WDC firmware fix w/o pricey tools?

[labtech]

Recently had a case with Relo mod checked good, but still get translation issues. I think I wrote another good relo mod from another drive of the same fw ver and then then the data was accessible and drive ran decently.

But careful how you play with this! Your data, your choice.

[hddguy]

If relo has any data other than header, clear it and recalc checksum.

[driverx]

Spildit, you're looking are looking at the exception flags table. There's nothing wrong with the file.

Code:

File Loaded
ReloList parser activated
file_version : 00170000

No. of Rsvd Cylinders .................... : 0
# of Hash Elements ....................... : 195
Max Linear Elements ...................... : 1465
Offset to Hash Table ..................... : 0xA4
Offset to Linear Table ................... : 0x230
Offset to Exception Flags Table .......... : 0x1AE4
Offset to Write Uncorrectable Flags Table  : 0x2114
Offset to Future Flags Table ............. : 0x2744
Offset to Rehab Table .................... : 0x33A0
First Spare ABA .......................... : 0x162F14B5
First Spare LBA .......................... : 0xAEFE6D10
Last Spare LBA ............................: 0xC27632AF
Starting Spare Phy Cyl ................... : 0x37FF9
Starting Spare Phy Hd .................... : 1
RELOs Remaining .......................... : 1437 (0x59D)
Spare Sectors Left ....................... : 40827060 (0x26ef8b4)
No. of ExceptionList Entries ............. : 768
No. of Relos ............................. : 28
No. of Total Tares........................ : 2
No. of Total FTares....................... : 0
No. of Pure Tares......................... : 2
No. of Pure FTares........................ : 0
No. of Pseudo Write Uncorrectables ....... : 0
No. of Flagged Write Uncorrectables .......: 0
No. of Write Uncorrectable read err ...... : 0

[cgallery]

If relo has any data other than header, clear it and recalc checksum.

Is this something that can be done with WDR Demo?

WDR is the only tool I have for service-area manipulation.

[louis]

FWIW, MODs 20h and 21h are showing that the SMART Command Timeout attribute has hit its threshold. That's one of the hidden attributes that isn't reported to the user.

Code:

ID   Typ   Cur  Worst  Raw             Description

1   2F    200  200    00000000000000  Read Error Rate
3   27    253  253    000000000003F8  Spin-Up Time
4   32     97   97    00000000000F6B  Start/Stop Count
5   33    200  200    00000000000000  Reallocated Sector Count
7   2E    191  191    00000000000355  Seek Error Rate
9   32     97   97    0000000000096F  Power-On Hours
A   32    100  100    00000000000000  Spin Retry Count
B   32    100  100    00000000000000  Calibration Retry Count
C   32     97   97    00000000000F69  Power Cycle Count
B8   B2 H  100  100    00000000000000  End-to-End Error
BB   B2 H  100  100    00000000000000  Reported Uncorrectable Errors
BC   B2 H    1    1    0000DF00E10151  Command Timeout
BE   A2 H   68   52    00000000000020  Airflow Temperature
C0   32    200  200    000000000000A0  Power-off Retract Count
C1   32    197  197    0000000000266E  Load/Unload Cycle Count
C2   22    118  102    00000000000020  Temperature
C3   B6 H  100  253    00000000000000  Hardware ECC Recovered
C4   32    200  200    00000000000000  Reallocation Event Count
C5   32    200  200    00000000000002  Current Pending Sector Count
C6   30    200  200    00000000000002  Offline Uncorrectable
C7   32    200  200    00000000000000  UltraDMA CRC Error Count
C8    8    200  200    00000000000003  Write Error Rate
F0   B2 H   99   99    00000000000371  Head Flying Hours
F1   B2 H  200  200    000000102A61AA  Total LBAs Written
F2   B2 H  200  200    0000000BAD411D  Total LBAs Read


the mod 0x20 seems to be a copy of mod 21. it doesn't show in directory table - mod 01. basically it's invisible.

fzabkar how did (with what) you gen the table from the mod 21? I found the smart table sector inside..but I need a method to get it right.

[louis]

k, I found myself the jumpin' pointer to the table..inside that file...I need to do the same also for the threshold table.

[saltwater]

Hello everyone!
I need some help.
I have a patient WD20EARX-00MMMB0) drive with damaged system area. The heads are okay, because i swapped in clean room yesterday from a working donor (WD30EZRX-00MMMB0). My Atola Insight unit could not identify the drive. With WD Repair Tool 5.3 i can read the rom and the head map, but when i want to read the firmware rom files , the appearing window is empty. When i start the drive it spins up, clicks 5 times, and spins down, and the wdr tool identifies it:WDC ROM MODEL-DRAGON- FW:20.5QP SN:WDC-ROM SN# XYZ
Question: How can i access to the system area, and fix firmware related problems?
I really need help, because i have 3 patient WD drives with good heads and system area corruptions.

[louis]

Hello everyone!
Question: How can i access to the system area, and fix firmware related problems?

If you can't read the SA..then the heads are not good. The model number must be identical unless you know for sure that WD30EZRX heads work on WD20EARX. Basically after a head swap if heads are fine you should be able to read the SA. Those 5 clicks means that the firmware can-t read the heads...find servo information etc. even with a blank SA the drive with good heads should start fine..with no clicks.

[jono-ats]

DCM matters on these . . .

[pcimage]

DCM matters on these . . .

Yes it seems to, well at least one digit of it

[saltwater]

Okay, these two drives DCM codes are:
WD30EZRX-00MMMB0 DCM:HBNCHT2ABB 08 SEP 2012
WD20EARX-00MMMB0 DCM:HARCHT2AAB 27 JUL 2012
The drives has the same head map, everything looks like same under the hood, except the PCB

But another patient drive (WD10EADS-00M2B0) could read the firmware rom files 0001.rpm, 00c0.rpm and the 0031.rpm. It does not identified by Atola, and i can't write the firmware files with WDR, can't format SA, can't write anything.

One more drive (WD5000AADS-00S9B0) is stays bsy when the PCB is attached, but when detached from the hdd, its puts itself ready state after a minute.
So what is the first thing i have to do with WDR to start the heads to read from the SA?

[louis]

If the donor heads are good you have nothing to do to read the SA. the module map (which holds the information where the other modules are written) it's the mod 01 which it's located at reserved LBA 0 in SA. in wdr do a head test to see if it can read the SA. if it gives you errors ..then you have an incompatible/bad donor head stack.

sometime you have to fine tune the MRJOG values after a head swap for head 0 and 1 (wdr has a small window to help you do that), to access the SA. the data modified it's located in PCB's flash..so it doesn't need any SA write.

[longlife]

Okay, these two drives DCM codes are:
WD30EZRX-00MMMB0 DCM:HBNCHT2ABB 08 SEP 2012
WD20EARX-00MMMB0 DCM:HARCHT2AAB 27 JUL 2012
The drives has the same head map, everything looks like same under the hood, except the PCB

But another patient drive (WD10EADS-00M2B0) could read the firmware rom files 0001.rpm, 00c0.rpm and the 0031.rpm. It does not identified by Atola, and i can't write the firmware files with WDR, can't format SA, can't write anything.

One more drive (WD5000AADS-00S9B0) is stays bsy when the PCB is attached, but when detached from the hdd, its puts itself ready state after a minute.
So what is the first thing i have to do with WDR to start the heads to read from the SA?

Is that so, that WDR is MOSTLY Not compatible with most PCBs???????
May i suggest a POLL on how most users rate WDR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HaQue]

Okay, these two drives DCM codes are:
WD30EZRX-00MMMB0 DCM:HBNCHT2ABB 08 SEP 2012
WD20EARX-00MMMB0 DCM:HARCHT2AAB 27 JUL 2012
The drives has the same head map, everything looks like same under the hood, except the PCB

But another patient drive (WD10EADS-00M2B0) could read the firmware rom files 0001.rpm, 00c0.rpm and the 0031.rpm. It does not identified by Atola, and i can't write the firmware files with WDR, can't format SA, can't write anything.

One more drive (WD5000AADS-00S9B0) is stays bsy when the PCB is attached, but when detached from the hdd, its puts itself ready state after a minute.
So what is the first thing i have to do with WDR to start the heads to read from the SA?

Is that so, that WDR is MOSTLY Not compatible with most PCBs???????
May i suggest a POLL on how most users rate WDR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

??????? == ?
and
!!!!!!!!!!!!!! == !

[saltwater]

Now with donor hot swap, i can access to the system area. Witch are the most important mod's that has to be good for the system could identify the hdd?
And witch mods i have to finetune for access the data?
I need real answers please.

[louis]

Witch are the most important mod's that has to be good for the system could identify the hdd?

don't expect answers. firmware modifies with each version. who knows what mods are required for your drive!? get a good drive, and start deleting mods to see which are really necessary. if you start reading around you will find some important mods...like mod 11 which it's a part of SA firmware..and some other mods containing tables used by firmware..like translators for SA or user area...smart mods which stores tables with drive live params etc.

And witch mods i have to finetune for access the data?

basically adaptive mods..one it's for SA and it's in ROM..and the others are on SA holding tables with data for each head in each zone of he platters.

[waqas_ali766]

Hello,
If your hdd give you access to module and showing model and serial number OK, then problem occur due to following reasons,
1. Any defect list damaged like 31, 32, 33, 34, 36
2. one of the head not able to read or write
3. drive is encrypted by modification in 0b and 02 modules.

Regards
Waqas Ali
www.sediv.net

[saltwater]

Hello again!
Back to the sick WD20EARX-00MMMB0 drive. After the head swap it clicks 3 times and spins down (micro jogs are compatible). When i would like to read the rom contents, the drive spins up (strange i think), clicks 3 times, and spins down. All modules readed from the rom except the 0001. The error code is 5441 (SERVO_ERROR_CODE_BASE_SvirActSync)
Could somebody help me, and upload a WD20EARX-00MMMB0 firmware modules with rom modules?
Thank you!
Best wishes for all....

[louis]

Hello again!
All modules readed from the rom except the 0001. The error code is 5441 (SERVO_ERROR_CODE_BASE_SvirActSync)

mod 1 it's the directory module...and it's on SA. try to use the rom adaptives from the donor's pcb. if it doesn't work, then there's a problem with the HSA.

[fzabkar]

When i would like to read the rom contents, the drive spins up (strange i think), clicks 3 times, and spins down. All modules readed from the rom except the 0001. The error code is 5441 (SERVO_ERROR_CODE_BASE_SvirActSync)

If you examine ROM MOD 0B or MOD 20B, you will find an entry for MOD 01. Since this module is located in the SA rather than ROM (as has been explained by louis), then I would think that this explains why the drive spins up.