In trouble with HD 2,5'' Toshiba mk8025gas

[fm2766]

My notebook (HP, WinXP Home) had trouble with HD (Toshiba mk8025gas),
and, at last, usually it didn't start at first shot.

I leave details (you will find them at the end of post).

I was unsuccessful in making a complete backup of the data, and I have
had to replace the HD. Now I would like to recover data.

Theoretically, I have two possibility:
1) I can insert HD in an external USB box; but if I do so, PC sees it
for a short time, it begins to load the HD, but after a while, it says
that it is not successful to read all files, and PC doesn't see the HD.
Practically “it is come unhookedâ€;
2) I can insert HD inside a desktop, to the IDE cable with an
appropriate adapter; in this case PC (an old AMD K6 III) does not see it
at all, not even in boot phase. The strange is that PC is not able to
see neither an other "good" 2,5'' HD.

In WEB I found following post
(http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/questionanswer.do?threadId=942178),
relative to mk4025gas (the much similar one to mk8025gas) in which the
author says that "old" HD Toshiba can introduce setting problems in
Master/CS/Slave (Note: 2,5'' HD is set to Master if there are no jumpers):
"So I came across a post of a person who had same problem with a similar
40gb toshiba drive. it was being seen as Slave even though no jumpers.
It also in cable select mode. Same as my drive."
and later:
"So I just shorted pin28 with the pin right next to it pin 26(ground).
It boot right up and is a cable selected master. So what to do. look at
the user guide for the pin diagrams. then short(run a little wire from
pin 28 to pin26) 28-26 and that should do the trick. no special cables
or adapter needed. "

I do not know if it is reliable. What do you think about?
What do you suggest me?
___________________________________________________________________________
Details: at the first start-attempt, PC showed the ill-famed blue screen
(I can't remember well; PC showed something as: “if it is the first time
it happens… try to start in temporary modality… otherwise contact the
administrator…â€).
If it started in temporary modality, often it used to start well;
otherwise it used to start again from “last sure working configurationâ€;
then, I turned it off for a short time (about ten seconds), and it used
to start again normally.
If I turned it off for half day, I was again in trouble.

 

[Rod Speed]

My notebook (HP, WinXP Home) had trouble with HD (Toshiba mk8025gas), and, at last, usually it
didn't start at first shot.

Smart move not doing a full backup on the first sign of a problem.

I leave details (you will find them at the end of post).

I was unsuccessful in making a complete backup of the data, and I have had to replace the HD. Now
I would like to recover data.

Theoretically, I have two possibility:
1) I can insert HD in an external USB box; but if I do so, PC sees it
for a short time, it begins to load the HD, but after a while, it says
that it is not successful to read all files, and PC doesn't see the
HD. Practically "it is come unhooked";

2) I can insert HD inside a desktop, to the IDE cable with an appropriate adapter; in this case PC
(an old AMD K6 III) does not see it at all, not even in boot phase. The strange is that PC is not
able to see neither an other "good" 2,5'' HD.

Must be some problem with the adapter or how you are using it.

In WEB I found following post
(http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/questionanswer.do?threadId=942178),
relative to mk4025gas (the much similar one to mk8025gas) in which the author says that "old" HD
Toshiba can introduce setting problems in Master/CS/Slave (Note: 2,5'' HD is set to Master if
there are no
jumpers): "So I came across a post of a person who had same problem
with a similar 40gb toshiba drive. it was being seen as Slave even
though no jumpers. It also in cable select mode. Same as my drive."
and later:
"So I just shorted pin28 with the pin right next to it pin 26(ground).
It boot right up and is a cable selected master. So what to do. look
at the user guide for the pin diagrams. then short(run a little wire
from pin 28 to pin26) 28-26 and that should do the trick. no special
cables or adapter needed. "

I do not know if it is reliable. What do you think about?

Unlikely to help in your case given that the external case does see if
for a while, but not long enough to get the data off. That suggests a
warmup fault that the use of cable select wont make any difference to.

What do you suggest me?

You could try freezing the drive in a plastic bag in the freezer, literally,
and see if it will warm up slow enough in the external case to allow you
to get the data you need off the drive. You may have to repeat that etc.
___________________________________________________________________________

 

[GlowingBlueMist]

Smart move not doing a full backup on the first sign of a problem.





Must be some problem with the adapter or how you are using it.



Unlikely to help in your case given that the external case does see if
for a while, but not long enough to get the data off. That suggests a
warmup fault that the use of cable select wont make any difference to.


You could try freezing the drive in a plastic bag in the freezer,
literally,
and see if it will warm up slow enough in the external case to allow you
to get the data you need off the drive. You may have to repeat that etc.

Rather than waiting for the drive to heat back up some people have had
success by leaving the USB drive in the freezer with just the USB cable
hanging outside. They plugged it into a laptop and copied the drive or
files with it still in the freezer.

 

[Rod Speed]

Rather than waiting for the drive to heat back up some people have had
success by leaving the USB drive in the freezer with just the USB
cable hanging outside. They plugged it into a laptop and copied the
drive or files with it still in the freezer.

Yeah, good point.

 

[fm2766]

Rod Speed ha scritto:
I'll change the adapter. The adapter, moreover, seems to me a bit
strange one: on the 3,5" side, it has only two of the four wires for
alimentation.

Yeah, good point.

Oh, it is an unexpected solution. I'll try it if HD didn't work even
with an other new adapter.

Thank you (GlowingBlueMist and Rod Speed) very much.

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod Speed wrote

I'll change the adapter. The adapter, moreover, seems to me a bit strange one: on the 3,5" side,
it has only two of the four wires for alimentation.

That last word isnt an english word. Maybe you mean alignment ? Still makes no sense.

Oh, it is an unexpected solution. I'll try it if HD didn't work even with an other new adapter.

Yeah, safer to try a new adapter first.

 

[fm2766]

Rod Speed ha scritto:

That last word isnt an english word. Maybe you mean alignment ? Still makes no sense.

Sorry, I apologize. With "alimentation" I mean "feeding".
The four wires are usually red(+5V), black(ground), black(ground),
yellow(+12V??); my adapter has only the red(+5V) and the (first)
black(ground) one.

 

[fm2766]

fm2766 ha scritto:

Rod Speed ha scritto:

Sorry, I apologize. With "alimentation" I mean "feeding".
The four wires are usually red(+5V), black(ground), black(ground),
yellow(+12V??); my adapter has only the red(+5V) and the (first)
black(ground) one.

I changed the adapter, but the HD didn't work.
Then I have settled the HD in a USB box, and I tried to leave it in the
freezer with just the USB cable hanging outside. I plugged it into a
laptop and I tried to copy files on laptop, with the HD still in the
freezer. For a while it worked, but after a little (but longer) time, it
didn't work anymore. Must I send HD in a recovery center??

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod Speed wrote

Sorry, I apologize. With "alimentation" I mean "feeding".

Its usually described as the power connection.

The four wires are usually red(+5V), black(ground), black(ground), yellow(+12V??); my adapter has
only the red(+5V) and the (first) black(ground) one.

That's normal, laptop drives only use +5, they dont use +12
and those adapters only have a red and black power connection.

 

[Rod Speed]

fm2766 ha scritto:

I changed the adapter, but the HD didn't work.

Thats usually seen because most dont realise which are
the data pins on the drive and which are the jumper pins.
Will the adapter only go on one way ?

Then I have settled the HD in a USB box, and I tried to leave it in the freezer with just the USB
cable hanging outside. I plugged it into a laptop and I tried to copy files on laptop, with the
HD still in the freezer. For a while it worked, but after a little (but longer) time, it didn't
work anymore.

You could try a bare USB connection to the drive, just the drive and the
USB cable. That would likely see it work for longer because the drive
would stay cold for longer. Put a pack of frozen peas etc on it too.

Must I send HD in a recovery center??

I'd try the bare drive in the freezer first myself.

 

[fm2766]

Rod Speed ha scritto:

Thats usually seen because most dont realise which are
the data pins on the drive and which are the jumper pins.
Will the adapter only go on one way ?

Yes, and I've been careful to the position of pin 1 (from the 3,5 side,
and from the 2,5 side).
Moreover, I have the table of the pins, from the site:
http://sdd.toshiba.com/localcache/82000000293C00000BBB0000000100000000.pdf

You could try a bare USB connection to the drive, just the drive and the
USB cable. That would likely see it work for longer because the drive
would stay cold for longer. Put a pack of frozen peas etc on it too.


I'd try the bare drive in the freezer first myself.

OK, I'll do as you suggest.
Thank you very much.
I'll inform you about the result.

 

[fm2766]

fm2766 ha scritto:

Rod Speed ha scritto:

OK, I'll do as you suggest.
Thank you very much.
I'll inform you about the result.

It has not worked.
I did not succeed in proceeding enough to copy the files.
If I used linux, I could succeed?
Otherwise, exists any software for HD, on the kind of "isobuster" for
the DVD?

 

[fm2766]

OK, I'll do as you suggest.
Thank you very much.
I'll inform you about the result.

It has not worked.
I did not succeed in proceeding enough to copy the files.
If I used linux, I could succeed?
Otherwise, exists any software for HD, on the kind of "isobuster" for
the DVD?

 

[Rod Speed]

It has not worked.
I did not succeed in proceeding enough to copy the files.
If I used linux, I could succeed?

Not if the drive is shutting down once its been used for
a short time, you'll still get the same effect with linux.

Otherwise, exists any software for HD, on the kind of "isobuster" for the DVD?

Nope, for the same reason, if the drive is shutting down
after a short time, no software can do anything about that.

Professional recovery may well work tho, because they can swap the
logic card on the drive for a good one and recover your data that way.

You could try that yourself, but that isnt a good idea if the data
is such that you'll slash your wrists if you cant get it back.

Just confirm that you did mean that, that you can initially
see the drive contents for a short time, but that after that
short time you can no longer see the drive contents ?

Thats normally due to a bad joint or cracked trace on
the logic card, tho it can be inside the sealed chamber.
The reason the freezer makes a difference to the time
you can see the data for is because it takes longer
to get up to the temperature where the crack or bad
joint no longer conducts properly.

 

[fm2766]

Rod Speed ha scritto:

Not if the drive is shutting down once its been used for
a short time, you'll still get the same effect with linux.

Ok. Thank you.

Nope, for the same reason, if the drive is shutting down
after a short time, no software can do anything about that.

Professional recovery may well work tho, because they can swap the
logic card on the drive for a good one and recover your data that way.

You could try that yourself, but that isnt a good idea if the data
is such that you'll slash your wrists if you cant get it back.

yeah, data is (nearly) such that I'll slash my wrists if I can't get it
back... :-(

Just confirm that you did mean that, that you can initially
see the drive contents for a short time, but that after that
short time you can no longer see the drive contents ?

After short time I can no longer see HD itself, not only HD contents.
Moreover, HD "life-time" (if I can use this term) is becoming more and
more short.
But in an other PC, using an adapter to connect HD with an IDE cable, HD
is not seen from the beginning, i.e. HD isn't seen in boot time (PC
stops at boot, when it lists Master and Slave, Primary and Secondary
devices).

Thats normally due to a bad joint or cracked trace on
the logic card, tho it can be inside the sealed chamber.
The reason the freezer makes a difference to the time
you can see the data for is because it takes longer
to get up to the temperature where the crack or bad
joint no longer conducts properly.

Ok, I understand. Thank you very much for your explanations.
So, do you suggest me a professional recovery, don't you?

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod Speed ha scritto:

Ok. Thank you.


yeah, data is (nearly) such that I'll slash my wrists if I can't get
it back... :-(


After short time I can no longer see HD itself, not only HD contents.
Moreover, HD "life-time" (if I can use this term) is becoming more and
more short.
But in an other PC, using an adapter to connect HD with an IDE cable,
HD is not seen from the beginning, i.e. HD isn't seen in boot time (PC
stops at boot, when it lists Master and Slave, Primary and Secondary
devices).


Ok, I understand. Thank you very much for your explanations.
So, do you suggest me a professional recovery, don't you?

Yes, if the data is that important. In fact I wouldnt have suggested
the freezer if I had realised that the data was that important.

 

[fm2766]

Rod Speed ha scritto:

...
So, do you suggest me a professional recovery, don't you?

Yes, if the data is that important. In fact I wouldnt have suggested
the freezer if I had realised that the data was that important.

Ok. I'm looking for a professional recovery service in my town.
Why do you say: "I wouldnt have suggested ..."?
Could freezer have destroyed my HD?

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod Speed wrote

Ok. I'm looking for a professional recovery service in my town.

I wouldnt worry about your town, what matters is a reliable operation.

Why do you say: "I wouldnt have suggested ..."?
Could freezer have destroyed my HD?

Yes, its possible, particularly if you dont do it carefully.