Dear all hddguru,

I got this huge problem with hitachi deskstar drive, cause this is 500gb ATA drive.

After some examine on the harddrive, here are some problem I found.
1. PCB is Good
2. After opening the case found that there is 6 head with 3 platter.
3. some of the head are bend a little bit, still can try to fix it. Done.
4. I also check the motor. it seem like motor seizure. I try to spin it with strength to check the seizure problem. cannot move at all. Maybe this is the problem from this drive
5. Try to hot gun using (Toshiba method). still not good.

my question is, are there anyway to seize the spindle like drilling the motor ( Mr. Pepe way for seagate ). cause I still do not confident with drilling. ( sorry Pepe , my experience still not enough )

my client really needs the data, cause He has a huge collection from His first son until His third daughter. He also have His wedding ceremony in the data. Can Anybody help me in this situation. cause I also feel sorry to Him.
Any advice or any comment will be helpfully.

Thanks.
Tony Heryanto

I never tried drilling with Hitachi drives.
But if you won't got any other chance you can still try platter swap.

thanks dmarques,

I never try to doing platter swap on 3 platter harddrive.
the biggest thing that I concern is about the alignment.

Have any hddguru in this forum had success on platter swap for 3 platter ??

thanks

Hi,

I found that the problem with platter swapping is centering. I tried many other brands, with 1 disk (for keeping things simple) to align the platter. It worked for Maxtor, Samsung (even 2 disks), Toshiba (of course ), Seagate. I tried just to loosen the platter in an AVVN40 (1 platter), then fix it again, and I could never get it centered again. I think the gap between the spindle and the platter is much bigger than in other brands.

regards,
pepe

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Did you find any solution for this yet? I have the same problem now.

I tried a platter swap, did not work out - ended up scratching a platter in the process and damaging the heads.

This was a 3 platter, 6 head disk. Practice makes perfect...

There's a way...But I think I must take some pictures first. i will upload it to this forum...

Hi "Ricky" !

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Thank you - but what did you mean by "Hi "Ricky" ! " - Who's Ricky?

Well, that "Ricky" knows...LOL.....

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I am interested in seeing this. I am able to do platter swaps on many disks with many platters but only one platterswap on Hitachi disk has worked for me, out of many attempts

Someone has an update on this?
I'm also having a Hitachi with spindle seizure.

Anybody got results with the drill-method ?

Best regards,

Dobre

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Datarecovery in Belgium, Holland, France and Germany
Datarecoverytools http://www.drtools.eu

I have a "Hitachi Platter Centering Jig" on my to-to list. Think of a micrometer tip poking edgewise at the platters. You turn the micrometer (Which nudges the platter a bit), and then spin the platter by hand. You eventually get it to the point where it doesn't wobble. The micrometer is used to push the platter into place (Screws loosened obviously) as well as telling the platter is aligned properly. As I haven't made it yet, this is all theory. Comments welcome...

Hi Rchadwick,

This sounds interesting.
But how precise are the platters centered when they come out of the factory?
This should be checked first. Only if they are centered to a few microns precise this will be a valuable technique.
If they are not, and we do align them mechanical, they will not be aligned for the magnetic tracks.

Regards,

Dobre

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Murphy was an optimist

Datarecovery in Belgium, Holland, France and Germany
Datarecoverytools http://www.drtools.eu

A very good point. I was hoping that the drive manufacturers would want to eliminate unneeded vibration, and would center them mechanically, or better yet balance them, before writing the servo tracks. IF I'm right, there's a chance that centering mechanically will also center the tracks. Then again, maybe the reason there's so much slop in the center hole is so the factory can move it, perhaps to balance it. I have no idea if that would be practical for the factory to do..

Hi,

the platters are not centered mechanically. The point here is to restore magnetical centering... this is kinda hard with a micrometer

pepe

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If the platters weren't centered mechanically, wouldn't they vibrate pretty bad at 7200 RPM?

The platters are not fitted tight onto the spindle, they have some small 'gap'. So there can be some little movement if U loosen the platters' screws.
U can also find some plastic things in the holes of the spindle of some drive models. That's what we call balancing weights...

pepe

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