WD wd5000aaks 00uu3a0 Not responding

[kill_us_now]

Hello, i have a wd5000aaks 00uu3a0 that just stop responding, it seems to power and spin just fine,no click noises or anything, its recogniced in bios and in windows, however i cant acces it or format it, it freezes programs that try to acces it.

What might be the problem? im a complete newbye on this but, may it be the firmware? if so, anychance to restore it?

[helpless]

It is probably responding, but very slowly, hence it is called "slow responing". Search this forum, the fix was also posted a couple of times.

[kill_us_now]

Yes kind like that,it responds but very slow.

I have read some of those post about "slow responding" but i dont get things clear, that fix need some hardware to acces the hdd roms? or can be achieved only with software? pls respond so i dont lose more time searching cause the more i read the more confused i am

[kill_us_now]

Many thx for your suggestions and information man!

And no, i dont need the data, and yes, i could just trash it, i just wanted to learn something about hdds and try to fix it in the process... i have read already that the slow fix is only meant for backup the drive, not for really "fixing " it, it only cost me a whole day of reading to figure it out!

About the hdsupertool well, im noob in linux yet i tried install it today on ubuntu distro without succes, seems to be some kind of bug, ill keep trying a bit more but if i find it too complicated i will just trash it i guess.

[lcoughey]

Probably a flaky PCB, considering the model of drive. Not sure I recall ever saw a slow responding firmware issue with this model before.

[kill_us_now]

Okay some update, i managed to use hddsupertool, i tried the module 02 fix , i dump succesfully but when i try to write it back it throws me: "The data failed verification, seems that the write was unsuccesful!"

There is a way to do it manually? or the hdd fault is just the pcb and im better off junking it?

[colanco]

Not sure I recall ever saw a slow responding firmware issue with this model before.

+1

I think simply bad sectors.

If you do not need the data, Trash, it is a good place.

[fzabkar]

@kill_us_now, are you able to retrieve SMART data with a tool such as CrystalDiskInfo?

The following HDDSuperTool script should allow you to retrieve the ROM from your PCB (required for a PCB swap):
download/file.php?id=12784

[helpless]

Probably a flaky PCB, considering the model of drive. Not sure I recall ever saw a slow responding firmware issue with this model before.

-1

I happen to have the exact same model in my hands, just reading all modules took 25 minutes.
Main things to focus on: Relo list and HSA contacts (G-list had 1 entry). After doing some defect management, it works like new. Config module left untouched. And last but not least, the PCB was in perfect order. Yes I know, it is the exception to the rule.

[maximus]

Since the OP stated that there is no intent to recover data, and as long as it is understood that this drive is junk and not to be repaired for any kind of future use except for testing, this is an informational post.

Okay some update, i managed to use hddsupertool, i tried the module 02 fix , i dump succesfully but when i try to write it back it throws me: "The data failed verification, seems that the write was unsuccesful!"

This means that it performed the write sequence to update the module, but it then reads the newly written module again and compares it to what was written, and the comparison failed. I am not sure why that would happen, but it means that what was written to the module was not what was read back right after writing.

I happen to have the exact same model in my hands, just reading all modules took 25 minutes.
Main things to focus on: Relo list and HSA contacts (G-list had 1 entry). After doing some defect management, it works like new. Config module left untouched. And last but not least, the PCB was in perfect order. Yes I know, it is the exception to the rule.

I am curious as to what you used to read all the modules. I looked at your previous posts and it indicates that you only use freeware tools. So did you use HDDSuperTool on this drive? Clearing the RELO list would be the module 32 patch in that case...

[kill_us_now]

Probably a flaky PCB, considering the model of drive. Not sure I recall ever saw a slow responding firmware issue with this model before.

-1

I happen to have the exact same model in my hands, just reading all modules took 25 minutes.
Main things to focus on: Relo list and HSA contacts (G-list had 1 entry). After doing some defect management, it works like new. Config module left untouched. And last but not least, the PCB was in perfect order. Yes I know, it is the exception to the rule.

mmm any fast hint for me? where to start to do that? with hddsupertools? thx!

[helpless]

kill_us_now and maximus
Never used HDDSuperTool, I feel a bit uncomfortable with linux command line tools, although I used ddrescue a couple of times from Parted Magic.

fast hint for me?

Get WDR or WDMARVEL (tools written to work with WD drives), backup the drive's firmware, clear Relo list, check defect list (G-list) try adding entries to P-list, after that, regenerate translator with Plist and do a full erase, You can find some tools on Spildit's forum or hunt for them on the internet. Before all these, clean HSA contacts of the PCB with a soft eraser and clean with alcohol.

I looked at your previous posts and it indicates that you only use freeware tools. So did you use HDDSuperTool on this drive? Clearing the RELO list would be the module 32 patch in that case...

That's correct, I use free tools, like WDR and WDMARVEL demo.