Western Digital WD3200AAJS recovery advice

[astar617]

Hi, I just finished setting up a multi-terabyte RAID array on my main file server, but before I could finish making the rounds and getting all the data consolidated from my remaining non-redundant disks on various systems in my network, I had a failure of a 320gb SATA disk (WD3200AAJS). This is one of the few that doesn't have a recent backup, making a recovery attempt necessary.

The specific symptom is one which I haven't seen addressed specifically after searching the archives here and via Google. Basically when power is applied, it starts to spin up seemingly normally, but after about 10-12 seconds it seems to short abruptly and immediately cycle and spin back up, only to do the same thing again in 10-12 seconds. No out of the ordinary clicking as with a stuck head. It's just stuck in a power cycling loop. At first I thought it was a power problem with the Antec external USB enclosure it was housed in, but after removing it from the enclosure then using a USB to SATA adapter and getting the same results with its separate power brick, I know it's the disk itself that is the problem and not the power supply.

I'm hopeful that a PCB swap may help in this case. The specific details...

Model: WD3200AAJS-65VWA0
DCM: HANCHTJCAN
PCB: 2061-701444-600 AD

Please let me know if you think this will work, or if there's something I haven't considered. I'm familiar with the idea of the procedure but have never had a need to do it in practice (most of my data is usually redundant).

Thanks in advance,

-A

[HDD Spaz]

I vote for bad heads. You need pro help and a deep wallet. Well not deep in my eyes but deep to most people who don't like paying for a specialist service.

[astar617]

I vote for bad heads. You need pro help and a deep wallet. Well not deep in my eyes but deep to most people who don't like paying for a specialist service.

Thanks, would you mind giving a bit more detail on specifically what makes you look towards bad heads?

[cryoborgofthevenus]

this might be the hint :

.......after about 10-12 seconds it seems to short abruptly and immediately cycle and spin back up, only to do the same thing again in 10-12 seconds

[Mikippp]

Hi,
U can try to read ROM, and the most important modules with:
Mavr_fl
&
Mavr_r

It is rather problem with SA modules (or heads) than with PCB...
PS Where are U located...?

Mikippp

Code:

*******************************************
*    Read Flash On Hdd-WD  (Marvel-CPU)   *
*        (C)NazYura Krasnodar 2005        *
* Please, Send Me Log File From WD-Marvel *
*      To Email:  nazyura@rambler.ru      *
*******************************************

***********************************************
*               ***  USAGE: ***                *
* mavr_fl.com 00 [>filename.log] (IDE0-MASTER) *
* mavr_fl.com 01 [>filename.log] (IDE0-SLAVE)  *
* mavr_fl.com 10 [>filename.log] (IDE1-MASTER) *
* mavr_fl.com 11 [>filename.log] (IDE1-SLAVE)  *
***********************************************

[harddrivespecialist]

Even if your problem was a PCB, you will have to take it to a pro anyway.
Simple PCB swap won't do a trick, because of unique microcode on your original PCB.

[astar617]

this might be the hint :

.......after about 10-12 seconds it seems to short abruptly and immediately cycle and spin back up, only to do the same thing again in 10-12 seconds

OK thanks. My logic was pointing to perhaps a short on a PCB trace or something, but that's exactly why I asked. It sounds like you are in agreement with the first responder.

The good news is, the data itself isn't irreplaceable or mission-critical to the point of planning an offsite recovery... more importantly than the money is time, and I can probably regenerate the majority of it in the amount of time that would take (possibly weeks?). But it's always the stuff you *don't* immediately remember was on the disk that end up getting you

Mikippp: will that even work if the disk effectively power cycles every 10 seconds? And I'm in the Boston, MA USA area.

Harddrivespecialist: PM sent.

Thanks for the opinions... any others are still welcome and appreciated.