Has anyone did this before? :)

[unknown]

Hello gurus,

I received WD10EARS-00Y5B1 with pre-amp dead for recovery from 2 months ago. Then I replaced the 4 heads from a donor drive the same model and got the data recovered and the client was very happy and he gave me the patient drive because he didnt need it anymore. The funny thing that I received another drive with the same model for recovery with the same problem, the pity that I dont have another donor. So I used the same heads from the first client's HDD and recovered the new coming client's drive and he was very happy also. The funny that I used the same heads to recover two drives. I wonder if I can use them for a third drive.

Has anyone did this before?

[dobrevjetser]

You can, till you'll put them in a drive with mediadamage that will kill the heads.
Heads will last as long as media is ok.

[pcrecovery]

Yes, I have some heads here that I've used half dozen times and in a wide range of models. Also, I usually try cleaning heads first when preamp is not suspected faulty, today, for example, I cleaned heads on WD5000BMVV (Marn5) with success. I used foamex ultrasolv spear and cleaned while on ramp. Drive has come alive completely now and copying all data.

[unknown]

You can, till you'll put them in a drive with mediadamage that will kill the heads.Heads will last as long as media is ok.

100% agree with you sir.

Yes, I have some heads here that I've used half dozen times and in a wide range of models. Also, I usually try cleaning heads first when preamp is not suspected faulty, today, for example, I cleaned heads on WD5000BMVV (Marn5) with success. I used foamex ultrasolv spear and cleaned while on ramp. Drive has come alive completely now and copying all data.

Very nice. Well done sir

[Nick_CT]

Has anyone did this before?

Yup, many times. As others say, until bad media kills them