Hi everyone. I am starting to post the most challenging cases we have, with the intent to get help to resolve the issues and let history record in the board for upcoming generations. I will post the case with all the details, and document all the steps taken until conclusion. Sorry about my english, I am not a native speaker.

Case: One Hitachi Deskstar HDP725050GLA360. When I connect the disk to Data Compass all the leds (on DC) are ON, I think the board isn´t detected. The motor doesn´t start, and there are no clicking sound.

Actions taken:

- I only connect the disk to Data Compass with the results I told.
- I will try to identify the TVS but I want some opinions and feedback after do that.


hitachitvs by Spatecc, on Flickr

Partial conclusions:

- I think the disk suffered some kind of overload and then I think is a (relatively) easy fix, if I remove the 2 TVS.

I mean BEFORE do that! Sorry I am not a native speaker!

This case is not really challenging. The key is good diagnosis. Connecting to DC and identifying it does not power is not good diagnosis. Maybe TVS is bad like you suspect, maybe other component on PCB is bad, preamp could be bad, spindle could be stuck, heads could be parked incorrectly on surface...

All require different solutions, and need to be identified accurately. Applying wrong fix to incorrectly diagnosed disk can have fatal consequences.

Do you have multimeter? do you have good parts available?

Maybe you should consider outsourcing of your 'challenging' cases.

p.s - you post your cases here for everyone to see that you have trouble with them, should your clients read this forum I'm pretty sure it would not fill them with confidence...

I agree- this case is not challenging at all- but yet its one of the most challenging cases he has got.

He has a nice website though.

Its nice somebody does post all these types of cases on a public forum, just to show how complex it can be to do recoveries for some specific cases.

Any way- you have 50/50 chance here. The risk is all yours *ehem* clients?

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Hi. Sorry about that. At first I want to upload only the most challenging cases. That is why I upload the RAID cases. Later I think it was a good idea to upload representative cases to help everyone to know how complex or easy could it be.

And yes, we outsource the cases we can´t recover, and our clients know it. I prefer to outsource one case (paying the price) than put the data on risk. We don´t have a Clean Room but we have a good deal with big DR firms.

Above all, we are learning. Always. Everyday. I didnt think I already know everything. I´l do research everyday with what I have on hand. This is why I want to share the knowledge (I think this forum is a very good idea to do that). I know I have a long way to go.

In this case the disk doesn´t starts to spindle at all. There is no motor or clicking sounds (I use an sthetoscope). The lecture in the 2 TVS was at 200k ohms 30.2 and 8.4 (yes, I have a multimeter!). I have access to good parts (we have more than 2,000 hard disks in warehouse).

Im here to learn guys, and give some credit, maybe one day I can help someone...

This is nice that you want to post all your cases here on the forum. But to state the same thing is not really a good choice in this one. I feel that if you are having this much problems in all your cases and attempting to seek some help then state so on this one. I think that in stating should we give up on this or is there an answer is not going to get you what you need. In DR if you want to do this business it comes with a price. The price is time, research, and a lot of knowledge gained in working with cases or drives. In the beginning I feel that a person who wants to do DR work should take a box of old broken drives and try to fix them. If you use these drives to fix and screw up on them there is no loss what so ever. I would rather play with a drive that does not belong to a client than one that does. This is what I feel on this one.

As they all say here no spoon feeding. You will have to get your own knowledge by trial and error on this one. But do not do it on a clients drive. If you need a good company near you for out sourcing until you gain the Knowledge you need on this one contact Beto he is in Mexico. He is a excellent DR tech and is a professional in this field with a lot of years of experience and knowledge behind him.

Yes we all start out the same way in the beginning on this one. Knowledge is gain by you and the network of friend you meet in this field who help give you a push in the right direction. Not all answers will be given to you ever. A hint to find your way can be given to you and then it is up to you to go from there.

You should take a lot of time with a box full of junk drives. You can fix them and learn from them. This will gain you knowledge to go on. Good luck

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Iorana Haraharaini

OK thank you very much, I will do as you say. I didn´t want you guys to do my work. I only want to document more cases to give other people hints on DR. When I read any post I always want to get another opinion, and to see another approach on every problem. But thanks, your opinions teach me some things. Thanks.

Thank you very much. To me is challenging because of this:

- In the photo clearly we can see the 2 TVS. Between this two, there is a third smaller diode with the same symbol on one side:



- In this case the disk doesn´t starts to spindle at all. There is no motor or clicking sounds (I use an sthetoscope). The lecture in the 2 TVS with the multimeter set at 200k ohms was 30.2 and 8.4.

Any opinions? I want to learn, I don´t want you to do my job, only wish to get some opinion or advice on this...

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F

PCB or internal to the HDD Head Stack Preamp need to diagnose before opening on this one. Start with PCB swap and rebuild.

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Iorana Haraharaini