All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: WD15EARS blocked in kernel - my fault !
PostPosted: March 15th, 2023, 14:10 
Offline

Joined: March 15th, 2023, 14:04
Posts: 4
Location: France
Hello to all,
I will try to be quick and concise:
I'm not a professional, I'm a private person, who works in programming and computer science in general, and I'm also very adventurous in the matter and I like to learn.
So I have a personal hard drive that broke down 9 years ago, I was never interested in it before because I had no time and I was waiting for the technology to evolve in order to look into it.

To be clear right away: I have not called and will not call a data recovery company, the data on it dont worth it, but I still want to recover as much as possible (if I brick the disk, no problem). Moreover, I only want the data, once this is done, this disk will end up in the dumpster. So much for the important points about my intentions.

The initial failure: installed in secondary on my computer, from one day to the next, the disk was corrupted without any obvious reason: the disk appeared in raw format requiring a formatting. So I restarted the computer (naive that I was): the disk never showed up again. Mounted in SATA directly, on a USB dock or even in simple reading on a BIOS: nothing! So I put it away in the meantime.

The HDD:
Brand: WESTERN DIGITAL (WD)
Mdl: WD15EARS-00Z5B1
S/N: WMAVU1092642
WWN:50014EE0AC800FEF
Date: 29 Nov. 2009
DCM: HBNYNT2MA
LBA: 2930277168

Some time later I took it out again on the advice of a friend who told me that I could try to change the PCB, which I did: I bought a PCB with the same number 2060-701640-002 REV A. The donor's rom chip was flashed according to the patient's. The first time I plugged it in, the disk started spinning but nothing else. It was a little bit better than before. Then I put it away again, waiting for better.

Today: having time to waste (or not), and being curious, I got informed about disks, their architecture, their internal functioning (fascinating!). In two months, I scanned a lot of articles, videos and forums (including this one but I never participated).
After testing WDMarvel in demo, I switched to the PRO version.

Here is what I did:
Disk status: spinning platters, recognized by windows OS but not initialized and no information.
Recognized on WDMarvel but incomplete: Serial number in XYZ, capacity recognized as 250GB (while it is a 1.5TB).
And my next blunders (I know I was wrong on many manipulations, but I was ready to try): I managed to read all the modules, and I found that the ROM version was the same on the SA (so proof that the chip was well flashed).
All modules were recognized except 2: Module 02 and another module but I don't remember which one. I saved everything (ROM+Modules) except the two modules that I could not read (SCSI ERROR). Then based on modules found on a forum, with a serial number close to mine, I downloaded module 2, I modified it based on module 402E of my backup (I think it was 402E...). And I wrote module 2... The disk then disconnected and since then I had a lot of problems in the SA. I spare you all my actions, I tried many things to get to the current state, including a complete SA format in order to try to rewrite the whole SA (many errors in the SA when I tried to read the modules: many bad sectors.

Currently: the disk is recognized but still in the same way with a serial number XYZ. I manage to load in RAM the original modules number 1 (DIR toRAM), number 2 (READ/Write to Ram -> CONFIG-FILE), the two overlays 1B and the second number which escapes me: I push "detect" again and the disk is recognized as originally (serial number good) but just the size remains at 0 GB. And it is several times that I rewrite modules by changing the DIR to write elsewhere on sectors surely more healthy. I manage to put back several modules as seen on the picture below.
However, when I try to see if it stays after a soft reset, the disk locks up again and I have to start all over again by going through the kernel mode.

Attachment:
File comment: Photo
PXL_20230315_152421169.jpg
PXL_20230315_152421169.jpg [ 2.5 MiB | Viewed 4072 times ]


Now you know everything.

So I have two questions:
- Is it already possible to repair this disk while being at this level?
- Is it possible to re-install all the SA at once on another DIR?

I insist that this disk will end up either repaired, or destroyed software-wise, but will not go to a center.

Thanks in advance to those who had the courage to read this long story and who can possibly help me!

PS: english is not my first language like you guess, my apologises if i make wrong shortcuts or use the wrong terms.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: WD15EARS blocked in kernel - my fault !
PostPosted: March 16th, 2023, 17:04 
Offline

Joined: March 15th, 2023, 14:04
Posts: 4
Location: France
I'm sorry, i didn't know that was no support from that specific program. I tried to contact WDMarvel, but the replies are delayed probably due war.
So, my licence will expire in couple of days, if you can just propose any program to use (not so expensiv), i wilb be gratefull.
I have access to PC3K with my job, but there is no update from 3 years and no right to update now (russian stuff) and my HDD isn't recognized.
Thank you for your time.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: WD15EARS blocked in kernel - my fault !
PostPosted: March 17th, 2023, 4:44 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 28th, 2009, 10:54
Posts: 3452
Location: Greece
A 3-years old PC3K can support a Dragfly3 drive just fine.

_________________
http://www.northwind.gr
SandForce SSD Recovery
Ransomware Reverse Engineering - NoMoreRansom! partners


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: WD15EARS blocked in kernel - my fault !
PostPosted: March 17th, 2023, 22:46 
Offline

Joined: March 15th, 2023, 14:04
Posts: 4
Location: France
Probably i didnt know use it also.
Anyway, i just wanted to tell you my problems are resolved !!
HDD is alive, copy is in progress !
I'm so happy and proud ! Its awesome to see the disk poping-up to windows after to have worked for 3 weeks on it.
Thanks anyway for this forum, there is so many many advices very usefull !
And now, i will continue to train myself on others useless disks.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: WD15EARS blocked in kernel - my fault !
PostPosted: March 18th, 2023, 14:02 
Offline

Joined: March 15th, 2023, 14:04
Posts: 4
Location: France
Spildit wrote:
raaz wrote:
Probably i didnt know use it also.
Anyway, i just wanted to tell you my problems are resolved !!
HDD is alive, copy is in progress !
I'm so happy and proud ! Its awesome to see the disk poping-up to windows after to have worked for 3 weeks on it.
Thanks anyway for this forum, there is so many many advices very usefull !
And now, i will continue to train myself on others useless disks.


Nice to know you did manage to get it working again.

Prior to the big mess up it could had been fixed most likely with a correct copy of module 02 properly uploaded to the disk.

Anyway glad you manage to sort it out.


Yes, you right, if i used the program without USB (USB fucked my upload i think), i guess the prior problem would was solved with this action. But i learnt much in that way !
Thanks for all your messages on that forum who helped me in my case !


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group