Caviar SE WD800JB

[D_R]

Hey Guys, currently I have a WD800JB Drive on my table. The drive says in PC3000 "DISK SERVO NOT READY ERROR". The drive was extracted from an old computer. Years ago, the drive was working. But now it doesn't anymore. The drive spins up, but then it starts to click.

I have never worked with such old drives before. I already cleaned the contacts to the HSA on the PCB, without any success.

What else can I do? The client isn't going to pay for a head swap. But how can I find out, if the problem is in the heads / preamp or something else? Or maybe the tighten / loosen the Top Lid screw help?

[unknown]

Hey Guys, currently I have a WD800JB Drive on my table. The drive says in PC3000 "DISK SERVO NOT READY ERROR". The drive was extracted from an old computer. Years ago, the drive was working. But now it doesn't anymore. The drive spins up, but then it starts to click.

I have never worked with such old drives before. I already cleaned the contacts to the HSA on the PCB, without any success.

What else can I do? The client isn't going to pay for a head swap. But how can I find out, if the problem is in the heads / preamp or something else? Or maybe the tighten / loosen the Top Lid screw help?

Start with another working matched PCB.

[fzabkar]

Would it make sense to play with the head map at the end of the ROM? I could probably edit that if PC3000 cannot.

[D_R]

Would it make sense to play with the head map at the end of the ROM? I could probably edit that if PC3000 cannot.

That was the first thing I tried. Both heads arn't reading.

[jermy]

the lid is already opened ?

[D_R]

the lid is already opened ?

nope

[drHDD]

Is it clicking? did you try to change pcb?

[D_R]

Yes, the drive is clicking.
Today I found a compatible PCB in my lab (same number) and put it on the drive. No success. Then I wrote the firmware from the patient pcb on the new pcb, still the same.

[unknown]

Yes, the drive is clicking.
Today I found a compatible PCB in my lab (same number) and put it on the drive. No success. Then I wrote the firmware from the patient pcb on the new pcb, still the same.

Pretty sure it's Pre-amp.

[D_R]

Ok, thank you for your help. Just one question:

I have a possible donor drive. The Model is matching and the letter before J in the DCM as well. One thing does not match is the manufacturing date. The patient is made 2004 and the donor is made 2007. The patient is black and the donor is silver. Is it worth a try?

Or is it worth to play with the top screw?

Before I'm going to do the customers drive, I'm going to order some other Caviar SE drives to play with.

[jono-ats]

If you remove the PCB and power it up, and some of the small components burn your finders, then the preamp is toast.

You have to match 2 specific characters of the DCM for heads compatibility - positions 6 & 7.

We had a special alignment jig made but it is unnecessary if you use good techniques.

We discovered our own, using the PC3K. It will take more than 1 experimental drive to perfect the technique.

Good luck.