Help With Data Recovery

So I managed to burn up the PCB on my HDD and it has a lot of files I want to get back. I used the Ref # and bought a donor board to replace it. So here is my 2-part question.

1. Can I simply replace the donor board and recover my files using utility software, or do I need to desolder and resolder the EEPROM chip from the old board to the new in order to get any use out of it whatsoever.

2. If I do need to switch the EEPROM chip, does anyone have any experience with PCB soldering that can tell me what temp I will need to set my soldering iron to so that I don't de-laminate the PCB layers.

 

You should be able to just swap boards - as long as they have the same revision number too.

If you do need to solder, since we don't know the exact composition/formula of the solder used during manufacturing, I usually start at 500°F (260°C) and increase from there if needed. I recommend you practice/test on other components before trying the EEPROM.

BTW, don't get your hopes up too much here. I've had mixed results swapping controller boards. This is because it is not uncommon for those boards to seriously corrupt the file tables and data on the drives when they fail, making any recovery of usable data spotty, at best. That said, I have also seen it where the drive worked perfectly with the new board and the folders and files were totally readable by Windows File Manager where they could immediately be copied to a new drive.

Of course, I'm sure you don't need to hear this, but obviously this points to the need for "multiple" backups of any and all data we don't want to loose. Preferably, with at least one copy stored "off-site".

 

Thank you, and yes I knew better than to not back it up, I just hadnt because the bulk of it is media (photos and videos of my deceased daughter) and they take up a ton of space, so free backups like dropbox and gdrive dont have the storage capacity required.

 

Oh wow! Really sorry for your loss. It is just plain wrong for parents to out live their kids.

I personally don't trust those cloud storage locations. I don't fear they would lose my data. On the contrary, I assume there soon will be 100s of copies scattered all over the world. My worry is a bad guy will hack into the service and steal or worse in scenarios like yours, corrupt the files.

I sure hope you are successful. If you are, and for your other data, large hard drives really are not that expensive these days. Bigger drives are available for just a little more. You don't need any high performance speed demons for this type storage. Get a couple (or more) and keep one at a trusted friends or relatives house. I keep one in the safe deposit box at my bank. This is insurance in case your house burns down, is flooded or blown away by hurricane or tornado - or robbed by a bad guy.

Please keep us posted.

Sorry again for your loss, and thanks for your service!