Wd Head Alignment

[redseaksa]

Hi

Anyone explain Wd Head Alignment problem .

Is this problem found in all kinds of WD?

And what is the solution to this problem ?

Thank u

[zebong]

when you change the heads you have to kept the aligment.

i think the solution is not for sell ...

[Steve]

when you change the heads you have to kept the aligment.

i think the solution is not for sell ...

While we can all appreciate the need to keep trade secrets,
giving out wrong information will not keep people from screwing
up their drives. There is no "keeping the alignment" while changing
heads. And even if there were, alignment from one drive to the next,
is not the same.

The problem with WD drives is the piss-poor design that puts a
precision head stack on a non-precision pivot shaft. The heads are
installed at manufacture time, the lid installed, and THEN the sector
and track signals are recorded to the media. Because the headstack
sits losely on the pivot shaft, once the screws are removed from the
lid, the heads become out of alignment. THAT'S the PROBLEM.

The Solution is the trade secret.

I'm a firm believer that if more people knew the problem, and knew
that they had virtually no chance of success, maybe, just maybe,
they would refrain from even removing the cover screws.

Someday, the solution may become public knowledge, but even then,
the average IT tech, computer repairman, and the average user still
won't be capable of exchanging heads in the majority of WD drives.

[hddguy]

Someday, the solution may become public knowledge, but even then,
the average IT tech, computer repairman, and the average user still
won't be capable of exchanging heads in the majority of WD drives.

I agree, but this will not stop people from trying and screwing up any chances of getting back their precious photos, itunes, accounting data, databases etc.

This is why for the moment it is a secret. But users are not happy with this, even though it is in fact preserving the chance of successful repair/recovery.

[redseaksa]

when you change the heads you have to kept the aligment.

i think the solution is not for sell ...

is this problem for all WD series

[hddguy]

On all models where HSA is secured by screw in top cover, which is most of them.

[fzabkar]

I agree, but this will not stop people from trying and screwing up any chances of getting back their precious photos, itunes, accounting data, databases etc.

This is why for the moment it is a secret. But users are not happy with this, even though it is in fact preserving the chance of successful repair/recovery.

Steve is right. The best way to dissuade people from attempting an impossible DIY is to tell them how it is done.

Everything else is a load of disingenuous, self serving, condescending, patronising rubbish. Statements like yours are precisely why people are distrustful of the data recovery industry.

[Alan2]

There is a new mechanical head alignment tool available now to make the WD head alignment possible. This new alignment tool with 3 micrometer adjustments also requires a sophisticated tool like an Atola Insight, PC-3000 or other such tool to assist with the fine tuning of head positioning micrometer adjustments. If anyone is interested, just PM me for the website where I saw this new tool. See text below about the new tool.

The WDHA Pro is an essential tool to have when encountering critical head failure with 3.5" Western Digital Desktop Hard Drives. The process is simple: adjust and align HDD heads while scanning with a tool like the Atola Insight. The hermetically sealed enclosure enables a recovery technician to see everything that is happening to the physical drive during the alignment process as well as prevents any further damage to the drive. Above the enclosure are three micro trheads, arranged in a circle, 120 degrees apart, which allow for precise positioning of the heads.

[fzabkar]

If anyone is interested, just PM me for the website where I saw this new tool. See text below about the new tool.

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22WDHA+Pro%22
http://www.hdd.ji2.com/products/hard_dr ... a_pro.html

[Steve]

That's a pretty tool and nice carrying case.
BUT: 3 way positioning is NOT precise, it's still guess work.
4-way positioning would be much more precise.
BUT: It's still guess work, as you can't "See" where the
positioning needs to be.

[Amarbir[CDR-Labs]]

Well,
Who has this tool on our forums here ,anyone ? .

Some posts -> moving-the-top-cover-drive-for-head-swaps-t17606.html

[untree]

Anyone have one of these?

(3-way positioning ) http://www.headalignment.com (they do not answer with price quote, anyone knows?)

or

(4-way positioning ) http://www.drtshop.com


Any feedback from owners?