another dead HDD

[jamiecockrill]

Hello all,

I'm an idiot i know, but I've been a bit busy. A couple of weeks ago, I started getting SMART errors in my bootup sequence, so I resolved to buy a new HDD and move the stuff across (its a storage drive, no OS's or anything involved). However, shipping took 5 days and by the time it'd arrived, it had failed.

It is recognised in the BIOS, however it makes a nasty metallic clicking noise that I can only presume is not healthy. After seemingly trying to get going a few times, it gives up and by the time Windows boots (which unfortunately is horribly slow in my old PC) it doesn't even show it in the My Computer tree.

I did get it to come up in safe mode once, and got the root directory list up off it, but when I tried copying stuff, i got my hideous clicking and after a while it gave up.

I wonder if the head has set itself to a non-default position by accident so when it moves to read, it hits the side of the casing or something, producing the clicking. I've also heard of people getting a mate to stand over them with a vacuum cleaner and opening the thing up, putting the head back to the centre, then reassembling. This is slowly becoming more attractive as a last resort, since the bloody thing has all 30GB of my music on, which is going to be a faff to re-rip.

Any ideas one and all?

Thanks

-Jamie

[DanceswithUnix]

I recovered a similar problem drive that could only work a short time by using a USB to IDE converter. That way you can plug the thing into an already booted machine and you don't waste any precious seconds in the boot sequence.

[Albert_the_Fish]

I have had exactly the same problem with IBM/Hitachi deskstar drives.

Loud metallic clunking from the drive, PC not recognising the drive. PC won't boot because the drive doesn't initialise.

Won't even boot with the faulty drive plugged in as a slave because the BIOS does not recognise it.

I put the drive in an anti-static bag in the freezer for a few hours. Make sure you get all the air out of the bag and fold the end over to prevent condensation forming.

Keep it in the bag when you take it out of the freezer, just open up one end of the bag and plug it up to the computer.
Again this prevents condesation forming on the drive controller card because the air can't easily get to it.

I found this way I could boot the PC but it only ran for a little while until the drive warmed up.

If you get one of those things from the supermarket that is used for rapidly cooling bottles wine. Like the one on the left in this link

Sorry can't post the link, as this is my first post the forum software won't let me. Instead search amazon.co.uk for "Vacuvin Rapid Ice Wine & Champagne Cooler Classic Gift Set"

(Perhaps someone else would post the link on my behalf?)


An IDE Drive fits nicely inside one of these and it will keep it running for about an hour. Again keep it in the antistatic bag to prevent condensation.

I recovered 30G of music and about 2 years worth of photos using this method.

It took two or three sessions to recover everything

[jamiecockrill]

wow, that looks ingenious! I'll let you know how i get on

[CrazyMonkey]

Only buy the kit after you know that the method will work?

Albert if you want to PM me the link i will post it on your behalf?

[this_is_gav]

No need - quick search returns it

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vacuvin-Rapi.../dp/B0001M0G7O

It's the same method as sticking it in a sealed freezer back and popping it in the freezer for an hour or so. Trick used to work well for the old Maxtors which had a reputation for succumbing to heat after a year or so.

SATA > USB converters and enclosures such as the Icybox's work really well for emergency recovery tasks in my experience. And EasyIDE for IDE > USB too