I could use some assistance, please (WD Problems)

[rposa]

I have a Western Digital Caviar WD4000YS-01MP80 drive.

It was the primary drive in a multi-drive system. Was in Windows, all working just fine - then Windows came up with the famous blue screen. Reset switch and system tried to boot from Windows XP, started to boot, then failed (blue screen).

Power off reset the system, now comes up as WDC ROM MODEL ZEUS 07.02E07 in the bios.

Found a WDC firmware update for it, but the updater will not see the drive.

System will not boot in another computer if drive is attached.

If you hot-plug the drive into a Windows XP, occasionally, Windows will see the drive, but not access the data from it (shows no partitions, 0 bytes free). OnTrack tools will not see the drive (took it to someone who has OnTrack Easy Recovery Pro, or something like that).

External USB Sata enclosure does not see the drive.

In HDDGuru I get the following:

WDC ROM MODEL-ZEUS----- LBA 56,036,737
SN: WDC-ROM SN# XYZ---- FW:07.02E07 CACHE: 16384K Size = 27361MB

Init Drive: [RESET]
ERROR: Drive not responding or operation cancelled
[RECAL]
ERROR: Drive not responding or operation cancelled.

Then the drive stops responding.

Unplug power / re-plug power, SHIFT-F3 to re-select the drive, Shift-F2 gives:

WDC ROM MODEL-ZEUS----- LBA 56,036,737
SN: WDC-ROM SN# XYZ---- FW:07.02E07 CACHE: 16384K
Supports: LBA48 HPA AAM DLMC LBA MS16 DMA (UDMA6,MWDMA2)
SMART: Disabled SelfTest: Supported ErrorLog: Supported
Security: high, OFF. Size = 27361MB

This is a 400g drive .. not sure why it's showing 27361MB as it's size, unless this is some kind of safe mode ??

I can read the SMART Attributes of the drive, dumped a log file, but without a | MORE or anything, I cannot see what's at the top of it.

DLGDiag5 gave me a BUSY Timeout Error/Status Code: 0134


Is there anything else I can do at this point, to see the drive or perhaps to get it to function? I'm really not in a position where I can shell out the $$$ for a DR Specialist, and I'd really like to get some of my personal data off of the drive (and then erase it and get it warranty replaced by WDC).

[rposa]

And, to add something, If I try hotplugging the drive, and running the WD4000YS firmware updater, it starts, then exits with no message (error, or likewise), and the firmware stays the same in HDGURU

In all reality, if I can get someone to help me fix this drive, and I can access it normally, once I get it wiped they can have the thing ...

[sempre]

And, to add something, If I try hotplugging the drive, and running the WD4000YS firmware updater, it starts, then exits with no message (error, or likewise), and the firmware stays the same in HDGURU

In all reality, if I can get someone to help me fix this drive, and I can access it normally, once I get it wiped they can have the thing ...

Hi,if it wants the data… It wants a good advice? It looks a company of DATE RECOVERY of its confidence to decide this problem

[Doomer]

We have already recovered probably couple hundreds Zeus drives with dead heads
This one maybe has the same problem

[BlackST]

@rposa ,

To make it clear :

1) The drive is under warranty (THE DRIVE NOT THE DATA) - you wrote. If you send it to a specialist and the drive is opened or the internal structure touched (firmware ON THE PLATTERS not in ROM) you'll lose the warranty anyway
2) Probably the problem is a weak head or internal FW problem. It's beyond repair using free tools or other gizmos...
3) If I were you I'll speak clearly and say "my budget for recovering my data is "X" $ or £ or EUR" , maybe someone in this forum (not me) could say "yes, I can do or try with this budget".

And always... backups are the solution made to avoid these kind of expenses.

@admin,

maybe a new thread can start : HELP WANTED ! BUDGET xxx
Here you can make a post, explain the problem and say "my budget is..." and the via PM or in public the pros in this forum can place their offer for the specific case.

[rposa]

Is there anyone in the Kansas City area who can perform the work who reads these boards?

[Odiferous]

@rposa ,

To make it clear :

1) The drive is under warranty (THE DRIVE NOT THE DATA) - you wrote. If you send it to a specialist and the drive is opened or the internal structure touched (firmware ON THE PLATTERS not in ROM) you'll lose the warranty anyway

BlackST - not so.

Whenever I recover under-warranty drives for clients, I personally deal with the RMA process and have no problems with anyone (LaCie included) about having opened the drives, etc.

I would like to see someone in these circumstances go to the courts if warranty were declined because data recovery was necessary and hence performed.

Duncan