I have a Seagate 80 HDD that I'm trying to recover data off of it for a friend. His power supply in his computer blew up sending a surge to most of his components, one of which being his HDD. Since the power supply blew up the HDD will not power on. In fact if I plug the drive into a new computer that computer will not boot. The POST screen won't even show up.

If I plug the Seagate drive into an external enclosure and then try to power it on the LED light on the enclosure flickers for about a second then that's it.

I'm wondering if I was to replace the board on the Seagate HDD if that would work long enough just to get the data off of it - family pictures and such.

This is what I'm working with...

Seagate 80GB Barracuda 7200.9 HDD
S/N: 5LR3HC2L
MODEL: ST3802110A
P/N: 9BD011-500
FIRMWARE: 2.AAA
DATE CODE: 06404
SITE CODE: WU

Now the other kicker seems to be I can't find the exact same item on ebay or other stores. The closest I've found is:

Model: ST3802110A
P/N: 9BD011-302
Firmware: 3.AAD
Date Code: 06327
Site Code: WU

and this...

Model: ST3802110A
P/N: 9BD011-304
Firmware : 3.AAH
Site Code : WU


Would I be wasting my money buying one of these and using the board on my drive or is this drive even worth trying to get data off if it won't even power on?

Thanks for any advice you guys can give me.

Do search here on TVS many times over this subject has been discuessed. Post pictures of your board if you need help on locating the TVS described in other posts here on the forum

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Iorana Haraharaini

Just so you know what we're talking about:

http://www.onsemi.com/PowerSolutions/pa ... .do?id=824

Just an example. Of course there are many other manufacturers for these.

BTW, I recently had a Seagate 7200.11 drive here which had a blown TVS on the 12V line. The diode straight shorted the 12V line to GND. Removed the blown diode and replaced it with a new one with the same rating, et voilà, the drive is working fine, as if nothing ever happened. Not a single error in the self test.
But, that doesn't mean that it has to be that easy for you, too.

If you have a multimeter, set it on the 200 ohms range and measure the resistances between ground and each of the +12V and +5V supply pins.

If either of the supply inputs measures zero ohms, then test the TVS diodes on the PCB for shorts.

See the following article to help you identify the components.

HDD from inside:
http://hddscan.com/doc/HDD_from_inside.html

Once you are satisfied that your PSU can be trusted, you can remove the shorted diode by desoldering it or snipping its pins with side cutters. The drive should work perfectly without it, albeit without continued protection on the affected supply rail.

poehere - let me say I'm sorry for wasting your valuable time having to read something that's been posted before and further waste it by you replying to it. If I knew what to search for I would, but thanks for your two cents.


MadOCer, fzabkar - Guys thanks for the replies but this is all over my head. I don't know what a TVS is nor do I have a steady hand to try to desolder or solder anything. I was hoping to just buy a new circuit board on the HDD and swap out what's on the drive. So far by the replies this doesn't seem like it's that easy.

Nonetheless I appreciate the replies, this just might be a lil more then i can handle.

It's really not that complicated at all.

If you need the data bad, get a pro to work on it (I sure am not one of them ).

But if you really can afford to lose the data and maybe "only" get the drive back to work, then you could always see if you can find someone who knows some Electrical Engineering basics or something similar (maybe you already know someone who does). That person should easily be able to a) find the parts we talked about and b) check for you if they are the cause of the problem. This really is just a 5 minute task.

Take a photo of your PCB board. You do not really have to have soldering skills to remove this TVS. If you can post a picture we can show you what to do. It can be removed by a pair of cutters where you can just snip the sides of the TVS and remove it.

Don't be so quick to judge people when you replay after they try to help you out. I just pointed out that if you do a search here on TVS you will find many posts here and what to look for on your PCB board. It will show you what to remove and try this to see if you can get data off your drive.

You can test this with a volt meter and see which one is bad after you post a photo of the pcb board here. If it is only the TVS that is damaged and did not damage the preamp inside the drive you have a good chance to get back your data but also consider that the drive is no longer protrected so you should just get back the data and then either take it to an electronic shop and have the TVS replaced or throw the drive away and get a new one.

That is your only option on this one.

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Iorana Haraharaini

poehere - Again, If I knew what to search for I would have searched for it at the start. I have no idea what a TVS - I didn't know when I started this thread and I still have no idea what it is or does. So you harping over that I should have searched for "TVS" is pretty silly.


Here is the picture for fun, though I have a feeling this is probably best suited for the pro's as you've mentioned MadOCer...

You could also have a look at this thread:

need-help-with-seagate-barracuda-7200-500-gbytes-dead-t14560.html

There's some additional information posted there.

Thank you. Now on the right hand side of your photo you will see next to the screw two TVS. They are square and stick up some from the others on your board. Get a volt meter and set it to 200 and when you power on the drive test the points where they are soldered. One is a .5V and other is a 12V you should be able to see this when you use the probes on your volt meter to read this one with. If you see 0.0 then you can take a pair of angled cutters and just cut the TVS off your drive.

A TVS I guess I can say in terms you can understand is like a fuse in a circuit box. It is there to protect your drive. Now if you have an electrical problem in your home you fuse box will blow a fuse and it needs to be replaced. This is what the TVS does for your drive. I think this is simple enough for you to understand this one I hope.

You do not need to get so angry and upset over this at all. We were just trying to help you and I think you are taking it the wrong way. It is you who have come here to ask for help and in doing so you are angry at the answers you are receiving.

If you feel this is too complicated and not a good idea for you to do this where in the USA are you located. We can try and help you out and put you in contact with a person here on the forum who can help you to fix this drive and recover your data off of it for a reasonable price.

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Iorana Haraharaini

poehere,

Your explanation makes perfect sense for a dummy like me to understand. After taking a very close look at the two spots you pointed out I noticed the large of the two TVS had what looked like a hairline crack or bulge. I cut it off and powered on the drive.

IT WORKED! I'm copying data off of the drive now as I type this.

Thanks for all the help guys, very much appreciated and I assure you my friend thanks you as well.

Good to hear that it worked.
If you intend to keep using the drive, you should replace the TVS. Otherwise you would risk losing the drive and data completely next time that there is a voltage spike on the voltage rail that this very TVS protected.

Im glad your friend has his data back, but i am genuinly surprised anybody helped you with the bad attitude you got.

You could easily have lost all the data, just hope next time he enlists the help of a different friend with a better attitude and more of a understanding of the situation.

Data is irreplacable, and with your attitude you could almost have lost it all.

@poehere - Glad your helpful, but sometimes it is just without gratitude...

HDDGuy:

Yah I know I should of told him to take a hike on this one becasue of the way he was. I never tried to answer him the way he responded to me. I understand he is no more grateful for what I explained to him than the next DYI person arriving here for spoon feeding. They come here and leave and never think twice of the professionals in this field and the years it takes to have the knowledge necessary to repair the drives that arrives to us broken. They believe like one client of mine yesterday who has a head problem. He said to me "I do not want to change out the heads on my drive all I want is to recovery my data" Wow that one is amazing what does he think that we can extract his platters and magically inset them into a CD Rom drive and get back his data. I told him good luck on this one and if your engine in your car is broken and you take it in for repair. They tell you that this needs to be changed out what will you tell them I do not want to change out that part all I want to do is drive my car. I got back him answer good point and well taken.

Next time if you ask for help and want it for free think twice on how you give back your answer for the help you have received.

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Iorana Haraharaini