Hard Drive PCB Replacement

Many hard drive failures are caused by problems with the PCB(HDD can’t spin; PCB board/chip be burnt; PCB interface broken; etc). If your hard drive does not spin when powered on, PCB replacement may allow you to recover your data. PCB replacement will not fix all hard drive failures, however, and like most other do-it-yourself repairs, it may void any remaining warranty on the drive. This process should be used only as a last resort after all other options have been exhausted. If you are not comfortable performing repairs yourself, many data recovery companies will perform this task — for a fee.

Before Repairing Hard Drive PCB Circuit Boards You Should Know:

Replacement HDD PCBs are almost always sold in limited quantities, so be sure to check auction sites and contact specialty vendors.
Don’t be tempted to use a similar-looking PCB that is not identical to the original; this will almost always cause damage.
Use caution when handling small electronic components. Hard drives are very sensitive to bumps; a small fall could do serious damage.

Instructions of Repairing Hard Drive PCB Printed Circuit Boards:

1. Confirm that the PCB actually needs to be replaced. If your hard drive spins when powered on or makes clicking noises, the fault is mechanical and will require professional data recovery. If the drive does nothing when powered on or shuts off intermittently, the PCB may be at fault.

2. Locate a suitable replacement PCB. To do this, you will need the model number of the PCB, which is usually etched somewhere on the board itself. To remove the PCB, simply remove the screws that fasten it to the drive and carefully disconnect the ribbon cable. Many hard-drive manufacturers use specially shaped star or hex screws, so be sure to use the appropriate screwdriver to prevent stripping. Tearing the ribbon cable will render the drive unrepairable, so be gentle; it should come free with minimal force.

3. Purchase a replacement PCB. These can often be difficult to find, though many online resellers offer a wide variety; be sure to contact as many vendors as you can. You will need an identical board, both in physical shape and size as well as model number; substituting different boards may cause permanent data loss.

HDDZone.com is recommended, they provide all kinds of hard drive PCBs including Seagate, Maxtor, Western Digital, Samsung and others with worldwide free shipping.

4. Connect the replacement PCB. Gently connect the ribbon cable; make sure that it’s fully connected before mounting the PCB to the drive with the screws you removed before. Be sure to mount the PCB exactly as the original was mounted.

5. Test that the new PCB is working by turning off your computer and connecting only the power line to the drive. When you press the power button to turn the computer back on, the drive should spin. If it appears to be spinning properly, turn the computer off again and connect the hard drive as it would normally be configured to recover your data.

6. Cut the power and disconnect the drive if the hard drive fails to spin or makes any unusual noises when powered on. Ensure that you connected the PCB properly and that it is mounted securely. If you have performed these steps as stated and the hard drive still fails to spin, the problem is likely mechanical and will require professional data recovery.

Related Links:

Hard Drive PCB Swap Guide (Seagate, Western Digital, Samsung, Maxtor and others)

Hard Disk Repair

Hard Drive PCB Swap

DATARECOVERYUNION.COM12 years ago7 years ago04 mins

HDD can’t spin; board/chip be burnt; interface broken; etc. These problems are caused by PCB malfunction. Swap PCB can resolve the problems.

The probability of HDD’s other problems are unlikely caused by PCB’s fault. Such as: HDD can spin, but can’t be recognized; HDD can be recognized correctly but will report a size of 0 bytes; HDD report SMART errors on boot, etc.

If your HDD’s problem is caused by PCB malfunction, you need swap PCB.

1. How to find a matching PCB

For Seagate HDD/Western Digital HDD/Samsung HDD, just need the donor PCB has the same board number as yours.

* Seagate Hard Drive PCB Swap

* Western Digital Hard Drive PCB Swap

* Samsung Hard Drive PCB Swap

For Maxtor PCB, just need the donor PCB has the same Main Controller IC as yours.

* Maxtor Hard Drive PCB Swap

For Hitachi PCB If the PCB is Hitachi PCB, 3.5″ PCB, please send your PCB’s photo (the side with chips) to us. We need to check it shape. Also please advise the number on the Main Controller IC, as below photo:

* Hitachi 3.5′” Hard Drive PCB Swap

Hitachi 2.5″ PCB, Please offer the first two lines numbers on the white label, as the below photo:

* Hitachi 2.5′” Hard Drive PCB Swap

2. Before PCB Swap you should know:

1. Most PCB’s BIOS chip(ROM Chip) store the unique information. We need change the BIOS form original PCB to replacement PCB, in order to make the replacement PCB compatible with the HDD. The 8pins (4 pins on each sides) with 25P05VP、25P10VP、25F512、25F1024、25F1024AN、SST25VF512、SST25VF010, etc. are the BIOS Chip.

Tips: Most of the TV/Phone Repair Shop can offer these services for just $5-%20

* Hard Drive PCB Swap: Change BIOS Chip, Main Chip

2. Some PCB don’t have separate BIOS. The BIOS be integrated on the Main Controller IC(The biggest chip on the board, also named Main Chip). We should exchange the Main Controller IC to let the HDD be recognized.

3. How to change PCB’s BIOS/Main Chip:

* Hard Drive PCB ROM/Main Chip Swap Tool

* Remove the ROM chip from the original pcb

* Solder the ROM chip to the replacement pcb

Note: Chang Main Controller IC is similar as change BIOS. Need you have more patience and do it more carefully. If you think these operations are too difficult, you can find your local AV/TV repair shop help you.

5. Hard Drive PCB Supplier:

HDDZone.com (Seagate, Western Digital, Samsung, Maxtor PCB Boards with free shipping)

Hard Disk Repair

Hard Drive ROM Chip Swap/Replacement (Video)

DATARECOVERYUNION.COM13 years ago2 years ago03 mins

Note: If your data is so important, please make sure to look for a professional data recovery firm for recovery.

About Hard Drive PCB

The main purpose of the hard drive PCB is to deliver power to the hard drive, maintain velocity and rotation of the spindle, and manage all inside operations through its firmware. Basically, hdd PCB is the brains of the hard drive that all machinery are closely dependent upon.

Hard drive PCB boards Swap/Replacement, why?

Hard drives that do not turn up after the power has been supplied can be diagnosed as PCB crash. As data recovery service is very costly, sometimes we would prefer to change hdd pcb ourselves.

How to swap hard drive PCB?

Remove the PCB from both hard drives with star screwdriver. Change the damaged PCB with other one. If your HDD still can’t spin or can’t be recognized, you should also change the BIOS chip on it. If there is no similar 8 pins BIOS chip on the PCB, it means the BIOS chip is included to the Main Chip IC, need some tools to read it from the original pcb and write to the replacement board, or swap the main chip. It is more complex to replace the Main Chip IC than exchange the BIOS chip. You can find a electric shop help you.

You need to change the ROM chip from original board to the replacement board, in order to make the replacement board compatible with your HDD when you swap burned PCB if your PCB have ROM chip.

Where to buy hard drive PCB online?

Online hdd pcb shop such as HDDZone.com provides all kinds of PCB: Seagate, Western Digital, Maxtor, Samsung, IBM, Hitachi and Fujitsu. They can always help you to find the marching PCB for your hard drive.

Hard Disk Repair

DATARECOVERYUNION.COM14 years ago7 years ago03 mins

Recovery data from dead hard drives which do note that disassembling a hard drive is not recommended and can result to permanent data loss and further damage to your drive. If your data is business critical, please seek professional help.

The green board on the bottom of the hard drive is known as Hard Drive Printed Circuit Board (HDD PCB). The main function of the PCB is to supply power to the hard drive, maintain speed and rotation of the spindle, and control all internal operations through its firmware. Essentially, PCB is the brains of the hard drive that all components are heavily dependent upon. Hard drives that do not spin up after the power has been supplied can be diagnosed as PCB failure.

First, we should find the matching PCB:

Western Digital – same board number which is etched on the PCB, begin with 2060-
Seagate – same board number which is etched on the PCB, begin with 100…; If you can’t find the number on the PCB(Old Models), you should find the same Main Controller IC
Maxtor – same Main Controller IC
Hitachi – same information on the small white label.
Samsung – same board number which is etched on the PCB, begin with BF41-

Remove the PCB from both hard drives with star screwdriver. Replace the fautly PCB with replacement one. If you HDD spins up, but can’t be recognized, you should also exchange the BIOS on the PCB.

You should know the hard drive failures are not always caused by PCB failure. Swap PCB can not guaranteed to fix your hard drive.

Article by HDDZone.com – Second hand hard disk drive PCB supplier!

How to Repair Hard Drive PCB Circuit Boards?

Hard Drive PCB Swap

Hard Drive ROM Chip Swap/Replacement (Video)

Hard Drive PCB Replacement