Data recovery and disk repair questions and discussions related to old-fashioned SATA, SAS, SCSI, IDE, MFM hard drives - any type of storage device that has moving parts
September 13th, 2025, 8:30
Hello!
I have received the drive in topic for recovery (Clicking).
After replacing heads and critical FW resources backed up.
I have imaged all priority folders for the customer.
Then left the drive in the office imaging (single sector mode) for a complete image.
The second day I come to the office I found the drive spin down with no sign of life and a bunch of read error.
The drive spin up but the heads not moving from parking area then spin down.
I replaced another set of heads but the same behavior (spin up heads not moving then spin down and comes ready).
Any suggestions ?
Thanks in advance.
September 13th, 2025, 11:53
I think that could be an issue relative to smr T2 translators!
Have you try to analyze T2 nodes? If you notice some bad nodes you should fix T2 and then load it on ram.
You can extract (backup) T2 from module 190, then work on T2.
September 13th, 2025, 13:16
michael chiklis wrote:I think that could be an issue relative to smr T2 translators!
unknown wrote:The drive spin up but the heads not moving from parking area then spin down.
September 13th, 2025, 13:36
michael chiklis wrote:I think that could be an issue relative to smr T2 translators!
Have you try to analyze T2 nodes? If you notice some bad nodes you should fix T2 and then load it on ram.
You can extract (backup) T2 from module 190, then work on T2.
fzabkar wrote:michael chiklis wrote:I think that could be an issue relative to smr T2 translators!
unknown wrote:The drive spin up but the heads not moving from parking area then spin down.
That's it, heads not even moving from parking area.
I believe it's not a T2 issue related.
September 13th, 2025, 14:06
Could there be a problem with the VCM electronics in the motor controller?
September 13th, 2025, 14:16
OK, sorry.
Go for pcb swap then.
Strange that u ask this question here. PCB swap is a simple task for someone who has data recovery tools and knowledge for head swap and fw backup.
September 14th, 2025, 7:16
fzabkar wrote:Could there be a problem with the VCM electronics in the motor controller?
michael chiklis wrote:OK, sorry.
Go for pcb swap then.
Strange that u ask this question here. PCB swap is a simple task for someone who has data recovery tools and knowledge for head swap and fw backup.
Tried different PCB and different ROM too.
The same behavior.
I suspect critical damage to surface (Scratch).
I will examine platters.
Thanks for inputs.
September 14th, 2025, 10:27
Scratches on platters don't explain heads not moving from parking area.
Must be some other issue!
How have you managed surface cloning while it was working?
Have u turned off all background activity before cloning?
Something weird is going on.
Last edited by
michael chiklis on September 14th, 2025, 10:36, edited 1 time in total.
September 14th, 2025, 10:31
unknown wrote:Tried different PCB and different ROM too.
what do you mean with different rom?
Rom must be the original one, can't just use a rom from another drive and aspect that the it gets back to work.
September 15th, 2025, 6:13
It's could be the calble issue, mainly for the sata power. Try different port ,new cable or external power form ATA power , if P3 was used, then maybe the power supply.
Thanks
September 15th, 2025, 13:49
head(s).
September 16th, 2025, 2:54
+1 heads
September 16th, 2025, 8:56
Ring confirmed on side (5). (I believe critical scratches prevents heads to move from parking ramp)
pepe wrote:head(s).
drHDD wrote:+1 heads
Heads replaced two times from two different donors with same behavior.
Thanks for your inputs.
I appreciate it.
September 21st, 2025, 9:01
Is there a way to FORCE the heads to move from the ramp?
September 22nd, 2025, 16:37
there are some ways to trick the fw to think it has good heads.
September 23rd, 2025, 9:09
pepe wrote:there are some ways to trick the fw to think it has good heads.
You mean trick the ROM ?
There's no access to FW, heads not moving to read or write, sir.
October 9th, 2025, 10:55
unknown wrote:Ring confirmed on side (5). (I believe critical scratches prevents heads to move from parking ramp)
pepe wrote:head(s).
drHDD wrote:+1 heads
Heads replaced two times from two different donors with same behavior.
Thanks for your inputs.
I appreciate it.
The drive likely initialized when you put the new set of heads in the drive, hit the ring, killed the head. These drives if a head is dead you will get power up, spin, spin down. Same if you were to try and snip heads to image around a damaged surface. These drives are a real treat to work with.
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