Help with WD5000AAKS-00UU3A0

[pilloypf]

Hello friends, I have a wd5000aaks-00uu3a0 that doesn't work. IS visible in BIOS, but you cannot doit nothing. After proving with several tools someone told me that has problems in the firmware and that it was necessary to reestablish it. Looking for the firmware arrives until your community and I have seen that you help the needful.

Which tools exist to repair it. I should clarify that I live in CUBA and that here don't exist wd offices or technical services specialized in HDD. I have been able to save some and for that reason I am trying to recover this.

Sorry my english

[Vulcan]

I have a wd5000aaks-00uu3a0 that doesn't work

Is this drive originally from a USB enclosure (now connected via SATA) or has it always been directly attached via SATA?

Has anything unusual happened to the drive, just before this problem started? If so, what was that?

Is the data on the drive important, or are you just trying to fix the drive and you don't care about the data?

Is the drive making a clicking noise after the usual power-on noises?

IS visible in BIOS

Is it shown with the correct capacity and model name? Can you supply a small photo (e.g. 800x600) of the BIOS disk setup screen showing this drive?

but you cannot doit nothing.

That is too vague. Please explain, in detail, with some examples of error messages that you see, and tell us exactly what happens.

Have you tried booting from a CD with a disk testing utility (there are many options including MHDD, WD DataLifeGuard etc.) to see if the disk is readable and to collect its SMART data?

After proving with several tools someone told me that has problems in the firmware

What exactly do you mean: "After proving with several tools"? Which tools? What did you do? What results did you get?

If that "someone" is correct, then they must be able to give you a more detailed diagnosis of exactly why this is a f/w problem and not some other problem. If they cannot give you a more detailed diagnosis, then this was probably just a guess by them.

Which tools exist to repair it.

Before doing any repair, first it is important to find out the real problem, and your original description is not enough to know the real problem.

Also, if f/w repair really is needed, then you don't have the necessary special tools or skills to do it.

[pilloypf]

Hi Vulcan, Thanks to respond so fast. I will try to answer all your questions.

Is this drive originally from a USB enclosure (now connected via SATA) or has it always been directly attached via SATA?

This drive originally was connected on a HDD player. One day stop to work and we believed what the enclosure was broken, but no, was the HDD. I proved with other HDD and it worked fine.

Has anything unusual happened to the drive, just before this problem started? If so, what was that?

Nothing unusual happened to the drive. It was used always to see movies in the TV and it only was moved to copy from the pc.

Is the data on the drive important, or are you just trying to fix the drive and you don't care about the data?

The data is not important, only i trying to fix the drive.

Is the drive making a clicking noise after the usual power-on noises

No, the drive are no making a clicking noise or any unusual sound.

I will connect the hdd again and send you images with the messages of BIOS and the other tools used.

[pilloypf]

The situation is worst, yesterday I connected the drive and recognized only the half of the capacity of the unit. I attach you images with the different tools that I used.

In the BIOS show the same. Only the half of the capacity.

In BIOS

I used HDD tools that are contained in the "Hiren´s BootCD 10.2", mainly "MHDD 4.6", "HDAT2 V4.5.3", and the "Western Digital" tool what the CD brings.

MHDD 4.6, selecting the drive unit

MHDD 4.6, reseting

MHDD 4.6, getting SMART

HDAT2 V4.5.3, searching unit

Dlgdiag

Besides I downloaded from the WD site, the last version of Western Digital Data LifeGuard Diagnostics for Windows and I attach you the results obtained with the tool.

WD tool in windows

WD_WINDOWS-SMART Test

colage with various options and errors in WD for windows

[drc]

The drive is not initializing fully. Assuming it has not been tampered with, there is a fault with some aspect of the drive. Could be pcb, firmware, heads, etc. You need a real diagnosis.

On a different note, this drive is basically brand new and should be covered under warranty.

[Vulcan]

@pilloypf: Thanks for getting the info that I requested. As drc has kindly already replied, these do not prove that there is a f/w problem - that is just one possibility for the drive not fully initialising. But whatever the true problem is, it is not a DIY fix for you. If you want a full diagnosis, you will need to take it (or ship it) to someone with the skills & equipment to diagnose it - that may cost more (including shipping/travel) than buying a new drive.

Out of interest, how long has this drive been in use already?

@drc: You mentioned: "this drive is basically brand new". I expect you're (very understandably) getting that view from the MHDD reported SMART values - e.g. power-on time showing a raw value of 1, start/stop count showing raw value of 1 - yes? However, I bet those values are erroneous and are due to the values from the SA (i.e. the real values) not being read - I've seen a similar situation before, where the SMART values reset every power-cycle. Considering that the OP has already done previous tests on this drive and has been using it for some time (see the OP's second post), I just don't believe those SMART values e.g. the drive has already been power-cycled more than once, so the SMART info cannot be correct. Do you see what I mean, or did I miss something else that makes it certain that this is a new drive? Thanks.

[DR-Kiev]

or did I miss something else that makes it certain that this is a new drive? Thanks.

Yes you did.
This is just a new family (Tahoe_LT) of Caviar Blue drives . Was launched into the market not so long ago.
BTW. Usualy, they are has SA problems.

[drc]

did I miss something else that makes it certain that this is a new drive?

The family, as dr-kiev pointed out, and the model. UU3A is currently shipping from newegg etc.

[pilloypf]

Hi "drc", thanks by your help too.

Hi too "vulcan", the drive is certainly new, was bought 3 or 4 months behind.

Probably is in garantee, but it was bought by a friend that traveled to Venezuela and as he doesn´t back is not posible to clame the guarantee.

For that and others reasons given in the first post, I am trying to repair it for myself.

Any type of help will be very grateful

[drc]

For that and others reasons given in the first post, I am trying to repair it for myself.

Unfortunately it is beyond DIY

[Vulcan]

@drc & DR-Kiev: Many thanks for your info, and I'm sorry that my question seems to have been ambiguous. I didn't mean the family of drive - I was concerned about the assessment that this specific drive was "brand new".

The OP has now confirmed it is 3-4 months old, and was previously in a media player. Therefore the SMART data shown by MHDD in image MHDD-SMART.JPG from the OP must be wrong since the raw value reported shows only 1 power-cycle since new! The drive must have had at least 3 power cycles, based on what the OP has said (first in a media player; second in a PC running the original tests before the OP posted the question; third, when the OP connected it again (so he says) and noticed it was only showing half the expected capacity). Even if we ignored that the OP says he connected the drive again, the drive must have had 2 power-cycles (media player & PC).

The same sanity check of the reported SMART data fails for the power-on hours raw value of 1 shown by MHDD, since it can't be sensibly used as a media player "playing movies" for 3-4 months, and have tests run on it in a PC, and still only show 1 POH.

That is my point - the SMART data shown by MHDD does not pass a sanity check - these counter values are as if the drive has not read its SMART history from the SA, as I mentioned before. That also fits with your analysis of SA issues.

I'm grateful for the explanation about how it's a recent model of drive. It's a shame they already have known problems, DR-Kiev!

As you expected drc, the OP confirmed it is within warranty, but unfortunately the OP seems unable to use that resolution.

Thanks again for the earlier info and sorry for my previous question being ambiguous.

[drc]

I didn't mean the family of drive - I was concerned about the assessment that this specific drive was "brand new".

As it is from a new family, and families change frequently, it follows that the drive is new

[Vulcan]

As it is from a new family, and families change frequently, it follows that the drive is new

Indeed - just not as new as the reported SMART data from MHDD would lead us to believe.

Thanks again.

[falther]

If the drive is still under warranty, then check that on WD website.

Bet they have an online world wide return for warranty policy same
as other hdd manufacturers do.

If its a hdd out of a media player / VCR or a pc - then its most likely
WD wont offer a direct replacement and point to the manufacturer of
the complete system.

But as far its covered by WD you can deal with them directly for a
replacement.

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