WD Mybook Essential 1tb smoke

[0383A]

Hi Everyone,

I took the last 2 weeks to read your forum, but found not the exact same situation. This is why I post today. And I apologize for my mistake(s) in English, as it is not my mother language.

What is it:
1 Western Digital HD, My book Essential 1TB
P/N WDBACW0010HBK-00
Password protected with WD SmartWare 1.4.1.1
Was working without problem.

What happened:
I had a second of stupidity. As I forgot my AC power supply (I have two power supply and I never look at it, so I don't know how it looks like), I took the first one I so, but with that one, no light, no sound of activity. So I took a second one. Yes the light is up. But after a few second it started to smell strange, l looked at the HD and a fine smoke was going out of the HD.

First reaction:
unplugged the AC power cord, and the USB cable

Second reaction:
Started to google "HD My book essential smoke", before doing any more damage on the HD.

And well after reading a lot of posts on a lot of websites, your website seems to have the most professional answers, or the answers which will give me the highest rate of chance to recover my files. I realised at that point too, how difficult it will be due to the hardware encryption of the Essential HD.

I did try to connect (a few days later) the HD with it's genuine AC Power supply and the USB Cable to my Computer, but the led won't light up, and I can't hear the HD starting to spin.

So from that point I decided to unbox the Mybook (not the disk itself), and see how it's look inside. Unboxing the HD was quite easy and took me a few minutes to do it.

on the PCB (4061.705089-001 Rev.AG) We can clearly see that the chip U5 heated to much. to my eyes all other components looks good. Here is a view of the PCB:

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Here is a view of the bottom side of the PCB (this time labelled 406-70589-001 Rev.P1

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[0383A]

Here is now a picture of the SATA PCB (printed on the board as 2060-771640-003 Rev A, and labelled on the white sticker as 2061-771640-B03 AD) bottom side first

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[0383A]

And finally the top side of the SATA PCB. To my "good" surprise I could see the U12 Chip on it. Which (if I learned well by reading all your posts) is the Rom of my HD. To my eyes the SATA Board (or at least the chips on it) are all OK.

No view of the disk itself. It contains no trace(s) of burned part.

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[0383A]

Now my questions to you expert, after all these pictures posted:

-Is my situation in a "no hope to get your data back?"
-Did I miss something on the picture that makes it unfixable?
-Do I have to replace both PCBs?
-If I replace the SATA PCBs, I will need the ROM (U12) of my original SATA PCB. Does the person who will unsolder and solder the Rom for the original SATA PCB to the New SATA PCB need to make more than only unsolder & solder? I mean once it is soldered on the new SATA PCB, do we need to configure it?
-In that case, if I send only the two PCB to a Recovery Data Center in order to give me two new ones (with the same p/n) and make the solder work of the ROM. Then will I only need to put in place both PCB and it will work?

Many thanks for your reading, and for your reply.

Kind regards

0383A

[michael chiklis]

Probably only My Book Essential pcb is burned, you have to change it.
The hard drive pcb should be ok if motor spins when connected inside the computer.

If you are going to connect the drive inside the computer (sata connection) then don't try to boot it in windows because without the eclousure it would not be loaded (due to hardware encryption) and you might do further damages (example initializing the drive).

To check if drive spins try to connect only the sata power cable (don't connect the data cable) and listen if it does spin sounds.

[loki]

Check eBay for possible replacement compatible pcb.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Western-Digit ... 2ed31952ca

Donor drives.com etc


Loki

[fzabkar]

The burnt component on the USB-SATA bridge board appears to be a PWM controller for the +5V switchmode power supply. It appears that the +5V input to your HDD may have survived unscathed, but I would measure the resistances of the TVS diodes (D4 & D3) and zero ohm resistors (R64 & R67) just to be absolutely certain.

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[0383A]

Dear Fazbkar, Loki & Michael Chilklis,

Many thank for your quick replies, by reading your reply the hope remains

If I do it step by step. I believe it is safer to test first resistances of the TVS diodes before to test if the disk spin. I m right?

@ Fzabkar, what do I need to test it? a multimeter? and then, do I have to plug the SATA PCB to the disk? Or do I have to test it alone?

@ michael chiklis, to see if the disk spin, I have to install the SATA PCB card again on the disk. What about the main PCB card, do I install it again or not? and once the SATA pcb is installed on the drive. Do you plug it (only the Sata power cable), as your computer is already turned on??????

@ Loki, thanks for the link. unfortunately the sale is already ended. How it is to order computer parts on ebay? How can you know that the part you order is not a copy and will not make more damage?

Best regards

0383A

[loki]

How to test TVS diodes - hddrepairing.com pdf slide 5
http://hddrepairing.com/downloads_n_vid ... airing.pdf

Regarding other question yes you would fit the SATA PCB to the hdd & only connect the power cable.
You should then hear & feel it if the drive spins up.

Part has been relisted on Ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Western-Digit ... 2ed35eeceb

You can always power up the PCB on it own first to see if it smokes or burns etc before fitting it to the drive if it does dont fit it

Remember all DIY comes with risks & its up to you if you accept them & continue.

Loki

[michael chiklis]

@ michael chiklis, to see if the disk spin, I have to install the SATA PCB card again on the disk. What about the main PCB card, do I install it again or not? and once the SATA pcb is installed on the drive. Do you plug it (only the Sata power cable), as your computer is already turned on??????

As "loki" told you, all DIY comes with risks & its up to you if you accept them & continue.

You can try to plug the sata pcb (without the drive) to the computer power sata cable and see if it does smoke.
If it smokes then stop, it would mean that the pcb is really faulty.

If the sata pcb does any smoke or any burn smell then power off the pcb and screw it again on the drive, then power on the drive and feel if it spins or not.
You might plug the power sata cable to the drive while the computer is already on but it's safer if you connect the power sata cable when the computer is off.

Don't do anything with the essential adapter pcb (the one with the burned chip), no need to test it because we already know that is faulty.

P.S.
if you're gonna try to power on the sata pcb, be carefull to not touch any metal part with it.

[0383A]

Thanks Loki & Michael Chiklis for your very helpfull answers. Yes I like to learn by doing. However I would not risk the loss of the data, and sometimes i have two left hands (I think this the reason I post on this forum too).
By reading between the lines of your replies, I understand the importance of your masket message. So at that point it would be safer:
- send my sata pcb to data recovery center and ask them to check if the board is ok or not.
- in the case the sata pcb is dead to ask them to provide a new one with the same P/n and copy the rom on the new sata pcb
- buy on ebay a new pcb
- rebuild both cards on the disk
- test it.

On the main pcb is there any data that should be transferred to the new pcb?

Many thx for your replies.

Best regards

0383A

Seems the safer way no?

[loki]

Hi 0383A,

I wasn't meaning anything between the lines of my replies.
I just meant want I said "all DIY comes with risks & its up to you if you accept them & continue."
The reason I said that was because it needed mentioning, the members on this forum will give you lots of very helpful advice but at the end of the day it's your data & it could be very valuable to you ie family photos, wedding photos etc or even financially valuable.
As like other members here it wouldn't be professional if we didn't bring to your attention that there are always risks involved with DIY. We are on this forum to help & give people like you the best chances at successfully recovering your data via the DIY route if possible.
The best advice I can give is to know your limitations, if your data is important to you then don't put it at risk

There is a good chance that your SATA PCB is good but as "fzabkar" & "michael chiklis" have posted it would be best to test it first using a multimeter.
If the SATA PCB is ok & there is nothing else that's damaged then it should just be as simple as getting a compatible bridge board to replace the damaged/burnt one & connecting it back up with the correct PSU.


Loki

[fzabkar]

How to test TVS diodes - hddrepairing.com pdf slide 5
http://hddrepairing.com/downloads_n_vid ... airing.pdf

Nice!

[HaQue]

Well put together. If you want some help with the English grammar and spelling, let me know. I know it doesn't matter to the message, but I personally get a little irked when I read things like

Some common faults and there solution

instead of

Some common faults and their solution

and

In this kind of circuit only fuse and diode is burn

instead of

In this kind of circuit only fuse and diode are burnt

or

In this kind of circuit only fuse and diode are burned

but it doesnt take away from the document, well done.

[dick]

Not wanting to take away the fact it is a good piece of work..........WD section.....

First clean the circuit points with petrol

Please do not do this at home.

[0383A]

Hi 0383A,

I wasn't meaning anything between the lines of my replies.
I just meant want I said "all DIY comes with risks & its up to you if you accept them & continue."
The reason I said that was because it needed mentioning, the members on this forum will give you lots of very helpful advice but at the end of the day it's your data & it could be very valuable to you ie family photos, wedding photos etc or even financially valuable.
As like other members here it wouldn't be professional if we didn't bring to your attention that there are always risks involved with DIY. We are on this forum to help & give people like you the best chances at successfully recovering your data via the DIY route if possible.
The best advice I can give is to know your limitations, if your data is important to you then don't put it at risk

There is a good chance that your SATA PCB is good but as "fzabkar" & "michael chiklis" have posted it would be best to test it first using a multimeter.
If the SATA PCB is ok & there is nothing else that's damaged then it should just be as simple as getting a compatible bridge board to replace the damaged/burnt one & connecting it back up with the correct PSU. Loki

Hi Loki,

There was no offence in my post. Your posts has been very professional with a lot of very useful information, recommendation, and advises. I did not except to have such good quality of assistance. And I yes I figured out the risk of DIY. And I don't want to "gamble" with my data. So I will take the safer way. I m reading your document which is very interesting. And I will test the TVS diodes of SATA pcb as advised, and thank to your helpful PDF. That should be still in my capabilities. I believe I need first buy an antistatic carpet, before testing the TVS diodes.

best Regards

0383A

[0383A]

First clean the circuit points with petrol

Please do not do this at home.

Hi Dick,

Petrol I don't have, I have white spirit, should it be ok too?

Which circuits points do I have to clean? those next to R70, E9, J2?

Thanks

best regards

0383A

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[michael chiklis]

Clean contacts marked by red circle with a pencil eraser:

[0383A]

Clean contacts marked by red circle with a pencil eraser

Thank you Michael Chiklis, it worked well. Here is the result:

Kind regards

0383A

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