Hello gurus.

I have WD HDD WD20EARS-00MVWB0, not detected in PC. Using WDR6 Identified as:

WDC ROM MODEL-SADLE_G6- FW:25.12E SN:WDC-ROM SN# XYZ---- (ROYL selected) port 0xCC00
Logical: Cyls 0, Heads 0, Sectors 0, LBA 0, 0Gb
Controller Buffer Size: 0Kb
Family: Saddle_Back Gen 6 (Royl).

I can read ROM and MODULES 000A,000B,000D,004F,020B,0030,
0047 OK using the main menu Flah operatios, but i can not
read, write, check any other MODULE show error and red X.
PCB is the original. I swap PCB replacing the donor ROM
for the patient ROM and the error is the same. I make a backup
of MODULES from a same HDD working OK and can not write to the faulty HDD.

I compare the MODULES 000A,000B,000D,004F,020B,0030,
0047 from the faulty HDD with the MODULES of a same
HDD working ok and are identical.
Any idea wath can cause that and how to solve it.
Data is not important.

Thank you in advanced.

90% of the time this series has a heads issue.

"Not detected" as a description is useless if you are looking for meaningful replies.
Something like "spins up, clicks 2-3 times, then spins down" is more useful.
BTW, I am fairly confident this is what your HDD is doing, no?
Perhaps describe status register, etc.

Mentioning that tools you have may also be helpful.

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

labtech:
Thank for your time,
The hdd sping up and sound ok do not stop at any time but is not detedted by bios or OS.
I am using WDR6 and SeDiv Demo version and can not read modules in any case. WDR6 show error and red X next to the
modules when i treat to read,write or check it. I can not see
G-list, P-list, Smart, SS log etc. program show error.

Spildit:
Thank you for your answer:
I make hot swap and can not read the modules the error is the
same, i can read ROM and modules 000A,000B,000D,
004F,020B,0030, 0047.
I load DIR from the file using donor PCB and only can read the
same modules 000A,000B,000D,004F,020B,0030, 0047 the other
show error.

Sounds like head 0, 0+1, or preamp failure.

Inspection in clean room is next step. There is a good chance of bad media damage with these symptoms.

_________________
http://www.datasaversllc.com

Thank you for your post gurus:

When i open MODULES panel WDR6 show error and
blank windows, i can road map from file or via enumeration
but can not read any modules except adaptative copies.
Head map is the same that donor. If i change head map in RAM
can i read copy of SA from head 1 in case head 0 fault?
How can i do that?

Buy a PC-3000

_________________
Data Medics - Hard Drive, SSD, and RAID Data Recovery Service Company

data-medics thank for the advice but i can not buy PC-3000.
I will treat whit tools i have now.

When treat to read modules whit SeDiv Demo Log:

Action: Try Read Family Name..................................... OK!

Version ROM FW: 00250012

Version SA FW:

Version FW Not Read!


Action: Read APB................................................. OK!

Action: Read Drive Table......................................... OK!

Action: Read Zone Table.......................................... Error: Full version only!

Action: Read Resident file: 000B................................. OK! (Not Active)

Action: Read Resident file: 020B................................. OK! (Active)

Action: Read Resident file: 000B................................. OK!

Action: Read Flash............................................... OK!

Action: Read Resident file: 000B................................. OK! (Not Active)

Action: Read Resident file: 020B................................. OK! (Active)

Action: Read Resident file: 000B................................. OK!

Action: Read Resident file: 0001................................. Error: Full version only!

Action: Read Resident file: 000A................................. OK!

Save Data(Read Flash Module: 0A) OK

Action: Read Resident file: 000B................................. OK!

Save Data(Read Flash Module: 0B) OK

Action: Read Resident file: 020B................................. OK!

Save Data(Read Flash Module: 20B) OK

Action: Read Resident file: 0030................................. OK!

Save Data(Read Flash Module: 30) OK

Action: Read Resident file: 0047................................. OK!

Save Data(Read Flash Module: 47) OK

Action: Read Resident file: 000D................................. OK!

Save Data(Read Flash Module: 0D) OK

Action: Read Resident file: 004F................................. OK!

Save Data(Read Flash Module: 4F) OK

Action: Read Resident file: 0001................................. Error: Full version only!

--------------------------------- Local Exit --------------------------------

DIR Module Read Error!


And now in WDR6 road map for Dir i can read Module 35
and copies of adaptatives. I can read, check Mod 35 OK
but i can not write it.

I test heads in WDR6:

Write Test on Track -4, Num Heads :6
---------------------------------------
Head 0 - GOOD
Head 1 - GOOD
Head 2 - GOOD
Head 3 - GOOD
Head 4 - GOOD
Head 5 - GOOD

maybe is not head problem.

Spildit say:

Also you can try :

Power off and on, go to module operation window on wdr and when you get error you don't enumerate modules, instead you click on the window and you load the DIR module from the donor drive. Now you will see modules list.
Copy dir module from donor folder to the folder you are working from (drive id with xyz) and write dir module. Power off/on.
Go to module operation, check if you can see modules.


I test and:

The program show error when write Module 01 from the donor.
and after reopen modules operations too. After power OFF/ON i can not see the modules directly but is uncheck By ID in modules oprations the list of modules appear and i can
read the same modules as before (adaptatives copy)and i can read write check module 35 too the other modules show error.

I am reading the link now.

More than likely it is. The drive has firmware issues as result of corruption, but more so because of unstable heads.
Hot swap in terms of working with modules won't get you far as the ABAs are different.
Need more knowledge, better/full version equipment, compatible donors, etc, to get somewhere meaningful.

Forgot to add: in some cases, not even PC3K could pull miracles on this series.

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

Spildit say:

Ok, and any luck with HOT SWAP ?

If you HOT SWAP the PCB with the good drive working can you then read modules on the damaged drive ?


No I can not read any other module than Adaptative copies and module 35.
Why i can read, write, check the module 35 and no other module?
I have the same answer whit both PCB donor and patient. I treat to
fill module 01 as in the link but i can not write it to the Disk. By the way can
you please explain to me the meaning of By ID in Modules Operation panel.

Thank you very much GURUS for your Help specially to
Spildit was a great experience work with your help.

Your comment is the equivalent of asking a lumberjack if he is able to cut down trees without using a chainsaw or modern logging equipment, but just sticks and stones. Yes it's doable in some csses, but when you have modern equipment why go through all that extra effort?

The fact is I don't have to go and learn every single vendor specific command when I can buy a system supported by someone who's done it already. And just FYI, PC-3000 supports nearly every drive ever made. Any drive it doesn't support is going to be a lost cause to the DIY'er or is really old and unlikely to come in for recovery.

I do remember the days before PC-3000 trying (and usually failing) to do FW repairs. And the wasted weeks trying to get SD tools to perform a simple fix. And I have no intention of going back to working stupid and blind like that. Its like asking a computer programmer to go back to writing code in binary after he's become accustomed to using Visual Basic (or whatever visual editor programmers use these days).

_________________
Data Medics - Hard Drive, SSD, and RAID Data Recovery Service Company

We aren't all in this just for fun like you are. Some of us actually need to get the job done.

_________________
Data Medics - Hard Drive, SSD, and RAID Data Recovery Service Company

By your logic, you shouldn't be using a computer that's already been designed and built by someone else either. You should mine for precious metals, learn how to manufacture silicone, design your own chips, assemble a computer from complete scratch, and use that. Wouldn't that be more fun than just paying for one?

Except that you'd never accomplish it in a thousand years. You'd end up just giving up, just like many of the DIY'ers you give advice to who after weeks of frustration (and possibly after ruining any future chance of recovery) do. All trying to accomplish a simple fix that a data recovery pro with proper equipment could do successfully in a few minutes.

_________________
Data Medics - Hard Drive, SSD, and RAID Data Recovery Service Company

People come to the party with different ideas, knowledge, skill sets, and intentions.

I've programmed in 8088 Assembler. Having understood the essentials would -- in theory at least -- make me a better programmer using higher-level languages.

Nothing wrong with either approach. It's better to be friends.

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http://www.datasaversllc.com

Totally agree with Jono. Certainly no hard feelings, just a different way of looking at things. And, I never did let DataPlanet on my computer...LOL! That guy's crazy. I didn't know who he was, and he swore he knew a sure fix for the issue I was having, then went ballistic on me when I didn't give him remote access that second. Haha!

My approach to these things is that you have to balance your assets and be efficient at what you do. Time is the only asset that you can't get more of. While I don't doubt that learning to enter ATA commands all manually is a good learning experience, it may not be the most effective use of my time. Especially when I can buy a tool that does it for me with the press of a button in most cases.

_________________
Data Medics - Hard Drive, SSD, and RAID Data Recovery Service Company

@Data-Medics, in my personal business experience, someone who knows no more than how to use an off-the-shelf tool is not very useful at all. I made an international business out of chip-level computer repair in the days when boards cost US$10K. I've been to sites where IBM's board jockeys had run out spare parts and given up on equipment costing $100K. I can tell you that the actual repairs in that particular case were trivial ... and I was the seeing the equipment for the first time. I've done jobs where the solution required software/firmware/hardware hacking and reverse engineering. I wrote my own disc head alignment program to avoid forking out $10K for an exerciser. I've hacked boot code in mainframes to accommodate a non-standard disc drive, and I did all this without any third party tools, only the tools that came with the OS. And in most cases there was no documentation or circuit diagrams.

I performed my first two data recoveries while you were just starting school. The data were worth squillions. There were no tools other than a rudimentary sector editor that was part of the OS (something like DOS Debug, but nowhere near as powerful). I reverse engineered the proprietary file system and then wrote my own machine language routine (Data General) to scan the drive and locate the missing file system components.

http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php? ... 5729#p5729

I've been there and done it, so it really cuts against the grain to watch a relatively green, point-and-click professional lecturing people about The Business.

BTW, maybe you'd like to walk across the room and avail einstein9 with your expertise:

viewtopic.php?t=30892&p=213799#p213799

I would have fixed his problem in an hour, using jelly bean parts that an ordinary technician would have in his parts bin or scrap box.

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

OK, so you are the god of electronics.

Who, exactly are you trying to insult here? And why?

_________________
http://www.datasaversllc.com

The point I was making, which you so glibly ignored, was that it is not sufficient for someone to simply rely on an expensive tool. I illustrated this with my own personal experience where I was able to recover data when no tools were available. Data-Medics is fond of deriding those people such as myself who endeavour to understand the technology, so if anybody is insulting people, it is he. In fact I find it extremely offensive that someone who can't tell the difference between a Samsung HDD and a Seagate should be lecturing others at all.

The underlying gist of Data-Medics' posts appears to be that you don't need anything other than PC3K, and that PC3K makes you an expert.

DR wannabe + PC3K + manual = HDD Guru

That's his formula. Don't bother learning anything else.

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

fzabkar: There are ways to communicate that don't involve personal insults. Ad hominem attacks harm any argument, and damage bonhomie. If you can't be nice, at least try to be neutral. No points off for occasional sarcasm.

You find it "extremely" offensive if someone can't tell the difference between Seagate and Samsung? As you know, Seagate bought Samsung and now sells 2.5" products that have Samsung inside and look kinda like Seagate outside. I find the part number designations to be confusing, but maybe that's on account of my advancing age. Sorry if I offend too.

Perhaps you might find it interesting that one PC3K reseller estimated that 80% of them end up in a corner unused, because the learning curve is steep & extensive. Yes, the PC3K is "just a tool", but it takes a long time to become proficient. (Several DR firms have asked me to consider training their techs for a fee, but that's not what I do and even a week of training barely scratches the surface).

If you don't think any knowledge is required (to use it successfully), then you are discounting the reams of tech info that come with them. The thick original bound User's Manual is all but indecipherable to a newbie. I'm guessing it took me 2 years or more to feel like I had any basic mastery, but perhaps that's due more to my inadequacies and ignorance.

My point? Dissing someone because they rely on the PC3K, and implying that they needn't know anything to use it, misses the mark, IMHO. It may be "just a tool" with a limited but honored place in the lab, because many recoveries require mechanical or electrical intervention -- and you can't do those things with the PC3K. But it's not that simple to master, as all of my techs have found out.

So . . . am I to conclude that you have some hands-on experience with the PC3K, or is your opinion based upon conjecture?

_________________
http://www.datasaversllc.com