Finding compatible WD harddrive circuit board?

[Brian Wilson]

I had a power supply go out and when I installed a new one, my Western
Digital drive was no longer visible to the system. It's dead as in not
spinning. So I'm hoping to recover some files off the drive by
replacing the circuit board. So the basic question is how to know if
another WD circuit board is compatible.

My Western Digital drive is model WD1200JB-00DUA3, dated 24 July 2003,
with drive parameters LBA 234441648 and the DCM is HSBHNVJAH.

1) What specs need to match in order for the circuit boards to be
compatible (or is there another spec like the 2060-00160-001 on the
circuit board itself that has to be the same)?

2) I've seen a couple used drives advertised with the same model number
and the same drive specs but different DCM values. Is "DCM" the drive
controller model? Is the drive controller on the circuit board? Does
the DCM have to be the same?

3) If I do pull a circuit board from a drive with the same model
number, what risk am I taking if the DCM is different? Could it harm my
chances of recovering some files off the drive later with a different
circuit board?

Thanks,

Brian

 

[Rod Speed]

I had a power supply go out and when I installed a new one, my Western Digital
drive was no longer visible to the system. It's dead as in not spinning. So
I'm hoping to recover some files off the drive by replacing the circuit board.
So the basic question is how to know if another WD circuit board is compatible.

My Western Digital drive is model WD1200JB-00DUA3, dated 24 July 2003, with
drive parameters LBA 234441648 and the DCM is HSBHNVJAH.

1) What specs need to match in order for the circuit boards to be compatible
(or is there another spec like the 2060-00160-001 on the circuit board itself
that has to be the same)?

2) I've seen a couple used drives advertised with the same model number and
the same drive specs but different DCM values. Is "DCM" the drive controller
model? Is the drive controller on the circuit board? Does the DCM have to be
the same?

3) If I do pull a circuit board from a drive with the same model number, what
risk am I taking if the DCM is different? Could it harm my chances of
recovering some files off the drive later with a different circuit board?

Its quite likely that even an identical logic card from
a drive with the next serial number wont work.

 

[Brian Wilson]

Its quite likely that even an identical logic card from
a drive with the next serial number wont work.

Thanks. So would it be your guess it's the drive motor or what? Do you
know for this drive if the drive controller is on the logic card? And
does it require a clean room to change out the drive motor?

Brian

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod Speed wrote

Thanks. So would it be your guess it's the drive motor or what?

Its almost certainly what's on the logic card that has died.

The problem is that modern high performance drives make
it hard to swap the logic card between drives, even if you
say buy two at the same time with the same numbers and
try to swap the cards between the two drives.

Do you know for this drive if the drive controller is on the logic card?

Yes, they always are. The only electronics that isnt on the logic
card is the head preamp etc thats inside the sealed enclosure.

And does it require a clean room to change out the drive motor?

Yes.

If you know enough about electronics you should be able to
identify the semis on the logic card that have been killed and
swap them from the good card to the dead one, but thats
not a trivial exercise with modern surface mount logic cards.

 

[Brian Wilson]

Its almost certainly what's on the logic card that has died.

The problem is that modern high performance drives make
it hard to swap the logic card between drives, even if you
say buy two at the same time with the same numbers and
try to swap the cards between the two drives.

Thanks. My local computer shop looked at the drive and said they could
swap out the circuit board if I could find a another good drive. So
I've found a couple drives with the same model number but the DCM values
are not the same, so I'm just trying to determine the right questions to
ask these sellers so that when I buy the drive I'll know that I'm
getting a compatible logic board and not one that might make matters worse.

Brian

 

[Odie Ferrous]

Thanks. So would it be your guess it's the drive motor or what? Do you
know for this drive if the drive controller is on the logic card? And
does it require a clean room to change out the drive motor?

Brian

You will be more than a little lucky to have success by swapping over
controller cards on these drives. Maybe one chance in 100 with logic
boards from drives with identical magic numbers - possibly a lot less.

The drive motor can't be changed without removing the entire platter
assembly - I wouldn't dream of even trying this, and I know that Vogon
and OnTrack would probably want a couple of thousand dollars to do it.

Odie

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

You will be more than a little lucky to have success by swapping over
controller cards on these drives. Maybe one chance in 100 with logic
boards from drives with identical magic numbers - possibly a lot less.

So what exactly defines this very small "chance"?

The drive motor can't be changed without removing the entire platter
assembly - I wouldn't dream of even trying this, and I know that Vogon
and OnTrack would probably want a couple of thousand dollars to do it.

Amazing how the drive makers manage to build these drives for just tens
of dollars, isn't it.

 

[Odie Ferrous]

So what exactly defines this very small "chance"?

You mean you don't know? Oh, dear - my estimation of you drops yet
again...

Amazing how the drive makers manage to build these drives for just tens
of dollars, isn't it.

I fully agree with you. But phone up Vogon or OnTrack and ask what a
complete head change will cost - especially on the WD1200JB with 3
platters and 6 heads. Or are you going to tell me that, because the
manufactures make the drives for tens of dollars, the recovery companies
will also charge that amount?

 

[Brian Wilson]

I had a power supply go out and when I installed a new one, my Western
Digital drive was no longer visible to the system. It's dead as in not
spinning. So I'm hoping to recover some files off the drive by
replacing the circuit board. So the basic question is how to know if
another WD circuit board is compatible.

My Western Digital drive is model WD1200JB-00DUA3, dated 24 July 2003,
with drive parameters LBA 234441648 and the DCM is HSBHNVJAH.

FYI: Well I finally got a response which came from Western Digital
support. And for this particular drive, the numbers that have to match
exactly in order to swap the circuit boards are the full model number,
the drive parameters (LBA number) and the last 3 digits of the DCM
value. Brian

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

You mean you don't know?

Nice posturing. You mean, I didn't spot your now obvious lie?

Oh, dear - my estimation of you drops yet again...

Mine has just been reinforced.

I fully agree with you.
But phone up Vogon or OnTrack and ask what a complete head change
will cost - especially on the WD1200JB with 3 platters and 6 heads.
Or are you going to tell me that, because the manufactures make the
drives for tens of dollars, the recovery companies will also charge that
amount?

Nope. Why would I want to tell you that?

 

[Durzel]

Hi Brian,

I'm in the same boat as you, albeit with a WD1200JB-00CRA1 drive.

If it's any help - my LBA is the same as yours, but my DCM is
HSFHNT2CH.

I'm also looking for another drive so I can swap the circuit boards -
as I can't really afford to lose the data stored on the drive (I
know, I know - backups are your friend)

 

[sambocaesar]

Brian and Durzel,

I have the same issue with a WD1200JB that I bought in 2003. It just
disappeared from my pc .. and apparently has stopped replying to any
pc requests from the bios or operating system. I was wondering if
either of you have had any luck locating a 'matching' hard drive, and
if you have, if the pcb swap worked for you.

If yes, is it possible to get the source for your 'matching' hard
drive.
Thanks in advance,
Sam

P.S. Brian, we had the same numbers for the WD1200JB

MDL: WD1200JB-00DUA3
Drive Parms: LBA 234441648
DCM: FSBHCAJAH

 

[kadar]

Brian and Durzel,

I have the same issue with a WD1200JB that I bought in 2003.
It just
disappeared from my pc .. and apparently has stopped replying
to any
pc requests from the bios or operating system. I was
wondering if
either of you have had any luck locating a 'matching' hard
drive, and
if you have, if the pcb swap worked for you.

If yes, is it possible to get the source for your 'matching'
hard
drive.
Thanks in advance,
Sam

P.S. Brian, we had the same numbers for the WD1200JB

MDL: WD1200JB-00DUA3
Drive Parms: LBA 234441648
DCM: FSBHCAJAH

Hi Brian,

I have very similar problem. I had two WD2000JB in my computer. And
both of them are gone now probably after power malfunction.
One of them was WD2000JB-00DUA3 and the second one WD2000JB-00DUA0.

But luckily one of my friend had another WD2000JB-00DUA0 with very
similar DCM to my dead one. I swap the circuit boards and I get all of
my data. But right now I am looking for anybody with WD2000JB-00DUA3
DCM similar to DSBHNVJAH because circuit board from WD2000JB-00DUA0
didn’t work. Please let me know if you know someone.

Thanks Josef

PS I spent hours comparing both circuit boards and I din’t find any
differences. So the problem is somewhre "inside" is there any
possibility to change firmware or something??

 

[sambocaesar]

Update: Got the hard-drive back from first 'recovery services'
company. Sent it to a small firm in Toronto .. I had emailed them ..
they said they were pretty sure they could recover. I had to contact
them to follow up after they received the drive and had it for 3 days
(more of the poor communication .. here we go again!) .. then they
said they couldn't recover and had contacted Ontrack (who they have
partnership with) .. Ontrack told them, yes, they could try to
recover the drive (not much confidence in that statement). But I had
the Toronto firm send the drive back to me. I asked the tech what
exactly was wrong with the drive. He said 'lost servo marks ..
cannot calibrate' or something to that affect. I thought they could
recover anything regardless of the damage .. at least that is what
their site says. I then sent the drive to a local firm .. I
mentioned the 'lost servo marks' and they indicated they could
probably recover it (again, not a confident reply, but I guess the
10% non-recoverability claims make them not promise anything). The
local company has had it for a week. They have online status .. but
that is a waste, as no progress was ever posted except that they had
begun to attempt recovery. I patiently waited and called when the
estimated rcovery was to be completed. They indicated that they had
to try a couple of more things .. and if that fails, they'd ship my
drive back!

My guess is that they can't recover like they claim. I am beginning
to wonder about this ... there are many companies .. some appear
large (with several labs), while others are obviously small where
they operate from suites. I refuse to believe that no one can
recover this drive. The heads aren't crashing ... it powers up and
spins. No one has attempted, to my knowledge to open the drive, yet,
although I authorized it, if needed. This is like frustrating as
hell! I'm venting now. I'm expecting to have to send this drive to
one of the big firms .. I'll get charged to evaluate and tell me what
I already know! GEEZ!

Moral of the story ...
Backup! Backup! Backup! And I guess stay away from Western Digitial
drives. I've had pc's since 1982 ... (IBM XT) .. this is the first
drive problem I've ever had.

 

[sambocaesar]

As expected, the local firm could not recover as they said. Drive was
returned.

Sent the drive to OnTrack Data in MN. They were able to recover
entire contents (~40gb) within 4 days. It was expensive to recover,
as they indicated drive platters were damaged and they used
proprietary methods to recover. My guess is that they were damaged
from all of the failed attempts to recover by the other companies.
There were no 'clicking' noises to indicate head-scraping when I
first encountered the drive failure.

May have been less expensive had I sent the drive to OnTrack first.
So much for saving bucks going with the 'cheaper' alternatives.

I have pretty much written off all others for data recovery. If it is
critical data, just go to the leading firms, like OnTrack. From my
experience, you're taking a chance of further damaging your drives
with the lesser known 'el-cheapo' firms. This is just based on my
situation ... not that 'el-cheapo' firms can't recover in certain
scenarios. They are more apt to be able to recover software-related
issues. Hardware failures generally are beyond their capability,
especially when reconstructing data from damaged platters. The three
I used before OnTrack, all claimed they could, but they couldn't. So
what if you have cleanrooms .. doesn't mean anything.

These 3 failed to recover a drive without 'clicking' noises but no
longer detected by BIOS:

www.driveguys.com
www.databe.com
www.dti-data.com

By the way, it cost me $100 eval fee, plus 1895 to recover. If I had
sent to Ontrack first, probably would have been less .. my guess is
around 1000 to 1200 .. data was worth it to me.

Each has to decide if $1k - 2k is worth it from damaged drives.