HDD GURU FORUMS

I have a WD20SMZW with SED, and i do not have a Unlocked PCB for recovery it. Is it possible read patient ROM using an external reader, modify code for disable SED, rewrite modified code to ROM, resolder ROM on PCB, and bypass SED problem ? If no, there is some other way if i do not have a unlocked PCB ? Thank you to all

Hello,

Yes, you can read, decompress the rom code and analyze it, find where to patch and how, then recompress. This was the easy part...
the hard part comes after that: recalculate the digital signature of the fw. This is where this project will surely fail...
You need an unlocked pcb for this one...
What's the original symptom?

pepe

The original symptom, is that when power on i can ear motor start but after some second motor stop. I want to try to see if it have some SA corruption or other test like disable some heads, but for do that i need a SA/ROM access, and the drive is SED. I try to foud a unlocked PCB. Thank you

Spin up and spin down are signs of bad heads and/or media damage.

If you’re thinking you can fix this with a PCB then you’re mistaken.

Thank you for advice.