WD5000KS clicking noise

[arturk]

My WD5000KS developed clicking noise problem

Computer just hung one day and when I rebooted drive was not recognized by the BIOS.
When powered up drive spins-up and clicks few times and than turns off.
I am going to try to swap PCB. I hope it is the problem but I realize it could be heads.

As you can see from my picture barcode number of PCB is:
2061 - 701383 - E00 AF XS 3H16 0Q7J 6 0007030 7037
Motor driver is: L6284 2.2
Serial flash: SST25VF020

I did identify possible donor for PCB.
Its number is:
2061 - 701383 - E00 AC XW 3H11 2027 1 0001360 6361
This is all the info I got at this moment. I do not have it physically yet.

The first part of it matches; do you think this one is will make a good donor?

I going to try re-program serial flash before swapping. Is there anything else I need to do?
What about firmware and how do I tell its version? Do I relly care?

Any help would be appreciated.

Attachments

[jono-ats]

I don't think you have a board problem. I think the problem is with the HDA or firmware.

Jon

[jisri]

Did you fix it?
any updates on this?
please advice me cuz I have the exact same problem.

[jisri]

Did you fix it?
any updates on this?
please advice me cuz I have the exact same problem.

[Mil6000]

Did the donor board correct the problem?

I have almost the identical WD5000KS drive dated 14 SEP 1006. The drive spins up, clicks a few times, and then spins down. Would like to know if the PCB board would solve the problem?

TIA

[tjfulopp]

Same problem - did you succeed in fixing the clicking WD5000KS in any way?

Thanks!

[Russwinters]

clicking being caused by the PCB is extremely unlikely. Although it is good to rule it out if you have access to a compatible pcb. As it's already been said clicking is predominantly caused by an issue with either the firmware, or a malfuntion with the HDA.

[thatdellguy]

I got one of these from a customer who had the classic three clicks three times and then shut down. Customer supplied me two other drives purchased at the same time. All three drives have same date, same firmware, same pcb, and same dcm. A hot swap of the failed drive was performed and we were able to read sa-a and sa-b perfectly with no errors. We then swapped the heads from one of the good ones and got the same clicking noise. We then tried a hot swap from the third drive was able to read sa-a and sa-b on the failed drive again. Does anyone "really" know what is going on with these drives? We even had another case where the sa-a was damaged but repaired and still did not work after head transplant. In both cases above we transplanted the failed drives heads into the good donors and they worked. Something is fishy here.

[rchadwick]

Alignment?

[harddrivespecialist]

Alignment?

That what I thought, but then first drive..... did it fall, someone accidently kicked it?

[thatdellguy]

I've seen a lot of these KS and YS drives so far but those two puzzle me. Both customers had the hard drive sitting on a desk or table and noticed it clicking. Or so they tell me. I have tried different alignments with no success. Putting the failed drives heads into the working drives required no alignment to make them work. My only guess is maybe the platters are out of alignment, the firmware has a bug, or the platter surface degraded from heat. Just thought Id put those two out there to see if anyone has had the same problems.

[mediaman]

These big WD's in USB enclosures = nonono

We have seen three now in 2 months. Same symptoms. I am pretty sure people use them on their sides, (those dumb plastic "stands") and they flop over: alignment lost and or HSA damage.

[scratchy]

ThatDellGuy:

If hot swapped gives access to SA did you try copying translator and reading data after hot swap ?

<itch>

[harddrivespecialist]

Try head by head copying.

[tjfulopp]

Sounds intriguing - how do you do "head by head copying"?

Thanks!

[harddrivespecialist]

You need Data Extractor, which is very expensive and sofisticated equipment.

[BlackST]

I can confirm the USB boxes usually stand on the side so the drive falls. Also, I bet that substandard parts or already refurb drives are sold in bulk to usb box manufacturers. Strangely, I have many of these BIG drives working in perfect environment since 2006, 24/7. No problem.

[thatdellguy]

I tried the smart hotswap with translator from the failed drive but still get a clicking only when accessing the data. Also the seal between the lid and base has degraded on one side. It could have contaminated the drive. I know for sure that something caused platter damage because we had to rebuild sa-a from sa-b. Just a really werid drive.

[harddrivespecialist]

Are you sure noone before you was tempering with a drive?

Just woundering, it is a fairly new drive, how could a seal get degraded in such a short period of time?

[thatdellguy]

We were definitely the first to open the drive and no I don't know if anyone tampered with the firmware before me. The silicon bead around the left side of the drive is degraded enough to let air in. My only guess is that it was used next to some airborne chemicals.