IBM Deskstar 75GXP 46.1GB - Clicking noise - PCB questions

[Watto]

Good afternoon all.

After over 10 years I've decided to try to fix my IBM Deskstar.
It has the click click click issue and is never recognised by the PC, or at least I am unable to get past the clicking so I can access the files on it.

Having read about this issue, it seems to be related to a potential bust PCB, but not 100% on that.
However, replacing the PCB appears to be straight forward so I though it's worth a go.
I'll list my HDD details and follow up with some questions if I may -

Model - DTLA-307045
Capacity - 46.1GB
P/N - 07N5640
MLC - F80326

On the PCB sticker it has -
07N5807
F80418C
L5M046
GH64

I've located a potential donor candidate in Germany -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282077457890? ... Tags=bu=bu

My questions are then -

1/ The donor I have found is the same P/N, is this all I need to be concerned about for compatibility?
2/ The PCB stick info - will this vary even for the same P/N?
3/ The PCB sticker info first two lines appear to be what I need to match with my donor, I think, but what are the last two lines referring to?

And on a more general note, any advice is very welcome. If you need any more info, such as me being more precise about the click noise, I can get the drive powered up to confirm.

Regards

Watto.

[pcimage]

To be honest, it's very unlikely to be a PCB issue.

Very slim chance it is, but MUCH more likely to be a physical issue like bad heads.

[drHDD]

DTLA had massive problem with PCB, like fujitsu.

[pcimage]

Well, let's hope that is the case then.

I probably have a PCB for one of those we can try, I'll take a look tomorrow.

[Watto]

Thanks very much pcimage, that would be extremely handy.
So when you are suspecting the heads, are you thinking I need to replace the whole arm unit? I've read that is not too difficult, on this site from probably 12 years ago. Or are you thinking I'm probably up the creek without the proverbial paddle?
Cheers
Watto

[Watto]

Just had a reply from the company in Germany with the potential donor board, the PCB number on theirs is -
07N3065
F80326
Z5W035
03U3

None of that matches mine. I read on a polish site that the first three rows need to match, so they way, for it to be compatible. Any thoughts on that?

Cheers
Watto

[Watto]

Just booted up the Deskstar to remind myself of the symptoms

Seems to spin up to full speed.
Then I get a noise that I can liken to scraping your finger nail on a cardboard box ( or head seeking type noise I guess ), this happens for 4 times, evenly, in just under 2 seconds.
It then finishes off with a with what sounds like an arm movement attempt, which is several taps/ticks, then cycles back to the finger nail and so on.

Mean anything chaps?

[pcimage]

Sounds like it's struggling to read SA.

Could be damaged firmware mods.

If you still wanna try a PCB, I have one with first 2 lines matching, but you WILL HAVE TO move the NVRAM chip over.

[pcimage]

Sounds like this? ....

Attachments

DTLA.rar

(86.57 KiB) Downloaded 503 times

[Watto]

Sounds like it's struggling to read SA.

Could be damaged firmware mods.

If you still wanna try a PCB, I have one with first 2 lines matching, but you WILL HAVE TO move the NVRAM chip over.

Hi pcimage - It certainly seems to be the most obvious first option, changing the PCB. As for the NVRAM, I think that will be beyond me and would need to take it to someone qualified to swap it.

How much did you want for the PCB?

Cheers

Dave

[Watto]

Sounds like this? ....

Yes, almost exactly like that, with a couple more ticks at the end..

[pcimage]

You have PM