Can read SA but not UA - WDC WD20EARS-00MVWB0

P. K.

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Oct 9, 2026, 9:39:00 AM (3 days ago) Oct 9

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Hello,
I try to recover data with my MRT Ultra from a WDC WD20EARS-00MVWB0

That is the output I get from varius tests:

Technology mode key : ..........................: OK

RAM:
Read HDD Info : ................................: OK
Heads number : .................................: 6
Head map : .....................................: E7
SA Cyl Count : .................................: 256
Serials Mark : .................................: 0xFE16
Control version : ..............................: 7412

Zone allocation table : ........................: OK
SA SPT : .......................................: 1980

ROM:
Read Rom Infos : ...............................: OK
ROM Data Size : ................................: 256 Kb
ROM version : ..................................: 20.0AB
ROM generation : ...............................: 20.0BB
Link table version : ...........................: 0B.21
ROM Firmware version : .........................: 0020000A

ROM Modules:
Flash ROM dir reading : ........................: OK
Switched off heads : ...........................: Yes
Heads number : .................................: 0x6
Heads number in use : ..........................: 0x6
heads map : ....................................: 0,1,2,5,6,7

Load SA translator : ...........................: OK

SA Module Dir Loading...
Load SA Module dir : ...........................: OK
Configuration reading : ........................: OK
Master Password : ..............................: has not been set
User Password : ................................: has not been set

Head Test...
Head: 0 Write data : ..........................: OK
Head: 0 Read data : ...........................: OK
Head: 1 Write data : ..........................: OK
Head: 1 Read data : ...........................: OK
Head: 2 Write data : ..........................: OK
Head: 2 Read data : ...........................: OK
Head: 3 Write data : ..........................: ERR
Head: 3 Read data : ...........................: ERR
Head: 4 Write data : ..........................: OK
Head: 4 Read data : ...........................: OK
Head: 5 Write data : ..........................: OK
Head: 5 Read data : ...........................: OK

Executing SA structure test
Read type : ....................................: By ID
ID : Copy : Importance : ABA : Size : Read : Hdr : CS Value calc/read : Version : Desription
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0102 : ByID : Dd : 0005CCE7 : 1 : Ok : Ok : FFEA1214/FFEA1214 : NOT_INIT : Heads map module image
0105 : ByID : Dd : 0005CCE2 : 2 : Ok : Ok : FFE91211/FFE91211 : NOT_INIT : ROM translator SA images
0035 : ByID : Dd : 00000000 : A : Ok : Ok : 46E712CE/46E712CE : 1023-QF1 : SA Defects
0033 : ByID : Dd : 0000000A : A00 : Ok : Ok : D9B02DF8/D9B02DF8 : 00150000 : P-List (Primary defect list)
0104 : ByID : Dd : 0005CCE4 : 1 : Ok : Ok : FFEA1212/FFEA1212 : NOT_INIT : Microprogram version image
0109 : ByID : Dd : 00016DC9 : 201 : Ok : Ok : 6D4B66C6/6D4B66C6 : 00010000 : ROM image
0106 : ByID : Dd : 0005CCE0 : 2 : Ok : Ok : FFE91210/FFE91210 : NOT_INIT : ROM module image
0103 : ByID : Dd : 0005CCE5 : 2 : Ok : Ok : FFE91213/FFE91213 : NOT_INIT : ROM adaptives SA images
004D : ByID : As : 000015EA : 1 : Ok : Ok : 520E48F9/520E48F9 : 00010000 : Adaptive data
0040 : ByID : As : 00001115 : 84 : Ok : Ok : 2FF48B9A/2FF48B9A : 00010000 : Adaptive data
0003 : ByID : As : 000015EB : 5F : Ok : Ok : DB2F5B4F/DB2F5B4F : 00020000 : Format Select Data Module
004A : ByID : As : 000015DD : D : Ok : Ok : C4D52300/C4D52300 : 00010000 : Adaptive data
0049 : ByID : As : 000015D9 : 4 : Ok : Ok : 1CC6E10A/1CC6E10A : 00010000 : Adaptive data
0050 : ByID : As : 00016DB9 : 4 : Ok : Ok : 6FD5FABC/6FD5FABC : 0020000B : Parameters table 1
0053 : ByID : As : 00016DC5 : 4 : Ok : Ok : 44FAFB2A/44FAFB2A : 0020000B : Parameters table 4
0052 : ByID : As : 00016DC1 : 4 : Ok : Ok : DACC8308/DACC8308 : 0020000B : Parameters table 3
0051 : ByID : As : 00016DBD : 4 : Ok : Ok : E5DC9840/E5DC9840 : 0020000B : Parameters table 2
0041 : ByID : As : 00001199 : 84 : Ok : Ok : F7DECC90/F7DECC90 : 00010000 : Adaptive data
0043 : ByID : As : 000012A1 : 84 : Ok : Ok : F7DECC8E/F7DECC8E : 00010000 : Adaptive data
0042 : ByID : As : 0000121D : 84 : Ok : Ok : F7DECC8F/F7DECC8F : 00010000 : Adaptive data
0036 : ByID : Ad : 00001101 : E : Ok : Ok : 4AD12A68/4AD12A68 : 00010000 : T-List Module
0031 : ByID : Ad : 00000A0A : 6B6 : Ok : Ok : A50203D5/A50203D5 : 00400000 : Translator
0032 : ByID : Ad : 000010E1 : 20 : Ok : Ok : 54AC695E/54AC695E : 00170000 : Relo Bad Block Module
0034 : ByID : C : 000010CA : 17 : Ok : Ok : 4DF74912/4DF74912 : 00150000 : G-List (Grown defect list)
0019 : ByID : B : 00016D69 : 1F : Ok : Ok : 54B654A3/54B654A3 : 0020000B : microprogram code
0024 : ByID : B : 00016955 : 7C : Ok : Ok : CD929559/CD929559 : 00810021 : S.M.A.R.T. Log (reserved)
0023 : ByID : B : 000168D9 : 7C : Ok : Ok : 7416D65F/7416D65F : 00810021 : S.M.A.R.T. Log (reserved)
001F : ByID : B : 00016FE8 : 15 : Ok : Ok : 7FDDC32C/7FDDC32C : 0020000B : microprogram code
0017 : ByID : B : 0001679D : 3F : Ok : Ok : A3BB8C84/A3BB8C84 : 0020000B : microprogram code
0015 : ByID : B : 00016829 : 12 : Ok : Ok : D8357EC6/D8357EC6 : 0020000B : microprogram code
006E : ByID : B : 00016FFD : 2 : Ok : Ok : 3829C5DF/3829C5DF : 0020000B : microprogram code
006F : ByID : B : 00001DD2 : C98 : Ok : Ok : 9FBC7B62/4263CB3C : AOZ30000 : microprogram code
0110 : ByID : B : 0005CCE8 : 18 : Ok : Ok : E2F4E9F2/E2F4E9F2 : 00020000 : Modules directory (base part)
0021 : ByID : B : 0001685D : 7C : Ok : Ok : AB774B14/AB774B14 : 00810021 : S.M.A.R.T.
0029 : ByID : B : 0000110F : 6 : Ok : Ok : 47BD2B70/47BD2B70 : 00010000 : microprogram code
002A : ByID : B : 00016857 : 6 : Ok : Ok : 36BB2B6F/36BB2B6F : 0020000B : microprogram code
002E : ByID : B : 00001AA1 : 1C2 : Ok : Err : C9D51779/C9D51779 : 00020004 : Startup Log
006B : ByID : B : 00001D62 : 4 : Ok : Ok : 4EC0B01B/4EC0B01B : 0020000B : microprogram code
000C : ByID : B : 000010C0 : A : Ok : Ok : ABB12329/ABB12329 : 00010100 : Models table
002F : ByID : B : 00016851 : 6 : Ok : Ok : 3AD77AAE/3AD77AAE : 0020000B : microprogram code
0061 : ByID : B : 00016FCA : 1D : Ok : Ok : 3883B494/3883B494 : 0020000B : microprogram code
0039 : ByID : B : 000018CD : 11 : Ok : Ok : 40FC490D/40FC490D : 0020000B : microprogram code
0038 : ByID : B : 000017CC : 101 : Ok : Ok : 34BB6A55/34BB6A55 : 0020000B : microprogram code
004E : ByID : B : 00001325 : 2B4 : Ok : Ok : A672EB4F/A672EB4F : 0020000B : microprogram code
0014 : ByID : B : 0001680C : 1D : Ok : Ok : 92D3CBE5/92D3CBE5 : 0020000B : microprogram code
0005 : ByID : B : 000059C5 : 2A1D : Ok : Ok : 27262826/27262826 : 00020000 : Family models configuration
001E : ByID : B : 0001683B : 16 : Ok : Ok : EC70844E/EC70844E : 0020000B : microprogram code
001C : ByID : B : 000167DC : 30 : Ok : Ok : 8417072E/8417072E : 0020000B : microprogram code
0012 : ByID : B : 00016D88 : 31 : Ok : Ok : 5A1F9511/5A1F9511 : 0020000B : microprogram code
0011 : ByID : B : 000169D1 : 398 : Ok : Ok : 993C6119/993C6119 : 0020000B : microprogram code
0001 : ByID : B : 00016781 : 18 : Ok : Ok : EC623101/EC623101 : 00020000 : Modules directory
0002 : ByID : B : 00016799 : 4 : Ok : Ok : 51DB2678/51DB2678 : 00080000 : Configuration (HDD ID)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SA structure test is completed!

I can read data in the SA, head 3 is gone but the others should read - but I cant read any sector - I tried to read MBR and at least 4 other LBAs all over the drive but no success.

Trying to read UA results in immediate ERR + ABR. Soft reset work, drive report DRD + DSC when starting.

Any idea what causes that? That behaviour make no sense to me...

I tried also a Translator regeneration and it worked but nothing changed.

RecuperoDati299

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Oct 9, 2026, 9:47:03 AM (3 days ago) Oct 9

to DataRecoveryCertification

This is pretty generic

you should test all the critical modules of both the copies

then is some are bad, spare the SA to use the best copy only

have you tested all the modules?

Have you lifted the bad head?

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RecuperoDati299

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Oct 9, 2026, 9:50:16 AM (3 days ago) Oct 9

to DataRecoveryCertification

I would haven't tried anything with translator

hopefully you have its original copy saved

when I say test all the critical modules I mean each module of each copy

Il giorno 9 ottobre 2026, alle ore 15:43, P. K. <datarecovery...@googlegroups.com> ha scritto:

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P. K.

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Oct 9, 2026, 10:19:24 AM (3 days ago) Oct 9

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I have backed them up. And I have tested all which have a criticality rating. But I can test all on both heads.

Before swapping heads I wanted to copy the good ones.

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Desert Data Recovery

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Oct 9, 2026, 10:30:08 AM (3 days ago) Oct 9

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Try this. But not with H3.

https://youtu.be/Xjl2RaPgLQ8?si=0llhUp2XkdxJKau_

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Alandata Recovery

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Oct 9, 2026, 11:40:17 AM (3 days ago) Oct 9

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Did you try;

Set head map in ram to

01224567

Then soft reset

May you let you read all but h3

Alandata Data Recovery - (949)287-3282
"Cleanroom Data Recovery of RAID, VMware, NAS, Linux, Tape, Disk, Forensics"

www.alandata.com www.alandataRecovery.com

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P. K.

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Oct 9, 2026, 3:38:30 PM (3 days ago) Oct 9

to DataRecoveryCertification

Hello,

the mapping of head 3 in RAM did the trick. Thanks Tim & Alan - I am cloning all good heads, skipping #3 and then swapping the HSA and filling in the gaps if possible.

Thanks to you guys!

wayne horner

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Oct 9, 2026, 8:28:41 PM (3 days ago) Oct 9

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after you read all but h3

then spin it down

keep the board hot

uncscrew board

swap in new head

then continue imaging with h3

Alandata Data Recovery - (949)287-3282

"Cleanroom Data Recovery of RAID, VMware, Network Attached Storage, Linux, Tape, Disk, Forensics"

www.AlanData.com www.AlanDataRecovery.com

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RecuperoDati299

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Oct 10, 2026, 5:10:21 AM (2 days ago) Oct 10

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Here it all depends

these drives have such helpful microjogs

in these drives they are "generally" around 3100/3200

but suddenly you find some also down to 2700

if you have a good match < +/- 300 , I would just replace the heads , the drive should start fine

Robert @ https://www.RecuperoDati299euro.it

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