deskstar pcb swapping

[chipmunk]

Hi Guys,
I am no big expert at this but I did swap PCBs on deskstar drives and I did get the data back more than once. Here I read that the NVRAM would have to be swapped too to get the thing to work (in all cases?).
Could some one please explain what the deal is?
cheers / harald

[CK]

Adaptive Data (Drive specific information) is stored on the NV-RAM chip on certain Hitachi drives. For the older drives, a PCB swap would suffice but it will not work on all drives. You will need to resolder the NVRAM chip onto your donor board should it be one of the models which stores adaptive data.

[pcimage]

You can get lucky sometimes, the NVRAM contains the starting address for the SA of the drive.

I had a VLAT drive yesterday that worked with a PCB from another one, but that's pretty rare!

Also some models of Hitachi don't have NVRAM at all, such as the ATDA and ATCS series.

Mostly you WILL need to transfer the NVRAM (either re-program or physically transfer)

Sean

[chipmunk]

Thanks!
How do I spot if the drive has a NVRAM?
What sort of data is this drive specific data?
cheers / harald

[networkpc3000]

hello,
would you like to post the image of your PCB?

[chipmunk]

Hi,
This is the picture of the drive concerned (front and back).
It makes 'the' clicking sound.

[chipmunk]

ok, ok...
Here is the URL:
http://www.chipmunk.nl/plaatjes/untitled-98.jpg
sorry!

[pcimage]

The NVRAM is the 8-legged chip above the big Infineon chip

[gsimon]

Is it enough to change NVram without exchange ROM?

[pcimage]

yes,

make sure the 1st two lines of the PCB code match.

[chipmunk]

> First two lines of PCB code have to match...

You means the '0A29525 BA1790'?

[pcimage]

If that's the first two lines from the four lines of code on the little sticker on the PCB, then yes!

[chipmunk]

What kind of behaviour would I get from a drive if the NVram is 'wrong'?

For example I have two drive of the same model Hitachi. One 'clunks' the other is fine. If I swap the PCBs then the working one still works and the bad drive still 'clunks'.
Can I conclude that both NVrams are identical in this case? (because the good drive works with the suspect PCB)
Can I conclude that the problem is in the mechanism?

How do I nail down the cause of the 'clunking' in an easy way?
All help is more than welcome!

[pcimage]

It would appear then the NVRAM is identical in this case.

The clunking is probably down to bad head(s), could be firmware but much less likely.

[BlackST]

I vote for bad head/s or platter damage (ouch !!!) ...

[Russwinters]

Indeed, heads it is.



And as stated, NVRAM stores adaptives, and sometimes you may get lucky that the adaptives are close enough of a match that you do not need to tranfer NVRAM chip, but this is a rare occurence, you got very lucky.

[pfrenzies]

Guys I'm hoping you can help. I am swapping the PCB board on two IBM Deskstar drives because of broken pins. I've removed the screws but stopped there as I wasn't sure how to remove the thin cable that attaches the drive to the board. Before I experimented and risked damaging it could you share with me how to remove it.
Thanks

and sorry for reviving an old post but there was not much out there on the topic.

[CK]

very easy to remove the cable.......just observe ESD precautions and be gentle...

[zebong]

Indeed, heads it is.
And as stated, NVRAM stores adaptives, and sometimes you may get lucky that the adaptives are close enough of a match that you do not need to tranfer NVRAM chip, but this is a rare occurence, you got very lucky.

Hi, can you confirm iff the ROM version and the NVRAM Version the first two letters match, them we can acess the SA.

ROM ID.................................. : ADxx
NV-RAM ID............................... : ADxx

RESF version............................ : ADxx

Thanks
ZeBong

[pfrenzies]

Thank you CK