WD wd800jd-75msa3

[speakerbox]

Hi there,

I have this drive WD wd800jd-75msa3 with the typical clicking issue, that will show 6.21GB sometimes.

I heard someone here did a hot swap and worked. Many people have replaced heads with no success.

Does anybody have experience on these Unicorn?

Regards

[pcimage]

Have done quite a few

In fact I’ve had two for recovery in the last two weeks!

Both were clicking and needed headswaps to recover, with a few “tweaks”.

[speakerbox]

Have done quite a few

In fact I’ve had two for recovery in the last two weeks!

Both were clicking and needed headswaps to recover, with a few “tweaks”.

By tweaks you mean alignment? I know these are bitches

[pcimage]

Sometimes yes, but more often than not there are other issues.

First thing to do is check the voltage being pushed through to the preamp by the PCB.

[speakerbox]

Sometimes yes, but more often than not there are other issues.

First thing to do is check the voltage being pushed through to the preamp by the PCB.

Heads replaced with success. Spinning freely now. I can see all files but only a few can be recovered. Using DMDE.
HDD Raw Copy Tool does not work when trying to clone the drive, it fails on 2%, the drive then disconnects and connects again.
There are like 600 bad sectors.

I am sure I am missing some steps as some files show "error in I/O" when trying to recover.

Sounds like it could be some issue with firmware too?

[speakerbox]

Did you replace the heads with the drive inside a HEPA 100 clean room ? Hope so ...

Now you did need to clone/image the drive with some sort of hardware based tool like DDI4, PC-3000 DE, etc ....

Lacking that use HDDSUPERCLONE or DDRESCUE. Do not plug the drive directly to windows or whatever to "see" the files ....

Also on older models translator would be messed up easly. Example :

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=33182

Your Unicorn should be Marvell based (not WDC MCU) but even so it's prior to ROYL so i wouldn't be admired if the "disconnects" and "connects again" like ... spinning down and up were to be related to translator damage (firmware) exactly like on the case on the link that i just did post ...

Yes I have a class 100 vertical laminar flow bench. Replacing heads is no problem, that has been mastered. I lack of hardware tools like PC3K or DDI4... that will take a while.
It is Marvel based. I downloaded the demo Marvel tool but don't know how it works or what to do. I know it is read only, but will buy it as it will come handy. I remember you sugested SeDiv too in an older post.

[speakerbox]

Not a good idea to practice with client drive ...

At any rate try to scan the start, middle and end of the LBA space with MHDD/Victoria. It's accessible ?

If so you might want to try hddsuperclone, does it clone the drive ?

If not you will need to outsource that job to someone with tools and knowledge to extract the data ....

Hardware imager might make a huge diference and some firmware manipulation might be required as well ....

Regards.

I have a full box of clicking drives and other issues, so no problem at all with data, but I have 2 of them that have some data that would be nice to see as they are from 8-10 years ago. No customer data.

If I can't solve the case with what I have count with it for recovery. Also I will consider you in the future for when I need to outsource stuff like this!!

And thanks for your guidance, much appreciated.

[scratchy]

do you have a dda

I see you are based in Eire you could try CDR in Dublin

[pcimage]

do you have a dda

I see you are based in Eire you could try CDR in Dublin

Agree, CDR are good trustworthy guys.