It just died :( [Archive]

charlie_82

04-01-2010, 07:41 AM

After many years of loyal service, my backup 80gb drive just keeled over...
No power, no spinning. There was no power surge, no clicking, nothing - it just died.

Problem is I have all my photographs (amoung other data of course) on this drive.
Anyone got any suggestions on data recovery?

Drake2007

04-01-2010, 07:47 AM

Is it an internal or external?

blaaislaai

04-01-2010, 07:48 AM

Well, if it cant turn on then data recovery will be quite expensive

Fuzzbox

04-01-2010, 07:52 AM

Where are your backups?

charlie_82

04-01-2010, 08:02 AM

It's an internal 3.5" SATA and is my backup drive.
Mostly just for photo's, music, movies etc. I used it more as a temporary storage since most of my stuff is on discs. Just left whatever I was too lazy to burn on there

Pr⊕phet

04-01-2010, 08:03 AM

Sting

04-01-2010, 08:03 AM

tried a different power source and/or sata cable?

charlie_82

04-01-2010, 08:09 AM

tried a different power source and/or sata cable?

Yeah tried that. Tried different machines as well. BIOS won't pick it up, nor will Windows. To be expected seeing as how the drive doesn't seem to be spinning or have any power.

Read about freezing it for a few hours, which I think I'll try. Also read about switching out the logical boards but will need another identical drive to make that happen so that'll be quite tough.

Don't really wanna fork out thousands on data recovery but would like to have my photo's back at least - it's the only thing on the drive that can't be replaced :(

howardb

04-01-2010, 08:16 AM

Can you post the drive make, model and other figures on the sticker - maybe someone has a spare where you can use the logical board to get your data off.

Conradl

04-01-2010, 08:18 AM

charlie_82

04-01-2010, 08:35 AM

Try tap it. If the disk is not spinning it could be that the bearing is seized (or seizing). Gently tap the drive in the centre of the spindle with your knuckle, as if you were knocking on a door. If the disk starts spinning, immediately copy all your stuff off and junk-it. I have recovered many disks this way....
Yeah tried shaking it when it was unplugged. Will try the tapping thing - I assume this is when it's plugged in and the machine is on?

Can you post the drive make, model and other figures on the sticker - maybe someone has a spare where you can use the logical board to get your data off.
Cool...

Make: Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 (80GB)
Model: ST380817AS
S/N: 5MR0S27A
P/N: 9W3932-370
HDA P/N: 100334813
Config: C4R-03
Firmware: 3.42

Garyvdh

04-01-2010, 08:42 AM

wrap it in plastic and put in the fridge for an hour. Then plug it in and try turning it on.

charlie_82

04-01-2010, 08:43 AM

wrap it in plastic and put in the fridge for an hour. Then plug it in and try turning it on.

Yeah read about that one. Will give it a bash when I get home today.
I'm hoping it's not a big problem. My PC has been dormant for a few weeks - drive worked fine before that

Conradl

04-01-2010, 08:53 AM

Yeah tried shaking it when it was unplugged. Will try the tapping thing - I assume this is when it's plugged in and the machine is on?

Cool...

Make: Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 (80GB)
Model: ST380817AS
S/N: 5MR0S27A
P/N: 9W3932-370
HDA P/N: 100334813
Config: C4R-03
Firmware: 3.42

Yes, you have to do it when the machine is on and ready to copy your data. Before you freeze the drive, which should be last resort after you have accepted that your data is gone, try to first determine the problem.

Try this: Unplug the power cable (keep the SATA cable in) from the disk and boot your machine, the POST should run through quickly when detecting the disk drives (as the disk is not powered). Then plug the power back in and boot again. If the machine boots at the same speed, then the disk is not getting power, and there may be a problem with the board.

If the machine takes a long time to boot, i.e. it hangs when detecting disks, then the disk is powered and detected; but the POST is waiting for the disk to spin up, until it finally times out.

In the first instance you would need to replace the board, in the second tapping the disk gently could make it spin.

charlie_82

04-01-2010, 08:58 AM

Yes, you have to do it when the machine is on and ready to copy your data. Before you freeze the drive, which should be last resort after you have accepted that your data is gone, try to first determine the problem.

Try this: Unplug the power cable (keep the SATA cable in) from the disk and boot your machine, the POST should run through quickly when detecting the disk drives (as the disk is not powered). Then plug the power back in and boot again. If the machine boots at the same speed, then the disk is not getting power, and there may be a problem with the board.

If the machine takes a long time to boot, i.e. it hangs when detecting disks, then the disk is powered and detected; but the POST is waiting for the disk to spin up, until it finally times out.

In the first instance you would need to replace the board, in the second tapping the disk gently could make it spin.

I'm pretty sure it's not the motherboard cos I've tried it in two machines. Will try the tapping thing in a few minutes

charlie_82

04-01-2010, 09:18 AM

I'm pretty sure it's not the motherboard cos I've tried it in two machines. Will try the tapping thing in a few minutes

Crap that didn't work

DJNgoma

04-01-2010, 09:35 AM

Rule of backing up a PC... Always have 2 external/internal drives keeping the data. Hope freezing the darn thing helps.

Conradl

04-01-2010, 09:45 AM

Crap that didn't work

Board = Circuit board on the disk, not motherboard ;)

If you set the BIOS to disk autodetect, does it hang there for a while when you boot, or just flash past quickly? If you put your ear to the disk, right on it, do you hear anything?

charlie_82

04-01-2010, 09:51 AM

Board = Circuit board on the disk, not motherboard ;)

If you set the BIOS to disk autodetect, does it hang there for a while when you boot, or just flash past quickly? If you put your ear to the disk, right on it, do you hear anything?

Ah ok lol
It seems to go by quickly, not picking anything up. I can't imagine it would cos it's really not spinning. I don't think there's any power going through but could just be that it's not spinning. I'm not even sure if this hard drive have a power LED or not

Conradl

04-01-2010, 01:28 PM

It sounds like there is no power then, i.e. the circuit board is broken. Does the bottom of the drive smell/look/taste burnt?

gregmcc

04-01-2010, 01:34 PM

if there's no spinning with only the power plugged in then its probably a circuit board failure.

Probably a long shot, but you need to get the circuit board from another drive with the same model number and try that.

Not going to help now, but in future use google picaso and upload your pics.:)

RoMark

04-01-2010, 02:15 PM

wrap it in plastic and put in the fridge for an hour. Then plug it in and try turning it on.

I've done this countless times with drives (ide and sata) and it have worked for me at least 70% of the time, it might even be higher. I'm not sure that I have tried this with a dead drive. Try knocking it around first and then into the deep freeze for a few hours.

The deep freeze trick is not a myth, it works well, but it usually only work once, maybe twice, so if you get it going, move your data immediately.

charlie_82

04-01-2010, 02:43 PM

Yeah the freezer thing seems to work. Apparently the longer you leave it in, the longer it will stay on before it dies forever. I suppose this drive has been around for quite a while now - roughly 5 years old I think.
Gonna stick it in the freezer this evening and try when I get home tomorrow.

It sounds like there is no power then, i.e. the circuit board is broken. Does the bottom of the drive smell/look/taste burnt?

AFAIK, there's no burns. Can't see anything that looks burnt