[SOLVED] PSU fried the PCB on my Seagate HDD - looking to fix/replace/recover

triman247

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My PSU recently fried/melted the PSU cable and PCB connection for a Seagate HDD I have. I don't think there is any other damage to the HDD so I contacted Seagate looking to find a replacement PCB to try to at least recover data on the HDD.

Seagate BarraCuda ST8000DM004 8TB 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16822183793

This was the Seagate support response:
Reviewing your case, I tried to exhaust all possibilities by requesting the PCB replacement, but Seagate does not replace or sell spare parts. However, I was able to find a website where you can purchase the exact parts that you need.
http://www.donordrives.com/st8000dm004-2cx188-568-0001-2504-e-seagate-sata-3-5-pcb.html <http://www.donordrives.com/st8000dm004-2cx188-568-0001-2504-e-seagate-sata-3-5-pcb.html>

The HDD was only $200 and these replacement PCBs in the support link are relatively really expensive.

I'm looking for creative ways to either fix/replace the PCB or recover the HDD data and move it over to a new HDD. Does anyone have any ideas for what I might be able to do? Are the PCB's extremely unique to the model or is it possible to find a cheap replacement that will work long enough to transfer data? Other approaches to recovering?
 
Solution
Data transfer is via the 7-pin connector, so that would not be a problem. The 15-pin SATA connector supplies 12V and 5V power to the drive. These same voltages were supplied to older drives via a 4-pin Molex plug. All one needs to do is to hardwire a short Molex cable into the 12V, 5V and Ground points on the PCB. This would be a permanent fix, if done properly, and if the damage was contained by the 12V TVS diode. I wouldn't completely trust the drive, though.

Your local TV repair guy might be able to do the soldering for you.
Data recovery from dead/failed drives is extremely expensive.
And simply swapping pcb from another drive will not allow you to recover data. Each pcb has a chip with individual calibration data for the drive. That info either has to be copied or chip transplanted too.

So - forget about any data recovery from failed drive at home. If recovery of your data is important, then seek assistance from professional data recovery services.
 
Hello triman247,

the problem with other parts are that they may be not exactly the one that your drive needs, that could damage the drive even more :/ We are sorry about this.

If the drive is detected in the BIOS, you may be able to create a clone or mirror the drive to another one. So, is the drive detected in the BIOS?
 

triman247

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Images of the damage to the PCB: https://imgur.com/a/rsdr97d
 

triman247

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I am skeptical about attempting to boot the drive given the melted plastic damage to the PSU connections on the PCB. See images of the damage to the PCB: https://imgur.com/a/rsdr97d
 
@triman247, find a Torx 6 (?) screwdriver and show us the other side of the PCB.

The damage appears to be confined to the 12V rail. I would not connect a SATA cable to the PCB, but there is still a relatively simple way to wire up a 4-pin Molex connector to the PCB. That requires some soldering by a competent technician, but it would still be far cheaper than engaging "professional" data recovery services. In fact most DR shops don't do, or even understand, electronic troubleshooting or repair.
 

triman247

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I don't have the appropriate screwdrivers to take the PCB off. I can go buy some this weekend and take a look at the other side of the PCB.

The possible 4-pin Molex fix would both enable power to the HDD and also data transfer in lieu of connecting to a SATA? Where would I look to locate a technician that could handle the 4-pin Molex soldering project in the Bay Area?

I assume that would enable me to access the data to transfer onto a different HDD and that I shouldn't plan for this fix to be permanent functionality on the HDD?
 
Data transfer is via the 7-pin connector, so that would not be a problem. The 15-pin SATA connector supplies 12V and 5V power to the drive. These same voltages were supplied to older drives via a 4-pin Molex plug. All one needs to do is to hardwire a short Molex cable into the 12V, 5V and Ground points on the PCB. This would be a permanent fix, if done properly, and if the damage was contained by the 12V TVS diode. I wouldn't completely trust the drive, though.

Your local TV repair guy might be able to do the soldering for you.
 
Solution

triman247

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Dec 30, 2015
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If I purchase an identical model of Seagate HDD and try swapping the PCB from the identical model to the burned HDD will that work or do I still run into the same individual calibration chip issue?