Hello duncan
Yes was possible to analyze an SAS Hard Drive with an SAS controller, building and JBOD without iniatilize my Controller has that option "not iniatilize" mine its Fas Track , this option "not initialize" only wrote the boot signature on " 55 AA" , i did an test with an empty hard disk, SAS filled with " TEST" after that, add to my controller, and build an JBOD, and select the option " not iniatilize" and only wrote on LBA 0 55 AA,
I want to did and hot swap, on one case from an Server RAID 5, because the another´s good disk 3 SAS Hard Drive , both has 3,000,000 sectors on 00h,

from 0 -to aprox 3,000,000 of lba´s , so im think was manipulated before, and i need to did some tests like if the bad SAS Hard Drive wich show LBA 0, its Translator problem or its Head problems, because pc3000 scsi doesnt support this model, they told me on the future, well, im thinking on tried and hot swap, and i heard about some cases on SCSI, this is Chettah Family, where doing an hot swap could get some sectors, so if i can get sectors doing an hot swap, could be an Translator, or SA problem, and if its not possible , could be Head problem
What do u think?
Best Regards from Mexico
Alberto