Swapping a board with a western digital my book essential 1tb

mike6623 · 02 Aug 2012

Kevin Ismail said:

Better to see both board presented in the picture.

I think all HDD have only one board attached. Once they are similar in type and series they are perfectly match. If you are sure you are good to go please be cautious and do it in your own risk. After disassemble it please mark each board with sticker to recognize it. Pay close attention in inserting HDD ribbon cable, have it placed securely and lock it, do it as near as possible to the table surface in case you drop it, HDD physical weight would cause your ribbon cable torn apart or folded if dropped.
When everything is in place and you are about to run it, put it upside down (board upside), put two layer of plastic wrap (from the kitchen) to cover the board. You need to touch the board by the cover on the first minute running for any overheating. If you feel certain part of the board is extremely hot then you need to stop immediately as you board will be bricked. Do not continue the effort, put back the board to the original HDD. If no heat detected then you are on.

Kevin

Once I removed this board, there was another underneath, that is why I ask. I will post another picture of the other board tomorrow. Just wasn unsure as to which one was the one I needed to swap in order to try.

CB · 02 Aug 2012

Then let's see first those pictures. We shall assure not to harm other known good HDD.

mike6623 · 03 Aug 2012

Here is what both boards look like. Which one is the one I would swap to try to recover data? I just purchases the same drive, but it is a 1.5 tb instead of a 1tb. If that doesn't work, I am sure I can buy a board online somewhere, no?

CB · 03 Aug 2012

You need to swap them both. Be cautious working with the ribbon cable. You have make sure it comes from the same make and type. Have similar design, size, and dimension.
But first, here is my opinion on your pictures. I saw your board contact surfaces are mildly burnt. When you connect it to HDD power source is it really spin up with soft vibration that indicate it is mechanically alive? The problem is if the HDD motor had already burnt it might have already shortcut and would burnt next board connected to it.

Did you check the removable case? It has also small board in it, is it also have signs of getting burnt?

Kevin

mike6623 · 03 Aug 2012

Sorry, what is the ribbon cable?

Golden · 03 Aug 2012

mike6623 said:

Sorry, what is the ribbon cable?

Hi,

I think he is referring to the IDE flat-strap???

CB · 03 Aug 2012

Colin. Yes, that is ribbon cable but for IDE.

What I referred is this type that connects board and mechanical assembly.

Swapping a board with a western digital my book essential 1tb-x.jpg

Golden · 03 Aug 2012

Ahhhhhhhh

CB · 03 Aug 2012

Mike I believe the other board isn't belong to your HDD but it is the board of your removable case (HDD enclosure), right? Normally HDD has only one board in it.

Swapping a board with a western digital my book essential 1tb-jpg.jpg

So you need to swap only HDD board, and don't put it back to its fried enclosure but connect it directly to any available SATA port on your Desktop PC.

Kevin

Edit:
Colin. it was fine..

linnemeyerhere · 03 Aug 2012

Looking closely at the board on the drive my eyes can see the heat burn marks that fried the drive. Fingers crossed that swapping with a like board will do the trick !