Good, because I was expecting zero chance.

The shipping process will take a week or more, so I'll post again when the device arrives.


Thank you

Hi,

a few hours ago I have received the TTL device, this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pcs-USB-2-0-TT ... 3a731c735c

and downloaded updated drivers from silabs.com.

I have connected only the TX and RX pins from the TTL to the hd pins.

I have tried all combination of serial settings following the guide below

http://malthus.zapto.org/viewtopic.php?f=116&t=189

with 57600/38400 bps and all Flow Control combination (Xon/Xoff Rts/Cts Dsr/Dtr and no flow control)

but I mainly see garbage characters, with some readable text, like GrayErr

Full log below :

:^y>VId=¾?>><~N=þÿ¹UÊõ<>>¿ÿV®½8004 Rev=0002- 785x Found
snm~[eöÿþÿþÿüÀàÀÀàÿÿÿ
S_0
zµ En Sensor Circuiv êÿÿÿ»µ¿M¿Z.Wé mcSpinRPM = 0
ÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÊþþÿþÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿóÿÿÿÿûÿÿÿÿþþÿýÿþÿÿ?¿^-
Wum~>:<2<<fegC< Ñ0x0000F1B6 [C000.04.00]
DBG>þÿþÿÿþÿþÿþÿþÿûÿÿÿþÿÿÿþÿÿÿþþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþþÿÿÿúÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿþþÿÿþÿûÿÿÿÿ
ÿÿÿÿÿýÿþÿÿÿÿòúÿÿÿÿþþÿÿÿÿûÿÿúÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿþÿþÿûÿþÿÿþÿþÿÿÿïÿþÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿýÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ
þÿÿÿÿÿ÷ÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿûÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿþþþÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþþÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿûÿÿÿÿûÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿ
ÿþþÿÿþÿþÿóÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿþöþÿÿÿþÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿþÿþÿÿÿ
ÿÿÿþÿÿþÿþÿÿûþþÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿþÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿþûÿóþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿûÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿþþÿþþÿÿüúùþÿÿÿ
ÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿóþÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþüÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿßÿÿýÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ÷ÿÿÿþÿÿþþ
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿûÿþÿþüÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿòÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿýÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþþÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿ
ÿÿÿýÿþÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿýÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿöÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿýÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿýÿüûûÿþÿÿ
ÿþÿþþÿÿþÿÿþþÿüþÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿýÿÿþÿÿÿüÿÿûþþÿþþþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿúûÿÿþûþûüÿÿÿþÿþÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿüþÿÿßÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÛÿþÿ
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ÷þÿþþÿÿÿÿÿÿüÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿ¿ÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿûþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿüÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿþÿÿÿþ
ÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿüóÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿþÿýÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿ*\ñ¸VID=òòòò9õ>>>6>Rev=¾>>²-¼·ÿÿ{uv½<>>2-8ªÂÁFound
slm~Rev¾½þ63r?ÊUþþðøøÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿíS_0
RV0En Sensor Circuit
êÿVem~<:>27þgegc ÍÊÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ¿ÿÿÿÿÿçÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿïÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿþÿþÿþÿÿÿöÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿüÿÿþÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿþþÿþýþþÿþþÿþÿÿþÿÿÿÿ
ÿÿÿÿÿýÿÿÿÿÿÿþþÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿ¿ËÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿPK_;<>¾sz¾¾¼þ¾H:33 4C;<80(8<¼~:2íÊÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿUF 3 1stGrayErr¾îoÊVO^1stþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿUF 3 1stGryyu~rü¿ú7VO\9ÍÊÿÿÿþþÿÿÿþPK_3<º¸c:¸( 0ü><ÊVÊÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿ\K_3<><c:?<>¾8<>L:9ÍÊÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ÷UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:20&L.×ååÉÉùNf:1ÍÊVO\¡¾341stGrq^q..bé2ÍÊVVO\!í}z?~¿§jÊVO\9ÍÊÿÿÿÊÿÿÿÿÿûÿPK_3¾8<c:>>><8<>N:9ÿÿþÿÿÿUF 3 1svíåÍéÁÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿûÿUF°3(1sÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿþPK_3 C: 0 J:2
ÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿUF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:3
VOP!
þÿóÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿPK_3 C: 0 H:3 ÊÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿïÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿþþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿüÿÿÿÿþÿþûüþÿÿÿÿþLED 1102
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿýÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþþÿÿÿÿüÿþÿþÿóÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿLED 1102
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿóÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿþLED 1102
ÿÿÿÿÿþûÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿýÿÿÿýÿÿþÿÿÿúÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿýÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿûÿÿÿþLED 1102
ÿþÿÿÿÿÿþÿþÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿþÿþÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿûþþÿÿþùüLED 1102
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿþÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿýÿÿÿþþûÿÿþþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿûÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ


Now the drive behavior is like this:

when powered up, I can hear the motor spinning up normally, then after sixteen clicks the hd power down and the terminal serial connection shows characters like this ÿþÿÿþÿþÿÿÿ continuously

I hope someone can tell me more.

Personally I've never seen that with a normal Samsung drive, and fully working TTL serial adapter. As discussed before, this might be related to problems caused by you previously connecting an RS-232 cable to the serial port, or could have other causes. However in the readable parts...


That suggests head problems, as discussed earlier.

The previous log was with the TTL device installed on Windows Vista OS, now I have installed it on Windows Xp and I have a clear log

Each UF line is an head click:

*PA VID=0000 PN=0004 Rev=0002- 785x Found
*PA VID=0000 PN=0004 Rev=0002- 785x Found
ChipRev = 63B0
U
S_0
RV En Sensor Circuit
En Shock Sensor Circuit
SO_1
SpinStartUp: mcSpinRPM = 0
RPM at Handoff: 585
Temp : 26 degC
SpinOk
mS1 00000003
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:0
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:0
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:1
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:1
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:2
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:2
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:3
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:3
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:0
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:0
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:1
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:1
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:2
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:2
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:3
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:3
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:0
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:0
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:1
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:1
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:2
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:2
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:3
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:3
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:0
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:0
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:1
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:1
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:2
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:2
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:3
VOP!
PK_3 C: 0 H:3
Unlatch Fail
VOP!
PK_4 C: 0 H:0
VOP!
PK_4 C: 0 H:0
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102
LED 1102

This would suggest all heads fail to read.

This is beyond any feasible DIY attempt, as already confirmed by BlackST in previous posts...

Is statistically possible that all heads fails at once, or the problem may be somewhere else ?

Anything is possible. Maybe its not heads that is bad, but surfaces. But for confirmation, you will need to consult a pro who can carry a thorough examination and tell you exactly what is the problem and exactly what solutions are available and whether or not data can be saved.

Now that you've got a readable serial output:

Or could be a failed component which is common to the signal from all heads e.g. preamp or read channel.

It is unlikely that all heads failed at once
But is it possible that all heads would be bad in the same drive - very much so.
If it's a scratch then one head could get killed by it and after that dust starts to spread on other surfaces killing other heads
Dead preamp or PCB might also mimic "all heads are dead" situation

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

Already told without days ago : "if the log include GrayErr"...

So at this point nothing can be done with the TTL device to dig deeper into the problem, just to have a better overview of what is the cause ?

I'm not pretending to repair something.

Or maybe someone can suggest some data recovery company that can operate remotely with serial commands or loading some software via remote administration.


Bye

"Doing" something can ONLY work if the read-write mechanism works, as this is what reads the firmware and data off the platters. If the read-write mechanism is damaged as determined by the diagnostic from the terminal line, then no "doing" is possible until the read-write heads problem is addressed.

Best wishes

_________________
Hard Disk Drive (HDD), Solid State Drive (SSD, SATA, NVMe, etc), USB Flash Drive and RAID Data Recovery Specialist in Massachusetts

Niente da fare. Se proprio vuoi giocarci forse avresti piu' fortuna da altre parti dove ci sono utenti che discutono con altri utenti, la nostra opinione non cambia.
Nothing to do, sorry. If you really want to play with the drive, better discuss on other places where end users discuss with end users. Our opinion won't change.

(?)

(NB ho fatto fatica a capire che era tradotto dall'italiano "pretendere di riparare" , detto cosi' in inglese vuol dire "fingere di riparare qualcosa" )
Ci mancherebbe altro... anche perche' non si puo'.

(Note : I struggled to understand the meaning was "trying to repair someting" , said that way is ... "pretend to repair" )
OH YES sure... in fact you can't.



Ci vorrebbe una sostituzione delle testine tramite Teamviewer o terminale.... Non e' roba per questo mondo a meno che tu non conosca qualcuno di Star Trek, chiedi del Sig. Sulu... (Signor Sulu, Teletrasporto !)
SERIAMENTE, se proprio ti servono i dati, ti posso suggerire qualcuno ma la spesa non e' poca. So quanto chiederei io....

You need a remote headswap via Teamviewer or terminal command... Not in this world, unless you are in touch with Star Trek crew, ask for Mr. Sulu.... (Mr. Sulu, teletransport !)
SERIOUSLY, if you really need the data on it, we can suggest someone, but the quote is not low. I know how much I would charge for such problem....

Ok,

I'm convinced, I was hoping on some firmware problem or something to be solved with firmware commands.

Many thanks for all your help and for your English lessons BlackST

You're welcome.
(note : I learnt English before Italian !)

And obviously thanks to all the other people too

For the sake of information, I think I have an answer for the problem described on this topic:





The friction noise I heard when the problem appeared has an answer...

ooh
appears the disc "isnt shiny enough" anymore
Thats about as nasty as it can get

Hi, good morning.
I´m trying to clear smart data on a HD103SJ.
Do you have the pinout? speed?
is RS232 TTL or C?
Thanks
Santiago

Thank you very much!!! I will try and keep you informed.!!