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Saltshaker · Deadharddrive regular Joined: 01 Mar 2008 Posts: 11

OK well I already made a post in the "stories" section but I am not sure what the problem is as I tried a board swap but when the drive finally spins up but it stops after a few minutes like the drive can find anything nor will my computer see the drive.So I have the following bad PCB:
Model: ST3120023AS
S/N: 3KA232Q1
P/N: 9W4011-301
HDA P/N: 100263990
Config: A1M-01
Firmware: 3.01
Date Code 03501
Site Code AMK

PCB sticker: 100269163 A 7345YGXS

The replacement I tried was from another drive dated I think a few weeks later and the info on the new drive is:
Model: ST3120023AS
S/N: 3KA1ZQNX
P/N: 9W4011-301
HDA P/N: 100263990
Config: A1M-01
Firmware: 3.01
Date Code 03451
Site Code AMK

PCB sticker: 100269163 A 7334599K

I dont suppose someone here has a exact matching PCB for my original drive but if so please let me know.Also if anyone here can provide any insight to the PCBs on Seagates and whether or not they need to match exactly or if this new board wont work according to the info I have listed above.Anyone comments are welcome.
Thank you.

chpyeung · Officially active! Joined: 19 Feb 2008 Posts: 4

Are you sure it is because of unmatched PCB? Not a failed motor of your old drive? Have you tried to use the old PCB to your new drive and see if the new drive works?

Saltshaker · Deadharddrive regular Joined: 01 Mar 2008 Posts: 11

[quote="chpyeung"]Are you sure it is because of unmatched PCB? Not a failed motor of your old drive? Have you tried to use the old PCB to your new drive and see if the new drive works?
[quote]

Yes I am sure the board is dead.When putting the old PCB on the new drive,nothing happens.When placing power to the board,I tested the leads that feed the motor with a meter and there is no power being fed to it.When I put the new PCB on the old drive and apply power,the motor now spins up and you can hear it trying to do something but then stops after a couple of minutes.
I am not sure what the deal is but I have talked to one person from a data recovery place that said that the serial numbers need to match exactly.On the other hand,I have read where that hasnt been the case.However,I have read that in some cases with the S.M.A.R.T. technology that after some time,the PCB becomes unique to that drive only and swapping it would not help.So I really am not sure what to do here unless someone can actually repair the PCB which is probably way beyond my means to do on my own.
Any thoughts? Thanks.

harddrivespecialist · Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 11:28 pm Post subject:

Hi!

You did match your board pefectly, but there is problem inside of your drive.
Your engine probably got stalled. or heads got stuck on a disks.

You can't match serial number, because there is no second drive with a same serial number, it is uniqe to a drive.
_________________
www.datarecoveryne.com

Saltshaker · Deadharddrive regular Joined: 01 Mar 2008 Posts: 11

But what about the possibility that the PCB has become unique to the drive? I have read that the SMART tech. can alter the firmware over heavy usage to help reading and writing sectors. Honestly,I dont know enough about this to say if this is true or not but when the drive does spin up,it sounds like its trying to read itself but cant and then gives up.At this point I cant say for sure what it is doing but I hope to fix this some how.I cant imagine it is the drive itself as this problem happened suddenly after a reboot.The computer would no longer see the drive and I suspect the PCB caught a surge so I do wonder if the PCB could just be repaired.Is that possible to have done through a company?