Hard Drive Controller Issue

[Information21]

I just heard one of my hard drives clicking erratically. I turned of my computer and checked the cables and such. Turned it back on and it kept doing the same. Checked cables once more and rebooted. This time one big click then it reset and sounded fine but it didn't detect it. So I restart one more time and this time it seems like it might detect it but then it beeps. So I decide to examine the controller board.

It appears that one of 3 circuits next to the power connector (going to the hard drive, not the molex into the board) has fried. Also the crystal was loose and while I was working on it it fell off.

So now I think even if I could solder and put the crystal back on, I'd still be screwed because of the burned IC. Any ideas? It says it's under warranty until May but it's crammed full of stuff and I fear that if I send it to get it repaired they'll either wipe it or send me a new one. I think the drive is fine and I could get it to work if I could just repair the board.

Anyone know where I could find a replacement IC?

I can try and get a picture if that would help.

I was just about to burn what was on it. Why couldn't it have happened after I had done that?

Is there any way I could extract the data? No bad sectors or anything, just the controller board problems.

 

[Bartman39]

Information21

Info my boy info...!

Possibly could find another controller board to replace it with rather than the IC....?

 

[Information21]

Any suggestions on where to get another controller board? I suppose I could buy another drive off of ebay but do you think it would work? Also that wouldn't be so good to have to buy an entire drive just to get the controller. I would have to switch the board if I wanted to use either drive. Maybe that would be good for backup or something. Anyway, thanks for the idea. Any ideas about the IC?

 

[copyfixer]

Info21

You are fighting a losing battle. You will likely not be able to get an ic to repair it with. Possibly your only chance for redemption is to find an identical drive and flip/flop the circuit boards. If this works, then I would send the one with the bad board back for warrantee after the flip/flop. If not then at least get something out of it and send it back as is for warrantee.