Help! My hard disk died suddenly.

[bchen]

Hitachi Deskstar
Model: HDS722516VLSA80
P/N: 14R9463
MLC: BA1254
Manufactured Date: Jun 2005

It just died suddenly with a blue screen. When I restart the pc, it is not detectable by my motherboard anymore. I check bios setting to no avail. I tried using another pc to boot also failed. I can hear the drive is spinning and it doesn't have any clicking sound. So finally, I tried using USB enclosure to read the drive, it detects the drive but I can't find it in my computer as well as disk management. I did a search from Google and read a few advices. I install SeaTool and it scans and detects my drive but it doesn't show any model number etc. Drive status says "Ready to Test". I tried all tests and all return with a message "Test Unavailable".

What should I do? Should I replace the PCB board? I can't afford for data recovery service. Any help will be very much appreciated.

[N.C.]

Hitachi Deskstar
Model: HDS722516VLSA80
P/N: 14R9463
MLC: BA1254
Manufactured Date: Jun 2005

It just died suddenly with a blue screen. When I restart the pc, it is not detectable by my motherboard anymore. I check bios setting to no avail. I tried using another pc to boot also failed. I can hear the drive is spinning and it doesn't have any clicking sound. So finally, I tried using USB enclosure to read the drive, it detects the drive but I can't find it in my computer as well as disk management. I did a search from Google and read a few advices. I install SeaTool and it scans and detects my drive but it doesn't show any model number etc. Drive status says "Ready to Test". I tried all tests and all return with a message "Test Unavailable".

What should I do? Should I replace the PCB board? I can't afford for data recovery service. Any help will be very much appreciated.

PCB replacement completely useless on this model.
I am sorry to say, your drive is failing.
You have not too much options, only few:

- RMA the drive if still have warranty
- seek for professional help (this is not cheap compared to the drive's price of course)
- you can sit down for some months read up the half internet to get light about hitachi's firmware structure and testing, and that point you will need to have tools as well (you have 2 options: - buy it, will cost a lot, much more than a simple recovery in any dr company, - develop your own, the learning starts again...)
- you can ask any self-selected genius near you who can help you or even ruin your drive forever.

If you want i can help too.
Personally i like Hitachi, usually it is easy to recover in my lab.

Janos

[mdarwish]

What should I do? Should I replace the PCB board? I can't afford for data recovery service. Any help will be very much appreciated.

In that case you can first download trial version of recovery software such as Runtime GetDataBack, O&O Software...etc.

Good luck!

[pepe]

In that case you can first download trial version of recovery software such as Runtime GetDataBack, O&O Software...etc.

When I restart the pc, it is not detectable by my motherboard anymore. I check bios setting to no avail. I tried using another pc to boot also failed

mdarwish, please don't talk nonsense.

[mdarwish]

So finally, I tried using USB enclosure to read the drive, it detects the drive...

I can't afford for data recovery service. Any help will be very much appreciated.

The guy can't afford data recovery service, and the drive was detected in USB enclosure. So why not give him some other options to try, then he can decide if he can afford DR!

Anyway, that won't effect your business, he is too far from you!

[pepe]

I am not worried about my business, it is fine, thank you.
Just about giving advices without knowing (at least it seems from what you are saying) the possible results and consequences.
The pc will detect most of the USB enclosures uppon connecting them even if they have no drive inside so it means precisely nothing.

pepe

[mdarwish]

I am not worried about my business, it is fine, thank you.
Just about giving advices without knowing (at least it seems from what you are saying) the possible results and consequences.
The pc will detect most of the USB enclosures uppon connecting them even if they have no drive inside so it means precisely nothing.

pepe

1- My reply was based on the poster message that "I tried using USB enclosure to read the drive, it detects the drive but I can't find it in my computer", some data recovery software can detect drives even if it is not recognized by Windows.

2- There would be no consequences to run DR software.
3- I wonder why you keep replying to my posts instead of giving some positive feedback to the original poster!

[fzabkar]

I tried using USB enclosure to read the drive, it detects the drive but I can't find it in my computer as well as disk management.

Try detecting the USB enclosure without the drive installed. I suspect that Device Manager is seeing the USB-SATA bridge chip but not the drive behind it.

Can you see the USB enclosure with Microsoft's UVCView utility?
http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/USB_ID ... ew.x86.exe

[bchen]

Hi all, thank you so much for all your reply, all your advices are very much appreciated.

Try detecting the USB enclosure without the drive installed. I suspect that Device Manager is seeing the USB-SATA bridge chip but not the drive behind it.

Can you see the USB enclosure with Microsoft's UVCView utility?
http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/USB_ID ... ew.x86.exe

yes, when using SeaTool to detect, it says USB-SATA. I just downloaded the UVCView utility you suggested, it also being detected as "USB Mass Storage". I plug in USB enclosure without the hard drive, nothing is being detected.

What else should I do? Please help me.....

[bchen]

Attached is a screenshot of UVCView utility on my hard drive:

[Clusterox]

1- My reply was based on the poster message that "I tried using USB enclosure to read the drive, it detects the drive but I can't find it in my computer", some data recovery software can detect drives even if it is not recognized by Windows.

2- There would be no consequences to run DR software.
3- I wonder why you keep replying to my posts instead of giving some positive feedback to the original poster!

Madarwish, I am afraid but none of your advice is going to help OP. Since he cleared that his MOTHERBOARD and SEATOOLS can't detect the drive and hence, the nonsense advice. As far as USB detection is concerned, so it will detect it even if you insert a wooden stick in it.

From symptoms, it's looking like a firmware problem and I am afraid, it can't be done with just replacing the PCB (not atleast without performing NVRAM operations).

some data recovery software can detect drives even if it is not recognized by Windows.

I have yet to see such "Data Recovery Software".

[fzabkar]

I have a generic enclosure with the same JMicron JM20337 bridge chip. It identifies itself with JMicron's Product ID (0x2338) and Vendor ID (0x152D), both with and without a hard drive installed. This means that your test is inconclusive.

BTW, there is a problem with random data corruption during reads for certain implementations of the above chip. The fix is to remove a 4K7 resistor from pin 34.

JM20337 read data corruption - solution:
http://bigacid.wordpress.com/2008/12/08 ... -solution/
http://bigacid.files.wordpress.com/2008 ... ge0011.jpg

[mdarwish]

As far as USB detection is concerned, so it will detect it even if you insert a wooden stick in it.

I plug in USB enclosure without the hard drive, nothing is being detected.

That's the original poster reply!

[bchen]

To: Clusterox & fzabkar

I'm sorry, I made a mistake to say that when I plugged in the USB enclosure without a hard drive it never detected anything. I was wrong, I did the same thing again and waited for a while, it finally says "USB Mass Storage" even though there wasn't any hard drive there. It looks like Clusterox was right, my hard disk is dead.... By the way, if I wanted to replace/exchange the read head, what is the minimum matching donor must I get?

[bchen]

From symptoms, it's looking like a firmware problem and I am afraid, it can't be done with just replacing the PCB (not atleast without performing NVRAM operations).

Hi Clusterox, how do i perform NVRAM operations? Do I need a special tool and program?

[bchen]

PCB replacement completely useless on this model.
I am sorry to say, your drive is failing.
You have not too much options, only few:

- RMA the drive if still have warranty
- seek for professional help (this is not cheap compared to the drive's price of course)
- you can sit down for some months read up the half internet to get light about hitachi's firmware structure and testing, and that point you will need to have tools as well (you have 2 options: - buy it, will cost a lot, much more than a simple recovery in any dr company, - develop your own, the learning starts again...)
- you can ask any self-selected genius near you who can help you or even ruin your drive forever.

If you want i can help too.
Personally i like Hitachi, usually it is easy to recover in my lab.

Janos

Hi Janos, do you mind sharing some tips on how would you normally solve this issue in your lab?