Bad ROM - Incompatible Donor Repair

[WebClaw]

Morning all;

I have a recovery that's got me stumped.

I have a 120GB 7200.7 (AVALACHE) series HDD that came into our shop with bad ROM.
After client approved the recovery costs we ordered another HDD (same model) in working condition.

I swaped the PCB after a ROM swap; the drive stays in BSY state. I then used terminal (we have Salvation Seagate HD tools); and got:
PREMAP ID 00 Incompatible Error

I backed up the SA from the donor drive, and then performed a PCB hot swap and backed up the SA from the client (source) drive.

Then using the a PCB hot swap I attempted to perform image out using DeepSpar - but got lots of read errors (assuming this is a result of different G/P list data on each drive).

I noted SECT module was present in the SA; if I was to write the SECT module from the client's drive onto the donor drive, then perform a PCB hot swap would this work? Am I going about this recovery wrong? Is there a function in F mode to rebuild the ROM from the modules like in WD?

[labtech]

It sounds like you are not very experienced and maybe just got into the DR industry... so be careful in attempting things without knowing the consequences. Suggest you practice on dummy drives before working on real ones.

If the patient drive only has a ROM (pertaining to the PCB) issue, then you do not need to do all of that extra stuff.
The answer is here: http://www.donordrives.com/hard-drive-p ... swap-match

[WebClaw]

Thanks for your reponse labtech - I consulted the link you provided; what I failed to mention in my origional post is that I am unable to obtain the exact firmware version (PCB of the drive from any of our suppliers.

The Donor is firmware v3.31 and the source is 3.33.

My understanding is to recover the data forced to either do something more advanced, get a matching PCB, or find the ROM on the Internet.

As a note, a simple PCB swap did not work.

Can you provide insight on my SECT module write?

[BlackST]

How did you know that the original problem was a bad ROM ? Previous attempts ? Did you read the ORIGINAL ROM EXTERNALLY and check contents ? From what I see the problem is elsewhere and I sniff 'DRIDIYA' (Desperate Reckless Internet Do It Yourself Attempt) before the drive came in your hands...

[labtech]

@Can you provide insight on my SECT module write?

No, sorry.

[WebClaw]

Yes BlastST; attempted to get a dump of the ROM externally 8 pin board; ROM chip is completely blank - 0F.

[WebClaw]

From what I see the problem is elsewhere and I sniff 'DRIDIYA' (Desperate Reckless Internet Do It Yourself Attempt) before the drive came in your hands...

That is quite possible; drive came from a computer repair company and not a client... Who knows that they read and did...