WD7500AAKS pretty sure its a Head swap. Symptoms included

[mediaman]

hhhaaa
well done!

doomer: i'm trying to be professional but the learning curve is steep. This is the first failure i have had in the past 20 disks. good thing it's mine and not a customers. Come on, what would you try next?

If you've achieved a success rate of 19 head swaps out of 20, then ..... (not quite sure what to say)

Duncan

Duncan, as you and most pro's here will note, I am new to DR. There are no books on how to do it, and noone here, bar a few notable exceptions, gives real deep help. So, I am learning as I am sure you did (are). So far we have done about 40 REAL customers disks, and about 40 or so "practice" disks that we have been given. From that lot, I have about 5 that I have not been able to extract at least 80% of the data from. I am quite proud of that. I would say that I have done about 10 HSA swaps, and 7 of those have been good enough to image. This WD situation is the first such high density disk I have tried, and since tried another, NO LUCK.

All help most welcome. I'll not steal your clients because: a. I'm a good sport and was well educated (you will never know that only via the web though) b. because I live and work in South America and only do business in the Southern Cone (Argentina, Chil, Bolivia, Peru)

Thanks

[mediaman]

FAILURE!

Hi mediaman,

Just to double check the head and your skill, put it back to its original place and align it.
If it worked then your H swap was perfect. Look for possibility of incompatible head assembly,
bad PCB or F/W problem.
If it didn't work, conclusion is there...
I have done HS on this model 3 times. One complete fail. Other two partial success.
In one case I had to disable a head to clone the drive. In another case cloned with
tons of bad sectors.

Regards

Hey PNINJA, thanks. Yes the reverse swap did sound like a nice learning idea and I was going to go for it but real work got in the way. I now realize that only one repair station (Atola Insigt + Server) at a time is very slow way to handle several disks. I concluded that the alignment issue would not make it worth the try.

Have you really managed workable HSA swaps on 2 out of 3 WD75000AAKS? Did you just bolt them up and they worked? No lid tweaking? Do tell.PM fine. In your head disable case, did you use Deepspar head mapping feature to do that? Insight does NOT support head control

Thanks again for the positive feedback!

[BlackST]

At this point seems that I have to sell the solutions or outsource.... .

@mediaman, why don't you ask someone who has in-house technologies or solutions and/or high success rate for outsourcing instead of asking for capital assets and/or training? It's not possible to give away such resources (sorry for being "so clear" but sometimes it's needed - I am renowned for saying things right out and as things are) I mean you send them the disk, have the job done for good and with excellent results, you earn in terms of company image and also don't have to invest for appliances and technology, plus your profit margin... I usually outsource what I can't do due to time pressure, parts availability or simple convenience. That's business, mister !

[mediaman]

At this point seems that I have to sell the solutions or outsource.... .

@mediaman, why don't you ask someone who has in-house technologies or solutions and/or high success rate for outsourcing instead of asking for capital assets and/or training? It's not possible to give away such resources (sorry for being "so clear" but sometimes it's needed - I am renowned for saying things right out and as things are) I mean you send them the disk, have the job done for good and with excellent results, you earn in terms of company image and also don't have to invest for appliances and technology, plus your profit margin... I usually outsource what I can't do due to time pressure, parts availability or simple convenience. That's business, mister !

Hey BlackST, in Italy eh? lovely place. Sardinian food and beaches + THE BEST.

Oh yea. Something lost in translation in this thread. I don't need to have the disk recovered, as I stated in the first post its my disk and not a customers, and I have recovered from other sources the data. I'm sorry about the confusion. It's about learning.

Outsourcing (and paying for it) is a great idea that I will use. As of yet I don't have a relation with any really good/person lab to do this with. I am very happy and able to pay for good services. PM me if anyone reading this has such a scheme.

I do like to learn though, and for me that is what this thread is all about.

CHEERS

[BlackST]

At last it's clear. I had the time and the resources for experimenting so building up fixtures and test jigs and other gizmos was possible, but without a good reason doing it from zero it's totally a waste of time. This business is strange : the first law of DR says "The data is important, crucial, vital UNTIL the user receives a quote for DR" , the second says "There will always be a friend, cousin, son or relative that can do it for free with some internet stuff so f**k those greedy bastards" ... enough said. As many people know what I have done during the last years, I won't sell or trade many projects / ideas - indeed good - at present, and I do know that sooner or later someone else will arrive at the same conclusions, at present I think the market doesn't value what I think it should all this stuff, so I don't care. Happy with it and with myself, that's all .

[pninja]

FAILURE!

Hi mediaman,

Just to double check the head and your skill, put it back to its original place and align it.
If it worked then your H swap was perfect. Look for possibility of incompatible head assembly,
bad PCB or F/W problem.
If it didn't work, conclusion is there...
I have done HS on this model 3 times. One complete fail. Other two partial success.
In one case I had to disable a head to clone the drive. In another case cloned with
tons of bad sectors.

Regards

Hey PNINJA, thanks. Yes the reverse swap did sound like a nice learning idea and I was going to go for it but real work got in the way. I now realize that only one repair station (Atola Insigt + Server) at a time is very slow way to handle several disks. I concluded that the alignment issue would not make it worth the try.

Have you really managed workable HSA swaps on 2 out of 3 WD75000AAKS? Did you just bolt them up and they worked? No lid tweaking? Do tell.PM fine. In your head disable case, did you use Deepspar head mapping feature to do that? Insight does NOT support head control

Thanks again for the positive feedback!

I don't have Insight tools. I use my home made tools plus ACE lab and Salvation data.
However I found your words "Have you really managed..." insulting, I'll give you a hint and
leave it to you to find
the answer to your question after your HSA numbers passed 1000 or so and you managed to make some
special and very simple tools for yourself. The task that looks impossible now, will be a simple routine after years of experience.
Your problem is you are relying too much on commercial tools. They won't help you on many cases. Just read again what experts told you before.

A hint, to work with WD drives you have to observe and control the head
movement. Make a simple tool as a HA fastener and a way to apply pressure on any
direction. So, you won't have to close the cover. The tool should be heavy enough to
to stop HA vibration when moving.

Regards

[mediaman]

FAILURE!

Hi mediaman,

Just to double check the head and your skill, put it back to its original place and align it.
If it worked then your H swap was perfect. Look for possibility of incompatible head assembly,
bad PCB or F/W problem.
If it didn't work, conclusion is there...
I have done HS on this model 3 times. One complete fail. Other two partial success.
In one case I had to disable a head to clone the drive. In another case cloned with
tons of bad sectors.

Regards

Hey PNINJA, thanks. Yes the reverse swap did sound like a nice learning idea and I was going to go for it but real work got in the way. I now realize that only one repair station (Atola Insigt + Server) at a time is very slow way to handle several disks. I concluded that the alignment issue would not make it worth the try.

Have you really managed workable HSA swaps on 2 out of 3 WD75000AAKS? Did you just bolt them up and they worked? No lid tweaking? Do tell.PM fine. In your head disable case, did you use Deepspar head mapping feature to do that? Insight does NOT support head control

Thanks again for the positive feedback!

I don't have Insight tools. I use my home made tools plus ACE lab and Salvation data.
However I found your words "Have you really managed..." insulting, I'll give you a hint and
leave it to you to find
the answer to your question after your HSA numbers passed 1000 or so and you managed to make some
special and very simple tools for yourself. The task that looks impossible now, will be a simple routine after years of experience.
Your problem is you are relying too much on commercial tools. They won't help you on many cases. Just read again what experts told you before.

A hint, to work with WD drives you have to observe and control the head
movement. Make a simple tool as a HA fastener and a way to apply pressure on any
direction. So, you won't have to close the cover. The tool should be heavy enough to
to stop HA vibration when moving.

Regards

thanks Pninja, and hey, it was no insult, it was reiterating an impressive achievement that is obviously out of my realm at the moment.

[Amarbir[CDR-Labs]]

While I have not performed a head swap on these series WD drives; I personally own a 640AAKS and did quite a bit of research on them. They are the ~320GB per platter design; and they actually utilize a ramp; so as long as you load the new heads on to the ramp they should be fairly aligned; the ramp should somewhat eleviate the lid screw issue. As long as the heads remain parked on the ramp when you tighten then lid screw the drive should at least be in good enough shape to recoer data; but on the negative side these are high density drives, so in that respect; Godspeed to you.

Mate ,
These Drives Have 2 Platters And 750 Might Be 3 ,Never worked on 750aaks ,But i Sell WDc a Lot in my shop

[mediaman]

750 is 4 platters/8 heads


cheers

[Amarbir[CDR-Labs]]

750 is 4 platters/8 heads


cheers

Well ,
In That Case You Made a Impressive Head Swap attempt Mate ,In WD Its All About Alignment ,Pepe sir and Master dimitry have good experience in this very good indeed .i Love your inclination to do work,Thats very impressive ,We need more people like you ,If i had the experience here i would have shared with you ,But i know someone who i will like to ask and report back,Well done again

[Amarbir[CDR-Labs]]

And Hey ,
How did You Get Insight tools altoha

[mediaman]

750 is 4 platters/8 heads


cheers

Well ,
In That Case You Made a Impressive Head Swap attempt Mate ,In WD Its All About Alignment ,Pepe sir and Master dimitry have good experience in this very good indeed .i Love your inclination to do work,Thats very impressive ,We need more people like you ,If i had the experience here i would have shared with you ,But i know someone who i will like to ask and report back,Well done again

thanks mate. I am conceptualizing a jig now to:
a- hold HDA firmly
b- hold HSA/lid firmly
c- alow micrometer x/y/z adjustments between the two
d-document and cycle tried positions with some electromagnetic feeedback

sounds good here, lets see if I ever do it, or if it ever works..

And Hey ,
How did You Get Insight tools altoha

I went to meet Dmitry, did a course with him and bought it

Last edited by mediaman on October 9th, 2008, 15:10, edited 1 time in total.

[Amarbir[CDR-Labs]]

750 is 4 platters/8 heads


cheers

Well ,
In That Case You Made a Impressive Head Swap attempt Mate ,In WD Its All About Alignment ,Pepe sir and Master dimitry have good experience in this very good indeed .i Love your inclination to do work,Thats very impressive ,We need more people like you ,If i had the experience here i would have shared with you ,But i know someone who i will like to ask and report back,Well done again

thanks mate. I am conceptualizing a jig now to:
a- hold HDA firmly
b- hold HSA/lid firmly
c- alow micrometer x/y/z adjustments between the two
d-document and cycle tried positions with some electromagnetic feeedback

sounds good here, lets see if I ever do it, or if it ever works..

And Hey ,
How did You Get Insight tools altoha

I went to meet Dimitry, did a course with him and bought it

Well ,
Thats Great To PM Me With the Experiment these drives are very bad as far as alignment is concerned ,And PM Me How Much You Got That Tool For ,I Think Its For Release Comming Month .I am Waiting For Master Dimitry words on This issue

[mediaman]

Well ,
Thats Great To PM Me With the Experiment these drives are very bad as far as alignment is concerned ,And PM Me How Much You Got That Tool For ,I Think Its For Release Comming Month .I am Waiting For Master Dimitry words on This issue

[/quote][/quote][/quote]

i paid the full beta testers price, 5990 I think it was. the price was/is published on the atola website page.

[Amarbir[CDR-Labs]]

Well ,
Thats Great To PM Me With the Experiment these drives are very bad as far as alignment is concerned ,And PM Me How Much You Got That Tool For ,I Think Its For Release Comming Month .I am Waiting For Master Dimitry words on This issue

[/quote][/quote]

i paid the full beta testers price, 5990 I think it was. the price was/is published on the atola website page.[/quote]


Hi Can You Share Your thoughts on The Product

[mediaman]

Well ,
Thats Great To PM Me With the Experiment these drives are very bad as far as alignment is concerned ,And PM Me How Much You Got That Tool For ,I Think Its For Release Comming Month .I am Waiting For Master Dimitry words on This issue

[/quote]

i paid the full beta testers price, 5990 I think it was. the price was/is published on the atola website page.[/quote]


Hi Can You Share Your thoughts on The Product[/quote]

hhaa, i'll wait till end of year and then be happy to, it's not finished yet. I would say it is about HALF paid for though so far.