HDD RECOVERY ANALYSIS

[alencar]

Dear friend,

We are trying to identify the real problem to recovery the data from the HDD bellow.

MDL: WD5000BEKT-75KA9T0
Spindle motor: 71206-T8Y-03
Head distribution (04 heads): 0, 1, 2, 3

We ask for help and your opinions about the analysis report attachment bellow.

Best regards,

José Alencar

Attachments

Analysis Report

[hddguy]

I assume Zone table, adaptives and translator is read from patient OK becase is not listed as mods read with error.

If these are read OK you can reach data quite simple with hot swap process

Can you read module #11 from patient and make note of SA version. Request this version of ROM here then write ROM to donor PCB (assuming someone has it).

[fzabkar]

Since your patient PCB spun up with the donor ROM (before you reprogrammed it), but not with the patient ROM, this would suggest that your patient ROM is either faulty or corrupt. Did it start out that way, or did your flash programmer erase or damage the patient ROM? In any case it does appear that your programmer has either erased or damaged the donor ROM.

Were you able to backup the original patient and donor ROMs? Can you upload your SA/ROM resources? The ROM will have a dozen or so checksums which can be verified. I don't know if your tools are capable of doing this, but I have done some investigating in this area, so I may be able to help you.

Can you upload the regenerated ROM that was created by HDD Doctor from your SA?

[BlackST]

Switch to another tool .

[alencar]

I assume Zone table, adaptives and translator is read from patient OK becase is not listed as mods read with error.

If these are read OK you can reach data quite simple with hot swap process.

After the pcb doonor arrived, we got access the patient hdd with the hot swap process.

Them we did the backup of the all SA modules and Tracks (both from primary and secundary area), except for the follow modules with read error (00B6, 00D5, 00DE, 001C, 001E, 002A, 002F, 0004, 0005, 006F, 0014, 0015, 0021, 0022, 0115, 0116, 0120, 0121 and 0128).

From the backup, we got:

Adaptatives:
- SA Module 0103 -> NOT INIT
- ROM 0047 -> read was OK

Translator:
- SA Module 0105 -> NOT INIT
- ROM 0030 -> read was OK

Can you read module #11 from patient and make note of SA version. Request this version of ROM here then write ROM to donor PCB (assuming someone has it)

I can see the ROM version from the ROM module 000B. But the equivalent SA module 107 is NOT INIT.

The ROM version is 01.01A01 (both patient and donnor ROM)

Believing that the problem would be the patient ROM chip, we use SD HD Doctor to regenerate the patient hdd ROM over the donor ROM Chip. After that, our problem became worst. The donor pcb can´t no more boot the HDDs.

Until now, we are trying without sucess to use the SD Serial Flash Programmer to rewrite the donor ROM Chip with the backup that we make before.

Only the reading function of the Flash Programmer is working, but the 256KB ROM files read from both patient and donor chip contain on "FF"

Any way,
- is possible that the patient ROM chip could have any physical damage, or just only a corrupted content?
- is there a way that I can rewrite the donor and patient ROM chips without the need of buy and wait for another donor pcb to proceed with hot swap?
- do you have any ROM file compatible with the ROM version 01.01A01?

Best regards,

Alencar

[alencar]

fzabkar,

Thanks for your answer.

Did it start out that way, or did your flash programmer
erase or damage the patient ROM?

The received the hdd already with a ROM problem.

After the purchased compatible donor drive/pcb arrived:
- we exchange its head to the patient hdd, but nothing changed. The patient
hdd didn´t start to spin;
- the donor hdd with the patient head started and worked normally;
- we test the patient hdd with the donor pcb/patient bios (the patient hdd
didn´t spin)
- the donor hdd with the donor pcb/patient bios didn´t spin as well;

Them we proceeded the hot swap on donor hdd and moving the donor pcb/bios
spin the patient hdd, proceding the backup of its modules.

In any case it does appear that your programmer has either erased or
damaged the donor ROM.

Believing that the problem would be the patient ROM chip, we use SD HD
Doctor to regenerate the patient hdd ROM over the donor ROM Chip. After
that, our problem became worst. The donor pcb can´t no more boot the HDDs.
(patient and donor)

Until now, we are trying without sucess to use the SD Serial Flash
Programmer to rewrite the donor ROM Chip with the backup that we make
before.

Only the reading function of the Flash Programmer is working, but the 256KB
ROM files read from both patient and donor chip contain on "FF"

Were you able to backup the original patient and donor ROMs? Can you upload
your SA/ROM resources? The ROM will have a dozen or so checksums which can
be verified. I don't know if your tools are capable of doing this, but I
have done some investigating in this area, so I may be able to help you.

Yes. After the hot swap proceed at the begining, beyond the complete backup
of donor hdd SA and ROM, for the patient hdd we proceed the following
backups:
- SA Tracks
- SA Firmware modules, except those with read error (00B6, 00D5, 00DE,
001C, 001E, 002A, 002F, 0004, 0005, 006F, 0014, 0015, 0021, 0022, 0115,
0116, 0120, 0121 and 0128);
- Except for module 0109, all backup of the patient ROM Overlays (102, 103,
104, 105 e 107) have NOT INIT as content. But the equivalent ROM modules 47
(adaptives) and 30 (translator) were backup too. I believe that their data
are ok;
- The ATA module 11 was backup too;

Can you upload the regenerated ROM that was created by HDD Doctor from your
SA?

The regenerate function of HDD Doctor just overwrite the pcb ROM content. I
am attaching here the regenerated ROM content that overwrite the donor pcb
ROM, as well the original (no touched) content of the patient pcb ROM.
These attached files were created by the SD Serial Flash Programmer.

The interesting is that both files has only FF, but I don´t know with these
values are right or was a problem of the flash programmer reading function.

Some questions:
1) those FF could be caused because the HDD Doctor regenerated the pcb ROM
using the "NOT INIT" SA Modules (102, 103, 104, 105 and 107)?
2) the equivalent ROM modules 47 and 30 on SA weren´t used by the HDD
Doctor during the regeneration?
3) is possible that the patient ROM chip could have any physical damage, or
just only a corrupted content?
4) is there a way that I can rewrite the donor and patient ROM chips
without the need of buy and wait for another donor pcb to proceed with hot
swap?
5) do you have any ROM file compatible with the ROM version 01.01A01?

Best regard,

Alencar

[hddguy]

Some questions:
1) those FF could be caused because the HDD Doctor regenerated the pcb ROM
using the "NOT INIT" SA Modules (102, 103, 104, 105 and 107)?
2) the equivalent ROM modules 47 and 30 on SA weren´t used by the HDD
Doctor during the regeneration?
3) is possible that the patient ROM chip could have any physical damage, or
just only a corrupted content?
4) is there a way that I can rewrite the donor and patient ROM chips
without the need of buy and wait for another donor pcb to proceed with hot
swap?
5) do you have any ROM file compatible with the ROM version 01.01A01?

1) FF is present because there is no copy of ROM at SA because ROM is external NOT internal
2) Again, no copy of ROM is in SA
3) Could be either
4) You can rewrite it easily, difficult part is finding compatible ROM to write
5) How do you know version of patient ROM if you cant read it? Also you say donor and patient are same version, and SA is ok, so why is straight swap not working?


You have dead PCB on 2.5" WD. You have backup of all critical SA modules. You have a good donor.

this is not difficult case. If you cannot solve it you should send it to someone who can without putting the data at risk.

Also I think SD Doctor is doing you no favours here. It is bad tool made worse in the hands of someone who does not fully understand it.

[alencar]

Dear hddguy,

Firstly, thank you for your help.

1) FF is present because there is no copy of ROM at SA because ROM is external NOT internal
2) Again, no copy of ROM is in SA
3) Could be either
4) You can rewrite it easily, difficult part is finding compatible ROM to write
5) How do you know version of patient ROM if you cant read it? Also you say donor and patient are same version, and SA is ok, so why is straight swap not working?

(1, 2 and 5) 

I check the donos ROM version from the equivalent modules refered at thread bellow

posting.php?mode=quote&f=11&p=148164

The screenshot shows the result of running an MHDD script named ROMSA.

It retrieves MODs 102, 107, 105, 103, 104 from the System Area (SA) on a WD ROYL drive.

These MODs, together with MOD 109, can be used to regenerate the PCB ROM.

The Salvation Data article below suggests that equivalent modules in the SA and ROM have different IDs.

SA module 105 = ROM 30 - Service Area translator
SA module 103 = ROM 47 - Service Area adaptives
SA module 102 = ROM 0A - head map
SA module 107 = ROM 0B - ROM module directory
ESA module 104 = ROM 0D - firmware version

Case Study on WD ROYL Drive Using WD Utility (regenerating ROM data)
http://www.salvationdata.com/blog/data- ... y-tools02/

You have dead PCB on 2.5" WD. You have backup of all critical SA modules. You have a good donor. 

After the regeneration procedure the donor pcb no more can start the HDDs, as the same way as the patient pcb/bios.

Questions:

6) Considering the second quote here, can we recreate or not a ROM file from the equivalent modules in the SA and ROM?

7) I'd like to know a better alternative to the SD Serial Flash Programmer that we can use to rewrite the ROM chip from a ROM file.

Considering as right the firmware version 01.01A01 at ROM 000D, can we use any WD ROM backup file of this version, or just ROM backup files related with our HDD model? I ask this becouse at this forum there are some posts with links for ROM files of this version but for other HDD models.

Best regards,

Alencar

[hddguy]

I check the donos ROM version from the equivalent modules refered at thread bellow

posting.php?mode=quote&f=11&p=148164
...

Again, this thread relates to situations where ROM is internal and has a SA copy - in your case the ROM is external meaning there is no copy so any info you got regarding ROM version from here is not right.

6) Considering the second quote here, can we recreate or not a ROM file from the equivalent modules in the SA and ROM?

7) I'd like to know a better alternative to the SD Serial Flash Programmer that we can use to rewrite the ROM chip from a ROM file.

Considering as right the firmware version 01.01A01 at ROM 000D, can we use any WD ROM backup file of this version, or just ROM backup files related with our HDD model? I ask this becouse at this forum there are some posts with links for ROM files of this version but for other HDD models.

Best regards,

Alencar

6) - Again, is no copy of ROM in SA here

7) - There are hundreds of threads detailing alternative tools for this

- I would not trust that you have right version, Also, you said previously that donor ROM has same version, yet donor PCB + ROM fails to allow HDD to work, Either versions are totally different, or you have other problems, which is likely given that you mention many SA modules were read with read errors. In either situation you will need some professional assistance.

You have made multiple posts about this case, initially you stated it stopped powering and you got a donor PCB, then you were looking for a donor for heads change, then you need modules 21 + 22, finally you need ROM files.

What total work did you already do to this?

[BlackST]

Seems the classic case of "ideas : few and confused" to me

[fzabkar]

7) I'd like to know a better alternative to the SD Serial Flash Programmer that we can use to rewrite the ROM chip from a ROM file.

If you want a hardware based solution, then you might like to consider an IC clip and a cheap programmer (approx US$20) that can handle SPI flash and microwire EEPROM. You can obtain these from places such as drivestar.biz.

See this thread:
read-write-serial-flash-wdc-logic-boards-t7192.html