I think I know what might be wrong.
I now believe that the "2.05" supply should actually be +2.5V.
Here is my analysis of a similar board:
http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/HDD/Tu ... 0411N.htmlThe supply voltages on that board were +3.3V, +2.5V, and +1.37V. The Vcore supply was derived from the +2.5V supply.
Therefore ISTM that the circuit I have identified as "Vneg" is not in fact the negative supply for the preamp. Instead it is the +2.5V supply. The Vneg supply is actually derived from a "flying capacitor" circuit near the motor controller.
I would measure the voltages across each of the capacitors (C1 and C2) at the HDA pins. One should be +5V, the other -5V.
With the power switched off, I would also measure the resistance (on the 200 ohms range) between the top two pins (B & C) of the bottom transistor in the second photo clip (SP1203_regs). The reading should not be low.
Then set your meter on the diode range and measure between B & C and between B & E. If the transistor is good, then you should see approximately 0.6V on your meter for each reading.
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- SP1203N_regs.jpg (44.93 KiB) Viewed 6283 times
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- SP1203N_preamp.jpg (58.18 KiB) Viewed 6283 times