HELP!!!!!! PCB Seagate 300Gb HDD Fried!

Forum Storage : Hard Drives HELP!!!!!! PCB Seagate 300Gb HDD Fried!

sobh... the PCB logic board of my Seagate Barracuda HDD, 7200.8, 300GB, Ultra ATA, model ST3300831A, P/N 9Y7284-301 is FRIED!
So now I'm looking to buy a same HDD or, at least, the PCB logic board of that model, but I'm no able to find them nowhere!
WHO can help me??????
(sandro@flybuy.it)
T-H-A-N-K-S
Alex
(From Italy)

Reply to alex2549

Have you tried ebay?

Reply to ethel

ya Ethel, thanks!
It's from this morning that I'm running around the web also fixed with e-bay web-site!
I've found many similar models, with small differences (for example a model ST3300831ACE instead of ST3300831A).
Since I need to replace the PCB of my HDD, it has to be identical!
I've also sent a query to the factory, asking if there are other models with the same (or compatible) PCB.
I've found only one identical model in e-bay, but it is from USA, and the auction expires to the 8:30 PM, so, if up to that time I'll not found another solution, I'll post a bid and after.... GOD helps me!

Reply to alex2549

Good luck

Reply to ethel

thanks!
However, it's not matter of luck... it's only money! :?
In fact, in the end, I've won the auction, but only because I've posted an expensive bid... that way I'll pay the HDD (used!) 71$, plus 50$ for the shipping, for an amount of 121$ total! :evil:
It would have been better if I would have bought a new car!
(I hope that it's indeed the same model which allows me to replace the logic board! Differently I'll not be able to recover my data!) :roll:

Reply to alex2549

Well, I've finally get the HDD ... with two more surprises :
1)
I have had also to pay 21 Euro of customs rights :twisted: !
2)
when I have tried to install the old HDD, with the replaced Logic Board, the
system has laughed on my face 8O !!!
I was not able to understand the reason, and, after laborious
searches, I found that, although all the codes of the two HDD
seemed equal, there was a number, small.... very small, just few different...
HDD A: FIRMWARE 3.02
HDD B: FIRMWARE 3.03

At the end I've found that, if the firmware is different, even if is the same model, the Logic Board doesn't allow the access to the HDD!
MY GOD!!!
This is a calvary!

Anyway... it' s not the end of the novel... because I've also found, in somewhere, that it is possible to upgrade the firmware!
But.... not everything is clear to myself. :roll:

so I've posted, all over around the web, these inquiries:

Hi!
Please, someone would be so kind to answer to my questions?
If yes, thanks a lot in advance!

THE FACT...
I have two HDD Seagate:
Hard Disk A: Seagate Barracuda 7200.8, 300GB, Ultra ATA, Model ST3300831A, P/N 9Y7284-301, firmware 3.02 (its Logic Board has burnt!)
Hard DIsk B: Seagate Barracuda 7200.8, 300GB, Ultra ATA, Model ST3300831A, P/N 9Y7284-301, firmware 3.03

THE QUESTIONS...
1)
may I upgrade or replace the firmware on the Logic Board of Hard Disk B, from 3.03 up to 3,02, so that to try to replace the Logic Board burnt on Hard Disk A and then to recover my data?
2)
If YES, How it can be done? What procedure it requires? (I'm unable to manage DOS language!)
3)
we suppose I'll do it... which risks I run onto damage to the Logic Board, or to the Hard Disk, or to the data?
4)
we suppose I'll do it, and in order to recover my data from Disk A, I've still upgraded or replaced the firmware on the Logic Board of the Disk B from 3.03 up to 3.02,... then I'll not be more able to use the Disk B again? Perhaps I have to replace again the old firmware on the Logic Board?
5) does it exist a 'generic' firmware with which is possible to approach to data of any Hard Disks of same model?
6) a last question (but not as "last"!)... where i can download firmwares for Seagate Barracuda 7200.8, Ultra ATA, Model ST3300831A?

I would be very grateful for the answers....

(until today, none has answered yet! :? Perhaps it's due to my awful english language? :oops: )

Reply to alex2549

Alex..have you resolved this problem..mine is exactly the same..

draymer@hughes.net

Reply to draymer

It depends on your definition of "Laugh in your face".

Question, when you have the old HDD connected to the new IC, what occurs? Does it recognize the USB device, but not as a hard drive?

Second, I HOPE YOU ARE USING A CLEAN ROOM ENVIRONMENT.

Third. If I was to catch you soon enough, I would have said that you will not likely get the same board even from the same model of hard drive.

Forth: By burnt what do you mean? You think you might replace the cap/resister?

And last: GO HERE TO UPDATE FIRMWARE

If this isn't your model, just search around the site, It seems like you are capable of doing that.

THIS REQUIRES YOUR SYSTEM TO RECOGNIZE THE DRIVE IN BIOS.

Reply to CompTIA_Rep

I have the same Issue!!! wow we are all in a POS lol OK
so i have a seagate barrcuda 7200.9 160 gig.
mine blew a cap or resister. i could replace it if o knew what it was!!! any help?
i know how to solder on these SMD boards.
if looking down tward the drive it is the 2nd largest car/resistor from the top right ?

any ideas help there is a lot of info on the and i need it BADDDDDD!!!
my firm ware is 3.AAJ

HELP HELP!!

aLiX

Reply to aLiXJag

yay, how strange is that. Now i think the Seagate hard disks have ic logic board problem. i've same issue. My hdd is seagate Momentus PSD 120gb, was in my Sony vaio vgn sz series laptop. One morning i switch it on then no operating system found message came up. When i plug my hdd to a computer it spins but no hard disk present. How i get my data back.

Reply to moonoo

1. Clean room is NOT required for PCB replacement, it has nothing to do with it
2. Firmware on Seagate Sticker has NOTHING to do with matching PCB board
3. You can buy thousands of these drives and never get it to work
4. Seagate PCB do not have any adaptives in them
5. For successful matching of Seagate PCB you must use Terminal, PC-3000 has it for example, then, when booting a drive up, you will be able to see the family of the drive and PCB firmware. Example:
Neptune ********** S.21 *****, where * can be anything, Neptune is the drive family and S.21 is the firmware you have to match.

Hope this helps

-MDR Tech

Reply to Chazver

Hi Alex2549,

Unfortunately I have just suffered the same fate, plugged in, turned on and a component fried on the PCB of my Barracuda 7200.10 ST3500630A 9BJ046-307 3.AAF TK 500GB drive. While surfing for a replacement I came across the following store on e-bay.

http://stores.shop.ebay.com.sg/Har [...] QQ_armrsZ1

They seem to have a large range of HDD PCB's and user reviews are 99% positive so will give them a try, suggest you do the same if you are willing to part with another $40 US + postage.

Will post how I went when I have received and replaced PCB.

aLiXJag, I suggest you replace the entire PCB as even if you do find out what the component is it is probably only a symptom and not the cause of the problem. Failure (in the manner it happened on mine anyway) of this type normally means there is a short somewhere probably due to a failed BJT or diode so can be nearly impossible to track down without proper circuit, logic and signal diagrams and a reasonable lab (i.e. CRO, Logic analyser test suite etc).

Great if you have the equipment spare time and like a challenge but no good if you want your data back quickly.

cheers

Reply to rab069

I have the exact same drive, Barracuda 7200.8 300 GB ST3300831A and P/N 9Y7284-301, with Firmware 3.02. As I understand it, the replacement PCB has to be identical to everything. Did you have any luck finding your PCB? I ended up replacing the PC I built with the Barracuda and guess what, the drive only worked for 6 months! And Gateway wouldn't honor the warranty without a lot of hassles.

Reply to GeekLady

Here is another site for PCB ordering.

http://onepcbsolution.com/

Seem to have had good reviews.

Reply to JGutfreund

We can offer excellent working condition PCB Logic Boards of Maxtor, Western Digital, Seagate, IBM,Hitachi, Quantum, etc.

http://www.hddzone.com/

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to Tomin2010

Did anyone ever resolve these issues. I am in the same boat. I have also found one PCB solutions and they seem to have a match for me HDD. Does replacing the Board ever work?

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to Dr_Roboto

Interesting link I found on PCB swaps. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICR-xw1FYlU If the guys over at Gillware are saying to be careful I'd pay attention, they've been in the data recovery business since 2004. I'm not saying you might not get lucky and have a good PCB swap, I'm just saying that it appears that it might do more harm than good.

Reply to deluxe5

To transfer the firmware, you need to move the 8-pin serial flash memory IC, or its contents, from patient to donor.

This IC is located to the right of the MCU (the largest chip), and below the jumper block in this photo:
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-44463 [...] 45_5211924

It should have a "25" in its part number.

This vendor offers a firmware transfer servce for US$10:
http://www.onepcbsolution.com/st33 [...] 56070.html

Reply to fzabkar

Dr_Roboto wrote :

Did anyone ever resolve these issues. I am in the same boat. I have also found one PCB solutions and they seem to have a match for me HDD. Does replacing the Board ever work?

YES INDEED!

I accidentally fried a pair of hard drives by plugging in the wrong power adapter accidentally into my NAS. I pulled out my hard drives and smelled the contacts: I definitely fried them. Couldn't boot the drives back up in the NAS. I was terribly worried.

So I did some googling and found through Kevin @ http://www.onepcbsolution.com/

I explained the situation to him and he was able to provide a replacement PCB for my two drives. You have to remove your old ones and ship them to him so that he can copy the firmware. It only cost me $40 per board!!

After I installed them, and put them carefully back on their respective drives, I booted up my old NAS in anticipation - and everything worked just like nothing happened!

I would highly recommend his services if you find yourself in the same pickle as I did.

Bob

Reply to bobdude

Try PCB swap.You need to look for a donor PCB with the same model and possibly the a matching firmware.There are places online you can get PCB with firmware transfer.Check out "PCB Solution"http://www.onepcbsolution.com/index.html.They rescued me.They have several donor PCBs at affordable prices you can choose from.They will also do firmware transfer for you.
I hope this info. helps
Edd.

Reply to mambobado