Seagate ROM diagnostics

[posidon]

Dear friends
I am sharing a critical case which we are unable to solve for several days.
We have got following hard disk in opened condition from one of our customers. -

Disk family -- Seagate Barracuda
Model :-- ST500DM002
P/N - 1BD142-302
Fw :- KC45

We ensured PCB is native . Disk was filled with dust and degradation. We carefully cleaned top surface. There is no visible scratches on top platter even under microscope.
We tried to transplant heads but when powered Read channel is get short. If donor heads put back in donor it works flawlessly.
We tried several donor heads / another PCB as well but there is no change in symptoms.
Now since PCB +heads are working fully only suspectible component is ROM.
Here is rom , can someone pls. check whether it is having any issue. We are unable to find reasons for shorting of read channel.
May be corruption of subroutine in rom is to be blamed.
Those who might have faced similar issue in the past or who have done research on ROM might be able to shade light on the case,
Thank you.
Here is download link --
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ad6WEr ... sp=sharing

[posidon]

Cant believe no one has experienced this type of issue before nor anyone has any solution

[digisupport]

I do not understand what you mean, sorry.

What do you mean here: We tried to transplant heads but when powered Read channel is get short ?
Describe what happens at power on and post full terminal output, the I’m sure you will get some feedback

[posidon]

Hi digisupport
Thanks for replying. Yes we have changed heads multiple times from different donors (all 100% compatible) but each time when powered read channel is shorted.
If heads put back in donor , it works. We have tried to change new pcb as well. I am bit curious why read channel is shorted may be it is rom corruption.

[drHDD]

How you know it is shorted? Terminal output please.

[posidon]

Hi drHDD & Friends.
Merry Christmas to all of you.
Thanks for your help , sorry for delay is replying.
Unfortunately since no solution was in sight and customer become impatient so we returned disk marking it Unrecoverable.
However when we short seagate drives (and if kept for long time ) terminal shows Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz type and disk gives DRD DSC a typical response when read channel is shorted. Same symptoms were displayed by this drive so we conclude that read channel might got shorted .
We changed multiple heads / pcb but each time same response was there. If donor heads put back in donor they work fine.
Hope this will give you some clues though they are insufficient.

Thanks again.

[digisupport]

Full terminal would most likely have pointed out the fault.

[posidon]

Full terminal would most likely have pointed out the fault.

Hi yes , but unfortunately disk is no more with us so cant send you that , we discussed this case with ace as well. They said its head related issue.

[drHDD]

Unfortunately since no solution was in sight and customer become impatient so we returned disk marking it Unrecoverable.

If you have not solution and you don`t know what is going on, why you marked it unrecoverable?

[LoboX]

@posidon you should mark it has unable to do it.

[posidon]

what is the difference between -- Non recoverable & unable to do it ? Its just different words with same meaning outcome is failure.
If I am unable to recover data then its obviously non recoverable for me , those who can do are free to try and label themselves.
In so many days no one has posted a single opinion or hint which clearly indicates complexity of the case then whats wrong in terming this unrecoverable?
Have you analyzed rom which I have attached whats your diagnosis , if you haven't done any research then I suggest to analyze it first and then post your opinions.

[LoboX]

First take a chill pill, second it was just a suggestion, third is not our problem you were unable to do it.

So next time i hope you are able to do it.

Have a nice day

what is the difference between -- Non recoverable & unable to do it ? Its just different words with same meaning outcome is failure.
If I am unable to recover data then its obviously non recoverable for me , those who can do are free to try and label themselves.
In so many days no one has posted a single opinion or hint which clearly indicates complexity of the case then whats wrong in terming this unrecoverable?
Have you analyzed rom which I have attached whats your diagnosis , if you haven't done any research then I suggest to analyze it first and then post your opinions.

[pcimage]

I would mark a drive as un-recoverbale if the platters are damaged like this, etc ...

http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2521

Otherwise i would be honest and i would tell the client that i'm not able to recover the data and would advice to go to a better data recovery house.

Let's say that i do have a very simple case that i can't fix like for example write a ROM file on a WD PCB i wouldn't tell the client that the drive is un-recoverable and "kill" the hopes for the client to have the data recovered knowing that any other data recovery firm would recover that very fast and in a easy way....

If the client do believe that it's un-recoverable he might not try another data recovery firm even more if you did charge for diagnostic (he might not want to pay again to other people to have the same answer).

If you say that you can't see what is going on or that you don't do firmware work or head stack replacement or whatever but there are people more specialized that can do that and if you reference the client to those people you will look like way more honest and no-one will loose as the client will have better chance with someone more competent,

Know your limitations and be honest, just that.

I have to agree, there’s a huge difference between “declared unrecoverable” and “I can’t recover this”

[drHDD]

However when we short seagate drives (and if kept for long time ) terminal shows Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz type and disk gives DRD DSC a typical response when read channel is shorted. Same symptoms were displayed by this drive so we conclude that read channel might got shorted .

Drive show this message not because read channel is shorted. And this your case is perfect example of it.

[posidon]

I think besides platter damage there are so many cases which are perfectly "Unrecoverable "

Those who disagree erase / overwrite rom of any latest seagate hard disk or hardware encryption from WD my passport and then do whatever R & D to recover data. There is hair thin line between I cannot recover & non recoverable ( No one can recover) .
Why to take a rom , a simple logical case where disk is overwritten by new Data /OS is impossible to recover (certain data type).
Data recovery always works under strict scientific and technical limitations.
what Ontrack videos where for several cases they are shown chances of recovery 0 %
You might become no.1 data recovery company in the world if you could achieve this feat (may be you can beat warren buffet too)

[Blizzard]

Well maybe i should design a time machine and then i can recover 100% of the cases.

But then you risk altering the future, when you return with the data the customer never shows up because they didn't lose their data this time

[LoboX]

good one.

Well maybe i should design a time machine and then i can recover 100% of the cases.

But then you risk altering the future, when you return with the data the customer never shows up because they didn't lose their data this time

[posidon]

Well maybe i should design a time machine and then i can recover 100% of the cases.

Nice Solution Spildit , just align onboard zap in the past , get all data come back. Great innovation.

Wishing all of you guys a Very Warm , Joyous and Prosperous 2019 in advance.