WD 15EADS 1.5 TB - Unknown not Initialized 0 MB

[pedrojgl]

Hello All,

Before I explain the problem, please know that I have been searching on this forum, and others, for solutions and couldn't find one explanation for it. So I hope you can help me and possible others that might have the same issue.

I have a WD Cavier Green 1.5 TB HDD that shows the following problem:


http://postimg.org/image/l8jzqsikb


Running the Western Digital LifeGuard Diagnosis I get the following:


http://postimg.org/image/uftxzll2z


Running the hard disk sentinel diagnosis software also returns "The status of the hard disk is unknown":


http://postimg.org/image/txdcdq4xn



I tried several recovery data software such as wondershare data recovery, mini tool partition wizard, easeUS data recovery, icare data recovery, getdataback... and none of them have worked.


I bought online another exact same WD 15EADS HDD and tried it in the same slot with same cable connections and worked fine. I then replaced the pcb between both HDD but nothing changed.

There is no clicking or weird noise from the HDD.

I am honestly without any ideas to solve this. I have access to a clean room and I bought a precision tool kit too, if necessary, to open the disk and check if the head is stucked - but as there is no strange mechanical noise I don't think that would be the cause of the problem, right?

I have important data in the hdd that I wouldn't want to lose and I can't afford like 500$ or more to recover the data in a professional laboratory.

Thanks for your time and hope you can help me at least to know that I have reached the end of the line and there is nothing more I can do

Cheers

[pcimage]

I'd bet on some sort of firmware issue, assuming what said is correct (spinning normally with no untoward noises) and it's not been tampered with.

[hpw333]

seem that this is not bad heads , and this is Firmware issue
needs to access SA modules then test all
and may be corrupted Rom in some cases
test only will decide reason for prb

[pcimage]

Ok, I'm willing to attempt to fix this drive then. If interested PM me.
Regards.

Should be fairly straightforward

If you have the tools and know how to use them of course!

[fzabkar]

Does the drive spin up? What happens if you install the PM2 (Power Up In Standby) jumper? Does the drive then appear in BIOS?

[fzabkar]

I'm trying to determine whether PUIS has been enabled. The OP could use the good drive to compare how a PUIS-enabled drive shows up in BIOS. If module 0D in the ROM doesn't have a model number, then that could explain why BIOS doesn't report one.

[pedrojgl]

Hello,

Thanks for all the feedback!

While reading your suggestions and trying to understand the problem better, I compared both pcbs and they are in fact not entirely similar:

Patient Drive and PCB: WD 15EADS-00P8B0
2061-701640-700

Donor Drive and PCB: WD 15EADS-65P8B0
2061-701640-202

(Notice that the patient pcb in the donor drive results in the same problem as patient pcb+rom)

I guess this is the biggest difference between pcb and probably the root of the problem, they are different in the "chip c75" as shown bellow:

Patient:

http://postimg.org/image/wwlnyjzm3


Donor:

http://postimg.org/image/yahziod8r

I also read that buying a similar pcb would not solve this problem for these type oh HDD because they have very unique bio chips / firmware? And a transfer of the chips and welding aftweards would be necessary.

Spildit:

Do you think you can solve the problem if I ship you the pcb? do you need both of them? If yes we can PM. Thanks!

Cheers

[grig85]

buy PC3000, fix it and then return it... say you didnt like it
chances are you just need to tweak the headmap in RAM by switching it all to H0 or H1 to load up, then switch the map back and image.