Data Recovery for WD Red WD40EFRX

[pako]

I have a WD40EFRX HDD which isn't recognized by any OS anymore.
I can hear the HDD spinning and there are no strange/unusual noises (like clicking, scratching etc).
The HDD has a "2060-771945-002 REV A" controller board.
I also bought another controller board, transferred the BIOS chip with flashrom and tried it with the HDD.
With the new controller board the HDD is not even spinning anymore.
But as i connected the original controller board again, i heard the disks spinning again.

There are entries in dmesg (linux), which you can find at the end. So SOMETHING still IS working on the HDD.
My question now is: Is there a chance to get the data from the HDD and what possibilities do I have to recover the data?
Can you send me into a specific direction where i can take a look at?

Thanks!

dmesg-entries (i am using a sata -> usb adapter):

Code:

[  436.843333] usb 2-2: new SuperSpeed USB device number 2 using xhci_hcd
[  436.867133] usb 2-2: New USB device found, idVendor=XXXX, idProduct=XXXX, bcdDevice= X.XX
[  436.867144] usb 2-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[  436.867148] usb 2-2: Product: USB to ATA/ATAPI Bridge
[  436.867151] usb 2-2: Manufacturer: JMicron
[  436.867154] usb 2-2: SerialNumber: 0123456789ABCDEF
[  436.890162] usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
[  436.908846] scsi host11: uas
[  436.908973] usbcore: registered new interface driver uas
[  436.909520] scsi 11:0:0:0: Direct-Access     JMicron  Generic          XXXX PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[  436.911453] sd 11:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg4 type 0
[  436.912141] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] Spinning up disk...
[  437.921483] ..................................................................................................not responding...
[  549.280440] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] Read Capacity(16) failed: Result: hostbyte=DID_OK driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
[  549.280449] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] Sense Key : Not Ready [current]
[  549.280454] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] Add. Sense: Logical unit is in process of becoming ready
[  555.297250] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] Read Capacity(10) failed: Result: hostbyte=DID_OK driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
[  555.297260] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] Sense Key : Not Ready [current]
[  555.297264] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] Add. Sense: Logical unit is in process of becoming ready
[  555.297271] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] 0 512-byte logical blocks: (0 B/0 B)
[  555.297274] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] 0-byte physical blocks
[  561.313921] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] Test WP failed, assume Write Enabled
[  563.319601] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] Asking for cache data failed
[  563.319613] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] Assuming drive cache: write through
[  569.336185] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] Preferred minimum I/O size 4096 bytes not a multiple of physical block size (0 bytes)
[  569.336195] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] Optimal transfer size 33553920 bytes not a multiple of physical block size (0 bytes)
[  569.336828] sd 11:0:0:0: [sde] Attached SCSI disk


[michael chiklis]

Did you test donor pcb on your drive before doing rom swap?
I mean, how does your drive behavies with donor rom on donor pcb ? ---> does it come from chineese seller?

If it doesn't power on even in this condition then your donor pcb is faulty.
If it was working before rom swap, then it means that it got damaged after.

The drive until it was working, was it attached directly with sata cable to the computer or it was inside a usb enclousure (example MyBook) ?

Last edited by michael chiklis on November 3rd, 2023, 10:25, edited 1 time in total.

[pako]

yes, it came from a chinese seller...
donor rom with donor pcb -> disk is spinning but stops after a few seconds
original rom with donor pcb -> disk is not spinning at all
original rom with original pcb -> disk is spinning and keeps spinning

the drive was part of a NAS.

[michael chiklis]

Code:

donor rom with donor pcb -> disk is spinning but stops after a few seconds

it would just mean that the donor rom version is completely different from the original, so hard drive refuses to keep spinning.

Code:

original rom with donor pcb -> disk is not spinning at all

this is the weird condition, unless your programmer didn't flash properly the rom.

Code:

original rom with original pcb -> disk is spinning and keeps spinning

that's normal, the chances that your original pcb is faulty are very low.

Check with WDMarvel if your drive gets detect with original rom and original pcb.
https://wdmarvel.com/en/demo/

If yes, than you might try to see if let's you access into service area (SA)

[pako]

i will try that - thanks.

i checked what the programmer did and compared the hashs of the rom contents.
so programming should've been fine

[michael chiklis]

Is donor pcb number the same of patient pcb?

[michael chiklis]

i will try that - thanks.

i checked what the programmer did and compared the hashs of the rom contents.
so programming should've been fine

If checksum after writing matches the one of original rom, then the flashing process was fine.
Maybe some soldering issue (soldering joints got broken)?
Did you use SOP8 clip adapter for flashing?

[pako]

yes, the pcb numbers are identical.
and yes, i used a SOP8 clip adapter - so no de/soldering involved.
for the flashing i used the tool "flashrom"

[michael chiklis]

and yes, i used a SOP8 clip adapter - so no de/soldering involved.

I was thinking that maybe the solder joints on rom were loose (i often see this on pcbs coming from china) and then these joints broke once the clip scratched them

[DRUG]

ISTM that this is firmware and can be solved only with pro tools.