WD HDD get I/O device error after PCB swap(FW transfered)

[danie]

Cause:
One day I used a PSU to replace my fault PSU of my computer. I wrongly plug the sata's power supply cable into the pci-e supply of the PSU side. Remain 3 of my HDD PCB burned (1 x seagate and 2 WD).
Then I searched from the taobao to get 3 PCBs(with correct part no. and rev) to replace. The seagate HDD work properly after replacement but 2 of the WD HDD didn't.
Model: WD20EARX-00PASB0 PCB: 2060-771698-004 REV A
Model: WD20RARS-60MVWB0 PCB: 2060-771698-002 REV A
They both occur I/O device error. This is one of my WD HDD

Victoria showed the HDD size is 144PB which is definitely wrong. I believe is the HDD firmware get wrong.
I'm thinking of buying a USB Programmer such as CH341A to rebuild the firmware chips. But I have to confirm what is going wrong first.
Am I getting to right direction? Do you guy have any idea or comment? Any suggestion to me to exam the HDD to get more detail.
Thank you.

[unknown]

Precise diagnosis required.
Assuming you replaced the Seagate's PCB and worked properly, then you transfered ROM's with WD's ?

Do you hear any noises? or normal calibration?

[HaspHL]

USB Programmer will not help

[danie]

Precise diagnosis required.
Assuming you replaced the Seagate's PCB and worked properly, then you transfered ROM's with WD's ?

Do you hear any noises? or normal calibration?

Yes, actually I transferred both 2 x WD's bios rom two times(first time it happened this situation and I guess maybe the PCBs are fault and searched another two PCB to replace, but it remain the same). And it both spin sound properly.
What does normal calibration mean? Any suggestion or software used for precise diagnosis?

Last edited by danie on November 18th, 2019, 9:05, edited 1 time in total.

[danie]

USB Programmer will not help

Is that because the bios contain the unique HDD information and cannot be rebuild?

[danie]

I also have an important question and cannot added to main post:
Is there is possible chance that I overheated the bios during the soldering cause this situation? I remember I used 330 oC of hot air gun to soldered the bios chip on and off.

[HaspHL]

USB Programmer will not help

Is that because the bios contain the unique HDD information and cannot be rebuild?

no
because most of the FW is not on that chip

Is there is possible chance that I overheated the bios during the soldering cause this situation?

everything is possible
need to check the contents of the chip

[fzabkar]

If the overvoltage was on the +5V input, then the preamp would be suspect.

Catastrophic failures in Western Digital PCBs:
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=1119

TVS Diode FAQ:
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=100&t=86

I believe the ROMs are probably OK. If you upload the ROM dumps, I can check them for you.

[pcimage]

Precise diagnosis required.
Assuming you replaced the Seagate's PCB and worked properly, then you transfered ROM's with WD's ?

Do you hear any noises? or normal calibration?

Yes, actually I transferred both 2 x WD's bios rom two times(first time it happened this situation and I guess maybe the PCBs are fault and searched another two PCB to replace, but it remain the same). And it both spin sound properly.
What does normal calibration mean? Any suggestion or software used for precise diagnosis?

Regarding “normal calibration”.... power up the drive and listen very closely.

Does it sound like the heads are unparking and sweeping out to read? If not, and you just get a simple spin up noise with no head activity, then it’s almost certainly blown preamp as fzabkar suggests.

Compare the noise to a good drive of similar model, if you have one handy.

[pepe]

If the overvoltage was on the +5V input, then the preamp would be suspect.

+1

WDs have very poorly designed overvoltage protection, it is practically useless. They simply put the fuse to the wrong 'side' of the TVS.

Code:

their way:
Supply ----+------ circuit
           |
         TVS
           |
         Fuse
           |
         gnd

Correct way:
Supply----fuse--+-----circuit
                  |
                 TVS
                  |
                 gnd                     


So there is a good chance the preamp on the head assembly got toasted.
Failing to check the preamp before replacing the pcb may cause serious data and servo corruption, which can render the data unrecoverable or very corrupted. There might be smoke residues on the surfaces in addition to the above, so it MUST be checked and cleaned properly.
So do not attempt any powerup until the above is sorted out.
Checking the preamp is negotiated in a few threads of this forum, search for it.
I recommend contacting a reputated dr company if my suspect gets proven.

pepe

[danie]

If the overvoltage was on the +5V input, then the preamp would be suspect.

Catastrophic failures in Western Digital PCBs:
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=1119

TVS Diode FAQ:
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=100&t=86

I believe the ROMs are probably OK. If you upload the ROM dumps, I can check them for you.

Here are the burned WD's PCB

It suppose to be the SMOOTH failures according to the link above?

How can I get the rom dumps out? Do I need to buy a USB Programmer to do so? It would be great help if there is some link can help me. Thank you very much.

[danie]

Precise diagnosis required.
Assuming you replaced the Seagate's PCB and worked properly, then you transfered ROM's with WD's ?

Do you hear any noises? or normal calibration?

Yes, actually I transferred both 2 x WD's bios rom two times(first time it happened this situation and I guess maybe the PCBs are fault and searched another two PCB to replace, but it remain the same). And it both spin sound properly.
What does normal calibration mean? Any suggestion or software used for precise diagnosis?

Regarding “normal calibration”.... power up the drive and listen very closely.

Does it sound like the heads are unparking and sweeping out to read? If not, and you just get a simple spin up noise with no head activity, then it’s almost certainly blown preamp as fzabkar suggests.

Compare the noise to a good drive of similar model, if you have one handy.

I remember after I swap the PCB, the hdd first power on and sound like normal startup noise. After I power it off and start second on again. It sound quite quiet,no special sound at all(then 3rd,4th,5th power on like that). Is this mean you said heads are unparking and sweeping out to read?

[pepe]

If the overvoltage was on the +5V input, then the preamp would be suspect.

+1

WDs have very poorly designed overvoltage protection, it is practically useless. They simply put the fuse to the wrong 'side' of the TVS.

Code:

their way:
Supply ----+------ circuit
           |
         TVS
           |
         Fuse
           |
         gnd

Correct way:
Supply----fuse--+-----circuit
                  |
                 TVS
                  |
                 gnd                     


So there is a good chance the preamp on the head assembly got toasted.
Failing to check the preamp before replacing the pcb may cause serious data and servo corruption, which can render the data unrecoverable or very corrupted. There might be smoke residues on the surfaces in addition to the above, so it MUST be checked and cleaned properly.
So do not attempt any powerup until the above is sorted out.
Checking the preamp is negotiated in a few threads of this forum, search for it.
I recommend contacting a reputated dr company if my suspect gets proven.

pepe

[HddDonorMarket]

Have you ever used donor PCB with patient drive? I mean have you ever plugged to computer with wrong ROM
I have meet once , closest ROM .
First I saw all data in windows with donor ROM +patient drive. But second attempt drive not recognised properly. Checked modules . I saw Patient drives SA have completely changed
Maybe shifted some modules. Lucky me , I had backup all original modules before . Writed all modules again and drive turned normal.

[pepe]

sorry for the double post above, i ran into some post approval issue...

briefly:
DO NOT CHECK ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE PREAMP DAMAGE IS RULED OUT.

pepe

[pepe]

sorry for the double post above, i ran into some post approval issue...

briefly:
DO NOT CHECK ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE PREAMP DAMAGE IS RULED OUT.

pepe

[danie]

Have you ever used donor PCB with patient drive? I mean have you ever plugged to computer with wrong ROM
I have meet once , closest ROM .
First I saw all data in windows with donor ROM +patient drive. But second attempt drive not recognised properly. Checked modules . I saw Patient drives SA have completely changed
Maybe shifted some modules. Lucky me , I had backup all original modules before . Writed all modules again and drive turned normal.

OMG seem yes to my case.. Since I found the I/O problem occur, I tried many combination such as (donor ROM +patient drive, exchange of the 2 of the WDs pcb with transferred rom ...umm because of my unknowledge and naively hople it might help). Is that my original bios ROM data have changed and will caused to unable to recovery the hdd right now?

[unknown]

From the pictures posted above I can be 99% sure that there's a serious problem inside ( Preamp/heads/media damage )

If data is important I recommend sending the drive to a reputable DR company.

[danie]

If the overvoltage was on the +5V input, then the preamp would be suspect.

+1

WDs have very poorly designed overvoltage protection, it is practically useless. They simply put the fuse to the wrong 'side' of the TVS.

Code:

their way:
Supply ----+------ circuit
           |
         TVS
           |
         Fuse
           |
         gnd

Correct way:
Supply----fuse--+-----circuit
                  |
                 TVS
                  |
                 gnd                     


So there is a good chance the preamp on the head assembly got toasted.
Failing to check the preamp before replacing the pcb may cause serious data and servo corruption, which can render the data unrecoverable or very corrupted. There might be smoke residues on the surfaces in addition to the above, so it MUST be checked and cleaned properly.
So do not attempt any powerup until the above is sorted out.
Checking the preamp is negotiated in a few threads of this forum, search for it.
I recommend contacting a reputated dr company if my suspect gets proven.

pepe

I relook what you and fzabkar said and think it might be the preamp related problem. Because you can see on both of my WD's PCBs(in previous reply), something toasted and caused melted styrofoam remain in the SMOOTH chips surface. And my Seagate's PCB does not have that(I was surprised by that when I prepare to swap it's PCB) . So that may explain why my seagate HDD work again simply by replaced PCB & rom but WDs didn't.

And for your advise, unfortunately I have done lot of further power on action..and even worse action.. You can see my other replies

[danie]

From the pictures posted above I can be 99% sure that there's a serious problem inside ( Preamp/heads/media damage )

If data is important I recommend sending the drive to a reputable DR company.

I realized that right now. And maybe some worse action I have done to make it more complicated. But that reply doesn't shown up(which is about I swap the PCB and rom and power on in a bad idea,you may see it when the reply get approved)

Fortunately this two WD HDDs is my storage HDD(most are video and game content) The most important family photo content I have backup. That why I decide to recover it myself. And I glad that many as you that patients to help me and let me learn more about it. Thank all of you.