Seagate 7200.8 ST3250823A PATA - no "Buzz"

[runderwo]

I have two of these identical disks, one works, and one stopped responding to host while working and never responded again.

38400, 8n1, flow control off, no IDE cable connected.

The one that does not work:

Code:

Interface task reset
4096k x 16 buffer detected
TONKA - 1_Disk    S.00  03-28-05 16:11


The one that does work:

Code:

Interface task reset
4096k x 16 buffer detected
TONKA - 1_Disk    S.00  03-28-05 16:11

Buzz  - Head Mask FFFF - Switch to full int.
              Spin Ready
3.03  03-28-05 16:13
(P)PATA Reset
Master

T>


I guess the bad disk is waiting for spindle to become ready, but nothing sounds or seems wrong with the motor and it ohms out i think (3.6 ohms on both coils, compares the same to good drive)?

Should I swap pcb and eeprom in this case or can i do some more tests?

[helpless]

38400, 8n1, flow control off, no IDE cable connected.

These drives work with 9600. Can you get a T> prompt by pressing ^Z for the non-working drive?

[runderwo]

No, no prompt with ctrl-Z. It appears to be stuck in that spot forever until power cycle. The disk does not make any head seeking noises, I only can hear the motor spinning up to stable speed.

[runderwo]

I switched to 9600 and the output is now

Code:

Interface task reset
4096k x 16 buffer detected
TONKA - 1_Disk    S.00  03-28-05 16:11

Buzz  -


Which hangs forever and doesn't respond to ctrl-Z.

What's the failure mode of the smooth chip? Maybe it can power the motor but not respond to registers in this case?

[fzabkar]

Does the drive behave any differently if you isolate the HDA contacts?

[runderwo]

I figured something more out.

* "Buzz" means nothing other than the PATA connector is connected at startup.
* I swapped PCB and ROM (ST 25P05VP 512K serial EEPROM, is this the right one?). Unfortunately, problem stayed with the same disk assembly with a different PCB and its own ROM. The PCB from nonworking drive with the donor drive ROM works in the firmware console on the donor drive.

[runderwo]

Putting paper between HDA contacts and PCB:

Code:

Preamp ID 00 unsupported
Interface task reset
4096k x 16 buffer detected
TONKA - 1_Disk    S.00  03-28-05 16:11

Buzz  - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Error Reading Boot Adaptives

F>?
Command Inactive - No VALID Cert Code Detected


?!?!

[runderwo]

Aargh, my reply went to moderation.

I placed a paper between HDA contacts and PCB.

Code:

Preamp ID 00 unsupported
Interface task reset
4096k x 16 buffer detected
TONKA - 1_Disk    S.00  03-28-05 16:11

Buzz  - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - [.. lots of these for a few minutes ..] - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Error Reading Boot Adaptives

F>?
Command Inactive - No VALID Cert Code Detected


?!?! Interesting! Dead preamp then? Too bad if that's really it.

[runderwo]

Oh, well, I've disconnected the preamp so it would be expected to produce an error. I have no idea now again

[fzabkar]

The 7200.8 series has the pre-F3 firmware architecture. These models have no adaptives on the PCB, so no ROM transfer is required.

AIUI, "buzz routine" or "spin buzz" refers to the attempt by the motor controller to kickstart the spindle motor. I'm not certain, but if you test the board on its own (ie off the drive), you may see repetitive buzz attempts.

[runderwo]

Hmm, so hang at "Buzz" would indicate too low spindle speed, even if it's running smoothly?

You're right, with the PCB off the drive:

Code:

Preamp ID 00 unsupported
Interface task reset
4096k x 16 buffer detected
TONKA - 1_Disk    S.00  03-28-05 16:11

Buzz  -
Buzz  -
Buzz  -


Well, it was easy to swap the ROM anyway, too bad it was useless.

[fzabkar]

The following article describes how to test your drive's heads and various important firmware modules:

How to Test Seagate Drives’ Heads for HDD Repair:
http://www.datarecoverytools.co.uk/2011/01/29/how-to-test-seagate-drives-heads-for-hdd-repair/

It alludes to several professional tools, but ISTM that all can be achieved via terminal commands ... if you know which ones.

You could at least practice the second part of the tests on your good drive.

Now you can proceed to actual testing of drive heads (the procedure from this step on can only be used when a drive does not hang during start). To do that you either need to run test 4 or attempt to switch heads manually.

Of course you would back up your data first.

[runderwo]

Thanks fzabkar. There is no interesting data on the donor drive, and just some interesting (but not really valuable) data on the problem drive.

To also note: when removing power from the problem drive there is no repark noise, I guess because the heads never unparked.

Will hotswap help or should the buzz routine hang at the same point when waking up the swapped drive?

[fzabkar]

I don't know how the drive would behave if the heads were unable to move, but we could test it easily enough. If you could upload a detailed photo of your working drive, we could isolate the appropriate VCM pins at the HDA connector.

As for a hotswap, that would be interesting, but I'm not a data recovery professional, so we would be learning on the job. I expect that we would be able to test the integrity of the firmware modules and the heads in this way.

[fzabkar]

ISTM that the problem is that the drive is unable to load various "discware" components from the platters. A hotswapped PCB will have these components in SDRAM, but it will also have the donor's SMART data, defect lists, and translator.

[runderwo]

You could at least practice the second part of the tests on your good drive.

Result passed:

Code:

T>T4
Begin Test 04
Cert Table loaded
ASCII logging on
ASCII logging off
ASCII logging on
Kick Off Test

Testing head 0...
DAC value = FD06
Biasing with current 0025mA
DAC value = FBEE
Biasing with current 0050mA
[...]
DAC value = F55E
Biasing with current 0200mA
DAC value = FD06
Passed  Max OD Bias Current = 0200mA. Limit = 0100mA

Head Mask FFFF - Switch to full int.
              Spin Ready
ASCII logging off
OkEnd Test 04


[runderwo]

Here are high-res photos of front and back of PCB and the HDA and motor connectors of the donor drive.

Attachments

[fzabkar]

If you place insulation tape over the indicated pins, that should prevent the voice coil from moving.

Attachments

[fzabkar]

Another thing you could try would be to short the read channel test points together with tweezers. This would prevent the servo from working, which means that you should hear the heads click as they attempt to locate the "discware" area (aka System Area, SA).

Attachments

[runderwo]

Well, I got back to this and hot-swapped the PCB. Good news: something different happened. Bad news: looks like the heads are indeed dead (in a way that even blocked the buzz routine from completing at power up).

Code:

T>/2
2>Z
<swapped pcb from donor to dead drive>
2>U
2>
Buzz  - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF -
2>T4Command Rejected
s4444Command Rejected
s444,0,22
 
Buzz  - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Switch to full int.
              Spin Ready
$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$$$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$$$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$$$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$$$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - ead Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Switch to full int.
              Spin Ready
$$$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$$$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$$$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$$$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$$$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$$$Switch to full int.
              AM Reacquired
$$$Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF -
2>H0
 
Buzz  - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF -     Code - 11  Track 1ADBD(21144).0.000  Sns 000  Rty F7FF.FF.80FF  Rtf 1800  LBA 00001DCD
2>H21Command Rejected
H2
 
Buzz  - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF -     Code - 11  Track 1ADBD(21144).0.000  Sns 000  Rty F7FF.FF.80FF  Rtf 1800  LBA 00001DCD
2>T4
 
Buzz  - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Head Mask FFFF - Zn4 Rd=0.000 MBs/Sec Cskew=0 Hskew=0
2>