My ST31000340AS (which, if it makes a difference, was in a Maxtor One Touch 4 in which it came) died (I tried it in the case, and then in a tower with a beast 850W PSU; it starts "spinning up" -just a little thing, not even for 2s- and then and then just... nothing) while I was traveling. I left it plugged into a socket that has had questionable behavior -I had two PSUs go "bad" on it, but none blew up in smoke, so to speak. So I understand/suppose/guess that:
1. My PCB is the problem.
2. The TVSs "protected" the drive? They aren't burnt or anything, but if the problem was unstable power, maybe they short circuited anyways. They look OK...
3. I've heard that a "direct PCB swap" isn't going to work with this series, something about an EPROM (=flash transfer??)
4. Can I try cutting off the TVSs and then send it into a flash swap/PBC replacement Co?

Detailed drive info:
The PCB is:
UJAJ-6
PCB 100466824 RevC

MCU (main chip unit?):
LSI
TTB5501D
Seagate e3
0811T7907317
35MM001
1182057

Memory
Samsung 813
K4D551638H-LC50

Flash
25X40L001
0801

P/N:9BX158-568
Firmware: SD81
Site Code: WUXISG
Date Code: 08434

Thanks in advance.

I suggest that you don't hack away at your PCB at random. A digital multimeter should cost you less than US$10. Use it to test your drive's suspect components. Post back here if you need more help.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

If I went out to my local electronics store here in Argentina it would probably be closer to US$50.
Do any of the ones on this page look good?: http://listado.mercadolibre.com.ar/multimetro_OrderId_PRICE
This one looks decent (I know nothing about multimeters): http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA ... lecaja-_JM (I hope you know some spanish )

And once I do have the multimeter, what am I supposed to do with it? "Touch" the each connector to see where the current "stops"?

The ZR-160 looks good. In fact a cheap meter is all that you need.

To test the resistances of each component, you need to set the DMM to the 200 ohms resistance range. Connect the black probe lead to the DMM's COM banana socket, and the red probe to the Volt/Ohm socket. Then connect the probe tips to each side of the diode. If the meter reads near zero, then the diode is shorted. Note that the meter leads will have a finite resistance which you can verify by touching the probe tips together.

This tutorial should help you:
http://www.ladyada.net/learn/multimeter/resistance.html

Read "Example 1. Testing a resistor".

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

Looks pretty straight forward.
I OBVIOUSLY (can't hurt to ask ) don't have the thing plugged in while I do this, right? I know it sounds stupid, but that's the kind of thing I would do...

Resistance measurements should be performed without power applied. The meter injects its own small current into the component being measured.

Voltage measurements require that the device under test be powered up.

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

Ok, I've got the MM. I connected the red one to the second jack counting down to up (labled "VΩmA") abd the black one to "COM". I set the dial to "200" on the Ω zone. If I don't touch anything, I get a "1. " If I touch the probe tips together, I get "0.07". Moving the metal contacts around gives me values like "-1" "76.5"... they just jump all around.
Touching the TVS diodes (on 200) I get a 1...., ex (they flash for a sec and then it goes to 1.): "102.6" "184.7". Sometimes the 1 disappears, and I get stuff like "17.0", "51.9". It seems like just random numbers to me...
If I put it to it's max setting (2000k) I seem to get more steady numbers: "020" (yes, without a dot, but maybe the screen doesn't have one there?), and "025". These are always about the same for each diode (12v and 5v diode respectively).
Is my MM bad? TVS bad? Am I dumb and I'm doing it all wrong?

P.S.: yes, the PCB is unplugged

Ok, I'm posting some pics to clarify.

I circled out what I'm almost sure are the 12v and 5v TVSs. The Yellow one looks similar to the other two, but it's in an odd location. I supposed, if anything, it's for 3v (there does seem to be 3v input pins, but I couldn't find where they go to, using a continuity test (which did work on the 12v & 5v ones).
Each of the TVSs have 2 more little diodes, what are these supposed to be?
The green diodes are labled "R200". I guessed it means "Resistance=200", so I set my MM to 200Ω and tried them... close to 0 values on all of them. There are some other similar diodes, labled 1R00, which make my R=200 theory kind of faulty.

(more to come)

Your diodes appear OK. The meter injects a small current into the circuit, and this current charges up the capacitors that are connected to the diodes. That's why it takes a little time for the reading to settle. Just make sure you connect to the soldered ends of the component. You may need to lightly scrape any flux or lacquer from the solder to get an accurate reading.

When you say that the drive starts spinning up, what exactly do you mean? If you put your ear close to it, what do you hear? Do you feel any vibration?

Did you drop the One Touch 4? If so, then the drive may have a stiction fault.

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

If the TVS is shorted, the drive won't spin at all.

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http://www.datasaversllc.com

No, I never dropped it.
It's not like a normal bad drive spinning up.
Here is a video of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_EnQPnZcD0

Ok, I ended up taking it to some data recovery guys here, since they offered a free diagnostic.
Their response was (quick and dirty translation, lol):
1. The loss of access to the information is caused by a failing spin motor. When the PCB functions correctly (like in this case), the causes can be four:
a) Grasp of the motor due to loss of fluid ("fluid lack seizure")
b) R/W heads stuck to the magnetic platters by molecular attraction ("head stuck")
c) Open or short circuited inductors
d) The heads have "fallen" on the service area of the platters, which stops the whole firmware from being saved to the RAM (which is needed for the motor to spin), "head crash on service area"

If it's cause d), there is no possible fix (we discard cause c) since a specific test showed that the inductors are in working conditions).
The other two causes require a "twin" hard drive to serve as a doner of it's HD Assembly.
We don't guarantee the complete or partial recovery of data, etc.
Price:
A) Service: USD$470
B) Twin HD: $131

Total: $600

NOW WHAT THE AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?

Also, how could this have happened, if (as far as I know) the drive never fell or anything like that!

Assuming the diagnose is correct,



Option "A" : pay for recovery

Option "B" : live without data

Option "C" : wait / search for internet bullsh... ehm, advice and try a DIY repair...

Seriously, there's little or no margin for imagination when it's "your data, your choice" kind of situation.

See this thread, but heed the warnings:
http://forums.seagate.com/t5/FreeAgent- ... 242#M11384

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

High temperature I guess
Seized spindles is very common problem on external 3.5" drives
External drives are not designed to run 24x7 but some users don't pay attention to this
Also 7200rpm drive in external box is also not a very good idea

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SAN, NAS, RAID, Server, and HDD Data Recovery.

In fact I have had a Seagate seize in front of me on my desk after random reads all day while stuck in a bag under a dozen rags. Makes you jump :O)

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All went well until I plugged the drive in.

I once saw a desktop jumping when spindle seizure of a hard drive inside this PC occurred
Needless to say that we were jumping together
That beat drives everybody crazy

_________________
SAN, NAS, RAID, Server, and HDD Data Recovery.

So it would seem I have a stuck spindle or something...
Would it work to just get a pretty much identical drive, and transfer the platters or something? If it's even remotely possible, I'm all for it. We're talking the price of a new computer here.

Data Recovery prices aren't about the value of the components.
Data Recovery prices reflect the cost of tools and equipment,
knowledge required, difficulty of the actual recovery,
and of course all overhead incidental to running a business.

The value of the data to be recovered has nothing to do with the
cost or value of the equipment that it resides on.

Only you can determine if the data you want recovered has any
value or not.
If your data has no value, then by all means, you can attempt diy recovery.
Maybe you will and maybe you won't get your data back.

If your data has value equal to or greater than the cost of
professional recovery, then I would suggest sending it to a pro.