Western Digital WD10TMVW-11ZSMS5 Data Recovery

When the client brought in their Western Digital WD10TMVW-11ZSMS5, it was clear that the drive was experiencing significant issues. The clicking noise indicated potential physical damage, which often suggests problems with the drive's read/write heads or its spindle motor. These issues can be daunting, as they typically require specialized tools and a controlled environment to resolve.

Our client had not backed up their data and was understandably distressed at the prospect of losing irreplaceable family photos stored on the drive. The stakes were high, but at Zero Alpha Data Recovery, we thrive on solving such critical problems.

Diagnostic Process

The first step in our recovery process was a thorough diagnosis. Our team of experts carefully removed the drive and placed it in a cleanroom environment. Here, we meticulously examined the internal components to determine the extent of the damage.

Upon inspection, we found that the drive’s read/write heads were damaged, causing the clicking sound as they struggled to read data from the platters. The next step was to replace these heads with donor parts from a compatible drive, a delicate procedure that requires precision and expertise.

The Recovery Process

1. Cleanroom Environment: The drive was opened in our ISO 5 Class 100 cleanroom to prevent any dust or particles from contaminating the sensitive internal components.

2. Head Replacement: Using donor parts from a matching Western Digital drive, our technicians successfully replaced the damaged read/write heads. This process involves aligning the new heads precisely to avoid further damage to the platters.

3. Imaging the Drive: Once the new heads were in place, we created a sector-by-sector image of the drive. This step is crucial because working directly on a failing drive can exacerbate the problem. By creating a bit-by-bit copy, we ensured that all recoverable data was captured before any further potential deterioration.

4. Data Extraction: With the drive successfully imaged, our software tools began the process of extracting the photos and other data. This involved scanning the image for recoverable files and reconstructing any fragmented data.

Results

The outcome was a resounding success. We were able to recover nearly all of the photos from the damaged drive, much to the relief and joy of our client. The photos were meticulously organized and delivered to the client on a new, reliable external hard drive, along with recommendations for regular backups to prevent future data loss.

Conclusion

At Zero Alpha Data Recovery, we understand the emotional and practical value of your data. Our successful recovery of photos from the malfunctioning Western Digital WD10TMVW-11ZSMS5 hard drive is a testament to our commitment to excellence and our technical expertise. We are proud to have been able to reunite our client with their precious memories and stand ready to assist others facing similar data loss challenges.

If you are experiencing issues with your hard drive, whether it's clicking noises, data inaccessibility, or other failures, trust Zero Alpha Data Recovery to handle your data with the utmost care and professionalism. Contact us today to learn more about our data recovery services and how we can help you retrieve your valuable information.

Data Recovery Case Log

09May24 : The drive is clicking and spinning down. pcb is 771814,  SATA convert to 771820. wrote rom to sata board with blocked mod 02.unable to isolate heads, need to swap. rewrote original ROM, SA is not blocked.

Heads parameters:

Encode Date............................. : JUL 2012
Model................................... : WD10TMVW
Sub model............................... : 11ZSMS5
Country of manufacture.................. : TH
headsmap................................ : 0,1,2,3,4,5
Preamp vendor........................... : 0000
Preamp revision......................... : 0006
MJ0..................................... : A3A--C91
MJ1..................................... : AE4--D3B
MJ2..................................... : A5C--CB3
MJ3..................................... : AC6--D1D
MJ4..................................... : A1C--C73
MJ5..................................... : AF2--D49
ROM..................................... : 00650006

24June24: The drive clicked at the beginning.It was freezing up the system.It was detectin in the software but we could not Mrb or read smart. PCB 2060-771814-001 REV P1. 

Sata pcb 771820.