Seagate ST3500312CS Hepburn

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Carmet L

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Oct 21, 2025, 2:09:08 PMOct 21
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Hi guys

Suspect translator issues with this one but cant seem to fix it.

Heads have been swapped a couple of times and make no difference, cannot read/write head 1

Head 0 is good and can read and write and modify SA mods.

Trying to run  Recover translator tool but get constant UNC errors.

"Fork" searching: 1018542 - 976773167
Verify sectors ext error Device error detected "UNC"
PRd: Err Rd Ph Sect E0:1:17E(1)!Tech state 0x72, 0x04150183
Surface scanning error (UNC) : PRd: Err Rd Ph Sect E0:1:17E(1)!Tech state 0x72, 0x04150183
LBA : 1018542
"Fork" searching: 1018543 - 976773167
Verify sectors ext error Device error detected "UNC"
PRd: Err Rd Ph Sect E0:1:17F(1)!Tech state 0x72, 0x04150183
Surface scanning error (UNC) : PRd: Err Rd Ph Sect E0:1:17F(1)!Tech state 0x72, 0x04150183
LBA : 1018543

Any ideas on how to get this fixed please ? 

t...@desertdatarecovery.com

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Oct 21, 2025, 2:17:07 PMOct 21
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Do you have a full backup of SA from H0?

Does H0 read green sectors right to the end of the drive?

Or at a certain LBA does every sector get UNC errors with all heads?

 

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Carmet L

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Oct 21, 2025, 2:42:27 PMOct 21
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>Do you have a full backup of SA from H0?

Yes


>Does H0 read green sectors right to the end of the drive?

Yes, imaged every sector as green for head 0


>Or at a certain LBA does every sector get UNC errors with all heads?

No, only head 1 (black) or UNC in sector edit.

Current terminal session log attached (might show something).
Terminal.txt

t...@desertdatarecovery.com

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Oct 21, 2025, 2:47:38 PMOct 21
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If every sector is green with H0 then its not a translator issue.

Have you tried reading via the utility.

And checked the platter condition under H1?

Carmet L

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Oct 21, 2025, 3:09:55 PMOct 21
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Yes, utility gives same error as normal read (see pic below).

Choosing read using utility but selecting yes for 'transmit data in spite of read error', head 1 will read sectors in sector edit, but how valid they are, I don't know.

Surface 1 seems fine, I cant see any defects on the platter surface at all.

If I try and read head 1 in DE, its just black sectors, every time, no attempt at reading them and getting reds or yellows, just black, no matter of surface zone.


Sector edit error.PNG

t...@desertdatarecovery.com

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Oct 21, 2025, 4:10:41 PMOct 21
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Best way to test is to make a map of a few jpgs in DW, read those jpgs with the utility, then see if the jpgs open.

 

 

From: datarecovery...@googlegroups.com <datarecovery...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Carmet L
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 12:10 PM
To: DataRecoveryCertification <datarecovery...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: Seagate ST3500312CS Hepburn

 

Yes, utility gives same error as normal read (see pic below).

 

Choosing read using utility but selecting yes for 'transmit data in spite of read error', head 1 will read sectors in sector edit, but how valid they are, I don't know.

 

Surface 1 seems fine, I cant see any defects on the platter surface at all.

 

If I try and read head 1 in DE, its just black sectors, every time, no attempt at reading them and getting reds or yellows, just black, no matter of surface zone.

 

 

image001.png

juan van der meulen

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Oct 22, 2025, 3:36:58 AMOct 22
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have to try to swap the PCB and clean those contacts for the HSA assembly.

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Carmet L

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Oct 22, 2025, 10:06:07 AMOct 22
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@Tim, yes the data is garbage with that method, so we can eliminate that from the attempt.

@Juan, the native PCB was damaged so ROM was physically swapped over to donor board... checked contacts and although a little dirty, cleaning them unfortunately still hasn't yielded a result from head 1.

t...@desertdatarecovery.com

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Oct 22, 2025, 10:08:40 AMOct 22
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Have you tried AFH?

 

 

From: datarecovery...@googlegroups.com <datarecovery...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Carmet L
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2025 7:06 AM
To: DataRecoveryCertification <datarecovery...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: Seagate ST3500312CS Hepburn

 

@Tim, yes the data is garbage with that method, so we can eliminate that from the attempt.

Data Recovery Guru

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Oct 22, 2025, 10:26:32 AMOct 22
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I would suggest a "standy-by head exchange" to see if it makes a difference.

Also, I would test the patient's heads on a compatible donor to see if head 1 truly does not work. If head 1 works on the donor, then something is up with the surface, or a firmware issue of some kind.

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Carmet L

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Oct 22, 2025, 10:26:59 AMOct 22
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No.... don't Ace say not to use AFH with donor heads ?

Carmet L

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Oct 22, 2025, 10:28:58 AMOct 22
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@Labtech, good idea, will try that with the patient heads in donor.

I.m not familiar with what a  "standy-by head exchange" is, could you explain that so I may try that also.

t...@desertdatarecovery.com

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Oct 22, 2025, 10:37:09 AMOct 22
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I have never heard that?

Pretty much every time I use AFH its with donor heads.

Carmet L

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Oct 22, 2025, 10:47:39 AMOct 22
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Maybe I am translating this wrong but I thought it meant AFH was for patient heads only.

AFH.PNG

t...@desertdatarecovery.com

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Oct 22, 2025, 11:00:51 AMOct 22
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That is referring to not using AFH when the heads are damaged. AFH alters the fly height and if the heads are damaged the fly height may be compromised, so using AFH might make the situation worse. Using a good set of donor heads is fine. BUT make sure there is no media damage as well.

 

 

From: datarecovery...@googlegroups.com <datarecovery...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Carmet L
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2025 7:48 AM
To: DataRecoveryCertification <datarecovery...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: Seagate ST3500312CS Hepburn

 

Maybe I am translating this wrong but I thought it meant AFH was for patient heads only.

 

image001.png

Carmet L

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Oct 22, 2025, 12:36:23 PMOct 22
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OK thank you for clarification Tim.

Have swapped patient heads into donor and head 1 reads OK.

Have now put patient heads back into patient and still same issues, nothing is being read with head 1.

Surface 1 looks fine, tiny mark on very edge of platter but not where heads go so cant see that causing this issue.

IMG_2665.JPG

Will try AFH tricks with patient heads and see if any progress... although this firmware doesn't have the usual parameters and only very small amount of zones.

AFH.PNG



Data Recovery Guru

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Oct 22, 2025, 12:41:34 PMOct 22
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Great, so it is not the head itself.

Forgot to mention, but we presume the head map was verified, where head 1 is enabled, correct?

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Carmet L

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Oct 22, 2025, 12:56:09 PMOct 22
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> Forgot to mention, but we presume the head map was verified, where head 1 is enabled, correct?

You got it, Max head was set to 0 in ROM.

Max head corrected and now head 1 is reading perfectly :)

me guess someone else been there beforehand

Data Recovery Guru

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Oct 22, 2025, 12:59:24 PMOct 22
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Cool. Glad it was solved.

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t...@desertdatarecovery.com

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Oct 22, 2025, 1:02:12 PMOct 22
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Good catch Petri.

 

 

From: datarecovery...@googlegroups.com <datarecovery...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Data Recovery Guru
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2025 9:59 AM
To: datarecovery...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Seagate ST3500312CS Hepburn

 

Cool. Glad it was solved.

 

Will try AFH tricks with patient heads and see if any progress... although this firmware doesn't have the usual parameters and only very small amount of zones.

 

 

 

image001.jpg

Carmet L

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Oct 22, 2025, 1:05:51 PMOct 22
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Thank you everybody for helping solve me this case.

Is it possible I may have hurt the customer data trying to recover translator, should I take 28 from copy 1 and rewrite it to copy 0 just to be safe ?

Data Recovery Guru

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Oct 22, 2025, 1:06:52 PMOct 22
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Thanks.

Brainfarts suck sometimes. The lives we live.
🙂

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Data Recovery Guru

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Oct 22, 2025, 1:08:32 PMOct 22
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If you can read LBAs through it the drive, then NO, do not write the copy.

You could do some opening/spot checking on a few files to detect any possible issues.

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Carmet L

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Oct 22, 2025, 1:10:18 PMOct 22
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OK will do that...hopefully alls will be well.

Thank you again for your help :)

Data Recovery Guru

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Oct 22, 2025, 1:11:50 PMOct 22
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You are welcome.

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Burlington: 1500 District Ave, 1st Floor, Burlington, MA 01803
Framingham: 945 Concord St., 1st Floor, Framingham, MA 01701
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