Question Converting USB to SATA

[Kerrya]

While there are tons of Sata to USB adapters available, I can’t find any info on going the other way.

I need to adapt a WD external USB drive to a data input for data recovery.

Unlike previous drives from both WD and Seagate, this is a native USB drive it does not simply go through a data to USB built in adapter.

I know it’s not just a matter of rewiring an adapter, there has to be logic to convert the signal.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

Any help appreciated.

Kerry

 

[rgd1101]

what is this exact model of wb external usb drive that is native usb drive?

 

[USAFRet]

While there are tons of Sata to USB adapters available, I can’t find any info on going the other way.

I need to adapt a WD external USB drive to a data input for data recovery.

Unlike previous drives from both WD and Seagate, this is a native USB drive it does not simply go through a data to USB built in adapter.

I know it’s not just a matter of rewiring an adapter, there has to be logic to convert the signal.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

Any help appreciated.

Kerry

Whats wrong with the original external connection?

Often, these external drives have the USB interface directly on the PCB with the rest of the drive electronics.

As above, what exact drive is this?

 

[fzabkar]

I don't understand why you want a SATA - USB - SATA setup, unless your data recovery device cannot accept a USB storage device. (How do you recover flash drives?)

That said, data recovery professionals will convert a drive to native SATA mode (not SATA - USB - SATA) by transferring the "ROM" from the USB PCB to an equivalent SATA PCB. Alternatively, they will remove the SATA -USB coupling capacitors and tap into the SATA Tx/Rx points on the USB PCB. They do this because direct SATA mode allows for better error recovery control and firmware level access.

Be aware that the latest PCBs are MCU locked. That is, the MCU contains a unique encryption key which prevents the usual PCB swap and ROM transfer.

If you can identify the model number on the drive and the part number on the PCB (2060-nnnnnn), then I will be able to identify your particular scenario.

 

[Kerrya]

The drive is not recognized by Windows. Normally when this happens I use a Linux machine using HDD SuperClone to recover the data.

However this works best with SATA connections.

My thinking is there must be some logic board that will convert USB signal to SATA.

The model number of the drive is WDBPKJ004BBK-GBS

The logic board has three sets of numbers. I’m not sure what the S/N is

XCYW58 06x1

8 000 103 03

810067-000


Kerry

 

[USAFRet]

The drive is not recognized by Windows.

What was the last thing that happened before it failed to work...the last thing you did?

 

[fzabkar]

This is the kind of thing the pros do:

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/S941945b...810035-800067-800041-810033-810012-810003.jpg

BTW, your PCB is MCU locked -- 2060-810067.