WD4000YR Crash. Main Drive. Please help.

[sylvester37]

Hello Everyone,

New to this forum, and as of a few hours ago experience some sort of surge/crash across an entire main computer of mine that I have been neglecting to completely backup for some time. Basically, when I took the drive out of the nonfunctioning computer it was VERY hot. I put it in the freezer for a bit to cool off, but when I plug in to any power source I get absolutely nothing. What's weird is I *think* I heard it spinning up faintly just before the machine crashed and I did a few power ups. However, now, it appears effectively dead.

Could this mean I might benefit from some sort of circuit board swap? If so, is it easy? Also if so, I happen to have another WORKING drive of the exactly same model/make as this used to be part of a RAID set. Although I've seen some videos, if this "swap" would work I'm not sure exactly how to do it safely? This drive is a older style SATA with the SATA and IDE style power plugs. It also has that ribbon cable thing in the center exposed that I can see going under the PCB on the back of the drive.

Thanks much for any advice on this. I'm actually a computer guy and a bit of an electronics hobbyist. I've just always stayed away from any serious HDD recovery stuff as I've only had one bad HD crash in the past and it was a head crash of sorts. I really would like to see if I can get the data off this one though.

[Alexii]

post the pictures of the ded drive component side up.
Difficulty with PCB swaps vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, from model to model , family to family.

[poehere]

Keep it out of the Freezer. This one is not the way to go on it if you want back your data. Depending on the PCB you can search here for TVS there are thousands and thousands of post now on this subject. You will find them easily here now. Look and you will also find one person who posts on all of them and offeres some links and other advise to test your pcb board. Follow some of this advise.

Looks like you have a WD HDD there for you. So this means adaptives need to be moved along with the new PCB if this is your case. If you have fried your smooth chip then this can mean other internal damage to the HDD such as preamp that is located on the HSA. Try first to search for TVS - then if this one does not work try posting photo of your pcb board the bottom where your chips are. Remove it from HDD and take photo of it and post it here.

[jono-ats]

We usually see bad heads with this model. PCB problems are uncommon.

[sylvester37]

OK, I finally got a chance to get this apart and take pictures. There was some kind of foam sort of melted between the PCB and the drive. Not sure if this is normal. Regarding the post about the bad heads, wouldn't a PCB swap be worth a shot considering the drive was working until it literally went totally dead? Again, it doesn't appear to want to power on anymore.

As far as what caused this outside of normal wear/tear, I'm still not sure yet. I haven't finished checking out the computer it was in. However, this machine is one I use as a "media center" of sorts and it has an outside aerial TV antenna attached that I have on my roof. I haven't figured out a way to protect it from any static/surges so I just connect it directly. I've been doing this for several years on this machine and two others without any noticeable problems, however maybe the machine got hit with some sort of static/surge this time? I'm not sure. Nothing else in the closet was damaged that I had plugged into the house current.

Again, thanks for any help on this. I'd really like to save this drive. Also, please tell me what "TVS" is? Also, I'm assuming I would need "adaptive" information if I'm going to swap with my other drive. What would be the best way to do this? I have moderate soldering skills and equipment.

[fzabkar]

If the drive is making noises as if it is trying to spin up, then you may have a stiction fault.

Otherwise, check TVS diodes D4 and D3, and zero-ohm resistors R64 and R67 near the SATA power connector.

If you decide to replace the board, then be aware that you will most probably need to move the serial flash memory chip at U12 to your donor PCB. Some board suppliers offer such a transfer service for US$10.

[jono-ats]

I haven't seen any of these with a "stiction" problem.

Stiction usually refers to a lubrication failure problem that some hard drives had in the 80's and 90's.

When drives are "stuck" on the platters, it us usually the result of the drive being dropped -- not lubrication failure. And hence not "stiction".

If the drive attempts to spin, 90% chance there is a heads problem.

[fzabkar]

I haven't seen any of these with a "stiction" problem.

Stiction usually refers to a lubrication failure problem that some hard drives had in the 80's and 90's.

When drives are "stuck" on the platters, it us usually the result of the drive being dropped -- not lubrication failure. And hence not "stiction".

AISI stiction refers to the phenomenon where two smooth solid surfaces adhere together. Lubrication failure is just one possible cause of stiction. The case where the heads come to rest on the platters outside their normal landing zone, either due to shock or electrical failure, is another.

I think of stiction as "static friction" (as defined in the dictionary).

[BlackST]

HDDs are another story !

[thatdellguy]

If the drive is making noises as if it is trying to spin up, then you may have a stiction fault.

Seriously doubt that. Foam sticking is common on these.

[jono-ats]

Words have denotation and connotation. Likewise definitions often lists common usages -- some are more frequently employed than others. This is what I had in mind in my answer, which I believe is the more commonly understood usage of the term "stiction" relative to hard drives:

(STatic frICTION) A failure in early hard drives that caused the read/write heads to stick to the platters. The coating on the platter heated up and liquefied and could become gummy when the disk cooled down. Stiction was a problem when the read/write heads always landed on the platter, known as "contact-start-stop" (CSS). Although texturing the platters helped, it impeded making the bit density greater, and texturing only the landing zone created other problems. The solution was to move the slider and read/write head onto a ramp.

Granted, the additional friction that is necessary to turn the motor when the heads are on top of the platters is also "stiction." But each usage has a different cause.

[poehere]

You are in Florida and so is there a highly recommanded member of this forum his name is quassimodo. Search for him. He can tell you about this one. Heads on this drive are common and preamp on them are damaged. If you still want to go with the DIY idea and spend the money to find your a new PCB well that is your choice but in this one it will not help you out at all. PCB on this drive do not go out like on some of the other models. Jono-ats has told you this one more than once. He has been doing this work for a very long time and has to deal with these drives all the time. As for the foam sticking on the pcb this one is comman as thatdellguy told you. All these people work in the DR field each and ever day. Fzabkar on the other hand is a hobbist and he knows about some electronics and tries to give advice. But I am sure if you did some searches on these people you would find out that fzbkar make no issues on this one and states here time and time again "I am not a DR guy or I do not know Dr". So it is your choice go with the advise of someone who does this work or follow the advise of a person who is not a DR guy. Good luck on this one.

[Alexii]

Proper diagnostic from a good DR firm is always good as step one.
If u have multimeter handy i would suggest checking TVSes.
As to sticktion - that phenomenon i see almost daily , but only with 2,5 inch drives. Heads land on the platters , sliders grip the surface. No spin.

[BlackST]

I see commonly also on 3.5. No wonder...
Correction : the username is quasimodo (only 1 's') otherwise you won't get in contact with him.

[Alexii]

The invisible hand of data recovery gives me only the 2.5s with that specific problem =) The 3.5 i see with no mechanical spin end up needing the platter swap.