Cracking open a laptop hard drive

The Hitachi Travelstar

Laptops are quickly overtaking desktops as the computer of choice. The heart of any
laptop, meanwhile, is its hard drive. Explore this image gallery to see how one of the
world's most popular mobile hard disks (the Hitachi Travelstar) is put together to power
countless laptops. You'll gain a new perspective on the main component powering all
those notebooks you see the next time you frequent the local coffeehouse.

The Hitachi Travelstar mobile hard disk. This model sported a 5400rpm motor, ATA
interface and 40GB of data storage.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

Removing the hard drive cage

1
This particular Hitachi Travelstar was removed from a Dell Inspiron laptop.
Several Philips screws (one of which is shown here at the top left corner) must be
removed to free the Hitachi hard disk from the silver hard disk assembly used to hold the
hard drive securely within the Dell Inspiron's hard disk bay.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

The hard disk cage

2
This silver cage, perforated to encourage cooling airflow, holds the hard disk securely
within the Dell's hard disk bay.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

Hard disk cage removed

3
Once the hard disk cage's screws are removed, the assembly falls free from the Hitachi
hard drive. The Hitachi's circuit board, shown here on the right, is then revealed.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

Disassembling the Hitachi Travelstar

4
To continue disassembling the Hitachi Travelstar, next several small Torx screws must be
removed. So, too, must the drive's label.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

Disassembling the Hitachi Travelstar

5
The hard disk's label must be removed to reveal a seventh hidden Torx screw. Once this
last Torx screw is eliminated, the cover freely opens.
It should be noted, of course, that removing the label (even if the screw behind the label
remains) voids the manufacturer's warranty.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

Inside the Hitachi Travelstar

6
Once the seven Torx screws are removed, the drive's front cover (now shown on the left)
easily slips away.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

Inside the Hitachi Travelstar Hard Disk

7
Removing the cover reveals the actual Hitachi hard disk platter (the large silver mirror-
like disk), actuator arm (whose arm begins at approximately the 7 o'clock position in this
image) and spindle motor (the silver circle in the center). Meanwhile, the actuator arm
mechanism, which is responsible for controlling and moving the actuator arm, is the
silver metallic assembly in the bottom left corner.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

The Hitachi hard drive cover

8
Here's a close up of the underside of the Hitachi hard drive's front cover.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

The actuator arm

9
Here you can see the Hitachi Travelstar actuator arm, controller assembly and circuit
board. The actual hard disk head, which is responsible for reading and writing data, sits at
the very tip of the actuator arm.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

The Travelstar read/write head

In this closeup of the Travelstar's actuator arm, you can see the read/write head that sits at
the arm's tip. The head, of course, is responsible for reading and writing data to the
Travelstar's hard disk platter.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

The Hitachi Travelstar, minus actuator

10
Here's the Hitachi Travelstar hard disk with the actuator arm, assembly and circuit board
removed. All that remains, essentially, is the Travelstar hard disk platter and the spindle
motor hub.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

The Hitachi Travelstar platter

11
The actual Hitachi Travelstar hard disk is smaller than a mini CD. Here you can see it
pictured next to a small screwdriver.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

The spindle cover

12
The Travelstar's spindle (and spacer) are tiny. Engineered to perform at precise
tolerances, the actual spindle cover and spacer are quite small; they must be to
accommodate the smaller mobile two-and-a-half inch hard disks.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

The Travelstar circuit board

13
Removing several additional Torx screws from the drive's bottom enables slipping the
Travelstar's circuit board away from the hard disk cover.
This specific board features Samsung-manufactured circuits. The board also contains the
pin assembly (positioned here on the board's left edge) used to connect the drive to a PC
or IDE cable.

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

Hitachi Travelstar circuit board

14
The backside of the Hitachi Travelstar Circuit Board reveals the component was
manufactured in Malaysia.
Here you can also see another view of the same pin assembly shown in the last image
(positioned here along the board's right edge).

Cracking open a laptop hard drive

The Disassembled Laptop Hard Drive Parts

15
Here are all the components that powered this Hitachi Travelstar mobile drive through its
three-year lifecycle.

How to Replace the Pins on a Laptop Hard Drive

16
The laptop hard drive, mostly a reduced version of a standard hard drive, has data cable
connector pins that may break off. Replacing these pins is a straightforward process that
will require moderate computer hardware skills.
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

 Damaged laptop hard drive

 Replacement controller board
 Small screwdrivers (Phillips and TORX)

 Step 1

Unscrew the damaged hard drive's TORX screws that are holding the controller circuit
board in place. The controller cards contain all of the data pins, which cannot be easily
re-soldered.

 Step 2

Carefully remove the controller board from the hard drive. There is a small ribbon cable
on the back or bottom of the card that will tear if not handled properly. Tugging on it
very gently will dislodge it. If the ribbon cable comes from the hard drive and plugs into
the controller card, then it must be removed, not cut.

 Step 3

17
Replace the controller board with one from a similar make and model, and plug in the
ribbon cable. Some manufacturers will use the same controller cards for several models
over a product's lifespan. Since the pins are very small and very close together, it is not
possible to repair them once they break off. They must be replaced with the controller
board.

 Step 4

Replace the TORX screws that hold the board to the hard drive. Be careful to not over-
tighten them. The drive should now be installed into the laptop, and tested.

Laptop Hard Drive Circuit Board Repair

18
Questions to ask Before attempting any form of self data recovery or hard drive repair

 What is the problem?

 Does the hard drive spin?
 If so does it click?
 Does the armature kick out?
 Do the hard drives heads vibrate to initiate?

19
  Is there an odd smell to the drive?
 If it doesn't spin do you here a slight or faint ticking sound?
 Does the BIOS see the hard drive?
 Does the BIOS see the hard drive as the correct model?
 Are there funny characters showing on boot?
 Does the operating system blue screen?

Important things you should be aware of before you do anything to a suspected failed
hard drive

Static discharge will kill a hard drive when handling... especially the internal components
Dust will destroy your data... DO NOT OPEN! In my experience I see so many hard
drives destroyed by helpful neighbors when the problem was not situated internal of the
hard drive assembly. Just because it clicks doesn't always represent an internal failure.

Swapping the electronics runs the risk of further damage, especially if the revision
number of the PCB is different. You will have a greater success of data recovery with
less risk if the original electronics is repaired.

The Printed Circuit Board controls many functions to operate the hard disk drive, There
are 5 main features of a the electronics that can be unique to each drive that is likely to
fail, the first being:

POWER INPUT
The most problems we see here are mostly human era... forcing the power plug
in the wrong way
Unfortunately apart from a few notebook PCB's there is no protection fuse to
prevent PCB Damage
There is also risk of power surges making it through to the electronics as well

FIRMWARE
Firmware is unique to the PCB this controls calibration and track information so it
is very rare to be able to interchange the same model PCB with one that has
another firmware revision... so what this means, if your board shorts out the
firmware unique to the drive, you will be in trouble. Of course a good main
stream data recovery company will be able to replace this and manually
reprogram this chip

SPINDLE IC
This controls the speed and rotation of the spindle rotating the platters internal
to the hard drive assembly or HDA
These intend to get very hot at times and can often short out… The most famous
of models to this was the good old quantum LCT, particularly the TDA5247HT

20
Chip; this would go up in smoke and leave a pin hole or a very big mess on or
over the IC

MICRO CONTROLLER
These rarely fail unless there has been an extreme hit by power such as a
lightning strike that may cause voltage through the IDE Cable. If this does fail
you would normally find visible damage

TRACKS
Internal track are the thin Copper ribbons that run through the board that
connect each component these can be easily damaged bay any of the above
case scenarios, but one of the most common that I have seen is Corrosion
Below is a great Example of how quickly chemicals in the air from industrial
workshops or even sulfa in the air from volcanic regions can cause havoc... but
for most residential computer hard drives its condensation that damages a PCB

In this example this PCB was only 6 months old

WARNING IF YOU CHANGE A PRINTED

CIRCUIT BOARD WITH A NON MATCHING PCB... SUCH AS DIFFERENT
FIRMWARE, LAYOUT, OR MICRO CONTROLLER NUMBERS, YOU WILL RUN
A HIGH RISK OF FAILURE AND FURTHER DAMAGE!

Yes there's a high chance...

YOU WILL SEE SMOKE!!!!!!

If you have an exact match to the PCB you want to attempt swapping, the risk will be
minimal but what allot of people don’t realize, is that code can change overtime even
with exact matching parts.
What this means is... if you were to purchase two NEW exact hard drives at the
same time from the same batch and then swapped there PCB's to each other,
you would most likely be successful!

21
Try that same scenario 6 months after heavy use... and results will could be very
different
There's a high chance that each PCB has made themselves unique to each drive!

How can this be?

Its called SMART Technology where the hard drive is designed to reconfigure
itself during operation to maximizing performance and protecting data. If a
sector is read slow but functional the drive will remap this sector as bad and
move this sector creating changes to track and sector information in firmware
Now this new reconfigured information is unique to the drive, and can cause this
PCB to be incompatible with any other drive of matching numbers.

As a data recovery engineer it is always best to repair the Original electronics of

a failed hard disk drive
That way you get maximum results with very little risk, Most high end data
recovery companies have the expertise to replace many, if not all components on
the PCB.. but not only physically but replacement, but this may also involve new
components and reprogramming.

COMMON HARD DRIVE FAULTS

Please Note: This area will be slowly updated with common faults from hard drives
that I see on a daily bases, these will consist of jammed spindle motors to system
area faults, head crashes, PCB component issues, stuck read write heads to the
unfortunate unrepair-able faults

Clicking Noisy Hard drive

On the Side of the Base of most hard drives is a sticker that collects any
contaminants when it comes to dust or the fatal head crash

22
Head crash is a term used for describing when the read\write heads make
contact with the hard drives platters causing scratches or ditches damaging the
platters clean smooth surface, in a lot of cases this will remove all the ceramic
coating of the platter leaving a see through glass and platter dust
(THIS IS DEEMED UNRECOVERABLE)

Above is a demonstration of removing the side sticker on a clicking Maxtor HDD

to see if the sticker is clean, as you can see this HDD is not in good shape if the
sticker is black or contains any type of silver dust then unfortunately you data
will be lost and HDD Repairs will not be possible, further more once I had
realized the is drive was damaged I removed the Lid to inspect just how bad

As you can see this HDD has had a severe head crash

NOTE if you remove the sticker and it appears to be clean, there is still a
possibility of a fine scratch that has not caused any platter dust for the sticker to
pick up, but most importantly if it is clean Do NOT REMOVE the top of the drive
on your desk and if you do, use a can of compressed air to keep the platters
clean before putting the top back on.

Beeping or Humming Hard Drive

If you put power the HDD and you here a beeping sound, this would normally
indicate that the spindle motor is jammed
Please see the Common Faults page in relation to this article.
Under any circumstances should you undo the screws or remove the platters of
the HDD

Demonstrated Below is how balanced the platters are: note the plugs in the
spindle motor

23
This is much like getting your tires balanced this is a counter weight to enable
clean rotation of the HDD Platters, this alignment needs to stay intact for any
hope of HDD repairs

Computer will not turn when I plug in the HDD

This will most likely be a power failure of the PCB and the PCB is drawing more
power than what the whole computer needs to boot, Chance of repair is high but
parts can be an issue

The hard drive Smells

Smell the HDD PCB, if the Drive smells bad then it has had a power Surge and
you need to check for obvious physical damage to the PCB

24
Use Of Debug Card Post Error & Code
 Introduction of POST Card
 JET-1023 ISA POST Card
 JET-1048 PCI+POST Card
 JET-1054 Mini PCI POST Card (Type III for notebook)
 JET-1049 PCI Checker Card
 JET-1050 PCI Test Card
 What is POST Card function ?
 How to select the POST Card?
 What is new generation PCI POST card design?
 Instruction guide for using the POST card
 Where to get BIOS POST Code Lists information?

Introduction
The primary function of POST card is to latch and display the BIOS POST code on card.
During system power on, the M/B perform the POST (Power On Self-Test) routines. The
main purpose of these routines are to perform the diagnostics test upon the system
component, device detection and chipset initialization etc,. The BIOS will put the POST
code in the POST port (for normal M/B is Port 80h, and Compaq is 84h) before each
respective task routine is performing.

When user plug the POST Card into motherboard, we will find the two digitals' 7-
segment LED flash display the different value on it quickly. Each digital value presents
its respective routine of BIOS POST routine. If BIOS can't load the Operating System
(O.S.) from disk drive, you will find the POST card stop and fixed display the specific
code on it. It is mean the BIOS can't pass the program of POST. User can look up the
BIOS POST lists to know which function is defects. And rough to know what kind
problem occurs.

For the current POST card products, we find the ISA (such as JET-1023 ISA POST card)
, PCI (such as JET-1048 PCI POST card) and Mini PCI (such as JET-1054 Mini PCI
POST card type III) version are more public on the market. Since the primary function of
POST card is to display the POST code, we don't need to consider the performance for
different bus slot. To use the ISA or PCI type POST card will get the same result for
POST code indicator. We only need to concern the point is the system support the bus
which can let POST card plug in or not. For PC 98 specification, the ISA is optional
specification. For PC 99, it suggests PC system doesn't support low speed ISA bus slot
(We can find the newer Intel chipset doesn't have supported the ISA specification). For
PC development trend, ISA will disappear soon that may be 1 or 2 years. In the above
conclusion, we know the PCI bus is primary extended bus in current PC architecture. So
use PCI POST card is best choice for using in new PC structure.

25
The POST card used for PC system assembly, motherboard test and BIOS debug.

26
JET-1023 ISA POST Card

JET-1023 ISA POST Card specification

 Full compatible with any kind motherboard which has the ISA Bus slot.
 Dual port decoder(80H and 84H) without jumper setting, it can use in general and
Compaq motherboard.

JET-1048 PCI+ POST Card

JET-1048 PCI+ POST Card specification

 Full compatible with any kind motherboard (such as 80486, Pentium, Pentium II,
Pentium III, AMD K5, AMD K6, AMD Athlon, AMD Duron ) which has the PCI
Bus slot.
 Support the power source working indicator --- +5V, +12V, +3.3V, and -12V.
(When indicator's LED is on to indicate its respective power is ok, otherwise to
indicate its respective power is failure)
 PCI Clock and RESET signal working indicator. (When indicator LED is on to
indicate its respective signal is OK)

27
 Auto port 80H/84H switch without jumper setting. It auto switch to PORT 80H
for general motherboard and to switch PORT 84H for COMPAQ motherboard
after system power for POST function execution.
 Dual POST code display --- User can readout POST at PCB component and
solder side. It is very easy to view the POST code indicator when user plug the
POST card in computer system case.
 POST code latch mode selection (JP1)

o JP1 short -- The function is setup as AUTO mode. (Its function is same as
JET-1024/V4.)
o JP1 open -- The function is setup as pure POST card mode, it is used for
user didn't read extra PCI device information when user plug the POST
card. (Its function is same as JET-1024/V3.)

28
JET-1054 mini PCI POST Card

JET-1054 mini PCI POST Card specification (support type III)

 Full compatible with any kind notebook motherboard (such as Celeron, Pentium
II, Pentium III, AMD K6 and AMD K7) which has the type III mini PCI Bus
extension slot.
 Support the power source working indicator --- +5V and +3.3V. (When indicator's
LED is on to indicate its respective power is ok, otherwise to indicate its
respective power is failure)
 PCI Clock and RESET signal working indicator. (When indicator LED is on to
indicate its respective signal is OK)
 PCI signal active indicator --- FRAME#, IRDY#, TRDY#. (When indicator LED
is on to indicate its respective signal is active now)
 Auto port 80H/84H switch without jumper setting. It auto switch to PORT 80H
for general notebook motherboard and to switch PORT 84H for COMPAQ
notebook motherboard after system power for POST function execution.
 POST code display --- 2 digitals 7-segment LED display for POST code
indicator..
 Supports 4 kind POST code latch mode selection to meet different notebook
designed.

JET-1049 PCI Checker Card

29
JET-1049 PCI Checker Card specification

 POST code display --- 2 digitals 7-segment LED display for POST code
indicator..
 Full compatible with any kind motherboard (such as 486, Celeron, Pentium II,
Pentium III, Pentium 4, AMD K5, K6 and K7) which has the PCI Bus extension
slot.
 MFI (Multi-Function Indicator) --- Display the real measurement value of PCI
Clock, Temperature, +5V , +3.3V,+12V, -12V and VIO on the MFI (3-digitals7-
segment LED) without any probe operation.
 PCI Clock and RESET signal working indicator. (When indicator LED is on to
indicate its respective signal is OK)
 Auto port 80H/84H switch without jumper setting. It auto switch to PORT 80H
for general motherboard and to switch PORT 84H for COMPAQ motherboard
after system power for POST function execution.
 Supports 4 kind POST code latch mode selection to meet different motherboard
designed.

30
JET-1050 PCI TEST Card

JET-1050 PCI TEST Card specification

 Include all JET-1048 function.

 Real time and without probing to show 10 PCI signals --- Real time monitor
the 10 PCI Bus signals (such as CLK, RESET#, FRAME#, TRDY#, DRDY#,
DEVSEL# and C/BE[3:0] signals) by indicator LEDs. The each indicator LED
showed as following status for each respective signal.
o Indicator LED on (light) to indicate its respective signal in low voltage
state.
o Indicator LED off (dark) to indicate its respective signal in high voltage
state.

 POST code reset function --- JET-1050 will output a pulse signal when the
current POST code output value equal to the DIP switch setup of card. (User can
setup the POST code event from 00 to FF). This function is useful to apply for
o System reliability testing --- The system will only restart when a specific
POST code output (setup by DIP switch) . In another word, the system
will stop when it doesn't reach the specific POST function. For example,
the A BIOS process the POST routine from 01(Power on 1st routine), 03
06, ... 4E, .. 00(boot-strap) before booting the Operating System. User can
setup DIP switch to "00" for this mode, and check the POST code
indicator of JET-1050 for
 POST code keep running from power on to boot --- User can find
the POST code indicator output different value on it. And it will
re-start the system when POST code output = "00".
 POST code stop a fixed value -- It indicates the system can not
pass this POST function during the reliability testing.
 Fixed time reset function --- JET-1050 will output a pulse signal upon CN1
after system power on about N seconds. ( N value is setup by DIP switch from 1
to 255). This function is useful to apply for

31
 o Burn-in testing --- The system will continues restart every N seconds is
running even the system is dead during burn-in test. (It can keep the
system is running to burn-out some defect component during QC/QA
burn-in testing).
o Trouble-shooting assistant ---
 Watch Dog reset by POST port function --- JET-1050 will output a pulse
upon CN1 when the system doesn't generate any POST code write operation over
N seconds (N value is setup by DIP switch from 1 to 255).
 Watch Dog reset by hardware interrupt function --- JET-1050 will output a
reset pulse upon CN1 when the system doesn't generate any Hardware interrupt
operation over N seconds (N value is setup by DIP switch from 1 to 255).

32
What is POST Card function ?

The primary function of POST card is display the POST code during system BIOS
perform the Power On Self Test (POST) function.

How to select the POST Card?

The primary function of POST card is display the POST code. It is no performance
consideration for using the POST card. Using the different bus type POST card will get
same result for POST code indication. The only reason will be considered is the tested
motherboard must have the empty same type bus slot to plug in the POST card.

 If you plan to used the POST card in older motherboard (such as 286, 386, 486),
we suggest to chose the ISA type POST card. (Since some older motherboard
didn't offer the PCI bus)
 If you plan to used the POST card in current market motherboard, we great
suggestion to used the PCI bus type. (since the PC 98 specification : ISA bus is
option, PC 99 specification suggests no ISA bus slot, we think ISA bus will be
disappear for new motherboard. In fact the Intel new chipset is no ISA bus
function now)
 If you are a engineer to maintain a wide range generation PC, you must select to
use both ISA and PCI bus type POST card.
 For notebook user, we suggest you to buy the JET-1054 Mini PCI POST card (for
Mini PCI bus type III, most of new generation notebook has this kind extension
bus)

What is new generation PCI POST card design?

New generation PCI POST card is designed with the PCI bus core logic and ASIC
technology. It can work in any kind motherboard designs with PCI bus. (For the past
simple GALs designed version, it just pure designed the PORT 80/84 address decoder, it
can't work in new motherboard designed that will disable some PCI signal's function
when no PCI card plug in to solve the EMI problem and reduce system power dissipation
. For this kind motherboard, if you used simple decode POST card, it will lose the POST
code readout function during POST testing. )

We create the another new auto port 80/84 switch function in new generation PCI POST
card. It can auto switch to port 80 for general motherboard , switch to port 84 for Compaq
motherboard after system power on. In new generation designed, it will not display
abnormal post code and real perform the auto-switch between port 80 and 84.

Instruction guide for using the POST card

 Turn off the system power firstly.

 Plug the POST card into empty slot that same as POST card type for tested

33
 motherboard.
 Refer signal and power LED (if your POST card had this function) of POST card
to solve the fault function if any firstly.
 Readout the POST code when system boot up failure. Record the POST code and
check the BIOS POST lists to get POST code message to know what kind
problem occurred.

Where to get BIOS POST Code Lists information?

User can get BIOS POST code lists in your motherboard user's guide or web (Some
motherboard makers offer this service). You can get the information from BIOS vendor
directly. The primary BIOS providers in current market are list as follows:

 AMI (American Megatrends Inc.)

 Award (Award Technology Inc.)
 Phoenix (Phoenix Technology Inc.)

34