Hi, another quick question for everyone. I have been working with a Samsung HD321KJ that I did a head swap with. For the donor I just matched model and firmware. The swap worked fine but about halfway through the new heads failed. Now the only replacement drives I can find don't have the same firmware. Do you think that will matter seeing that I only need the heads?

Thanks for your help.

What do you know about Samsungs?

Not that much, it seems like it's always heads that work with them. I have not had to do any work with firmware, especially these newer drives.

...because are undocumented. You need to match many things, and if there is a scored platter it will kill any new headset. Beside physical conditions, if you analyze the MC you have all the needed info about what to match !

Thanks for the reply. I do believe there is some damage to the surface. I managed to image about 80% of the drive so far. I was hoping with one more set of heads, trying to avoid where I think the damage is, that I could get most of what is left. So far with these drives, matching firmware and Rev. have worked every time. If I do take a chance with the mismatched drive and the heads work I will post the results. Thanks.

You were simply lucky : if you don't match "some things", won't work or will work partially. In any case, 1st thing to do is proper diagnose : I mean check platter surface condition. I know, it's multiplatter and can be difficult....

Check your image. Maybe 80% is enough.

Previous Samsung drives were easy to identify drive parts. Now it's "less easy".

I may be OK. Going through what I did manage to image, most of the photo's are ok. Just need to check some QuickBooks files and I should be good to go. Thanks guys..

Seems like it's getting that way for most drives. I think that is the most difficult part of our jobs, identifying and locating components..

for me the problem lies elsewhere : until all the people will simply rely on "click and go" solutions and few will do R & D (the engine of everything!) , the problems will continue