Please help, I've lost everything!!!!

[Pete needs help]

My Dell Dimension 5100 PC recently crashed. My local computer store looked at it but could not get the hard drive to power up, he says the PCB on the hard drive is goosed and to have any chance of recovering my lifetime's worth of photos etc (which weren't backed up!) I need to find a matching PCB.

I'm guessing this could be like finding a needle in a haystack considering my PC is 7 years old!

My hard drive is a Western Digital WD2500 Serial ATA hard drive

Mdl: WD2500JS - 75MHBO
Date: 25 Jul 2005
Dcm: DSBHTCJAA

Product of Malaysia

PCB 2061-701335-800 AD

I'm not sure what other info maybe be required from my drive but I have it to hand if needed. Can anybody advise me what I need to do if a replacement can be found or even whether I'm likely to find one? I am a total novice with these things

If I can sort this out it may well save my marriage! (my son's photos from birth onwards)

Thanks guys,

Pete

[loki]

My Dell Dimension 5100 PC recently crashed. My local computer store looked at it but could not get the hard drive to power up, he says the PCB on the hard drive is goosed and to have any chance of recovering my lifetime's worth of photos etc (which weren't backed up!) I need to find a matching PCB.

Firstly before getting a PCB try searching TVS here on this forum.
You can test the TVS's with a multimeter. Will most likely be D3 & D4 on your PCB.
Also post high quality pic of the component side of the PCB

Loki

[northwind]

Well if that repair store asked you to source the spare part, then they're not up for this job. If you truly care about the data, I suggest you take the drive to a real pro who will do this for you. This will save you from un-necessary cost in case their evaluation is wrong too (ie. "it clicks, need to change pcb" = WASTE OF MONEY).

Even if you find this pcb, and give it to them, do they even know what to do next?
Transfering of the rom IC can be the simplest task for someone who knows what he 's doing, and it can also be disastrous for the "know-it-alls-I-repair-computers-do-the-lawn-and-also-recover-data" guy.

As a sidenote, that particular PCB is very common and easy to find.

Contact pcimage they're located in petersbourough, they will do it for you at a fair price. www.pcimage.co.uk

[ccc]

@ loki
Usually this PCB does not have TVS's.....So a bad power supply will kill the heads probably...
@ Pete needs help
Usually this PCB has a very common defect which also , in 90% cases, kill the heads...

So it will be better to seek for someone with good understanding in data recovery in your area and http://www.pcimage.co.uk is the recomended one...

It's your data , so....

[loki]

@ loki
Usually this PCB does not have TVS's.....So a bad power supply will kill the heads probably...

I made an assumption (as I cant see the pcb) that it might have them hence why I asked for the high quality pic to confirm if it did or did not

Loki

[Pete needs help]

@ loki
Usually this PCB does not have TVS's.....So a bad power supply will kill the heads probably...

I made an assumption (as I cant see the pcb) that it might have them hence why I asked for the high quality pic to confirm if it did or did not

Loki

Ok guys I'll have a go at uploading an image tonight when I get home.

Thanks for the advice guys

[BGman]

Most likely HDD is Raider family, having ROM chip (U12), burn motor controler.
Find donor PCB, swap U12 and you'll get what you need.

[loki]

Most likely HDD is Raider family, having ROM chip (U12), burn motor controler.
Find donor PCB, swap U12 and you'll get what you need.

Raider family are PC, PD, PE, PF & PG

MH as in the OP is Hawk family (as per PC3000 UDMA PCB info list)

[hddguy]

Also, Hawk is nicer to work with than Raider

[pcimage]

Also, Hawk is nicer to work with than Raider

Tell me about it!

Working on a Raider now

Making some progress, got it reading from 3 heads so far with new headstack

[IttiS]

This is sad. The company I work for had a ton of HDDs laying around of that model manufactured around that time. Since we've been switching out our customer's computers for newer ones. We recently threw them all out. Still have a bunch of 2500YS though, but that won't help you.

[labtech]

This is sad. The company I work for had a ton of HDDs laying around of that model manufactured around that time. Since we've been switching out our customer's computers for newer ones. We recently threw them all out. Still have a bunch of 2500YS though, but that won't help you.

Do no throw bulks of HDDs out. They could be recycled and there are many HDD part suppliers who are interested in purchasing drives.

If you have some for sale, post here, you may make few good coins.