Hi all,

I got a Diamondmax+9 with some important data, yet not that vital that the customer is willing to pay. 100-200 bucks to give it a try is ok, but kilobucks are a no go.
When checked first, it turned out that the L7250E was not burned down completely as seen before, but drawing excessive current on the +5.
The chip took the MOSFET Q500 with it (continuous gate drive, shorting out the +5 through the switcher choke). I replaced the 7250 and the MOSFET, both from a known-good drive.
Result: the drive now spins up, but initial seek does not complete (like the typical Maxtor clicking when wrong or defective firmware is used)
I wonder if there's still hope for the drive or if I should assume that the chip took parts of the controller with it, or even worse the head amp.

regards

Hi,

it seems like preamp is gone...

pepe

Yep, except from the voice coil lines all signals on the HDA connector are pretty static. Now we've reached the point the cost will be beyond the customers scope.
I've browsed this forum a few times now and as you seem to have looots of experience with Maxtor HDDs, would you say that it is a more or less common fault after the L7250E has died? I wonder if it's the -5V missing at a specific time or for an extended period, or a failing regulation or whatever which kills the preamps?

Hi,

Missing -5V will cause the preamp not to work (drive clicking), but it doesn't kill the preamp. -5V cannot be missing for long time since the drive would click its heads off and the user would definitely notice the problem.
here the problem was probably a surge on the 5V power line that damaged the preamp and the motor combo as well.

regards,
pepe

Pepe,
This Is Something i Never Like In Electronics .One Component Blows The Other And Its a Chain Reaction

Amarbir

_________________
Regards
Amarbir S Dhillon , Chandigarh Data Recovery Labs [India]
Logical,Semi Physical And Physical Data Recovery
Website-> http://www.chandigarhdatarecovery.com

Ok,
so it's not a forbidden state running the preamp without the negative rail, but much more likely a surge. I'll talk to the technician who worked on the PC tomorrow, and I think I'll smack the HDD right onto my (or better his) head when he has "forgotten" to tell me that the pc came in for a failed power supply.

Hi
Sometimes Its Working The SMPS Is Still Working .Moral of The Story Bad SMPS ,cheapo DEsign Change it

_________________
Regards
Amarbir S Dhillon , Chandigarh Data Recovery Labs [India]
Logical,Semi Physical And Physical Data Recovery
Website-> http://www.chandigarhdatarecovery.com