4

I have a Seagate Barracuda Compute HDD (3TB) that just died because I used a borrowed PSU that wasn't turning on when SATA was plugged, after I switched cables and everything it didn't turn on again, tried 2 different motherboards (2 desktops), different SATA cables and different PSU SATA cables, the HDD ain't being recognized by the computer.

My dead HDD is the following:

3TB Barracuda HDD

I have a working HDD of the same model, but with only 1TB.

If I change the PCB from the working hard drive and replace it in the dead hard drive, could it fix my dead HDD so I can access its data? Could this result in any problem for the working hard drive?

Improve this question
2
  • Is the drive spinning up, or remaining silent when plugged in?
    – davidgo
    Commented Apr 26, 2018 at 5:08
  • This is only to be done if you don't value your data to the cost of professional recovery as its likely to make things worse - I have a Baraccuda drive which I removed the PCB from, and I see a lot of resistors/resistor/diode like things (fuses ?) connected from the underside of the power connector - see if any of them are burnt out and either replace them or short them. (You may want to take a picture and ask for help in electronics.se) - Again, this is more likely to make things worse then better.
    – davidgo
    Commented Apr 26, 2018 at 5:15

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
6

The replacement board must be from an identical drive. There are also specific numbers on the board that must match, the details of which depending on the drive model.

Two apparently identical drives may have come from different factories and have significant internal differences. In addition, the original board will have an integrated circuit containing drive specific information which must be transferred to the new board. Unless this is done properly there is virtually no chance of the drive working and you may corrupt existing data.

Unless you have experience with this kind of thing it would be best to have it done by a professional. This would be done only for the purposes of data recovery and not for continued use of the drive.

I have not done this but have only read about it.

Improve this answer
1

It will definitely cost more, but data recovery services, like DriveSavers, have inventories of circuit boards, and know exactly what they are doing.

I suggest let a professional do the work.

Improve this answer
0

I have a Seagate Barracuda Compute HDD (3TB) that just died because I used a borrowed PSU

TVS Diode

It may be worth checking out the TVS diode then (if drive does not spin at all - if it spins, it's something else). Using a multi meter the easiest though not most fail proof way is doing a beep test: The TVS should beep in one direction only, if it beeps both ways it's probably fried. In that case simply removing the diode allows you to run the drive (without protection!) to quickly save the data.

Swapping PCB

On most modern drives just swapping the PCB is not enough, apart from a matching donor board you also need to place original ROM on donor PCB. This ROM contains so called drive adaptives and are specific for each individual drive.

Now, there's something to be said for letting a data recovery pro handle this but most likely this will cost something around $350 and up. OTOH anyone that can use a multi-meter and a hot air station should be able to do this. The TVS diode can even be 'snapped off'.

https://youtu.be/YXIa_2n_QO4

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .