Shorted WD5000AAKS board

[Ridgrunner]

have a WD5000AAKS 500GB HD
as soon as the PCB is pluged into the power connection it will cause my POwer supply to shut down.
I tried putting this in a external enclosure and it did the same thing.

So I pull the PCB off of the drive and just plug it into the external enclosure and it did the same thing.

So there must be a Short somewhere on the PCB.

I need to find out where I can get another PCB. so I can gett my files off. everthing is repalceble except for some of my pictures that have not backed up yet
the PCB # is 2061-701477-800

Thanks

Carl

[stts]

You will probably have to use Ebay if you cant find one here. At least on Ebay you can get pictures and numbers from the drive of interest. It would be great to get a new one but you cant really see what you are getting.

Have you probed around the board yet to see what is shorted? Sometimes a motor winding shorts and causes the PCB to short. I assume you are aware you will most likely have to swap circuit chips.

Post back with your findings and we will try to help more.

And welcome to the Forum.

[unknown]

It's a damaged DIODE on the right-top of your PCB

Change it with good one and you will solve the problem

Good luck

[Ridgrunner]

Thanks,

I ordered a new one that I think is the same. it is worth a try for only $70 but if i could find a board I could fix this one and then get a raid controler for both

[hddguy]

Thanks,

I ordered a new one that I think is the same. it is worth a try for only $70 but if i could find a board I could fix this one and then get a raid controler for both

To have 2 working disks, you would need both disks to have working diodes. If one is damaged, you can use one from a donor to repair but it will still leave you with two disks and just one diode!

Try Ultratec.com, they have been known to sell PCB's on their own, but they are based in UK, not sure if thats a problem for you.

P.S. - Personally, I would make the move from western digital!!

[BlackST]

There must be something wrong with CERTAIN WD drives. Think. The majority of the issues seem to arise from NON WD external enclosures with WD drives inside.
In that case, the responsability is entirely on the enclosure manufacturer.
Probably they bought stocks of factory refurbished or externally repaired or borderline quality drives in order to put them into their enclosures and sell them.
In fact I can buy brand new WD drives with 3-Yr. warranty from top distributors, but they cost me (wholesale price) more than a similar drive into an external enclosure with power supply END USER PRICE at shopping malls.
So where's the problem ?
If WD dares giving 3-yr warranty on SUCH drive, they have to be sure their QC is excellent, or it will bite them back with warranty issues.
According to the great numbers law - it's always business, anyway! - they are not losing revenue in any case, so the problem must be somewhere else.
Also, let me say another thing : external enclosures ARE NOT designed for 24-7 operation : they have a poorly designed power supply with no OVP at all , overheating problems and so on. They are designed for intermittent use.
End users, instead, use them as permanent storage , 24-7, with ever-on PCs, moving drives while powered ... And what do you expect, stressing things exposed to limit conditions ?
I have customers with external USB drives , used with common sense , lasting years. They were clearly adviced by me when I sold them the drives.
I had very few issues on Maxtor, less with WD and NOT AT ALL with Samsungs.
I have not too much track record with Seagates, but in all case no drive was exposed to limit conditions.
I think infant mortality is a thing, hunting for troubles and misuse is another. Most of the users , for me, fall in the second category.

[hddguy]

There must be something wrong with CERTAIN WD drives. Think. The majority of the issues seem to arise from NON WD external enclosures with WD drives inside.
In that case, the responsability is entirely on the enclosure manufacturer.

I definately agree that certian WD drives have problems, and now I think about it I receive more WD drives in a NON WD enclosure than I receive in a WD enclosure. Maybe it is coincidence?? And WD must be brave if they are prepared to offer a 3yr warranty!!

Personally I think its a shame Seagate bought Maxtor and not WD

[BlackST]

In fact you get the 3Yr buying them not at shopping malls... they are prepared for the drives that they are sure they passed somewhat QC , otherwise they would be completely fool. When the drive was not sold by them directly, it's no more THEIR problem. On 10 faulty enclosures, maybe 6 out of 10 customers don't bother and get a new one so they got PURE REVENUE from all this, the remaining 4 probably they have to RMA - indirectly - 1 or 2, the other 1 or 2 maybe can be refurbished for.... guess for what ?!? .
Sometimes the annoying procedure for replacement and the time spent is not worth at it...

[hddguy]

I definately agree! I have RMA'd just a few HDDs, and the time involved in filling out the RMA, then the packaging and shipping, and the wait for me has been as long as 3 weeks sometimes!

It is such a shame that the WD drives fail so regularly and are sometimes very difficult to repair, because in my experience when they work they are pretty good drives!!