Need Help regarding recovering data from hard disk

somashekar

Unfortunately my Hard Disk (SV4002H - Victor, Samsung) is not getting detected due to short circuit on PCB. I have very critical data on this disk which I need very badly.

I contacted several hard disk service centers in my place (I live in Bangalore, India), but unfortunately none of them could do anything and they are asking me to find another hard disk of same model. Only by swapping the PCBs, I would be able to make my hard disk work again as they say.

Data Recovery experts may charge heavily and hence I am keeping that option for later. Now I want to try this PCB-Swapping.

First, I want to know whether this (PCB Swapping) is safe (As my hard-disk's internal media is quite fine according to the service person) and won't damage the disk?

I have found a couple of hard disks (used/refurbished) on ebay and I'm planning to buy one of those. Is it worth a try? (importing from US all the way to India). I don't mind spending some bucks on this.

If I have to get such hard disks, what parameters should I look at apart from model number (SV4002H)

Should all the ICs on the PCB match each other?
Should the PCB Numbers match each other?

I have heard something about firmware and other things about hard disk. How to find matching on these?

OR is it a blind fact that hard disks with same model numbers match in everything?

I have requested few things from the seller regarding these parameters and I'm expecting his reply.

Please advice on these and what are my chances in succeeding with this?

Albin

If you get a PCB from a same modal HDD, then its not required to match all the ICs and PCB serial no.
But if you want data to be recovered, then do this before swapping PCB.
Create the same partition as if it is in the crashed HDD.
After creating, swap the PCB. This had worked of me.


Good Luck!!

__________________
_______________
Cheers,
Albin

"We are all either fools or undiscovered geniuses."

somashekar

You mean, I should make partitions on the new HDD like in crashed HDD before swapping PCB? Should I first connect the new HDD to my PC and make partitions? Is partition enough or should I make directory structure also like in crashed HDD? What happens if partitions are not made? Also I don't remember the exact GBs of partitions, but I know there were two partitions.

Please clarify whether same model HDD is enough and I should not look for any PCB Numbers or firmware number. Some people also told me that ROMs should be swapped. Please advice...

Albin

yes, you should make the same partition before swapping. And just the partition is enough and not the directory structures.
Same modal number is enough and not necessary to Match the ICs and PCB numbers.
I don't think swapping of ROM is necessary. It worked for me, without doing that.

__________________
_______________
Cheers,
Albin

"We are all either fools or undiscovered geniuses."