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Western Digital PCB compatibility if different VCM contoller

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SOSdonnees

Post subject: Western Digital PCB compatibility if different VCM contoller

Posted: July 17th, 2019, 12:55

Joined: July 7th, 2014, 6:44
Posts: 192
Location: Switzerland

Hi,

I'm planning a PCB swap for a WD Elements hard drive.
Although a new USB 3.0 board would do the job, I plan switching the circuit board to SATA, as a more durable solution after the drive was repaired.

I could find the compatible SATA board and the MCU controllers are same.

However the VCM (Voice Coil Motor) controllers are different (first 3 letters are same).
Is there some compatibility rule for this component?

patient's VCM: B20AA
donor's VCM: B20B8N4

(N.B. I'm aware about swapping the U12 chip.)

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ddrecovery

Post subject: Re: Western Digital PCB compatibility if different VCM conto

Posted: July 17th, 2019, 12:59

Joined: June 11th, 2013, 17:01
Posts: 1710
Location: Phoenix, AZ USA

What is the PCB number?
Also this drive may be encrypted, do you need the data?

_________________
HDD, SSD, Flash and RAID Data Recovery
Founder of The Data Recovery Professionals Group

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unknown

Post subject: Re: Western Digital PCB compatibility if different VCM conto

Posted: July 17th, 2019, 13:04

Joined: October 21st, 2007, 8:48
Posts: 1631

ddrecovery wrote:

Also this drive may be encrypted

SOSdonnees wrote:

I'm planning a PCB swap for a WD Elements hard drive.

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ddrecovery

Post subject: Re: Western Digital PCB compatibility if different VCM conto

Posted: July 17th, 2019, 13:24

Joined: June 11th, 2013, 17:01
Posts: 1710
Location: Phoenix, AZ USA

unknown wrote:

ddrecovery wrote:

Also this drive may be encrypted

SOSdonnees wrote:

I'm planning a PCB swap for a WD Elements hard drive.

You can copy and paste, well done.

_________________
HDD, SSD, Flash and RAID Data Recovery
Founder of The Data Recovery Professionals Group

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unknown

Post subject: Re: Western Digital PCB compatibility if different VCM conto

Posted: July 17th, 2019, 16:54

Joined: October 21st, 2007, 8:48
Posts: 1631

I can copy and paste beside I can distinguish between encrypted WD and not encrypted.

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ddrecovery

Post subject: Re: Western Digital PCB compatibility if different VCM conto

Posted: July 17th, 2019, 16:59

Joined: June 11th, 2013, 17:01
Posts: 1710
Location: Phoenix, AZ USA

unknown wrote:

I can copy and paste beside I can distinguish between encrypted WD and not encrypted.

You are of course correct, I didn't notice that.

_________________
HDD, SSD, Flash and RAID Data Recovery
Founder of The Data Recovery Professionals Group

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unknown

Post subject: Re: Western Digital PCB compatibility if different VCM conto

Posted: July 17th, 2019, 17:02

Joined: October 21st, 2007, 8:48
Posts: 1631

That's what I tried to say. No offence at all

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fzabkar

Post subject: Re: Western Digital PCB compatibility if different VCM conto

Posted: July 17th, 2019, 17:16

Joined: September 8th, 2009, 18:21
Posts: 15532
Location: Australia

To all others who may be confused by this exchange, Elements models are not encrypted.

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

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sin

Post subject: Re: Western Digital PCB compatibility if different VCM conto

Posted: July 17th, 2019, 17:20

Joined: September 17th, 2016, 16:06
Posts: 431
Location: India

Just swap. 99% i haven't bothered while changing/converting from usb 3 to sata boards...specially the 961s to 960s...works.

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