[SOLVED] WD MyBook stopped working. What can be done?

[kris05]

I have a Western Digital MyBook that stopped working. I'm not sure if it's a I or II. The symptoms are it doesn't light up anymore, and the power switch seems to be broken (it doesn't press, it just sort of gets skewed one side goes in the other outward). I'm inclined to think it's the power supply that's broken and not the drive itself. I was wondering if this was something I can open up and just move the drive to another enclosure, or did WD put some sort of locks into this so that can't be done?

Please note that my experience with this is low. I don't even clean my own laptop/computer and just pay someone to clean it for me. I just have an idea on how stuff works, but not necessarily how to do it. Maybe think of my level as a guy who read enough to choose what parts to buy when trying to build a PC, but has no idea on how to put them together.

Thanks in advance.

 

[fzabkar]

Some models are encrypted. Also, if the capacity is greater than 2TB, the enclosure may be configured with a sector size of 4KB.

If you do attach your drive to a SATA port in your computer, don't be tempted to initialise it or reformat it, unless your data has no value.

Can you tell us the model number?

 

[kris05]

T

Some models are encrypted. Also, if the capacity is greater than 2TB, the enclosure may be configured with a sector size of 4KB.

If you do attach your drive to a SATA port in your computer, don't be tempted to initialise it or reformat it, unless your data has no value.

Can you tell us the model number?

Thanks for your reply. It's a 1TB model. P/N is WDBAAF0010HBK-01 0811N

 

[fzabkar]

That's a My Book Essentials, which means it is encrypted. The USB-SATA bridge PCB inside the enclosure handles the decryption. A matching bridge PCB should enable you to recover your data.

Otherwise there is "reallymine":

https://github.com/andlabs/reallymine

… or linux-mybook-tools:

https://github.com/themaddoctor/linux-mybook-tools

 

[popatim]

Other option is to just jumper the switch to an always on mode, if you know someone capable with electronics that is. Then you could easily rescue your data followed by moving the drive to a normal enclosure and then loading the data back onto after reformatting it.

 

[fzabkar]

The switch is a "soft on/off" switch. That is, it does not directly control the 12VDC input power. Instead it sends an on/off signal to the bridge IC, which then toggles between ON and Standby modes. Therefore, I don't believe that bypassing the switch is a viable solution.

 

[kris05]

That's a My Book Essentials, which means it is encrypted. The USB-SATA bridge PCB inside the enclosure handles the decryption. A matching bridge PCB should enable you to recover your data.

Otherwise there is "reallymine":

https://github.com/andlabs/reallymine

… or linux-mybook-tools:

https://github.com/themaddoctor/linux-mybook-tools

Thanks I'll look into it.

 

[popatim]

The switch is a "soft on/off" switch. That is, it does not directly control the 12VDC input power. Instead it sends an on/off signal to the bridge IC, which then toggles between ON and Standby modes. Therefore, I don't believe that bypassing the switch is a viable solution.

Thanks for the update.