F5F Stay Refreshed Hardware Desktop Repairing a water-damaged laptop HDD is a common issue.

Repairing a water-damaged laptop HDD is a common issue.

Repairing a water-damaged laptop HDD is a common issue.

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mrsquidles03
Junior Member
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1
06-09-2016, 05:48 AM
#1
Two days ago my custom loop experienced a leak, spilling a significant amount of coolant into my case. While the issue was active, I was playing a game on my HDD, which kept it functioning. Upon noticing the leak, I powered down the PC and removed the disk. After drying it out, I repaired the leak and assumed everything was resolved—until I restarted the computer. The disk failed to appear. Initially, I tested other cables to check for damage, but that didn’t help. I then connected additional HDDs, all of which recognized properly.

I’m puzzled about how water damage could occur since the case was upright and there seemed to be very little liquid around it. I measured the SATA power connector pins with a multimeter, and everything looked normal. When I opened the disk, I found the pads on top burned. I attempted cleaning them, but it didn’t fix the problem, and no other PCB damage was visible.

Next, I plan to purchase another identical disk and swap its PCB with the current one to test. Before doing that, I’d like advice on what steps to try first if possible. Thank you in advance for your help!
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M
mrsquidles03
06-09-2016, 05:48 AM #1

Two days ago my custom loop experienced a leak, spilling a significant amount of coolant into my case. While the issue was active, I was playing a game on my HDD, which kept it functioning. Upon noticing the leak, I powered down the PC and removed the disk. After drying it out, I repaired the leak and assumed everything was resolved—until I restarted the computer. The disk failed to appear. Initially, I tested other cables to check for damage, but that didn’t help. I then connected additional HDDs, all of which recognized properly.

I’m puzzled about how water damage could occur since the case was upright and there seemed to be very little liquid around it. I measured the SATA power connector pins with a multimeter, and everything looked normal. When I opened the disk, I found the pads on top burned. I attempted cleaning them, but it didn’t fix the problem, and no other PCB damage was visible.

Next, I plan to purchase another identical disk and swap its PCB with the current one to test. Before doing that, I’d like advice on what steps to try first if possible. Thank you in advance for your help!

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X
xSapir
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138
06-12-2016, 03:58 PM
#2
Hmm, it seems like the system isn't responding well. Check if the drive is powering on and verify the contact points on the chassis are clean.
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xSapir
06-12-2016, 03:58 PM #2

Hmm, it seems like the system isn't responding well. Check if the drive is powering on and verify the contact points on the chassis are clean.

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XxgamerXxProX
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54
06-12-2016, 08:24 PM
#3
I don't notice any spinning, though I wasn't sure until it stopped functioning, so I'm uncertain. I also cleaned the contacts, even though they seemed okay.
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XxgamerXxProX
06-12-2016, 08:24 PM #3

I don't notice any spinning, though I wasn't sure until it stopped functioning, so I'm uncertain. I also cleaned the contacts, even though they seemed okay.

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6
66babou
Junior Member
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48
06-12-2016, 10:39 PM
#4
The simplest solution would be to swap the entire disk with a new HDD or SSD. Unless you possess extremely valuable data not yet backed up... Changing the board to another identical model might succeed or fail. Some firms employ hardware encryption, preventing such swaps. It's difficult to confirm if your drive uses this feature. Unless you own specialized recovery tools, you have limited options. You might want to reach out to Rossman Repair Group for a quote—they seem to offer the most affordable service I've found. Other providers charge thousands for proper disk restoration. Unless your information is crucial, most won't justify that cost. Let me know if you need more clarity.
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6
66babou
06-12-2016, 10:39 PM #4

The simplest solution would be to swap the entire disk with a new HDD or SSD. Unless you possess extremely valuable data not yet backed up... Changing the board to another identical model might succeed or fail. Some firms employ hardware encryption, preventing such swaps. It's difficult to confirm if your drive uses this feature. Unless you own specialized recovery tools, you have limited options. You might want to reach out to Rossman Repair Group for a quote—they seem to offer the most affordable service I've found. Other providers charge thousands for proper disk restoration. Unless your information is crucial, most won't justify that cost. Let me know if you need more clarity.

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