I have a Samsung HD103SJ that has recently stopped being recognized by my motherboard and my USB SATA dock. Other drives work in both just fine.

There is some relatively important data on this thing and I really don't want to lose it, but $800+ for data recovery (that I have priced so far) is a bit much for what *is* on here...

Model: HD103SJ
MFR Date: Jan, 2011
If you need more info, let me know.

Anyway, before it stopped working, there was some super slight clicking periodically over the course of a few days (thought it was fan, so I ignored it), and some sluggishness and Windows crashing frequently on its last day... Once I diagnosed it as HDD, well, it was too late. Didn't get more than 100MB of stuff copied off when BOOM no more recognition.

When it gets plugged in, it still spins up to its idle speed, but does no more than that.

Please, help me if you can!

Thanks,
Your Friendly Neighborhood Egg

There are 3 people here you can contact Starting on West Coast and ending on East Coast

thatdellguy is California
jono is Georgia
Quasimodo is Florida

Check them out there is nothing more you can do on this one sorry it seems a little late on this

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Iorana Haraharaini

Any second opinions? Is this something I might be able to fix by grabbing another of the same model and swapping PCBs?

No. Why? Becasue you say the drive still spins up at idel speed. This means PCB is not your problem your problem is else where sorry

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Iorana Haraharaini

The spin up can happen as long as there's power to it, that's true for any drive, but it it can still not pass data, through the SATA controller, and the drive type and stuff that you see at POST/Drive List (BIOS) is stored on the PCB, right?

Sorry if I'm making a stupid argument that's driving myself more into a hole, but I'm just putting my limited logic out there...

Sorry there can be more to this than your PCB. Do you hear your heads trying to move and seek when it is spinning up. You can have a problem in the HSA or even in the SA of this drive. It is hard to say by your limited knowledge and description you have given here on this one. Your drive, your money, your choice. You need a proper diagnostic and swapping out parts will not do this one for your. If data is important then take it to someone who can diagnose this and tell you what is wrong and fix it for you. If your data is as important as you say it will always be there on the drive so when you have the funds you can recover it. But this is no DIY PCB swap.

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Iorana Haraharaini

Many drives when there is a critical error do spindown, other stay up but isolate themselves.
This is your case.
From what I think it is, it can be a "simple" problem or a really bad problem but there should be no critical damage so data is most probably safe and sound (as long as you don't play too much with the drive).
The bad is that you can't do anything on your own unless either you know PERFECTLY how these Fx drives work AND/OR you have the necessary equipment.
The "plus" : if the problem is not the really bad one, after getting data you can have (again not by you) the drive fixed turning like brand new (or at maximum becoming a 750 or 640 ).

P.S. recheck motherboard settings AND check on another system before assuming it is really toast.

So, I was on the phone with Dell support earlier to set up for a replacement (system is under a year old, therefore under warranty), and while on the phone with them, the system randomly saw the drive... I was able to get my sensitive data off, and now I'm ok... The drive was really loud while seeking, but was fine while reading data. There were several bad sectors.

Thanks for the suggestions though, guys

I honestly have no idea why it worked now after messing with it for a month...

-Your Friendly Neighborhood Egg

(And yes, I did check on 3 systems, all with an external SATA dock and the internal SATA controller, and with Windows and Linux)