Physical repair for IDE harddrive

  • Thread starter Thread starter WDsux
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WDsux

Got a dead 7200 Western Digital drive (9 months old) I want to
get repaired. Just physically repaired. I will do the data
recovery.

It is not being recognized by the bios and makes
clicking/scratching sounds. Too far gone for software recovery
without the physical problem being repaired.

So, anybody have recommendations for a place I can take this
that will just make it work long enough so I can get my data
back then send the POS back to WD? I do not want them doing any
inspecting or data recovery, and I definitely do not want to
send it off to some lab.

If anyone knows of a trustworthy place near Minneapolis, let me
know. Or, if this is something that can be done at home, let me
know of the book or guide I need.
 
WDsux said:
Got a dead 7200 Western Digital drive (9 months old) I want to
get repaired. Just physically repaired. I will do the data
recovery.

It is not being recognized by the bios and makes
clicking/scratching sounds. Too far gone for software recovery
without the physical problem being repaired.
Click to expand...

If it's making these noises, it's history. The heads will have damaged the
platters.

Even if you could get it far enough apart to mount the platters into another
drive, I doubt you could get the alignment necessary to read them.
 
WDsux said:
Got a dead 7200 Western Digital drive (9 months old) I want to
get repaired. Just physically repaired. I will do the data
recovery.

It is not being recognized by the bios and makes
clicking/scratching sounds. Too far gone for software recovery
without the physical problem being repaired.

So, anybody have recommendations for a place I can take this
that will just make it work long enough so I can get my data
back then send the POS back to WD? I do not want them doing any
inspecting or data recovery, and I definitely do not want to
send it off to some lab.

If anyone knows of a trustworthy place near Minneapolis, let me
know. Or, if this is something that can be done at home, let me
know of the book or guide I need.
Click to expand...

I agree with Phredreik. The drive is gone. It's still under warranty so
contact Western Digital and get an RMA number. They will tell you how to
ship the drive using the RMA# and get a brand new one. WD may also have a
way to recover your data since the drive failed under warranty. It's worth a
try.
 
Some similarities. But I suspect anyone without experience using your
suggested procedure has at the very least ruined a RW head, if not
caused more damage.

I prefer not to work in fish tanks.

Not a very clean environment btw.
Click to expand...

If tricked out as described why would it not be a clean environment from
the viewpoint of disk repair? He's taken pains to seal it and to
collect any residual dust. Basically he's describing a home-made glove
box and glove boxes are used commercially for drive repair.
 
This will sound weird, but I have had very good success with one
laptop drive and limited success with another.

Put the HD in a sealed bag and put in the deep freezer for several
hours or overnight. Remove from bag and immediately try to boot or
access. Be ready to grab all the critical data if it comes to life.

Several tries may be necessary.

Let me know if you try this and it works.

Rich
 
That's not weird. That's an old techie trick that sometimes works. Kinda
like when an old drive would get stiction and refuse to move--it couldbe
fixed by removing the drive and moving it in a figure 8 pattern.

Refrigerate the sucker and see what happens. You really have NO other
option, but data recovery and it would cost thousands likely. Gotta be dad
here--when data is that important it is VITAL to always make backups.
 
Data recovery does not have to cost thousands. Our quote based on your
description would be in the $600 range + the cost of an identical hard
disk drive (or you can provide an identical hard drive).
Head crashs are more difficult to overcome.

I have never seen a book that describes data recovery techniques to overcome
a head crash. That process is definitely not a do it yourself
without experience job.
 
WDsux said:
Got a dead 7200 Western Digital drive (9 months old) I want to
get repaired. Just physically repaired. I will do the data
recovery.
Click to expand...


Easy. Buy 2 identical drives. Buy a medium sized fishtank (usually 40-60
dollars), 1 set of heavy-duty black neoprene gloves, 1 sheet of Plexiglas
and nonmagnetic screwdrivers (nonmetallic if possible), Damprid sillica gel
packs (the one that changes color), silicone caulking (has to be 100%
silicone) black electrical tape or ducttape,handi wipes (the green or blue
cotton cloth), sticky rat trap. a licensed copy of nortons ghost.

Lay the fishtank on the side and measure the opening, with the measurements
cut a section of Plexiglas that fits snugly across the tank. then with a
drill and cutter, cut 2 circles for the gloves to fit but make sure the hole
is slightly smaller. glue the outer collar flat against the Plexiglas so it
seals and affixes the gloves to the wholes and no air can get through. wipe
the insides and the Plexiglas with isopropyl alcohol and be very careful to
get most of the dust out. clean all tools and place tools,small pliers and a
collection container of choice inside, sticky rat trap and place the damprid
silica gel packs (2 of them) inside, place the two drives (mark the bad one)
inside and seal the box and affix electrical tape around the whole thing.
let the whole thing sit for 5-8 days (allowing the silica gel packs to
absorb moisture, and allowing the residual dust to settle on the sticky rat
trap.

Take apart the bad drive removing all parts and carefully dropping them on
the collection container. try not to stir dust or move quickly. the final
step is removing the platter assembly and placing it aside carefully. Open
the good drive and remove the heads and platter assembly and swap the
original drives assembly into the new drive. reinstall head assembly and
close drive.

With the rigged drive place it as the primary master in your PC, place the
Brand new drive (remember when I said buy 2 new identical drives) as
secondary master. Boot with the Norton ghost Diskette and image the rigged
drive to the new identical drive. And there you have it, a recovered drive.
This is what those 600+ recovery outfits do anyways.

Maxtors/Quantums are easy to do, I am not sure about the WD and how hard
they are.
 
Some similarities. But I suspect anyone without experience using your
suggested procedure has at the very least ruined a RW head, if not
caused more damage.

I prefer not to work in fish tanks.

Not a very clean environment btw.

I doubt very many of the average public truly know what an "identical disk
drive" would be.
 
A professional is not interested in copying your data for themselves - only
in completing a recovery in a timely professional, confidential manner.
As far as monitoring the service - not likely - I would never let you into
my office/lab.

Many VAR's (value added resellers - aka computer resellers) now attempt to
provide data recovery services. Many of them make
a mess of the job though - so a few questions are adviseable if you let a
local VAR undertake DR. If they (or you as a client) have
already made a mess of the job when the drive is evaluated the job maybe
refused. But, I am also sure there are VAR's with
experience and facilities for data recovery.

If your data is valuable to you - then treat the recovery accordingly.
 
<concerned about somebody copying data>

The first thing(and its REQUIRED) you do is sign a confidence contract.
If this data is worth big $, then there is only one thing to do...pay the
money to get it back....if you for 1 second, think that sticking your hands
in a fishtank sounds like a good idea....whoa, and just to set the record a
little straighter....For every one WD drive out there that dies there are
thousands that run for years, if you dont back your data EVERY 5 minutes
during production (and I mean OFF drive backup) then your system for data
security is faulty. In most proffesional enviroments like animation
production or even CAD stuff, the backup servers area are the most watched
and protected room in the building. I hope you can retreive your data, this
NG is not going to give you exclusive proffesional advice. If its worth that
much you, should be in a lab somewhere not here.
 
Eric Gisin said:
You've never taken a drive apart. The platter assembly just doesn't come out.

Even if it did you won't accomplish anything. There is a defect in the heads
or platters, and you are still using them.

"
Click to expand...

Yes they do. there are a few screws in the center of the platter, take them
off and the platter comes right out, and so does the second one on the
bottom. Its not too difficult, just time consuming and requires a little
care. Maxtors/quantiums are a piece of cake to do. and this is like a spare
tire, the rigged drive is only meant to image the data on to a new drive,
then destroy rigged drive.
 
WDsux said:
Thanks, Hugo. Best advice so far. Or, at least, it didn't seem
the standard help desk/kook system-fryer advice.

I'm not concerned about paying somebody to repair it. I'm
concerned about somebody copying data, which is why I want
someone local in a lab that I can monitor. I have Ghost, etc.
for the recovery once the drive is running again.

The problem in Minneapolis is all the small repair shops seem to
have disappeared and been replaced by a few large companies that
do little more than wrap the drive up and send it away. I can
do that for free and under waranty, so why pay for the same? :)

It's a multi-head, multi-platter drive, so the data I want off
of it is probably still undisturbed.
Click to expand...


Just make sure you image the drive off the rigged drive to the new drive,
the rigged drive is only for recovery purposes not for long term use.
 
Uh huh. It's OK if it's in ma & pa's garage. As long as you
know what you're doing and I can monitor through the garage
window. I know all the serious drive experts use Hotmail and
Outlook Express.
Click to expand...

Don't laugh too hard, I've seen Dennis Ritchie and Steve Jobs use
Outlook Express. As for hotmail, it's an easy and cheap way to
misdirect SPAM.
 
Today's fun exercise.
Let's destroy any chance for data recovery.
Everyone grab a torx screwdriver and open the drive cover. Now simply push
the actuator arm and RW heads out of the way.
Make sure your cat/dog helps out by checking your work. Perhaps your
goldfish could swim if you fill the drive case with water?
Oopps, head arm won't move off the platters you say? Push harder and they
will.
What - you stripped the drive cover screws and now you can't get inside to
the platters? Now Grab a Drill and a sawzall - we'll
get to those platters somehow (seen it).

Now grab a smaller torx and get those screws out so you can remove the
platters. What, the screwdriver slipped and you scrapped across the
entire top platter - no problem ship it off later to someone who does a no
fee evaluation for DR (nope - that wasn't me ...yea right and I like
anchovies on
pizza)

Easy now, almost there, pull off the platters - what a thrill eh. 3 platters
you say? All bright and shiny except for the above scrape - and hmmm what
are those filings?

Next lesson is making artwork with the platters!!!!

C'mon guys(and ladies?) - there maybe someone reading this thread that does
not understand DR and may destroy very valuable data!
 
anon said:
A professional is not interested in copying your data for themselves - only
in completing a recovery in a timely professional, confidential manner.
As far as monitoring the service - not likely - I would never let you into
my office/lab.
Click to expand...

Uh huh. It's OK if it's in ma & pa's garage. As long as you
know what you're doing and I can monitor through the garage
window. I know all the serious drive experts use Hotmail and
Outlook Express.
 
JAD said:
<concerned about somebody copying data>

The first thing(and its REQUIRED) you do is sign a confidence contract.
Click to expand...

Uh huh. And we should take Web privacy policies seriously too
because we can trust anything that says privacy or confidence on
it.
little straighter....For every one WD drive out there that dies there are
thousands that run for years, if you dont back your data EVERY 5 minutes
Click to expand...

Yeah, my last 3 WDs all lasted less than 3 years. The more
recent the manufacture, the faster it died. Their quality
standards is reflected by them dropping the warranty to 1 year.
NG is not going to give you exclusive proffesional advice. If its worth that
much you, should be in a lab somewhere not here.
Click to expand...

I would like to be. That is why I was here in the first place -
asking for lab recommendations in my area - Minneapolis. Maybe
you have an exclusive, professional contact that does not use
Outlook Express? Now back to rubbing my drive with hundred
dollar bills.
 
I luv this OE makes you unprofessional bullshit......I'm at home for christ
sake.
Your being foolish to think that a professional company that makes many
thousands of dollars retrieving data would jeopardize their rep, your being
extremely paranoid. too bad you weren't that way when it came to losing
data....
 
your more concerned with whether or not somebodys email addy and software
stacks up......endoura is used in many prisons...perhaps you can wait for a
reply from them.....
 
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