Hard Drive Rom Reader/Writer

[data-medics]

Lately I've been starting to collect a lot of bricked WD pcb's with either incompatible or corrupted rom written to it. (like corrupted to the point that it won't get ready so I can overwrite using pc-3000).

Does anyone know of a device to direct read/write the U12 chips independent of the PCB? I know Salvation Data used to include one with their junk tools, but I don't think it ever actually worked. (at least it never did for me).

[jerovsek]

try with eeprom programmer

[data-medics]

Thanks for the response. That's exactly what I'm looking for. I knew they existed, I just didn't know which ones work in the real world for the U12's. I'm really only looking for use on WD drives.

[LarrySabo]

This one works very well: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/EZP2010-high-spe ... 3378ee279e

If you need it for a wider variety of ICs, you might want this one instead: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/USB-MiniPro-TL86 ... 337a236a5b

I had the first and had no complaints at all, but upgraded to the second.

[thatdellguy]

This is a really good question for the customer to ask when searching for a DR company. Does your company own a good quality chip reader? If they say no or just don't know then hang up!

Also, don't forget to ask if they have basic soldering equipment to remove chips from circuit boards.

[HaQue]

I dont think it was literal.. in anycase, I have had some interesting results asking PC shops what tools they usewhen doing the "Data Recovery Service" they advertise in the window.

some of my favourite actual answers:

- Blank stare.. Crickets...
- "Special" screwdrivers that "normal" people cant get..
- Expensive ones
- Special seagate, western digital and "all" the other ones.. (When pressed for more info, wont say anymore because of an "agreement" they had to sign when getting them from the hard drive companies)
- We have a special computer with special software
- "ahh, Im not sure <insert name of other employee> does it all, he is really good"

We have a TV show here titled "Today Tonight" where they expose anything in industry or personal lives that would basically set off the "Bullshit Meter". Id love to see an expose on these computer shops and local advertising types that say they do Data Recovery.

[thatdellguy]

I honestly think anyone should ask these questions and more if your looking for DR service. Also check out their past with Way Back Machine https://archive.org/web/ to make sure they didn't open up last week.

[fzabkar]

IMO a person's brain is more important than his tool, although all men like to think they are adequately equipped with both.

In fact what's the point of spending US$10K on PC3K if you don't understand how to use a $5 multimeter, or are unfamiliar with basic concepts such as short circuits, or if you can't recognise the difference between a diode and a resistor? There are hundreds of such examples in this forum alone.

I have a Fluke PM97 Scopemeter which cost me AU$2750, but I could do everything that I would need to do (in data recovery) with just a cheap multimeter. I also have an old Sunshine Expro 60 device programmer which handles hundreds of different types of devices, and which cost me around $750 some 20 years ago, but I could do all my programming (in data recovery) with a cheap Chinese tool.

When I was in business many years ago, I needed a CE disc pack ($3K) and a disc exerciser ($10K) to perform head alignments on CDC drives, but instead I did exactly the same thing with a regular software pack and a head alignment routine that I wrote myself (approximately 30 words of machine code). The only thing I couldn't avoid buying was a head alignment tool ($99) which was just a long rod with an eccentric nipple and a handle. I could have made one out of a bent coat hanger, but no doubt the customer would have been unimpressed. In fact the tool looked very much like those old key-shaped sardine can openers.

The person who has impressed me most in this forum is a user named _dexx_ who started from nothing, reverse engineered his drive in 3 days, and recovered his data. That's the kind of DR pro I'd be looking for. But what does a prospective customer see apart from a fancy web site, unsubstantiated claims, and unverifiable testimonials? Are there any academic credentials that are of any relevance to DR, apart from Scott Moulton's 5-day Data Recovery Expert certification, which most DR pros seem to think is laughable? If I engage a plumber or an electrician, I'll end up with someone who has a trade certificate from a recognised technical institution, but what do I get when I choose a DR professional? I don't ask a plumber or electrician what he carries in his toolkit ...

[thatdellguy]

I don't ask a plumber or electrician what he carries in his toolkit ...

Duh....you don't have to, they come to you for the repairs. You see what they do. You can usually watch the repair process from beginning to end. This might be new to you but most people mail their drives to a company they will never see.

[HaQue]

Add to the fact that most people needeing DR, the ones that are going to these DR firms or mailing their drives would not know a) the questions to ask, or b) how to interpret the answers, or c) how to spot bulldust.

When you constantly hear statements like "the data is in windows" or the data is in my computer" or "I have everything backed up on my desktop"... then it is easy to see how these dodgy DR companies can flourish.

Really, the most important bit of knowledge is the bit that helps the DR Guy fix YOUR drive, with the CURRENT problem. Which he doesnt know what it is until he studies it.

there is no easy answer to this but it pays to ask questions and be involved in the process and if you can say to not take action unil you have been breifed or some 2 way communication channel, then at least you have some way of overview.

[HaQue]

to illustrate the point, take a look at how many of the 34 replies to this question are either clueless, useless, vague, wrong or just a reply for the sake of it

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/SDHC-Memory-card-data-recovery-1656507.S.5867551567749595138?qid=478a6805-e6d2-4a9b-b576-564cf38c6523&trk=groups_guest_most_popular-0-b-cmr&goback=%2Egde_1656507_member_244168632%2Egmp_1656507

[HaQue]

I don't know how you could regulate DR. The only way is if the knowledge comes from some educational institution, and can be adequately tested. Most DR is reverse engineering, hacking or vendor oriented training after you buy their tools. Not to mention the speed of new devices/technology, and the lack of any standardised documentation available for all aspects of the technology. as well as the varying levels of DR, (how far do you want to take the investigation of a fault).

IMHO any professional institution accreditation would be a botchup of some related ones such as forensics married with electronic engineering and computer science. similar to what they do with forensics and say in some places you need a private investigator licence. While it might cover some of the areas, it isn't made for the field.

Who is going to spend the time creating a DR degree, while having it stay current and not something any good DR Shop will "pfft" at?

Also, and this may be the case in the issue you mentioned regarding "shorted" there are language translation issues where different countries refer to things differently, some people write in a style that doesn't portray their skill set well, and other miscommunications. As well as the obvious holes in some knowledge and maybe some specialisation where they are great in some area, but not a lot of experience in others.

This field seems more of a passion fuelled field than an academic one.

[hhddrec]

HI Spildit and LarrySabo!
your tools are Very good tools.

i use ZP20 IC reader/writer
http://www.silancode.com.es/ZP20/index_en.htm

is very usefull and works fine, they have checksun for testing your reads and writes.

but your clip to avoid soldering :http://malthus.zapto.org/viewtopic.php?f=110&t=85
is very good option in this way soldering not needed, and work is easyest and faster.