Looking for SATA compatible PCB for 4TB 2.5" WD USB drives. Does anyone know if there is a compatible SATA PCB available yet?

Note: when writing a "4TB ROM" to a SATA PCB from a 3TB drive, I just get BSY light (no spin).

It seems the 3TB SATA PCBs (i.e. 2060-800022-000 REV P2) are not compatible with 4TB USB PCBs (i.e. 2060-800041-003 REV P1).

Any insight appreciated.

Thanks,
Brian

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Perhaps try a -003 of the 800022 board as well.

Edit: Actually, I'm not sure that even exists..

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I don't think there is an "003" version of this SATA PCB.

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It must be something with your ROM code I'm thinking.... I see there are 4TB SATA models that use 800022-000 P2 as well as some that use 800022-001 P1. Maybe try the -001 Rev P1 and see if it helps. Otherwise, I'm thinking the problem is elsewhere.

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Did the patient HDD spin up with the donor ROM + donor (SATA) PCB?

If so, does it still spin up if the donor ROM is reflashed to the SATA PCB?

Does the patient (USB) PCB + donor (SATA) ROM spin up the drive?

Do both ROM dumps test OK in your tool? (I can test them for you)

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>It must be something with your ROM code I'm thinking
Don't think so. I've tried this at least 5-10 times in the past (a 4TB USB drive's ROM onto 3TB SATA PCB) and it's never worked so I'm pretty sure they are just not compatible. Typically we use USB Addon for DDI with these 4TB USB drives, but my USB DDI is at deepspar for repairs at the moment.

>Did the patient HDD spin up with the donor ROM + donor (SATA) PCB?
Yes

>If so, does it still spin up if the donor ROM is reflashed to the SATA PCB?
Do you mean if "patient" reflashed to SATA PCB?... No. Just re-writing donor ROM to SATA PCB will continue to spin it up.

>Does the patient (USB) PCB + donor (SATA) ROM spin up the drive?
Not sure (I will test this later if I can't solve it soon).

>Do both ROM dumps test OK in your tool? (I can test them for you)
Yes, I've checked checksums on all ROM modules (and ROM itself).

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I've since soldered onto the USB PCB to get SA access and I'm working with the drive like this for now. Everything works, just much slower than SATA.

Thanks for your help data-medics & fzabkar!
Brian

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Do the ROM images have the same size ?

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>Do the ROM images have the same size ?
Yes.

Here are dumps of both ROMs and all their extracted modules: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/317 ... 23-ROM.zip

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In my experience, these drives typically have bad heads (clicking and spinning down and/or visibly damaged) or stuck heads (that unstuck cleanly + bad sectors). This drive went to another company first and the symptoms don't seem typical (first "dead," then I reseated ROM and it clicks twice but stays spinning; doesn't click when 30 blocked and accessing SA; all mods tested so far are good). I believe the "first" company knew it was coming to us (or, at least, to another data recovery company, due to their high price quote) so I'm wondering now if they messed with or changed the original ROM (the chip was clearly removed/replaced before it came to us). So... my next step is re-building ROM from SA and seeing if symptoms change.

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I was thinking that there may be something wrong with the ROM flashing process, in which case reflashing the original PCB with its own working ROM would have resulted in a no-spin situation.

Were you able to compare the markings on the MCUs and motor controllers?

Could a difference in the kernel code be the reason for the incompatibility? You could compare the kernel code with a memory dump. I suspect that the kernel may located at address 0xFFFF0000.

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I have not been able to find a compatible SATA board for a spyglass USB 800041-003 REV P1, so had to mod a USB for now.

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>I was thinking that there may be something wrong with the ROM flashing process, in which case reflashing the original PCB with its own working ROM would have resulted in a no-spin situation.

Don't think so, I've written from WD utility and stand-alone ROM programmer. It works when re-writing it's own ROM using either to original USB PCB.

>Were you able to compare the markings on the MCUs and motor controllers?

I believe just the flash chips are different manufacturers. I can confirm later.

>Could a difference in the kernel code be the reason for the incompatibility? You could compare the kernel code with a memory dump. I suspect that the kernel may located at address 0xFFFF0000.

Not sure, I can try this if I don't get any further.

>I have not been able to find a compatible SATA board for a spyglass USB 800041-003 REV P1, so had to mod a USB for now.

I assume this means you soldered a SATA connector to the USB PCB (or do you mean just Terminal?)? Would you mind sharing a pic (if you meant entire SATA connector)?

Thanks,
Brian

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Can you read User Space (LBA) with this "adaptation" ? If so then ROM is ok.

What do you mean by "much slower" ? Did you try to apply the slow fix by patching module 02 and check re-lo list ?

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I supposedly have a 4Tb SATA spyglass drive coming soon

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>Can you read User Space (LBA) with this "adaptation" ? If so then ROM is ok.

No because it clicks twice (keeps spinning) with OG ROM. If I block 30, it doesn't click, I have SA access, but no LBA.

>What do you mean by "much slower" ? Did you try to apply the slow fix by patching module 02 and check re-lo list ?

Just much slower because using terminal to "speak" to pc3k rather than SATA.

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Further diagnosis points to potentially bad head 0. I can't access it's SA copy and head test can write but not read head 0. Strange though because I would expect a "bad head 0" to cause the drive to spin down with OG ROM.

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>I supposedly have a 4Tb SATA spyglass drive coming soon

If that ends up being true, can you tell me the model number once it arrives?

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I was thinking that the USB ROM may be configured to power up in standby, but in that case the drive should still come ready, should it not? Module 0D would have the PUIS flag, but I don't know which byte it corresponds to.

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Well, OP can read SA with TTL/PC-3000 so the drive should be spinning ....

Drive with PUIS set on will not stay in BSY. Drive will go to DSC and DRDY and wait for the spin up command to exit the PUIS state.

Also i was thinking the OP converted the drive to SATA. Instead i think the OP just soldered TTL to PCB to use function on PC-3000 to work with SA by TTL.

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>Instead i think the OP just soldered TTL to PCB to use function on PC-3000 to work with SA by TTL

Correct. I have gotten the drive to give full ID now (via terminal) with OG ROM (nothing blocked) but first sector (or head) is bad. I'm waiting for one of my DDIs (w/ USB Addon) to return from getting repaired so I can try checking heads there and get a partial recovery before attempting head swap.

My only concern is the USB PCB is part of the issue and the drive just has a weak head -- and a SATA PCB would fix the issue completely (or, perhaps, soldering in a SATA connection would). This is often the case with other USB drives, including a WD10JMVW-11AJGS3 I just put up that sounded really bad (like "bad heads") with USB PCB and sounds perfect with SATA (45% done imaging with only 120 bad sectors so far on DDI... in other words, the USB PCB was part of problem, or the entire problem, with the drive).

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I can't see how a faulty bridge could produce a "head mimic" symptom. AFAICS, such symptoms would point to a fault in the read channel or its power supply, ie the MCU (88i9046-TFJ2 ?).

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does your donor pcb has the same controller as the usb one?
Can you post pics (with ic marking readable)?

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