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lgeller
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Joined: 19 Mar 2007
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 Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:10 am Post subject: Replacing PCB causes clicking sound |
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My 1 year old Seagate 160GB (ST3120827AS) died on me a couple of weeks ago due to a burned PCB chip.
I was able to buy a new hard drive with the same firmware and part number.
After confirming that it was in working condition, I removed the PCB and installed it in the original drive. The original drive would still not work, but the symptom is now different -- on boot up it makes a clicking sound, and is not recognized in bios. Clicking sound stops after about a minute.
Here is the interesting part -- replacing the PCB back into the new drive causes the same issue. The new drive no longer works, makes same clicking sound and is not recognized in bios.
Is it possible I am doing something wrong with the PCB swap procedure?
Any advice would be appreciated! |
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hddstudio
Deadharddrive regular +1
Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 33
Location: Jakarta - Indonesia
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| Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 6:59 am Post subject: Re: Replacing PCB causes clicking sound |
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| lgeller wrote: | My 1 year old Seagate 160GB (ST3120827AS) died on me a couple of weeks ago due to a burned PCB chip.
I was able to buy a new hard drive with the same firmware and part number.
After confirming that it was in working condition, I removed the PCB and installed it in the original drive. The original drive would still not work, but the symptom is now different -- on boot up it makes a clicking sound, and is not recognized in bios. Clicking sound stops after about a minute.
Here is the interesting part -- replacing the PCB back into the new drive causes the same issue. The new drive no longer works, makes same clicking sound and is not recognized in bios.
Is it possible I am doing something wrong with the PCB swap procedure?
Any advice would be appreciated! |
@lgeller
It seems to me that your old HDD has a short cicrcuit on its read channel, that's why replacing the PCB with the new didn't work. Even in your case, your new PCB is damaged. This is usually caused by :
1. Same model, incompatible Controller (Seagate used 2 vendors : ST and Agere - please check)
2. Same model, same controller, different firmware and site code, you can see this site code and firmware around the front sticker.
3. Your old HDD is short circuit on its read channel. No solution using replacement PCB. To make sure , you have to check first, which pins around its data channel is short circuit. You can do this by removing the PCB and check with multimeter (there are about 16 pins there, so you must set the multimeter to ohm tester and test each one of them). When you find that it's really short circuit form the read channel (this one directly connected to the heads), I do not see any solution but to swap the Cylinders or heads. You can only do this in a clean room (portable one - check @www.bassaire.co.uk). But remind you : THIS IS TOO DIFFICULT... |
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lgeller
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Joined: 19 Mar 2007
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:50 am Post subject: Re: Replacing PCB causes clicking sound |
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hhdstudio:
The controllers on the old and the new drives are different indeed (ST and Agere), so is the site code (China vs. Thailand).
Based on that and your knowledge, I am guessing the swap should fail.
What is not clear to me, is why replacing the new pcb back on the new drive no longer works. It behaves EXACTLY like the old drive now - clicking on start-up etc. I tested the new drive before the swap operation and it worked just fine.
My thought process is, whatever the reason I cannot get the new drive to work now, could also be why the old drive does not work with the new pcb, since they both sound the same (pun intended).
Does this make any sense? |
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hddstudio
Deadharddrive regular +1
Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 33
Location: Jakarta - Indonesia
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| Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:53 am Post subject: Re: Replacing PCB causes clicking sound |
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| lgeller wrote: | hhdstudio:
The controllers on the old and the new drives are different indeed (ST and Agere), so is the site code (China vs. Thailand).
Based on that and your knowledge, I am guessing the swap should fail.
What is not clear to me, is why replacing the new pcb back on the new drive no longer works. It behaves EXACTLY like the old drive now - clicking on start-up etc. I tested the new drive before the swap operation and it worked just fine.
My thought process is, whatever the reason I cannot get the new drive to work now, could also be why the old drive does not work with the new pcb, since they both sound the same (pun intended).
Does this make any sense? |
Yes, you are correct. The new PCB problem was caused by your old HDD. It clicks because something is wrong "inside" and when you put a new PCB, the same problem from inside will cause the damage to the new PCB.. That's why the new PCB now also fails.
Let's break down the HDD :
It has electronic parts : PCB
It also has mechanical/magnetical parts : Head, Spindle motor, etc.
And, it also has its own micro program. (Inside The Agere/ST Chip & ROM)
An HDD that works MUST have these three components (at least) intact
When the mechanical parts is damaged, PCB swapping won't help.
Why ?
Because there is no connection whatsoever between the failed HDD with the new PCB. Remember, the information of the microprogram is written inside. Not only inside the Controller and ROM, but also in the platter. These two microprogram must match to make an HDD works.
So, when you changed the new PCB and connects it to the old HDD (which is not its native), the microprogram wil refuse to work, because it doesn't find the "identity" from its "new house".
And in your case, I believe that the microprogram of your new PCB is damaged because of something inside the HDD (most probably : Voice Coil Motor short Circuit) |
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lgeller
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Joined: 19 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 3:48 am Post subject: Re: Replacing PCB causes clicking sound |
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Initial cause for drive failure was a faulty PSU connector - I was upgrading the system, wanted to plug th drive into another connecter, didn't notice the wires were crossed over on this one. Poof! Smoke and burning smell on power. Turned it off immediately... but too late.
So you think, besides the drive's PCB, the motor is damaned too now?
What cheap alternatives are remaining if any, to sending it to professional data recovery and paying thru the nose? |
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hddstudio
Deadharddrive regular +1
Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 33
Location: Jakarta - Indonesia
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| Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:25 am Post subject: Re: Replacing PCB causes clicking sound |
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| lgeller wrote: | Initial cause for drive failure was a faulty PSU connector - I was upgrading the system, wanted to plug th drive into another connecter, didn't notice the wires were crossed over on this one. Poof! Smoke and burning smell on power. Turned it off immediately... but too late.
So you think, besides the drive's PCB, the motor is damaged too now?
What cheap alternatives are remaining if any, to sending it to professional data recovery and paying thru the nose? |
No options I think. If the rotor inside is also damaged, there is no way but to remove the platters to a new HDD (must be identical !)
You need a clean room to do this kind of "surgery" for your damaged HDD. But it's not cheap either...and...very difficult to do so..
If you have laminar clean room, i will be very glad to guide you to do the "surgery" but I remind you again it's very difficult....
Sorry,....that's all I can do... |
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jazz
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Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 1
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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| Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 1:29 am Post subject: Open drive surgery |
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I have pretty much the same problem however I am fortunate? enough to have an identical drive that was purchased at the same time. All parts, firmware etc are the same.
1x faulty drive - clicks on startup for about 60 secs, unrecognised by bios.
Swapped PCB's - 1x faulty drive still exactly same problem. Good drive works fine so PCB is ok.
Am I best to put the platters from the faulty drive into the good drive, or swap the heads / coil mechanism from the good drive into the faulty drive? I've experimented with an old drive and it's pretty tough so if someone can step me through it or put me on the right track i'd really appreciate it. |
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