WD5000BMVV-11A1CS0 ROM Issue

[ddrecovery]

This drive (originally USB) was subject to a power surge and took out the heads and ROM. I have completed a head swap and installed a SATA board and ROM from the donor. The drive will not read so the ROM is not compatible so cannot rebuild the ROM from the SA. Reading the Marvell manual it says if there is no ID with the ROM, then we need to install another ROM. So… is the only option to experiment with Mariner family ROM until the drive at least partially ID’s so we can rebuild the original ROM?

[Dmitriy`]

You need compatible enough ROM to get access to drives SA with loader, once you get access to SA open module 11 for example and check what version it is, after that find same version ROM and program the PCB. Rebuilding ROM with "" build ROM from SA feature"" won't be possible on this drive, because there is no ROM modules backup in SA on these drives(maybe on certain FW's can't remember right now). Let me know if you have problems or need ROM/SA, i can help you via TV if needed.

[chinopk]

are you absolute sure that by power surge both ROM and heads are gone ??
it is possible that ROM is not transferred properly ?
OR it is destroyed while transferring ?

did you try to read ROM with a programmer ?

as "Dmitriy" said you need compatible enough ROM to get access to SA, a mariner family ROM will not work am afraid.

[ddrecovery]

@chinopk - I read the original ROM in a programmer and it was shot (mostly FF FF). I could also read the donor ROM and it didn't appear to have any issues.

@Dmitry - Thanks for the offer of help (as always).

Update: I managed to get a ROM from a drive manufactured within 3 days of the patient. Installed it and I got access to data without doing anything else.

[chinopk]

glad you manage to solve it.
good luck