I have a Western Digital WD1602ABKS SATA drive that has failed. The bios sees the drive after sometime and Windows sees the drive when added as a salve drive as unreadable.

The drive recovery company that I'm using tells me that the PCB is at fault and for them to recover the data they need a donor drive for the PCB but this needs to be an exact like for like match e.g. firmware, DCM etc.

Even though the drive recovery company are a Western Digital approved recovery partner they are unable to get the spare parts, due to the drive coming from an HP server?????

I have attached a picture of the failed SATA drive, can anyone help me out with advice or spares PLEASE

Need a photo of the PCB.

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http://www.datasaversllc.com

This is very incorrect. Either they are spouting off some jargon for you or they don't know what they are doing.

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You don't have to backup all of your files, just the ones you want to keep.

So the data can be recovered without an exact replacement PCB?

Can anyone recommend a good data recovery company in the UK that can help me, currently using Disklabs

Just noticed your location and you should go to retrodata.co.uk and speak to Duncan. He is also a forum member here. He will treat you fairly.

The relevant information on the PCB can be retrieved from it and programmed to a new one if it is in a working state... which it sounds like it is, since you said it is eventually recognized by the BIOS.

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You don't have to backup all of your files, just the ones you want to keep.

Agree go and see Duncan he is very close to you and can take care of this problem for you.

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Iorana Haraharaini

Doesn't sound like PCB to me either, probably a FW issue since it ID's after a while.

Even if it were bad, there should be no need for an exact match, since a new one from same family drive can be programmed with the relevent ROM data.

Disklabs as far as I know are pretty a straightforward bunch and so unlikely IMHO they're actually lying to you (unlike certain other so-called DR outfits) , but what could be plausible is that they might want a close matching drive to perform a smart hot-swap.

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PC Image Data Recovery
http://www.pcimage.co.uk

New!! HDD-PCB.COM for all your PCB and donor HDD requirements!

Pictures of PCB

The problem not the PCB as you said that the bios sees the drive after sometime and Windows sees the drive when added as a salve drive as unreadable.
Then it might be SA damage or the problem elsewhere but not the PCB anyway. And I agree with Mr.Sean maybe they want a close matching drive to perform a smart hot-swap to fix the SA.

This HDD is from the Tornado family. PCB is not difficult to source. ID is different simply because it has been rebranded as it is from HP Server, this happens on many HP based disks including SCSI and new Seagates, but does NOT change the family type.

If it is PCB, parts are easily accessible so I am not sure why you were told parts could not be found. DCM is nt so important here also.

Maybe Sean is right, and parts for hotswap were required. I guess in this case parts may be slightly more difficult to source.

Drive has been sent to Duncan at retrodata today hopefully will have some good news soon. Thanks for everyone's help so far

As long as it does not require platterswap from his hefty platter extractor you should be fine with him

Lol, what ever happened to Duncan and his laser guided missile system, sorry platter extraction tool.



I hope he delivers it back to you quicker than the above mentioned tool!

I'm glad to say Duncan is a GOD, sent the disk to him and within 24 hours I got the data back I required and the system is up and running again

So many thanks to Duncan and everyone on this forum for getting me out the sh**

Good stuff

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You don't have to backup all of your files, just the ones you want to keep.

Nice one Duncan!

Sourcing of an exact PCB match wasn't necessary then??

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PC Image Data Recovery
http://www.pcimage.co.uk

New!! HDD-PCB.COM for all your PCB and donor HDD requirements!

I vote for SA.

Not sure what the fix was,all I know it that Disklabs could not do anything for the two weeks they had the disk and Duncan resolved the problem in 24 hours

My bet too.

Had several of these and similar drives in, nearly always corrupt/damaged module 11.

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PC Image Data Recovery
http://www.pcimage.co.uk

New!! HDD-PCB.COM for all your PCB and donor HDD requirements!