Hi,

I have to swap heads on a WD1600JS-00MHB0 drive. On this drive the heads are parked on the platter. Currently I have no tools for this drive. There is a tool from HDD-Surgery that can do this job but the tool costs 500$. Because this is a job for a friend and not for a customer, I can't pay that much for a tool I have no jobs for. But Apextoollab has another tool for the job:

https://apextoollab.com/head_unstick/wd ... #megabox-0

But I don't understand how I can use it. Okay, I put the tool between the platters and hope that it lifts the heads. But how can I replace the heads with this tool? I doubt that there is enough space to get the heads off the platter with the tool inside the HDA. Or even if I do it, how can I transfer the heads to another drive. The tool seems to be very unstable so if I lift the heads, it can fall off and ruin my heads.

Maybe some one can tell me, how this tool works.

Have a look at this video showing how the tool is normally used. If it fits your drive, be careful after removing the HSA with the tool in place as it can fall out easily enough if you tilt the HSA. Once you have the defective heads removed, you can remove the tool and use it on the donor heads. Slip a DIY folded foil head comb to keep the patient heads apart, if you like.

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Sabo Computer Repairs & Data Recovery

i think your problem is not about these tools, real problems will start after replacing the MHA...

pepe

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Adatmentés - Data recovery

What kind of problems?
It's an old WD Drive, DR should be straight forward.

Have you ever replaced the heads in a old “Hawk” drive like this?

As Pepe says, the actual physical head swap is just the “tip of the iceberg” on these.

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PC Image Data Recovery
http://www.pcimage.co.uk

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Nope, never before. The "only" problem I'm aware of is the torque of the head screw like on WD2000BD drives.

yep, kind of same, but it's still a pita to get it work. Getting the heads off and on the platters should not be a very difficult job though, i never used any 'tools' for these.
Getting it clone afterwards is another question.

pepe

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Adatmentés - Data recovery