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 Post subject: WD Passport 2.5" - reads slow - PCB swap or Firmware req.
PostPosted: May 18th, 2018, 11:47 
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Joined: March 20th, 2018, 7:55
Posts: 124
Location: Los Angeles
Premise:
2.5in WD Passport reads ultra slow (though I've gotten a tiny bit of data ( $MFT for instance)...
I believe the drive times out before it reads much -- but has some other problem that I can't quite figure out.


Practical options (Those we can afford:

My intuition says that purchasing even a poor firmware tool before I can afford the brutal US Pricing on PC-3000... allows me to learn the approach, learn where the issues are in the drives it [can] fix, and is a permanent tool (at a modest price) which is reusable - and requires no maintenance of the subscription for any period of time in which it doesn't pull it's weight.

I could solder a SATA interface and use a see if RapidSpar can read it... or I could use a DDI4.

Or would it be better to just buy the USB feature for the DDI4..? Is this the right approach? Or should I get an MRT firmware tool ? I haven't saved enough to grab a PC-3000 yet...

Or should I get a donor SATA PCB for this model and swap the firmware chip?

Thank you, and i hope I haven't spoken so ignorantly that this message is pure gibberish.


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 Post subject: Re: WD Passport 2.5" - reads slow - PCB swap or Firmware req
PostPosted: May 18th, 2018, 13:01 
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Joined: December 8th, 2010, 11:37
Posts: 738
Location: Ottawa, Canada
It's likely a firmware problem (look up slow init or slow responding fix at hddoracle.com) but may also have head/media problems. The simplest approach would be to get a compatible SATA PCB, transfer the ROM, fix mod 02 using hddsupertool, clone it to a known-good SATA drive, return the ROM to the USB PCB, attach the USB PCB to the clone, and recover the data using software of your choice.

If this is a customer's drive, I would respectfully suggest you take a pass on the recovery until you have gained more knowledge and experience with drives that you own. For learning, spend a lot of time reading on hddoracle.com forum. I've been thinking of selling my DFL-URE (a hardware imager that incorporates many firmware repair features, including the slow responding fix) because it just doesn't get a lot of use. It is designed to deal with USB drives but can also be used with SATA drives if you put them in a SATA USB dock and connect that to the URE. Being USB-based, it is not as effective as a SATA-based firmware tool because of some pass-through command limitations. Whatever they are, they have never been an issue for me. What it does do (besides excellent hardwarbased imaging), is solve the decryption issue with MY Passorts/My Books since the drive's encryption chip takes care of that before feeding the data to the URE. Anyway, you can find more details here: https://www.dolphindatalab.com/product/ ... equipment/.

The URE was $1,999 when I bought it but I'd sell mine for $1250 USD plus shipping. To transfer the license so you have access to future program updates as well as tech support and access to the Dolphin Data Lab users' form and resources files, add $200 USD to that price. PM me if interested.

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Sabo Computer Repairs & Data Recovery


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 Post subject: Re: WD Passport 2.5" - reads slow - PCB swap or Firmware req
PostPosted: May 18th, 2018, 18:36 
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Joined: January 29th, 2012, 1:43
Posts: 982
Location: United States
I would just like to point out (remind) that HDDSuperTool can perform the slow fix via USB (assuming the drive is not SED locked of course).

It can also read and write ROM via USB, although I advise against writing ROM through USB unless you have a backup plan if you brick the board (such as a ROM chip programmer). This can make it easier to transfer the ROM to a SATA board without having to physically move it, plus you have a copy if something does go wrong. But it may help to perform the slow fix if possible before trying to read the ROM, as operations would still be affected by the slow issue.

I am not trying to give direction here (I like Larry's post), just pointing out a tool that can be helpful in ways that don't always get mentioned.

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 Post subject: Re: WD Passport 2.5" - reads slow - PCB swap or Firmware req
PostPosted: May 19th, 2018, 0:54 
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Joined: March 20th, 2018, 7:55
Posts: 124
Location: Los Angeles
Spildit wrote:
If i were you i would :

1 - Read original ROM on your drive PCB using a programmer / TTL / Firmware tool with USB pass-trough, etc and copy that ROM to a fully compatible SATA PCB. As alternative you can move the ROM chip.

2 - Apply the SATA PCB to the drive and see if you can gain access to the firmware with something like WDMarvel. If the drive is NOT SED locked and you can gain access to the firmware apply the slow fix MANUALY using this method : -http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=86&t=848&start=60#p9874

3 - Return original PCB to the drive and if necessary move back the ROM chip.

4 - Clone the drive using HDDSuperClone by USB if ypou don't have some sort of DDI4 USB add-on to plug the USB PCB (that you do need to decrypt the data) to the DDI.

Of course if you do have a PC-3000 it will decrypt on the fly even if you clone using the SATA PCB ...



Sent you a "sincere" thank you as I hope you'll see. :)

I believe I [need] to have a Firmware tool of sorts... as I'm unaware of a low cost TTL tool to interface the ROM. I am tempted to purchase

https://goo.gl/F5GShM <-- is an interface between MRT Labs and the USB to SATA pins on the PCB so that I can access the firmware after soldering wires to the appropriate connectors, yes?

Thank you again, I'm going to do some studying up on the site hddoracle. Wonderful suggestions.


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 Post subject: Re: WD Passport 2.5" - reads slow - PCB swap or Firmware req
PostPosted: May 20th, 2018, 22:49 
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Joined: March 20th, 2018, 7:55
Posts: 124
Location: Los Angeles
Spildit wrote:
That adaptor can be used with other firmware tools, not only MRT. It will work with any other firmware tool that support your drive.

If you do have WDMarvel for example you can try the USB-ATA pass-trough and attempt to read modules over USB. This will noty work if the drive is SED locked. If you have DFL tool you can do the same :

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=36756

It looks like DFL pass-trough (usb - ata) works better than WDMarvel.

Alternatives :

- Solder wires to a SATA connector / use that adaptor and work over SATA.

- Buy a compatible SATA PCB - http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1080 copy ROM from original to donor PCB and you will be able to work by SATA. Then when you patch the firmware return the original PCB to use USB bridge to decrypt the data. If you can't copy ROM you can move ROM chip.

Other alternatives are with the SATA conversion/adaptation or compatible PCB to image the drive and later decrypt with something like reallymine.



Thank you ... I think I have a better diagnostic overview:

It's normally making the sound of reading (fast click sound all drives make when reading) ...

I'm assuming that the issue is with the firmware?

What do you think'd be better?
- solder a SATA connector to this PCB ?
- order a replacement SATA PCB, transfer the firmware module?
- Or is it possible that writing the firmware fix for WD would still be intelligent to do?

(Will it make a difference in your opinion if I post the model # ?)


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 Post subject: Re: WD Passport 2.5" - reads slow - PCB swap or Firmware req
PostPosted: May 21st, 2018, 12:48 
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Joined: September 30th, 2005, 7:33
Posts: 849
trumanhw wrote:
(Will it make a difference in your opinion if I post the model # ?)

This is what you had to start with!


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