⟐ Answer edited September 27, 2024 at 2:09 MST

I have one problem actually and need help or advise for 2 specific questions.

Basically I have a Western Digital Essentials external USB HD with important data on it and a the mini USB connector de-soldered. Not very good to use!

I have opened the devise to figure out what can be done to save the data and eventually fix it.

I have discovered inside a regular SATA WD Green Caviar hard drive. My first idea was to connect the hard drive directly to my desktop computer through a SATA connector. The HD is well recognized at the boot up but it does not mount in windows. I have tried with Linux distro live CD but it is the save, the data are not recognized. I have made some research on the web about a potential data recovery software but nothing specific. I had a look at the logic board and found a strange chip with the following references “Initio INIC-1607E”. After a few research I have found that this is the USB/SATA bridge controller but with a AES 256 bit encryption ! :D I have also read that the encryption key vary for each device so that even if I found a similar model, it would be useless to swap the logic board.

I think I can give up in trying to access the data directly? Any idea guys?

Well, so I’m now looking at a repair for the de-soldered USB connector. I’m lucky the logic board is not damaged and nor the connector. Here I have 5*0.32mm pins to solder on the logic board and there is only 0,8 mm step between each of them. I have never done something like that before !

Do you think this can be done manually with a regular iron ? I think I can manage to found a 0,4 mm pan, do you think it can be small enough?

If you have any advice or standard practice for me on how to do with this kind of work, you are very welcome?

Anyway, I’m gonna have to be sober before to start, I stop drinking now !!!

Thank you

⟐ Answer edited December 13, 2022 at 12:27 MST

⟐ Commented June 13, 2019 at 11:02 MST