RE4 Multi Axis shock sensor

WD Internal Drives Desktop & Mobile Drives
1

We use RE4 drives model numbers WD1003FBYX and WD1002FBYS.  Several drives were returned by the customer and we suspect the drives were dropped.  The units fail Data Lifeguard and show many bad sectors in Hard Disk Sentinel

Is the data from the multi-axis shock sensor available to us?  If the units were exposed to excessive shock we would like to be able to screen for this and advise the customer rather than returning the drives to WD under an RMA.

If the data is available through the SMART attributes that’s ideal…or a utility similar to Data Lifeguard that provides a go/no-go indication after reading the sensor data.

Please advise.

2

Unfortunately there is no WD app to check for shock damage data. 

3

I don’t believe that the sensors behave like impact recorders. They only operate when powered.

Your board seems to have three of them, mounted at 45 degrees:
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6110/6315326306_7f038fdf98_z.jpg

Here are some datasheets that may help you understand them:

Murata ceramic shock sensors:
http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/58860.pdf
http://www1.futureelectronics.com/doc/MURATA/PKGS-00LD-R.pdf

KXPB5, Kionix, Tri-axis Accelerometer:
http://www.kionix.com/Product%20Sheets/KXPB5%20Product%20Brief.pdf
http://www.kionix.com/Product-Specs/KXPB5-2050%20Specifications%20Rev%203.pdf
http://www.kionix.com/Product-Specs/KXPB5-2353%20Specifications%20Rev%203.pdf
http://www.kionix.com/accelerometers/accelerometer-KXPB5.html

The Tri-axis Accelerometer is used is some laptop drives.

4

Sorry, WDC has already wasted my time enough. Just registered but cannot find the new thread option. Where is it?