HDD Basic
- HDD physical structure
=Head Disk Assembly
= PCB
-Logical Structure
=track
= cylinder
=sector
- CHS & LBA addressing
-Magnetic recording
- Servo Info
-Firmware

Firmware Basic
The firmware is not fully resident in PCB, some parts are in sectors forming the so called
Service Area (SA). The firmware stored in SA is modular and it has the following 3 kind of
Modules:
Data Modules – managing data area (e.g. P-list and G-List)
Management Modules – managing the HDD basic functionality
Techno Modules – managing SA access operations

Common causes of data loss and Symptoms of HDD firmware failure
-Logical
=Delete/Format/Virus/clone/Protected data
=Partition table or MBR/DBR Broken
-Physical
= PCB Problem
=Bad Sector
=Spindle Motor Broken/seized
=Platter Scratch or out of alignment
=Head Broken or out of alignment
=Hard Disk over heated
=Other Reasons

HD Doctor suite-HD doctor for Seagate
- List of Drive Family
-Firmware structure and Compatibility
-Key modules and CMD mode
-Commands and output formats
-Connection and introduction
-Support list
-Case study
-Practice

HD Doctor suite-HD doctor for WD
- Identify the types of Western Digital drives (Silver I, Silver II, Black I, Black II, ROYL)
-Modules and their functions
- Translator Regeneration
-Firmware handling flow
-Connection and introduction
-Support List
-Case study
-Practice

HD Doctor suite-HD doctor for Maxtor
-Maxtor HDD classification
-Model number identification
- Jumper setting
-Donor Compatibility
- SA Structure and Module Analysis
- Key Modules Analysis
-Firmware handling flow
-Connection and introduction
-Support List
-Case study
-Practice

HD Doctor suite-HD doctor for Hitachi
-Supporting Hitachi drive families
-Modules and their functions
-NVRAM
-Firmware repair flow
-Connection and introduction
-Case study
-Practice