A few weeks ago you all helped me very well with recovering data from a HDD I had hooked up to a laptop PSU. That data was very important (5 years photographs) so I'm gratefull that was recovered.
As it happens at the same time I burned another external HDD (actually I hooked this one up to the faulty PSU first and then the other to "test", not realising the PSU was not the good one.

The data on this HDD is not important, it's a lot of movie back ups which could be replaced (but would take some work).

The other HDD was shortcircuited in a TVs (visibly damaged) and when put into a test computer it didn't even start the computer.

This HDD (Samsung HD204UI, HD204UI/Z4, 2 TB) does not have visible damage and when put into a computer the computer DID power up but the HDD wasn't recognised in the BIOS anymore.

Does anyone know what the usual damage is to this sort of HDD when put onto a laptop PSU?
To a layman as me it seems that unlike in the other HDD it's not a TVs, though it could be that different anatomy of the HDD makes it work differently?

love to hear your idea's (and solutions?)

Post photo of PCB.

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The 12V TVS diode will most probably be shorted and the zero ohm link will be open.

http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/HDD/HD204UI_TVS.jpg

You need to bridge the resistor/link with a blob of solder, and remove the 12V TVS diode. Test the 12V input for shorts before powering up the drive.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

Of course a good idea, the fact I don't see something broken doesn't mean you all can't spot something.
I have an overview photo, an angled shot so you can maybe see things better on the top of the TVs etc. and some close ups.
And lastly the sticker on the back/top whateven with all the numbers etc.

i hope you see something.

That was what happend on the other HDD (well the 12 V TVs at least, I didn't so anything with a zero Ohm link), can it be the same thing here while all the symptoms are so different? (the computer did start etc. and I can't see (as far as I'm concerned at least) a broken TVS.

i have the same problem !

i tested the TVS

download/file.php?id=8956&mode=view

about the 0 V one : is that normal ???

Sadly testing is beyond my abilities (at least I don't have the equipment).

If it is a TVs it would be nice, on the other HDD I could just remove the broken one and it worked again. But as I said then the HDD made the whole PC crash due to the shortcircuiting.. and this seems different to me. Not to mention the TVs's all seem intact.

Did you ruin the HDD the same way I did btw?

@Aezeal, if you are not willing to purchase a cheap multimeter ($5) and learn how to use it, and if you are not prepared to pay US$50 for a replacement PCB plus firmware transfer, and if you are willing to gamble on the possibility that my diagnosis is correct, the try the following.

1. Remove the 12V TVS diode with flush cutters.

2. Bridge the two ends of the zero ohm link with sharp pointed metal tweezers.

If the drive starts, then find someone to flow a blob of solder over the link.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

Well I could try that. As I noticed with the other HD removing the TVS doesn't do real damage anyway right. And what effect does closing the Ohm link have?

And then: where are these components on the PCB?

I think you would be best advised to have someone else look at your drive.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

Obviously, and I did consider that with the other HDD, but this one only contains Disney movies, either I get the data or I just throw it away.

The answer to your last question was in my first post. If the photo clip on my web space doesn't enlighten you, then I can't help you. Sorry.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

Ah I'm really sorry, had forgotten that already (been a busy weekend with other stuff tbh).
So what effect does soldering the Ohmlink have on a healthy PCB?

And the fact the TVs seems intact and the PC does start up doesn't matter: you still think it's most likely the TVS?
Could only removing the TVs work too (that worked on the other HDD).

As it happens my brother in law is coming over with his soldering equipment (gonna desolder some capacitors in the PSU of the TV) so I might just be able to do that on the side.

I've asked him to bring his multimeter too, he knows how to use it too. He's not all that into DR etc so not sure if he knows what normal measurements over the TVS etc are. Should they normally be what loopy showed in his pic?

He's measuring 0 over the 12 V TVS (it beeps) so that one is short circuiting. Guess we can remove than one then?

Do we still need to solder over that 0-ohm link?

No, but the Pcb will be unprotected for shortage.

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A diode that has a resistance of zero ohms is shorted. Remove it.

If a zero-ohm link does not measure zero ohms, then it is faulty. The fact that the shorted diode did not shut down your computer's PSU means that the zero-ohm link is open circuit, in which case you need to solder over it. Just verify that there is no longer any short circuit at the 12V input before you apply power.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

Final post:

We ended up removing the 12 V TVS first.. which (and it probably doesn't surprise you when I read your last posts) didn't work. Then we soldered over the zero Ohm link. (We did this before reading those last 2 posts, but I appreciate them nonetheless because it makes things a bit more clear).

And after 4 hours copying we had my 1.5 TB with childrens movies back.

Thank you for helping a DR layman and having patience with all my questions. This is a great community, you have helped me get the data back of both HDD's I ruined!!!

- that reminds me I need to label all my powersupply thingies for laptops, external HDD's etc better. The other lesson: backup my photo's (I'm seeing your subscript Fzabkar) I've already implemented. -