Dead HDD. Help requested

checjb

checjb

checjb

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
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Location
Royston, Herts
Hi all,

Well its finally happened. My first HDD failure. I've got a 120Gb Seagate Barracuda which is no longer being detected by my BIOS. It tries to spin up but nothing actually happens. Tried to install it using a USB2 external enclosure but just get error messages and othing in My Computer etc. There are ~5Gb of important data on there that I'd like to access. Any ideas how to resuscitate the beast?

Thanks

Chris
 
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If the drive isn't being detected by the BIOS then it's a pretty terminal failure I'm afraid. There are a couple of options though:

1) Pay through the nose to get the data recovered professionally, you'll be looking at £500 or so though.

2) It may just be a controller board failure so if you can locate an identical drive you might be able to revive the failed one by transplanting the board from the donor drive.
 
rpstewart said:
If the drive isn't being detected by the BIOS then it's a pretty terminal failure I'm afraid. There are a couple of options though:

1) Pay through the nose to get the data recovered professionally, you'll be looking at £500 or so though.
Click to expand...
Who are these people? I can never seem to find anyone when I'm looking for data recovery engineers :p

Usually on behalf of other people...

- Who don't keep backups!

Anyone with links?

Thanks ;)

SW.
 
sam.wheale said:
Who are these people? I can never seem to find anyone when I'm looking for data recovery engineers :p

Usually on behalf of other people...

- Who don't keep backups!

Anyone with links?

Thanks ;)

SW.
Click to expand...

kroll ontrack
data recovery direct
and dotco software

google old chap
 
The drive is making sounds that (I assume) suggest it is trying to spin up, then it just makes a little electronic beep (seeking?) every second or so. That beep just goes on and on until I shut down the PC.
BTW the pc boots into windows OK with the dodgy drive connected.

I did look into data recovery but the cheapest quote I got a 120Gb disk was £249.99 :eek: and, frankly, the data just isn't worth that much.
 
Bit late I know, but there are a number of things that can be done to try and get a broken drive up and running for long enough to recover the data.

If I can help, I need to know more about the noises, can you hear it seeking and failing? This will sound like the usual kind of HD 'click', but it maybe louder.

Is it whining more than normal?

If your getting strange noises, it's probably a mechanical failure rather than electronic.

Mechanical failures can often be solved by sticking the drive in a plastic bag and putting it in the freezer for an hour or so. Take it out and connect immediately, see if the drive comes up. Shut down if there is an excessive build up of condensation on the drive. For mechanical failures it works more often than not, and sometimes electical failures can also respond to this treatment. Try it, you've nothing to lose and it's unlikely to make the situation worse.

Let me know if you have anymore info'.
 
As said above, but HDD in freezer for a few hours and then try again. Ive had success with this more times than not and Ive seen quite a few drive failures.
 
Folks,

Thanks for your suggestions. In resaponse to michael baxter, the noises are slightly louder than the normal "head seek" noise but thats what they appear to be.
I have tried putting the thing in the freezer (10 hours) then connected it and booted up. Nothing. I ran it in every possible orientation, with every jumper setting, waited until it reached room temp again and repeated but nothing. I think I shall just have to resign myself to the inevitable.

C.
 
checjb said:
Folks,

Thanks for your suggestions. In resaponse to michael baxter, the noises are slightly louder than the normal "head seek" noise but thats what they appear to be.
I have tried putting the thing in the freezer (10 hours) then connected it and booted up. Nothing. I ran it in every possible orientation, with every jumper setting, waited until it reached room temp again and repeated but nothing. I think I shall just have to resign myself to the inevitable.

C.
Click to expand...

Have you tried gently tapping it or loosening the pcb?
 
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