Hello,

I have a 120 Go Maxtor hard disk : 6Y120L0, firmware : YAR41VW0 (oct 2002), since today I can't access data on this drive using windows. (no deleting, nor formatting operations)

The drive is well detected in the boot.
I can also get back some files using EasyRecovery software (< 1 Mo),
but the software is very very long.
And I can't get back files > 1 Mo for time reason...

I used a SMART utility software to make a diagnostic : DMA CRC Error.

I have another 6Y120L0 hard disk more recent (working without any problem) but with firmware YAR41BW0 (2004) and I can't replace the PCB to test it (not exactly the same) ?

Can you help me ?
How to get back files from this drive ?

Posted 7/2/2005, 20:54:

using MHDD:

HDD: Maxtor 6Y120L0; FW: YAR41VW0; SN: xxxxxxxx
--------------------------------------------------------
Name Val Worst Raw
Att # 3 : Spin up time : 202 201 11375
Att # 4 : Number of spin-up times : 253 253 1004
Att # 5 : Reallocated sectors count : 1 1 2556
Att # 6 : Read channel margin : 253 253 0
Att # 7 : Seek error rate : 253 252 0
Att # 8 : Seek time performance : 253 240 43800
Att # 9 : Power-on time : 231 231 1532
Att # 10 : Spin-up retries : 253 252 0
Att # 11 : Calibration retries : 253 252 0
Att # 12 : Start/stop count : 251 251 1021
Att # 192 : Power-off retract count : 253 253 0
Att # 193 : Load/unload cycle count : 253 253 0
Att # 194 : HDA Temperature : 253 253 48
Att # 195 : Hardware ECC recovered : 253 252 17338
Att # 196 : Reallocate event count : 252 252 1
Att # 197 : Current pending sectors : 49 49 2062
Att # 198 : Offline scan UNC sectors : 1 1 782
Att # 199 : Ultra ATA CRC Error Rate : 1 1 13843
Att # 200 : Write error rate : 253 252 0
Att # 201 : Unknown : 252 230 1298
Att # 202 : Unknown : 253 1 0
Att # 203 : Unknown : 250 214 3210
Att # 204 : Unknown : 250 1 6
Att # 205 : Unknown : 253 252 0
Att # 207 : Unknown : 253 252 0
Att # 208 : Unknown : 253 252 0
Att # 209 : Unknown : 194 194 0
Att # 99 : Unknown : 253 253 0
Att # 100 : Unknown : 253 253 0
Att # 101 : Unknown : 253 253 0

IMHO you have 2 choices at this time:
1- If your files is not gonna kiil you, if you f... the disk, you can try to do it by yourself (DIBY).
2- If the files in your disk is important to you, the best thing to do is to look help from someone that do this for live.
Just right your case here and I'm shure that someone here will help you.

If it is on the PCB, i can try to change it...
if not, I will probably do nothing, because I have some important files to recover
but I don't want to pay "a big price" to recover them too...

How to diagnostic, if the problem is on PCB or not ?

I do not think that you are having a PCB problem, anyway here is how to test the PCB:
Buy another drive - need to be the same that this one - to make the things easy to you - buy the same size and see if the label on the PCB ( the label that you will see on the top of the part that you will put the logical cable ) in this label in this model has 5 leters and numbers, this need to be equal.
Ok, change the board of your disk ( the one that you have now ) and put the board in the new disk, now you will be able to check your board.
But IMHO you do not have a PCB problem, you have media problem , some defects and in this case ( maybe I'm wrong ) what will happens is that this damage will get worst, and worst at evrytime that you mess with the disk, this is why I think that the best thing to do is - look for someone to help you.
( sorry for the error - I wrote "Just right - and this suposed to be there "Just write your case here ....... typewrite is not my best, sometimes I think one thing and I write another).
Lets assume that you disk has a small time of life, I think that the best thing to do is to try to get your files quickly, and for this IMHO the best to do is to copy them using a hardware copy process ( something like DATA EXTRACTOR ).
I know that in some coutries the recovery jobs are very expensive, but you can look for someone that can help you for a reasonable price.
Just put here where you are from, and maybe you will find your help here. Unfortunately I'm not your answer.

I have bought another hdd (same) but unfortunately, "5 letters" are not equal,

-bad hdd 120 Go Maxtor 6Y120L0, YAR41VW0, 4 letters : N, M, B, D
-good hdd 120 Go Maxtor 6Y120L0, YAR41BW0, 4 letters : N, M, G, D

is there a method to test ?

sorry, what is IMHO ?

I'm from France

Wrong letters, you need to read what I wrote.
The letter that you pick-up is not on the PCB , this letters are on the LABEL in front of the disk, in HDA.
The letters that I said to you are in the label of PCB _ print circuit board / and the most comum letters are:
M6FYA / M6FYB - AND THIS ARE THE SAME.
F4FYA / F4FYB - SAME.
The letters that you mentioned N M B D = ARE ID OF PARTS MANUFACTORIES LIKE = HEADS / MOTOR /
IMHO = In My Humble Opinion.
I really think that you need help from an expert, just read the messages and you will realize that you are not able to do the job by yourself. You are gonna loose your files.