HDD not powering up

[aodfan]

Ok, so the problem started where I updated the BIOS and when the computer rebooted it was getting a MBR error cause of it being dual booted. During this time I knew I needed to get to the HDD I had saved a recovery disk, so I connected my drive so that I could burn it from my laptop. I used this kit http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018MCGVU/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00 , to connect the HDD to the laptop. Once I got the disk created and PC to the point I could get booted back up again, I noticed that the HDD that I connected was no longer showing up in Windows. I shutdown and checked all the cables and swapped around to make sure and the HHD will no longer power on. I does have a faint smell on the connection of what would seem as an electrical burn.

I am wondering if this HDD is toast or is it salvageable? Would replacing the board fix?

 

[Rusting In Peace]

Others have done this successfully. The optimal thing to do would to be get the same board from the same hard drive model with the same firmware.

I guess the fear is you could go to all that trouble only to find out it isn't the board and it's something else that's goosed.

 

[fzabkar]

If you are lucky, the problem will be a shorted TVS diode.

See http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/HDD/TVS_diode_FAQ.html

... and http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/HDD/ (photo clips)

As for swapping the board, even a board with the same firmware will most likely not work. Modern drives store unique, drive specific "adaptive" data in serial flash memory. These data need to be transferred to your replacement PCB.

To this end, the following PCB suppliers offer a firmware transfer service, either for free, or for US$10:

http://www.donordrives.com
http://www.onepcbsolution.com
http://www.hdd-parts.com

I would advise that you avoid those suppliers who don't tell you that a board won't work without modification. Often they will attempt to obscure the requirement for a firmware transfer by deceptively describing their products as being "for data recovery only".