HDN724030ALE640 Spins up and shuts down

[Alpha Control]

My 3TB HDN724030ALE640 Spins up and shuts down unless re-powered. There are no clicking sounds and it is not recognized. I removed the PCB and checked all of the large ceramic caps and diodes for shorts and the 2 fuses for opens. The only abnormal thing is (holding the connector in the up direction) a ceramic cap to the left, of the bottom of 3 vertical coils on the left side, reading 102 Ω.

So after reading the "see spot run" about checking the basics, can anyone help as to what might be the issue or what to check next. My first post here, be kind.

Attachments

Borrowed from another post here

[labtech]

Likely the PCB is ok.
The drive spins down likely because of mechanical and/or firmware problem.
When powered on, the drive is designed to attempt to read the firmware stored on the disk. If it fails, it spins down.

[Alpha Control]

OK, what next then?

[fzabkar]

It looks like the "ROM" has been resoldered. Did you transfer it to a new PCB?

[Alpha Control]

Please see the photo where it says "File comment: Borrowed from another post here" Not my photo.

It looks like the "ROM" has been resoldered. Did you transfer it to a new PCB?

[BGman]

My 3TB HDN724030ALE640 Spins up and shuts down

This happens when the PCB is not the original...

[Alpha Control]

What are you talking about?

My 3TB HDN724030ALE640 Spins up and shuts down

This happens when the PCB is not the original...

[fzabkar]

OK, what next then?

I am not aware of any free tools to work with the firmware on your drive, assuming that is the problem.

If it is a head or media fault, then you will need to find a data recovery shop with a cleanroom.

Just FYI ...

The hard drive -- a computer-within-a-computer:
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=2600

newbie info, from and for newbies :) About firmware, SA, etc:
http://forum.hddguru.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6562

[BGman]

On Hitachi drives there exist a module called NVRAM both in the flash chip on the PCB and on the platters. NVRAM is unique for each drive (includes the serial number) and if the two copies are different the drive spins down and reports an error. Otherwise it will try to read modules from the SA, keep spinning the platters...

[HGST]

On ARM Hitachi drives, like this one, there is no NVRAM copy on the platters.

[pepe]

i would argue with the last 2 comments...

to the OP, i too think it is not a pcb problem, most probably heads related.

pepe

[fzabkar]

i would argue with the last 2 comments...

So, let's see your arguments.

[pepe]

those statements are not true imo.

[Alpha Control]

So I've learned that it could be the PCB NVRAM or it isn't or the heads or platters. I am lost.
I guess a simpler way is, how do I force the drive to spin up and make a copy of it, be done with it or repair it? Be it software that is available or other. No fighting please...

[BGman]

On ARM Hitachi drives, like this one, there is no NVRAM copy on the platters.

Maybe, but still has a SN to be compared....

[BGman]

i would argue with the last 2 comments...

No need to.
We all know that you are the greatest!!!

[pepe]

i argue with that too

sorry, i couldn't stand it
pepe

[fzabkar]

On ARM Hitachi drives, like this one, there is no NVRAM copy on the platters.

Since there is someone who is prepared to disagree with you, but who declines to elaborate, I just wish to make one observation.

I have observed that many drives have areas in the SA which are not accessible by reading specific firmware modules. These areas often contain remnants of "work" which was not wiped. I have also noticed that firmware modules often have such remnants in the "slack space" at the end of the module.

For example, the Samsung/Seagate ST1000LM024 MOVLY001 SA module consists of two code sections whose offset and size are defined in the module's header. However, there is a FIPS block just after the end of the second section. This is replicated in several resource dumps. Spildit and I have confirmed that truncating the MOVLY001 module at the end of the second section (by editing the module's size in the FIT) still enables the drive to function normally.

[HGST]

When I did my research on this drives I made a full dump of SA and indeed there is a copy of NVRAM there. I never look for it so my bad. I have one copy at 3F0015385 and another one (before firmware update) at 3F0016BF2.
And yes fzabkar there are modules that are not listed in USAG and open list. They usually do not have any headers.
Unfortunately I don't remember what caused this drives to spin down after boot. In majority of cases if there is an error the drive does not "post" and keeps spinning.
My advice would be to create a loader using similar drive with the same firmware, try to read SA and go from there.

[E123]

Add my five cents to the piggy bank...
The described symptoms are similar to the consequences of an unsuccessful firmware update on HGST drives, when some of the new modules do not correspond to the old ones. Hard makes several attempts to read the service area. Several characteristic sounds of reading from the platters are heard, after which the engine stops.
In all my cases, when the heads were defective, the engine did not stop.
NVRAM on these disks is absent both in ROM and on platters.
Is the PCB without a hermo identified in the system?