WD10S21X-24R1BT0 SSHD natural failure or modified disk?

[cheadledatarecovery]

I've been working on a WD10S21X-24R1BT0 and the data has been recovered. However, I'm curious/suspicious as to the symptoms of failure. I wondered if anyone here could account for the following 'faults' by the disk failing on its own means? Or whether you (like I) think the disk was deliberately modified. The customer states that no previous recovery attempt had been made on the disk. But that customer also knows that there would be a higher fee for working on a deliberately modified disk.

The following changes had been made to the drive ID:

Disable Look Ahead - Enabled
Enable relocation / DLG-II - Disabled
The maximum capacity of the disk was set as 0 MB
Time Limited Error Recovery (TLER) - Enabled, with a 0 millisecond response time set.
In 02.rpm the area where the serial number would be listed has been filled with WDC-ROM SN# XYZ----

There could also be other changes that I've not noticed yet - but making the appropriate changes to the above allowed for the recovery of data.

Could all of these changes occur without some sort of human intervention?

Best regards,
John

[Lardman]

Regardless of could they have occurred I think you have to consider the likelihood of them doing so. It sure sounds like a sloppy seconds drive.

[cheadledatarecovery]

I wondered whether the customer himself could have potentially altered any of the settings? Certainly, there is 'off the shelf' software that could set the maximum LBA to 0 (i.e. no need for PC3k). But to be able to turn off the 'Enable reallocation / DLG-II' setting? Is this feasible without PC3k or similar equipment?

John

[Lardman]

Im sure I've seen a DIY post for mimicking TLER but how likely is it the client would go to that sort of DIY length. Id say it is far more likely it went elsewhere first and recovery was declined. FWIW I mark anything that's been in here with a UV pen as Im tired of undisclosed prior recovery attempts showing up so everyone else must be too.