Hi,
first some notes about me - i'm a simple pc user with some technical background - but I'm no hdd expert - thatswhy sorry for my eventually stupid questions - or ideas.

Background:
at the end of 2013 i recommend the parents of my wife to safe the pictures of their holiday trip to an external usb disk , because the old hdd in the laptop was crashed - and it neeed many times to recover the data and to save it on a new one.
Only a small part of the Laptop HDD was physicaly destroyed - all other datas could be read back.

I give them at christmas a present - a Transcend StoreJet M3 Anti-Shock 1TB external USB disk.


This weekend the parents ask me what they done wrong, because they couldnt see the external harddisk on the pc in the explorer if the disk was plugged in.

I think - ok - eventually i will get access if i open the case - take the SATA disk out and plug it in my pc on the second sata port.

As i do it my system slow down,
if i start windows - i can see it in the device manager - but i did not see it in the windows explorer or in the data storage management tool (datenträgerwerwaltung in german)

That the disk not work is really bad because the parents have saved all their photos on this harddisk.
This is the only place - really bad.

I try to find a solution - read in some forums - and find the information that a serial port exist for diagnosic informations.

After this i connect a serial port over adapter to the disk ( make the setting baud 57000 8 Data / 1stop /no parity / and i get this log:

ActiveFW : 00
FWVer : 0001
SATA PLL cal done
DDR size detected = 16MB

DDR size detected = 16MB

*PA_TI5565*PA VID=0012 PN=0055 Rev=0000- PA_TI5565 Found
*PA_TI5565*PA VID=0012 PN=0055 Rev=0000- PA_TI5565 FoundU
S_0SO_1
SPU@28'C,4900mV
IS=3
CLA ..36/54
HO..OK
HO RPM=1176 OK
AC 1751
ST..OK
mS1 00000003
GT:417
SC(L):4126/65
BE.N:27
LD..OK
SK C: 7977 H:0
Loaded FIT ( 0: 0: 1)
CalibTable Loaded. Rev:0x1B
ResoTable Loaded. Rev:0x01
Bump Limit Loaded. Rev:0x01
RRO1xTable Loaded. Rev:0x01
Fw Active 00
Ovly loaded to 0x00014D00
Ovly loaded to 0x1002DFA8
FdtTable Loaded. Rev:0x02
Unknown file id 384
Up MC

PwrOn RRO1x @ H0
Table) cos = -627456, sin = -820480
Coeff) cos = -8932, sin = -50807

DiskSlip : 146 [SrvTrk]
DiskSlip : 152 [SrvTrk]
0. phs diff 2 [wedges] Table) 249, coef) 251

PwrOn RRO1x @ H2
Table) cos = -628224, sin = -819712
Coeff) cos = -5061, sin = -37771

DiskSlip : 146 [SrvTrk]
DiskSlip : 151 [SrvTrk]
4. phs diff 0 [wedges] Table) 249, coef) 249
TgtCyl: 832
Hd: 2 Zn: 0 Avg.:- 227
TgtCyl: 266176
Hd: 2 Zn: 1 Avg.: 1145

SVCAL(0080,0000)-->PASS
ENG>ReadyTime = 3021456 us
mS1 00000003
SK C:156310 H:0

S_0SR:0
AP:1 C:156310-> 6244 H:0->3 AP Cnt: 0
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:3
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:0
UF6 GE
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:2
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:3
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:0
UF6 GE
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:2
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:3
AP:2 C:156310->138133 H:0->1 AP Cnt: 0
UD..OK : 65
PK_3 C: 24 H:3
GT:418
SC(L):4123/49
BE.N:30
LD..OK
SK C: 8022 H:0
SR:1
AP:1 C: 8021-> 6244 H:3->3 AP Cnt: 1
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:3
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:0
SK C: 56564 H:1
SR:2
AP:1 C: 56564-> 6244 H:3->3 AP Cnt: 1
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:3
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:0
SK C: 59508 H:1
........

the errors repeat the counter is increased.


it seems that after FdtTable Loaded. Rev:0x02
something goes wron - because "Unknown file id 384"
IM not sure....

can someone interpret the data and say if the defect is electrical or physical?

whoul it be a solution to use a second identical pcb, copy the firmware (from spi flash w25x040cl) from the defect harddisk pcb to the new identical pcb.
or is this a bad idea in my case?

as i said i have no experience in data recovery.

If someone has a idea or some suggestion it would be helpfull.

Best regards,
Frank Münzner

sorry i also have a second question : it is possible to read/program the spi flash over rs232 or a dos console?
If this is true how is the name of the tool and what are the necessary commands?

Also i comare my RPM with some others on web and it seems (if this means the rotation per minutes of my disk that this value is really low....

for example
my disk: HO RPM=1176 OK
other from web: HO RPM=3329 OK

so as said before - every comment suggestion can help.....

Best regards,
Frank Münzner

Your PCB isn't the problem, more like head issues I would say.

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I agree with headproblem, then HO RPM=1176 OK...is just the RPM when heads are released onto the platter.

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hellp pc_image
head issue?
could this be?
the hard disk get no physical shock / was not falling down or so.
Could it be that it was a manufactoring error or so?
what can cause an head issue - in the past i think a physical shock should be the reason for a head crash.

can it be that this seems like a head issue because some config data is destroyed?

give it an easy way to detect if it is really an head issue?
what can be done in such a case?

best regards,
Frank Münzner

Hi, bad heads are more common now, as the drives grow in size, price are getting lower and the manufacturer are not test their Product over longer periods of time.
Here is the problem:
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:3
UF 3 1stGrayErr Hd:0

_________________
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Rescue IT Dataräddning Göteborg AB
http://www.rescue-it.se

Yes I agree with mr_spokk, 1stGrayError usually means that the MCU could not verify the servo marks that the heads are supposed to read from the surfaces (which is the head's first step in order to get access to the data), thus meaning there's a problem with the heads. Your drive eventually goes ready, but I've battled my way with these very same drives (ST1000LM024 / HN-what-ever-Samsung-calls-them) and as for the terminal report, I can say your drive has either a problem with some head/s or even a soft headcrash.

That's not going to be easy!

With the tight tolerances of head flying height and track density and so on, it doesn't take much to cause a head crash on these drives. So unless the drive is rested on velvet cushions 24/7 and NEVER moved then you can't rule out shock damage. Even something like dropping a heavy book on the same table, at the right moment, can be enough.

By head crash, I mean the head momentarily touching the platter and weakening them, which looks like the case here.

If this is the case then every second you run it, is potentially causing more damage.

Would you run a car without oil in the engine, or a bent piston?

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New!! HDD-PCB.COM for all your PCB and donor HDD requirements!

It depends ...

A Mac user will see the oil warning light on his car's dashboard, wonder what it means, but then keep driving. Eventually the engine will seize and he'll call Apple road service.

A Windows user will see the same light, recognise it for what it is, and then try restarting his car a few times. When this fails, he will check the dipstick and add more oil, irrespective of the oil level. When the light doesn't go away, he will call Microsoft road service.

A Linux user will quickly recognise that the root cause is a faulty oil pump. He will then strip down the internal combustion engine, repair the faulty part, reassemble the engine and drive off before either Apple's or Microsoft's road service vehicles arrive.

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

Funny, but sadly a good analogy

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http://www.pcimage.co.uk

New!! HDD-PCB.COM for all your PCB and donor HDD requirements!

ok... for some people like me it's not so funny.
but i must say every time as i think about it i find it more interesting....


A Linux user will quickly recognise that the root cause is a faulty oil pump. He will then strip down the internal combustion engine, repair the faulty part, reassemble the engine and drive off before either Apple's or Microsoft's road service vehicles arrive.
let me say i want to make at first a correct diagnose:

some possibilities that the servo marks could not read will be:


1. the arm could not to correct position the arm
--> eventually voice coil driver error

2. head could not read because
--> head crash (what is a soft head crash?)
3. could some data about the disk configuration in the spi Flash be destroyed - how to check?

so what be the next step to make a diagnose:

could be done some measurement with oscilloscope /LA (what should be measured / how should the signals be)
should the disk opened in a clean room to do a visual inspection (which class should the clean room have?)

what would be the next step of an expert?

other question how much can it cost to get the data by sending the drive to an data rescue center (best case / worst case)

sorry if i ask this "stupid" questions.

I have 2 points:

1. i wish to get the data back
2. i find the technical aspect really interesting, and wish to understand it a little bit more

fzabkar - i find your post about adaptive firmware modules really interesting but at this time this is for me the "guru" level.

I did'nt want to make a professional data recovery service - but i want to understand some topics a little bit deeper for my own.

Best regards,
Frank Münzner

Sorry, I wasn't poking fun at your predicament. I really would like to help you, but I'm just an end user like you. ISTM that there isn't much you could do, given that the drive most probably has an internal fault.

-Franc

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

Hello,
I would like to inform you about my progress.

Last week i get a hdd which should have the same pcb index - but it had the wrong pcb index number. Its the BF41....
After this i call again with the friendly people of the computer shop - and the reason for the sendig of the hdd with the wrong pcb inex was the vacation of an employer....

ok - this week i get the hdd with the same pcb index.
But as i log the diagnostic data i can see that the preamplifier is different.

Its a PAUNI L2957 instead of the PA_TI5565.

So i get a PA error if i test the other pcb with the "defect hdd"

After this i try a bios swap - i cross changed
* the Bios 1 from PCB 1 to PCB 2
* the Bios 2 from PCB 2 to PCB 1

as i test the
defect hdd1 with Pcb2 and BIOS1 --> Invalid PA VID
"new" hdd2 with Pcb1 and BIOS2 --> ok,

resume
at first:
hdd1 with pcb2 and bios is not working because of invalid PA so it seem that not the comlete firmware is in the serial flash, some parts must also be stored in the Marvell SOC.
could this be ?

hdd2 is working with pcb1 and bios 2 - so as result the electronic components are ok

last - bad result:
as the most people in my forum post like pcimage, mr_spokk, deftrue... say - it is no error of pcb board.

so the defect is inside of the hdd and is a hdd head error.
as this is the case the only solution would be a head change.
Only for interests , would be an headchange possible if the preamp is different - or did an different head PA also indicate a different head design - in other words - are in the same HDD type different hdd head designs used, which would be incompatible among each other?


Later i will change back the bios to the original configuration.
If someone interested in the bios information i can read out the firmware of both firmware chips.
Eventually it will helps someone...

best regards,
Frank Münzner