This is not about the broken drive, I cannot even get the functioning donor drive into a proper kernel mode that is detectable by WDMarvel. As you said, I am doing something wrong but what? Anything in particular I need to do on the PC I am working with - SATA controller/ BIOS etc.? E.g. I cannot disable individual SATA Ports, can that be an issue?

Understood - thanks a lot for all your help and explanations! Have a great 2024!

The disks of the Sadle_G6 family are well restored by the TREX program.
From the official 1TB, you can get 2TB or 1.5TB, depending on the condition of the plates and heads.
But the "extra" heads there may be present in the disabled state.
I think the manufacturer did it for marketing purposes).
Good luck!

There is only one place where they will share with you selflessly. Can you guess? Good luck!