Quantum Fireball Plus AS 60GB

[Michael S]

This has nothing to do with the PCB, what fzabkar is talking about is firmware residing in the Service Area on the platters of the drive. You need very specialist tools to work with this.

Yes, that was what I was getting at. I assume the donor PCB cannot access the "Discware" section of the platters from the original drive, only the original (broken) PCB can do that. But if the part that's broken on the original board is what's needed to access the service area, then I'm unlikely to be able to revive the drive at all.

[Michael S]

Let's see the terminal output from the good drive.

No problem, I'll give this a go tomorrow.

[guru]

Still want pics of both bottoms of HDD's

[Michael S]

Still want pics of both bottoms of HDD's

Don't worry, I hadn't forgotten you! Donor is on the left.

Attachments

[Michael S]

Right, here's the output from the good PCB on the good drive.

SpinUp
Init RPM=0000
hotRpm=0000
RECAL recalStep 0000 recalStep 0001 recalStep 0002 recalStep 0003 recalStep 0004 recalStep 000E recalStep 0009 recalStep 0005 93 recalStep 0005 A4 recalStep 0005 92 recalStep 0005 93 recalStep 0005 8A recalStep 0005 92 recalStep 0007 HdMap 3F
recalStep 0008 recalStep 000E recalStep 000A recalStep 000F recalStep 000E recalStep 000C recalStep 0011 RdFile 0E
RdFile 65
RdFile 06
RdFile 05
RdFile 01
RdFile 00
ResInit done
DWpowerOn
RdFile 08

[Michael S]

I'm guessing that the following sequence corresponds to a head calibration process beginning with head #0 and ending with head #5. ISTM that the drive tests for the presence of 6 heads and detects only 3 (heads #1, 2, and 3). A calibration test result is reported for each of the discovered heads (71, 7E, 80).

recalStep 0005
recalStep 0005 71
recalStep 0005 7E
recalStep 0005 80
recalStep 0005
recalStep 0005
recalStep 0007
HdMap 0E

This makes sense now that the comparison can be made with the same section in the working drive's output:

recalStep 0005 93
recalStep 0005 A4
recalStep 0005 92
recalStep 0005 93
recalStep 0005 8A
recalStep 0005 92
recalStep 0007
HdMap 3F

[guru]

So 3F = 00111111

From memory I think the values against each step is the head BIAS.

I will check if I can find a good sample

[fzabkar]

"The third symbol of the serial number [of Quantum Plus AS] shows the quantity of installed and being used heads":

http://hddguru.com/articles/2006.02.17- ... k-Q-and-A/

[fzabkar]

So 3F = 00111111

From memory I think the values against each step is the head BIAS.

Wouldn't the OP's results suggest that the 3 missing heads may have been physically destroyed such as in a head crash, or perhaps there are bad connections at the preamp on the headstack? In the case of the latter, might it be possible to overcome the bad connection by orienting the drive vertically so that the preamp is pressed against the flex lead by its own weight???

In any case, the 3 missing heads appear to be open circuit, IIUC.

[guru]

0-4-5 head duff and that would make sense as it tried copy 1 (HD 1)

That's just a calculated guess

Still can't find any AS to play with

[pcimage]

0-4-5 head duff and that would make sense as it tried copy 1 (HD 1)

That's just a calculated guess

Still can't find any AS to play with

Duff head on this drive! And that ain't fun!!

I changed heads on one of these some time ago, got it in the end but never again!!!

[BlackST]

0-4-5 head duff and that would make sense as it tried copy 1 (HD 1)

That's just a calculated guess

Still can't find any AS to play with

ABC of data recovery : Quantum AS drives.... (nostalgia mood on)

1) AS the PCB was died some damage to the headstack was possible. In that case,
2) You cannot straightforward do a headswap and expect success. 1 out of 200 donors can work and also maybe partially. Forget it.
3) If you really have one bad head, it is still not game over. Unless there is a crash going on inside the HDA. But you have to know how AS work and how the FW is structured, and most of all, have something to communicate with the drive (with a working PCB of course). Oh, and don't rely on copies on heads different from H0... ...

Note before I receive PMs that I hardly read now : have a working solution for data recovery on Quantums and MX740 - that are Quantum Maxtors - with bad heads, but the cost for this kind of recovery is very high. So please don't ask me anything about it.

P.S. @guru... do you remember some talk years ago about AS / MX ?

[guru]

Oh yes. Galaxy/Viper. But my memory banks are fused and I haven't touched AS drives FOR YEARS!!!

[BlackST]

Go figure, still refurbishing and recovering from CX (6.4 / 10.2 GB) these days....
Incredibly, I still find CX, AS, LCT, CR and co. on industrial stuff.... in use.

What I love : if you don't really know how these puppies work , when the problem is REALLY a problem, you're hosed - while if you do, you make good buck$...

[Michael S]

Is there anything else I can try? Or is the only possibility of success a platter/head swap going by what been said so far?

[DataPlanet]

Very Classic case... First of all on these hard drives "NO NEED OF ROM SWAP" THIS IS 1999's drive when hdd manufacturing by a company to different countries when they see cost effective.

There are two type of major problem PCB and Heads.

Mostly PCB gone dead due to heat up.

you have to find same manufacture drive like Singapore , Thailand or etc.

Second capicity must be same 60 GB.

then swap the PCB

if lucky got data then ok if not update the post i will forward head problem solution.

[fzabkar]

Mostly PCB gone dead due to heat up.

you have to find same manufacture drive like Singapore , Thailand or etc.

Second capicity must be same 60 GB.

then swap the PCB

if lucky got data then ok if not update the post i will forward head problem solution.

The OP has already replaced the PCB.

Am I to understand that there is a difference between the PCB on a 60GB model as opposed to a 20GB model? Wouldn't the terminal output suggest that the drive "discovers" the heads and builds a head map dynamically rather than by using the information in ROM? If so, then couldn't the same ROM code suffice for all Fireball AS capacities?

[fzabkar]

Is there anything else I can try? Or is the only possibility of success a platter/head swap going by what been said so far?

No need to swap platters unless the spindle motor is seized.

I would wait for DataPlanet's "head problem solution".

[Michael S]

if lucky got data then ok if not update the post i will forward head problem solution.

I've already changed the PCB without success. Can you let me have your head problem solution?

[DataPlanet]

fzabkar you are most nice person and intelligent electronic engineer i have ever seen... As for your question in old hdd's capacity is not a big issue but the manufacturing country is the issue many spare parts are different and the manufacturing of track on platter and SA is also some how different but architecture may be same "fzabkar" I have some personal work with you also sending you PM. So better if you try with same capacity and make of the hdd.

Now here is the head formula I am only sharing because Quantum Fireball is one of my favorite hdd and were fast speedy drive of our time.

Weak Head Formula apply to newer and old hdd's only for those PCB IC's are UP:

When head's can't read the SA it's life were over the head calibration IC get heat up some time burn or dead the retry system of detection not work because of this heat-up IC. You have to cool this smooth IC somehow like we cool CPU processor and retry upto 100 time's to get the detection when detection come's this IC no more heat up...

As for this case i can search the same donor drive in my stock and prepare a PCB to cool this IC this formula had 25% percent success even platter has some little scratches too.

$ 100 for Donor + shipping and a original flag of Great Britain to my location will cover my cost.

Mostly PCB gone dead due to heat up.

you have to find same manufacture drive like Singapore , Thailand or etc.

Second capicity must be same 60 GB.

then swap the PCB

if lucky got data then ok if not update the post i will forward head problem solution.

The OP has already replaced the PCB.

Am I to understand that there is a difference between the PCB on a 60GB model as opposed to a 20GB model? Wouldn't the terminal output suggest that the drive "discovers" the heads and builds a head map dynamically rather than by using the information in ROM? If so, then couldn't the same ROM code suffice for all Fireball AS capacities?