jaybyrd 3,770 Posted October 18, 2014 All right here is the problem I have a 3.5 sata drive that just stopped no warning. This was an external drive and I have it out of the case and have tried direct connecting it but the pc doesn't register that it's there. So my question is there anybody on here with the skills to go deeper to recover my data. If you can do this pm me and let's talk prices. This is very important to me so if you are qualified let's tslk. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ravenwind / One Off Grafx 187 Posted October 18, 2014 the company that makes the hard drive sometimes has a recovery option. I had one go bad they wanted 150 to recover all the info. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark-s 1,126 Posted October 18, 2014 generally when a hard drive stops with no warning your.... sol Lucky for me the last 2 times my hard drives started to fail was able to recover everthing. My tech works wonders but I`m out here in So Cal. Good luck to ya. mark-s Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BearlyRich 167 Posted October 18, 2014 If you can hold and hear the drive when you power it up, it will start with the whiring sound of the disk spinning up. Then some clicks as it moves the head assembly to locate sector zero. If you don't hear/feel this, your SOL. If it whirls and then keeps cliking, that's the "click of death", no sector zero. Your SOL... Recover companies can actually remove the plater from your drive and place it into another drive to recover data. That's why it's expensive and comes with no guarantees. There are many such companies and you can get prices from them. A trick or two used over the years... Place the drive in the freezer for an hour, then try to fire it up. Sometimes works. Place the drive in a 140 degree oven for a half hour, then try to fire it up. Sometimes works... Disclaimer: I've never used the oven trick and am only guessing at the temperature. 140 degrees should be safe for any electronic device and is the low side of most ovens. My "heat" is to leave the drive running for a few hours in a USB enclosure with no venting... My experience: It will either work cold, or left running and hot for a few hours and then "re-booted" or reconnected such as with an external USB enclosure. If it won't fire up with either the cold or hot state, it's toast and only a recovery company could have any luck with it. Good luck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted October 18, 2014 Ok next question since the quotes I got are borderline insane is to change the platter do I need the same model drive or just an other sata drive. At some point it's going to be cheaper to recreate what I lost than pay for recovery and after some talks I think I am already at that point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BannerJohn 1,324 Posted October 18, 2014 It's expensive for a reason. Give it up and start recreating. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted October 18, 2014 they do it in a sterile environment - doubt you have a dust free area to try it in 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted October 18, 2014 yeah but what do I have to lose? It's already dead so the worst I'm out is the cost of a donor drive. Every company I've got with so far said it could run into $2000 which I'm not willing to pay. If I screw everything up I'm only out the cost of the donor and some of my time. Besides haven't you ever wanted to see what makes a hard drive tick. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BannerJohn 1,324 Posted October 18, 2014 yeah but what do I have to lose? It's already dead so the worst I'm out is the cost of a donor drive. Every company I've got with so far said it could run into $2000 which I'm not willing to pay. If I screw everything up I'm only out the cost of the donor and some of my time. Besides haven't you ever wanted to see what makes a hard drive tick. I guess if you have a lot of time on your hands with nothing better to do..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted October 18, 2014 Hey it's the weekend. Of course I have nothing to do I'd rather know I tried and failed than not know at all but I still need to find out if I need to find the same model drive or just any sata drive to swap the platter over to. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted October 18, 2014 there is info online It says same everything http://www.wikihow.com/Swap-Hard-Disk-Drive-Platters more links https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=How+to+swap+External+hard+drive+platter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted October 18, 2014 Thanks Mzskeeter I had started looking yesterday but was hoping with everybody on here somebody would have had hands on experience. Guess I'm just a little braver (crazier) than most. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BannerJohn 1,324 Posted October 18, 2014 as Skeeter pointed out...it has to be the EXACT same right down to the firmware version. I am happy to know that someone out there doesn't work on the weekend. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted October 18, 2014 John I actually have to do a couple small jobs but I've been working the last 17 days straight to keep up. Finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Don't know why I never thought to check out youtube. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BannerJohn 1,324 Posted October 18, 2014 have fun....one speck of dust in the wrong place and it's toast. But, you are likely to learn something. Too bad you're not here.. I have a stack of old hard drives you could practice on without risking your data Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jburns 239 Posted October 18, 2014 If I was to attemy myself, I would: 1. buy the same one. 2. try the new power supply. 3. inspect wiring of the old one. 4. remove cover of old one, check wiring, etc. --basically least intrusive steps first, then slowly dig in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted October 18, 2014 I found a stuck read arm.just barely touched it and it clicked and rest to home position. It is now spinning when powered on but still not showing in the computer and it continues spinning like it's stuck in a loop as long as it's powered. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted October 18, 2014 Just found 1 on ebay same model # and firmware. Either the best $110 I ever spent or a reminder why I don't buy lotto tickets. Made within 3 months of mine so I guess this is to be continued when the donor gets here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted October 18, 2014 And for anybody reading this please make sure your backup is current. Trust me you don't want any of this mess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sue2 920 Posted October 18, 2014 And for anybody reading this please make sure your backup is current. Trust me you don't want any of this mess. I was wondering about your back-up....we all put off backing up....sometimes a bit too long. I have Carbonite which continually backs up to the cloud most of my CURRENT files...(well worth the price BTW). BUT, I have files on a storage dirve and flash drives that are not included in the regular Carbonite back-ups and they need to be backed up every so often too....including NOW! Sue2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted October 18, 2014 I was looking at carbonite and I have a questiuon? It only shows the ability to back up graphics files in the pro version for business. Is this what you have? Also until this past Thursday I have been on verizon wireless internet which made online backup just not feasible and as a side note my drive failed 4 hours before my dsl was installed and we were already discussing backing up everything online. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sue2 920 Posted October 18, 2014 I guess I have just the personal/home based business plan..... got a several year deal sometime back... I don't see that offered now. All my graphic computer files are stored without problem. That has saved me a couple of times when I accidently over wrote a file. Just went in to the storage site and retrieved the original file. But the $99 personal plan with mirror back-up of your system could be nice too. Sue2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jarrotto 78 Posted October 18, 2014 If you get another external backup to use along with your online service i would look for an external drive with at least 2 HDD's in a RAID 1 configuration. That way if 1 drive dies, at least you have an exact duplicate on site. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted October 18, 2014 yup - went with a 2- 3tb drive raid netdrive this year for that reason - but you still have to do the backups and I get lazy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted October 18, 2014 I swear I thought I did the backup. Also thought I had the drive 1 year and it was 2. Terrible sense of time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
