Okay, so a couple of days ago ... I accidentally plugged in the wrong power supply for the G3 external HDD and then I started to smell smoke. Now, the HDD won't spin, click or power up ... which leads me to believe that there is a possibility that I can retrieve my data if I can find a replacement PCB.

So far, I have had no luck finding a match. Google is practically sending me little to no results for any of the numbers I've found from the current PCB.

If anyone can help, I would be so appreciative. Does anyone know where i can buy Samsung PCBs here in Australia?

The details I've gotten from the current PCB is as follows:

* BF41-00284A 01 (etched on board)
* PAAZE4MDA80772 (found under barcode on white sticker, located on sata connector)
* 8818827-TFJ2
YPM25031
1805 A1P T TW
(all found on one square chip)
* SAMSUNG 013
K4H561638J-LCCC
H5616 WR84776AU
(found on one rectangular chip)

Thank you.

Do a search on TVS and fzabkar it seems that we have a major wave of TVS here on this form more than I have ever seen before. But soon you will hear from Franc and he will cut and past a whole listing of stuff for you to see. But if you search for this name you can find it really fast I do not think you need to upload a photo of your pcb if you read all the stuff he cuts and pastes into each topic you will find all the answers you need on this one. Search is your best friend on this forum and you can search posts from fzabkar or on TVS and you can get back your data according to him on a very small cost DIY for you. Good luck

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Iorana Haraharaini

IF AND ONLY IF it is the only problem, otherwise swapping the pcb straight away works on less than 5 percent chance. If the damage went beyond... the solution is not for free. Good luck.

Upload a detailed photo of the PCB and one of us will identify the faulty part for you. If the problem is restricted to a TVS diode, then there is a simple, no-cost DIY repair.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

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I have identified the 12V and 5V TVS diodes, plus a smaller component that may be a fuse for the +5V supply.

http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/HDD/Samsung_G3_TVS.jpg

The 12V diode is the usual culprit. Have you tried this drive in another enclosure? Have you tested it by connecting it directly to a computer motherboard? It's possible that the damage may have been restricted to the bridge board in your enclosure.

In any case, measure the resistances of each component on the 200 ohms range of a multimeter. A digital multimeter should only cost you AU$10 at Dick Smith or Jaycar. If either diode measures close to zero ohms, then cut it out with flush cutters. If there is no other damage, your drive should work without the diode, but it will no longer have overvoltage protection on the affected supply, so be absolutely sure your power supply is good.

Good luck.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

fzabkar, you are a godsend! THANK YOU!!

I had tested the drive on other enclosures as well as connecting it onto a desktop motherboard. The desktop computer simply wouldn't power on at all, until of course a little after I disconnected the drive from it ...

So tested the resistance as you advised, cut the culprit 12v diode out and viola .... worked.

I'm curious ... is there anyway to replace that diode, so as to have the drive protected as it originally was? Or is that it for the drive?

You can replace the diode with an SMBJ12A from Farnell.

Congratulations.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

Hello,

I have the same issue but I am not an electronics guru. I have also connected the adapter of the laptop to the hard disk and since then the hard disk does not function at all. Not even the motor is working.
So according to the descriptions, I think the same method will work also for me. But my question is, how did you remove the 12V diode? And did you make a direct connection instead of the missing diode on the chip? Can you maybe provide a new photo of the device after the removal?
Thank you for a reply.

See u,
estagor

estagor, just cut out the diode with one of these:
http://www.hvwtech.com/products/180/43040_PV.jpg

You don't need to do anything else. Just be sure your power supply is good.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

Hi, it worked perfectly. Currently I am extracting all the data. Thank you a lot.
I cannot explain how important this data was for me.

By.