IDE Hard Disk Logic Board issue

[insaneYLN]

Hello Friends, a cousin of mine gave me a hard disk in the evening & informed that it has a problem.
He told me that the very instant he switched on his computer, the system powered on for a 'split second' & then went off. After that there was a 'burnt' smell emanating from the hard disk in question.

I take it that the logic board/card present below the hard disk is burnt.
The warranty of the hard disk expires this year in July.

My cousin has some important data that he wishes not to lose! His main queries are :
1] Can he recover his data if he is able to change the logic board appropriately?

2] Where can he procure an appropriate logic board for his hard disk? Is it very expensive doing so?


The details of the hard disk are -
Seagate Barracuda [7200.9]
160GB IDE
ST3160212A
S/N : 4LS2Y52D
P/N: 9BD012-304
Firmware : 3.AAJ
Date Code : 06487

Is it a faulty PSU that has caused the above mentioned issue?

Awaiting your apt responses Friends.

[Sam]

did you checked the hard drive on another PSU PC. yes HDD's logic board frying is possible as happened to my classmate 2 months ago & it was too a Seagate 160Gb IDE (or Sata maybe). but first check the HDD in someone's PC. more chance is that the PSU is gone. why not try boot from a Live CD (if you buy digit mag or have a few live cds around). this will prove if his PSU is dead or HDD. just test it & report back.

Edit: i think a fried circuit means no warranty. usually this is the scenario but than test the PSU first. the hard drive maybe perfectly ok.

[insaneYLN]

@ Sam.Shab

I will connect the HDD on my system & check it later.
Should i use Ubuntu Live CD (cpuburn utility) to stress test his system?

I have already told him to test the suspected PSU using a multimeter.

According to him, a friend of his had the exact issue (fried logic board) but he got a "repaired" replacement from Accel Frontline Ltd. (the authorized RMA providers for Seagate). The label on the replaced HDD had "Certified Repaired HDD" printed on it.

[Sam]

just run a live CD. if it fails to run (PC fails to start) most probably the PSU is a goner. actually if you try to test a PC without a HDD (or crashed HDD) at least you'll be taken to BIOS (didn't came to my mind. was feeling sleepy then). so HDD looks fine. still test it.

if the chip is between the ckt board & the HDD casing, than they can't say its a physical damage. but as i told, not much chance of a HDD problem.

[insaneYLN]

I connected the hard disk& booted my system yesterday afternoon & voila!, the HDD has no issues.

I have backed up all the data. The "generic" PSU was the culprit, which is dead now.

My cousin is leaving for Mumbai today (Saturday) evening. He intends on purchasing the ATI Radeon HD 5770. i have advised him to purchase the Corsair GS600 (CMPSU-600G) power supply & go for the MSI R5770 Hawk as the choice of graphics card.
I have referred Prime ABGB as the store of purchase.

I hope i have not misled him.