Cleaning a damaged drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter Slamadatan
  • Start date Start date
S

Slamadatan

I've got a pretty badly damaged harddrive which I can't salvage anything off
or even reformat or zeroise. I can see it in BIOS, POST and System devices,
but it's unaccessible beyond that. It's under warranty and I've got an RMA
authorised, but was just wondering if there's anything I can do to protect
the data on it. There's nothing on it that's gonna bring down a government,
but it does contain a pretty extensive MP3 collection (not all of which can
be found in my CD collection) and a heap of business and personal documents.

Can anyone recommend an erase or format utility that will ensure my damaged
drive isn't readable by some bored harddrive tech after I return it to the
manufacturers?
 
I've got a pretty badly damaged harddrive which I can't salvage
anything off or even reformat or zeroise. I can see it in BIOS,
POST and System devices, but it's unaccessible beyond that.
It's under warranty and I've got an RMA authorised, but was just
wondering if there's anything I can do to protect the data on it.
Click to expand...

Thats always been the big downside with waiting
until the drive dies until considering that problem.

The only effective approach is solidly secure
encryption of what matters before the drive dies.
There's nothing on it that's gonna bring down a government,
but it does contain a pretty extensive MP3 collection (not
all of which can be found in my CD collection)
Click to expand...

You wont be getting a visit from large footed fellas
who will be frog marching you off to the nearest jail.
and a heap of business and personal documents.
Click to expand...

The most that might happens is someone gets
a bit of amusement at the more salacious stuff,
like you getting your rocks off with goats etc.
Can anyone recommend an erase or format utility that
will ensure my damaged drive isn't readable by some
bored harddrive tech after I return it to the manufacturers?
Click to expand...

Not possible if the drive cant be accessed.

You've basically got to decide if you care enough about the
unprotected data to give up on the RMA and just buy a new drive.
 
Rod Speed said:
Thats always been the big downside with waiting
until the drive dies until considering that problem.

The only effective approach is solidly secure
encryption of what matters before the drive dies.
Click to expand...

Fair point. All the important stuff has been backed up, and in all honesty
there isn't anything that dangerous on there that necessitated encryption.
You wont be getting a visit from large footed fellas
who will be frog marching you off to the nearest jail.
Click to expand...

Here's hoping. Word is that Madonna get's pretty narcky about such stuff,
but then she's not got particularly large feet...
The most that might happens is someone gets
a bit of amusement at the more salacious stuff,
like you getting your rocks off with goats etc.
Click to expand...

Bah. More embarrassing for the goats, than me...
Not possible if the drive cant be accessed.
Click to expand...

Ah, but is it reasonably possible for the bored tech? Will he likely have
enough time and compulsion to start sniffing around? That is the hundred
thousand dollar (hypothetical) question.
You've basically got to decide if you care enough about the
unprotected data to give up on the RMA and just buy a new drive.
Click to expand...

I paid over $200 bucks for it! I guess I'll risk that against the tens of
thousands I could lose in corporate theft and ARIA fines...
 
Slamadatan said:
Fair point. All the important stuff has been backed up, and in all honesty
there isn't anything that dangerous on there that necessitated encryption.


Here's hoping. Word is that Madonna get's pretty narcky about such stuff,
but then she's not got particularly large feet...


Bah. More embarrassing for the goats, than me...
Click to expand...
Ah, but is it reasonably possible for the bored tech?
Click to expand...

Yes, if the drive has just had the logic card die, most
drives can just have a new logic card added and then
the tech can cream his jeans till the cows come home.
Will he likely have enough time and
compulsion to start sniffing around?
Click to expand...

Very unlikely unless he can see something obviously titillating etc.
That is the hundred thousand dollar (hypothetical) question.
Click to expand...

It does happen in some circumstances, particularly with porn.
I paid over $200 bucks for it! I guess I'll risk that against the
tens of thousands I could lose in corporate theft and ARIA fines...
Click to expand...

Yeah, the risk is microscopic. Even the stupidest monkey
will realise that if he does start looting your corporate
accounts that he'd be the first to be suspected.

You could trawl the web for pics of your nefarious
activitys with those poor goats tho. He'll likely decide
that you wouldnt be game to say anything about them.
 
Rod Speed said:
Yes, if the drive has just had the logic card die, most
drives can just have a new logic card added and then
the tech can cream his jeans till the cows come home.
Click to expand...

Any online sources of information regarding such a logic card transplant?
Assuming I get get my hands on an identical drive, is it possible to trasfer
the logic card over (and back again) or must it take place in a clean room?
I'm handy with a soldering iron and a set of tech screw drivers, but
anything much more complicated might be difficult.
 
Try SpinRite. It is a strong tool and has worked for me, albeit on a drive
that wasn't as far gone as yours sounds.
Good luck, hj

--
______________________
please remove the obvious from my email...
: I've got a pretty badly damaged harddrive which I can't salvage anything
off
: or even reformat or zeroise. I can see it in BIOS, POST and System
devices,
: but it's unaccessible beyond that. It's under warranty and I've got an RMA
: authorised, but was just wondering if there's anything I can do to protect
: the data on it. There's nothing on it that's gonna bring down a
government,
: but it does contain a pretty extensive MP3 collection (not all of which
can
: be found in my CD collection) and a heap of business and personal
documents.
:
: Can anyone recommend an erase or format utility that will ensure my
damaged
: drive isn't readable by some bored harddrive tech after I return it to the
: manufacturers?
:
:
 
hugh jass said:
Try SpinRite. It is a strong tool and has worked for me, albeit on a drive
that wasn't as far gone as yours sounds.
Good luck, hj
Click to expand...

Should've mentioned it's for NTFS on an XP system. I think SpinRite is a FAT
only tool.
 
I had a ten you old drive I had no use for, so I decided to play with big
speaker magnets. It caused almost no damage if the platters were still, but
with them spinning it caused tons of bad sectors in a few seconds.

A modern drive may lose it ability to track servoes and spin down under strong
magnets. Give it a try and report back.

| I've got a pretty badly damaged harddrive which I can't salvage anything off
| or even reformat or zeroise. I can see it in BIOS, POST and System devices,
| but it's unaccessible beyond that. It's under warranty and I've got an RMA
| authorised, but was just wondering if there's anything I can do to protect
| the data on it. There's nothing on it that's gonna bring down a government,
| but it does contain a pretty extensive MP3 collection (not all of which can
| be found in my CD collection) and a heap of business and personal documents.
|
| Can anyone recommend an erase or format utility that will ensure my damaged
| drive isn't readable by some bored harddrive tech after I return it to the
| manufacturers?
|
|
 
Any online sources of information regarding such a logic card transplant?
Click to expand...

There's a bit around, but its so obvious that I
havent bothered to keep track of what's around.
Assuming I get get my hands on an identical drive, is it
possible to trasfer the logic card over (and back again)
Click to expand...

Yes, its always possible. It can be a bit less than obvious
how to do it with some drives, particularly older quantum
drives where its not immediately obvious how to get the
flexible printed circuit board cable that goes to the heads
out of the connector it connects to on the logic card, but
once its been explained, you'll kick yourself its so easy.
or must it take place in a clean room?
Nope.

I'm handy with a soldering iron and a set of tech screw drivers,
Click to expand...

You only need a screwdriver and a bit of knowledge with some drives.
but anything much more complicated might be difficult.
Click to expand...

The main trick is to ensure that the two logic cards
are off identical drive models and ideally identical
revision levels to maximise the chances of it working.

And there are some drives where it doesnt work at all.
 
Thanks for the suggestion. I downloaded the free version
and made a bootable floppy, but even though it could see
the drive, it could not write to it. Are most other similar
products likely to have the same problem?
Click to expand...

Yep.
 
Eric Gisin said:
I had a ten you old drive I had no use for, so I decided to play with big
speaker magnets. It caused almost no damage if the platters were still, but
with them spinning it caused tons of bad sectors in a few seconds.

A modern drive may lose it ability to track servoes and spin down under strong
magnets. Give it a try and report back.
Click to expand...


How will he know if it worked? I don't think he can read anything from the
drive before he tries this trick.
 
Can anyone recommend an erase or format utility that will ensure my damaged
drive isn't readable by some bored harddrive tech after I return it to the
manufacturers?
Click to expand...

I use a drilling hammer (like a mini-sledge hammer) on my unreadable
drives. Then I return them to the earth from which they came, by way
of the dump. Mine are usually out of warranty when I do this, though.



Neil Maxwell - I don't speak for my employer
 
In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage Slamadatan said:
I've got a pretty badly damaged harddrive which I can't salvage anything off
or even reformat or zeroise. I can see it in BIOS, POST and System devices,
but it's unaccessible beyond that. It's under warranty and I've got an RMA
authorised, but was just wondering if there's anything I can do to protect
the data on it. There's nothing on it that's gonna bring down a government,
but it does contain a pretty extensive MP3 collection (not all of which can
be found in my CD collection) and a heap of business and personal documents.
Click to expand...
Can anyone recommend an erase or format utility that will ensure my damaged
drive isn't readable by some bored harddrive tech after I return it to the
manufacturers?
Click to expand...

I do not think that this can be done with any degree (even a low one)
of reliability. Unless the manufacturer assures blanking of
incomming defective HDDs, your choice is to return-and-risk-it
or to kill it physically.

For the next drive you might think about using disk-encryption,
which protects against this problem. Also raid-5 gives a (very
limited) protection, since with a n-disk array, only 1/(n-1) of
all sectors will be on one disk.

Arno
 
In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage CWatters said:
How will he know if it worked? I don't think he can read anything from the
drive before he tries this trick.
Click to expand...

That is exactly the problem. If the drive does not read anymore,
there is no way to tell whether data was actually erased.

Arno
 
In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage Slamadatan said:
Thanks for the suggestion. I downloaded the free version and made a bootable
floppy, but even though it could see the drive, it could not write to it.
Are most other similar products likely to have the same problem?
Click to expand...

Very likely. It looks like the disk hardware cannot read anymore
and consequentially cannot write (it needs to read in order to
position). No software can overcome this type of problem.

Arno
 
Arno Wagner said:
documents.

I do not think that this can be done with any degree (even a low one)
of reliability. Unless the manufacturer assures blanking of
incomming defective HDDs, your choice is to return-and-risk-it
or to kill it physically.

For the next drive you might think about using disk-encryption,
which protects against this problem. Also raid-5 gives a (very
limited) protection, since with a n-disk array, only 1/(n-1) of
all sectors will be on one disk.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the useful information Arno. What is the minimum number of
drives required for a practical RAID5 array? I like the idea of redundancy
and basic data protection it offers.

Also on the topic - you seem an educated fellow so I'll ask you another
question. Any idea if the symptoms I describe are likely to be fixable via a
logic or controller card transplant?

Any information or links you may be able to provide on either question are
greatly appreciated. Cheers.
 
Very likely. It looks like the disk hardware cannot read anymore
and consequentially cannot write (it needs to read in order to
position). No software can overcome this type of problem.

Arno
Click to expand...

Ok if your really paranoid about your stuff being read, and potentially
giggled at by bored techies, contact yor local TV tech and ask them to run
a degausser over the drive. Follow the link and scroll down to: '3.4.
Purging Magnetic Data Storage Media by Degaussing.' for further
information.

http://tinyurl.com/szaz

Impressive link, eh?
B.
 
Ok if your really paranoid about your stuff being read, and
potentially giggled at by bored techies, contact yor local
TV tech and ask them to run a degausser over the drive.
Click to expand...

Wont necessarily prevent access to the data on the drive.
It may not even necessarily have any effect at all with
modern drives with TV degaussers and modern drives.

The degaussers its talking about are nothing like TV degaussers.
Follow the link and scroll down to: '3.4. Purging Magnetic
Data Storage Media by Degaussing.' for further information.

Impressive link, eh?
Click to expand...

Nope, gets the basics wrong too often. And
thats hardly surprising given the 1993 date.
 
Back
Top