Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

[Zentech]

Ok, I have a laptop hard drive 1TB which is not being recognized by laptop. Tried different laptop, same results. I can't hear the disk spinning. This drive was good but I guess when I re-assemble the laptop, I connected the drive in the DVD drive, and the laptop will not boot up, after disconnecting the drive laptop boots again but when connect hd to appropriate slot, now it does recognize the hd. I'm trying to troubleshoot the controller board. I'm suspecting something when short circuit. Does anyone here have basic schematic or troubleshooting process for hd. I know the board has two connector to motherboard. One is data, and the other is power. which is the bigger one. Does anyone know how many types of voltages am I suppose to have?
hard drive make is HGST "never heard of it"
controller board: 110 0a90351
thanks to all

[Ritchie_Uk]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

Zentech - Try cleaning and re-tensioning the Pins of Pads on the Top right hand side of the PCB

Are you getting any voltages at all?

[ChaosLegionnaire]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

hgst is hitachi global storage technologies. hitachi desktop hard drives are the most reliable according to stats by backblaze and other online data storage companies. not sure about their laptop hard drives though. seen quite a few with bad sectors but not bricked like this. many laptop hard drives are failure prone anyway because of the shock, movement and vibration they have to experience on the go with mobile applications.

[diif]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

HGST was a manufacturer, they were bought in 2012 by Western Digital.
Check for 12v and 5v, the lines are usually protected by TVS diodes.

[Zentech]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

HGST was a manufacturer, they were bought in 2012 by Western Digital.
Check for 12v and 5v, the lines are usually protected by TVS diodes.

you mean on the connector to the motherboard?... and where are these diodes? I've read on quite a few comments that they go bad
thanks

[diif]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

The two small black components top left of your photo.

[Zentech]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

The two small black components top left of your photo.

there are two connectors there, the big one is data and the small one is power? correct me if I'm wrong... am I suppose to have voltage in both connectors or just check for 5v and 12v on the small one
thanks

[petehall347]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

think big one is power ..confused me when those connecters came out . as old ones were small for power .

[diif]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

there are two connectors there, the big one is data and the small one is power? correct me if I'm wrong... am I suppose to have voltage in both connectors or just check for 5v and 12v on the small one
thanks

The small one is SATA and the large one power. They are universal, a quick search would turn up the pin outs.

In the top left of your photo you have two small squares, they are the diodes. Without power connected test them both ways with your meter in diode mode.

[BadmanRasta]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

Thanks for sharing this info guys! Really helped me out

[Zentech]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

Thanks for sharing this info guys! Really helped me out

the diode on the left seems to be ok. forward is 0.146 and reverse is open. Now the one on the right forward is also 0.147 but reverse is 2.10. I believe the diode on the right is defective unless is suppose to work like that... what you guys think?

[petehall347]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

diodes are best tested out of circuit .

[Zentech]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

diodes are best tested out of circuit .

I'm making a correction on my previous post. I tested the diode in diode mode. so forward voltage is 0.14 and reverse voltage is about 2. both diode gave me same reading. I believe that if any of the diodes were bad, it would've give me a short...

[petehall347]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

0.14 is pretty low . are they still in circuit ?

[Zentech]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

0.14 is pretty low . are they still in circuit ?

Yes they are!

[petehall347]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

most likely reading other things then

[Zentech]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

most likely reading other things then

Ok, I just tested for 12V and 5V on the controller board... They are present; however, when I connect to the drive (plates) they're gone. Is it possible that something is short on the drive that the 12 and 5V are gone?

[Abu Ali]

Re: Laptop Hard Drive Not Recognize (repair)

Ok, I just tested for 12V and 5V on the controller board... They are present; however, when I connect to the drive (plates) they're gone. Is it possible that something is short on the drive that the 12 and 5V are gone?

Laptop HDDs does not use 12V at all.

Put the board back on the HDD and look up the power pinouts(search for "sata power pinout".
Without connecting the drive check in diode mode on multimeter for short circuit on power rails on the SATA power connector.

Check also the little smd fuse in series with the 5V rail from the sata power connector on the board.