Course Overview
The course is designed as an introduction to the design, function and components of the electronic and electrical circuitry of Hard Disk Drives as incorporated into the drives' Printed Circuit Board (PCB), together with the possibilities and techniques for the recovery of data where such components have failed.
It provides an overview of: The physical components of PCB's:
The Interface – The connection to the host computer that provides the channel for communication with the host, data flow in and out of the drive and also provides the power the device needs to operate
The voltage protection and filtering circuitry that control the voltages supplied to the drive
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) – The main processing chip of the device that controls all drive functions
Motor Controllers – These chips control the operation of the motors that spin the drive disk platters and move the Read/Write Head Assembly to track the data stored
ROM and NVRAM Components – Onboard memory storage devices that can hold key information and firmware needed for the correct operation of the drive
Device failure scenarios:
Interface failure
Other component failure and PCB damage
Motor Controller failure
ROM and NVRAM content corruption
Data Recovery Techniques:
Diagnostic procedures
Component replacement
PCB replacement
Equipment and/or facilities required
Spares requirement, matching criteria & acquisition
Onboard firmware reinstatement
