Transplant platter on WD3200BEVT

[ZX600A]

Hi everybody,

I have two WD3200BEVT, on of them don't boot anymore and it's even not recognize on Windows or Knoppix. When I swapped both PCB, the drive which not worked still not working and the drive which worked still working. The conclusion is that both PCB can be swapped but the problem is not coming from the PCB because the drive still not working.

So now it can only be an mechanical problem, right? So I decided to open the hdd to have a closer look. Actually nothing seem to be wrong, no scratches, nothing stuck.

The hdd is an 2,5" of 320GB, with 1 platter and 2 head, and a rack where the heads are parked. Seem to be easy, just removed the spindle and swap the platter, don't have to move the heads or anything else.

I think it will be more convenient and even easy to swap the platter instead of each component one by one, what do you think about it? Any suggestion?

Once the platter swapped, is it any precaution before the first start? can I boot directly?


Thank you in advance for you help!!!
Jonathan.

[N.C.]

Hi,

You have missing a lot of informations, this is not a good point to start learning from the beginning....
The most important, the platter is aligned micron precisely!
So if you loosen up the screws, your drive will never work again!
If your data is important, seek for professional help. (You have done a lot of additional problems allready, maybe this is your last chance to do this step.)
If not, than use your new working drive, and live without your data.

ps: Plugging in one modified (opened) HDD into any working operationg system (even in second drive) is a really bad idea...
These drives needs special hardware driving to prevent ANY write operation wich is done automatically by any OS.
(And so on...)

Regards,
Janos

[ZX600A]

Platters are aligned, i'm agree with you, but in my case I have only one platter with two head...so it not need to be aligned.

Help please, before I start!!!

I would probably send it to a professional if a recovery wasn't that expensive...

[zebong]

maybe you need to repair the SA.

[BlackST]

... but in my case I have only one platter with two head...so it not need to be aligned.

Wrong. Not exactly alignment. Anyway, your data/their data - your choice.

Proper diagnose should have been the 1st step , with the right equipment (maybe opening of the drive was not even required, but that's it.

[unknown]

Sometimes users think that if they open the top lid of the drive that will fix all things.
It's not the time to open it. Just seek for a pro with a reasonable price.
Pro's can do a precise diagnostics and do some experiments (without harming the drive) - fixing SA modules, test heads, change PCB,..etc - before opening the drive.

Good luck

[pcimage]

Hi everybody,

I have two WD3200BEVT, on of them don't boot anymore and it's even not recognize on Windows or Knoppix. When I swapped both PCB, the drive which not worked still not working and the drive which worked still working. The conclusion is that both PCB can be swapped but the problem is not coming from the PCB because the drive still not working.

So now it can only be an mechanical problem, right? So I decided to open the hdd to have a closer look. Actually nothing seem to be wrong, no scratches, nothing stuck.

The hdd is an 2,5" of 320GB, with 1 platter and 2 head, and a rack where the heads are parked. Seem to be easy, just removed the spindle and swap the platter, don't have to move the heads or anything else.

I think it will be more convenient and even easy to swap the platter instead of each component one by one, what do you think about it? Any suggestion?

Once the platter swapped, is it any precaution before the first start? can I boot directly?


Thank you in advance for you help!!!
Jonathan.

Absolutely DO NOT swap the platter, it's not a DVD.

What are the symptoms of the problem?

Clicking? Sounds normal but no access?

[ZX600A]

It was working fine till I get 2 or 3 blue screen in one afternoon, I decided to reinstall windows. During the re-installation i get one more blue screen then when I reboot nothing anymore...

When I start my computer, the light of the hdd on the edge of the laptop still always light on (continuously). Immediately after the bios version and specification I get an "no bootable device -- Please restart system". Even when I swap the PCB the hdd still not recognise on knoppix. When I listen the hdd I heard a very light zzzzzzzz like a coil is in charge but can't move, so it must be the motor or the arm which are stuck. When I open it, everything seem fine, the arm and the motor are free, nothing is damaged, no scratches. Please notice that I never power on the hdd open or screw untight, so when I said arm and motor free I mean manually.

Because my lack of equipment I think more easy to just swap the platter instead of all the components one by one...

[fzabkar]

So are you saying that the motor spins freely by hand but doesn't spin under the control of either of your two PCBs?

If so, then this would suggest that the motor itself may be bad. Can you measure and compare the resistances of each of its three windings?

[ZX600A]

Have a look at this, is exactly what I plan to do:

http://www.freewebs.com/bgotchall/index.htm

[HeadCrash]

Come on guys, if he persists let him do it, we can only suggest from pro point of view.

[ZX600A]

The transplant is done... the hdd is now recognize and i even see the two partition with them right name ("Windows" and "My Docs").

I can see but I can't go inside the partition with Knoppix (something wrong happen) so I will try with a proper recovery software. Any software suggestion?

I use to work with ontrack but if you have any suggestion of software which match more with this specific job... or maybe is time to bring to a professional just for the file recovery (200-300$), at least I save the most expensive thing (2400$ for a motor or head swap).


Thank you,
Jonathan.

[jono-ats]

I can't imagine what kind of work you did for OnTrack, but I suspect (and hope!) it wasn't in the clean room!

[fzabkar]

The transplant is done... the hdd is now recognize and i even see the two partition with them right name ("Windows" and "My Docs").

I can see but I can't go inside the partition with Knoppix (something wrong happen) so I will try with a proper recovery software. Any software suggestion?

I use to work with ontrack but if you have any suggestion of software which match more with this specific job... or maybe is time to bring to a professional just for the file recovery (200-300$), at least I save the most expensive thing (2400$ for a motor or head swap).

Congratulations. ISTM that you are the professional. :)

I would clone your drive and then work on your clone. If you strike unreadable sectors, then use cloning tools such as ddrescue or dd_rescue.

[HeadCrash]

I use to work with ontrack but if you have any suggestion of software which match more with this specific job... or maybe is time to bring to a professional just for the file recovery (200-300$), at least I save the most expensive thing (2400$ for a motor or head swap)

OMG, your ex employer must be very proud of you posting here.
If you're ex Ontrack staff you should not have posted or mentioned it here, just wondering are all Ontrack staff like yourself?

[mr_spokk]

The guy worked with OnTrack's program...NOT on OnTrack DR!
And after what I can read he is not even trying to recover any data, as he stated that he did a re-installation of Windows.
So I just think he's trying to make the drive just work again...or did I miss something?

Bosse

[BlackST]

Yes. Social engineering

[ZX600A]

Sorry guys for the misunderstanding, I had never worked for Ontrack (Kroll Ontrack)... when I said "I use to work with Ontrack" I meant I use the Ontrack Data Recovery (the software) to do file recovery. I'm French and my English isn't that good. In french the expression "work with" means "use", and "Work for" means "employed by" Sorry again!!!

Until now I was able to handle it but my lacks start using softwares, and now more then anytime I need your help... Is it anyone can tell me how to proceed step by step for my file recovery?

Fzabkar, you speak about make a clone then use dd rescue... have you got any cloning favorite software?

Thank you guys for you support and also your jokes and tease

[unknown]

How did you transfer the single platter without touching the surface?

[BlackST]

Teletransport . Haven't you ever seen Star Trek ?