an old PCB, mine is 2014 and has no BF41, instead it's 100725482 00
Thanks for the detail fzabkar.You raised some interesting points... I will research both PCB recommended and post back with my results and findings.

[osity]

Just responding with some facts to comments made. I know he means well and he gets three thumbs up for effort from me. But I asked for a pcb number, not a perceived critique of my understanding. That's all.
Spildit, is DR is a side job for you? It did not seem that way from your posts...

[fzabkar]

I'm not a data recovery professional, but my initial approach would be to perform some very simple measurements with a multimeter. I've seen several threads involving Samsung's USB drives where the solution was a simple resoldering job in the bridge area.

[osity]

The adaptives that were transferred were on the st1000lm25 (source) to the 24 model. Out of curiosity , How did you determine that adaptives are not on the ROM on the 24. There is no ttl output on source. If ROM was damaged I don't think it would spin up the source drive, which it does. I have contacted other pros which includes ace labs, and I keep hearing that they've never seen this drive before.

I'm looking forward to dig into the two suggestions given here. I've been researching this drive on and off for two weeks.

[fzabkar]

I suspect that the new drives have 1.8V I/O. If you have a 3.3V TTL adapter, then that could explain why you aren't seeing anything on the serial port.

Detailed photos of both sides of the PCB would help. A simple measurement of the at-rest voltages at the serial Tx/Rx pins would also help.

[osity]

[quote="fzabkar"]I suspect that the new drives have 1.8V I/O. If you have a 3.3V TTL adapter, then that could explain why you aren't seeing anything on the serial port.

My apologies, I must have confused this job with another regarding terminal access...The reason for wanting to convert to SATA this whole time is to access it through terminal. There is no terminal access through a USB PCB.

[arvika]

There is. Just need find proper pads/traces to connect.

[fzabkar]

I suspect that the new drives have 1.8V I/O. If you have a 3.3V TTL adapter, then that could explain why you aren't seeing anything on the serial port.

My apologies, I must have confused this job with another regarding terminal access...The reason for wanting to convert to SATA this whole time is to access it through terminal. There is no terminal access through a USB PCB.

How to connect a terminal cable on a Samsung drive ?
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=116&t=189

[guru]

good luck

fzabkar:

2. I am a full time DR guy. This I how I make my living. I do DR practically every single day and with an excellent success rate (except for DM series). I only get paid if I recover data. In fact, I recover jobs that labs with over 10 years on me have deemed unrecoverable..(including drives with scratched platters) but thanks for the warning. I know you mean well.

Wow ! I didn't know you were so good, at least judging from your other posts and PMs...

I don't think that you should reply the way you did to @fzabkar as he was trying to help you out.

[osity]

Arvika, thanks, if so, that's good news.
Thanks for the link fzabkar.

[osity]

Spildit:
It spins up so ROM should be good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to3LRLT5ozY

I'm thinking its firmware related, that's why I'm trying to access terminal.

[osity]

Fzabkar: interesting, your search for the ST 1000LM024 brought up a totally different PCB . Here is what the source drive looks like.

I do have the bf41-00354a board you suggested in stock but the MCU does not match source. It's same as the other pcbs I've tried. It won't spin up even with the hda blocked.

Source pcb:

Attachments