sudden read error on entire drive -- possible to recover data?

[artw]

I have a 15Gb Hitachi hard drive in my notebook that suddenly went
dead. There was no crash noise or anything -- even now when I am
trying to read from it.

The computer can still detect the drive with the correct model number.
Windows does not see any logical drives on it. When I tried to read
data directly using "GetDataBack", I get "read error" on the entire
drive -- whether reading those sectors in the front, in the middle, or
in the back of the disk.

Is it possible that the drive electronics (on-board or on-drive
controller) is bad? If this is the case, can I replace it with another
controller from another drive of the same make and model? It is
difficult to do it myself?

I would like to recover data from the drive. If I try to recover the
"bad sector", the program will write over the data in those sectors,
right?

-Art

 

[Arno Wagner]

I have a 15Gb Hitachi hard drive in my notebook that suddenly went
dead. There was no crash noise or anything -- even now when I am
trying to read from it.

The computer can still detect the drive with the correct model number.
Windows does not see any logical drives on it. When I tried to read
data directly using "GetDataBack", I get "read error" on the entire
drive -- whether reading those sectors in the front, in the middle, or
in the back of the disk.

Is it possible that the drive electronics (on-board or on-drive
controller) is bad? If this is the case, can I replace it with another
controller from another drive of the same make and model?

Maybe, maybe not.

It is difficult to do it myself?

Potentially, yes. If you need to ask, you are probably not up to it.
The bigger problem however is getting the spare part. That is one
of the main services data-recovery companies offer: They have a
big storage of HDD spare parts of any jkind. Of courde they
will not give any spares to you.

I would like to recover data from the drive. If I try to recover the
"bad sector", the program will write over the data in those sectors,
right?

Depends. If the documantation does not say, assume the worst.

Advice: Think hard about what the data is worth to you. At the same
time stop messing with the drive. Then get a price-quote from
a professional data-recovery outfit.

Arno

 

[Rod Speed]

I have a 15Gb Hitachi hard drive in my notebook that
suddenly went dead. There was no crash noise or
anything -- even now when I am trying to read from it.

The computer can still detect the drive with the correct model
number. Windows does not see any logical drives on it. When
I tried to read data directly using "GetDataBack", I get "read
error" on the entire drive -- whether reading those sectors in
the front, in the middle, or in the back of the disk.

Run Hitachi's diagnostic on it to get
a better idea of what the problem is.

Is it possible that the drive electronics
(on-board or on-drive controller) is bad?

Yes, that is certainly possible.

If this is the case, can I replace it with another controller
from another drive of the same make and model?

Whether it will work is another matter.

It is difficult to do it myself?

No, its pretty easy and may be worth trying if you arent
prepared to pay the substantial cost of pro recovery.

I would like to recover data from the drive.

If I try to recover the "bad sector", the program
will write over the data in those sectors, right?

Yes.

 

[Leo]

I have a 15Gb Hitachi hard drive in my notebook that suddenly went
dead. There was no crash noise or anything -- even now when I am
trying to read from it.
The computer can still detect the drive with the correct model number.
Windows does not see any logical drives on it. When I tried to read
data directly using "GetDataBack", I get "read error" on the entire
drive -- whether reading those sectors in the front, in the middle, or
in the back of the disk.
Is it possible that the drive electronics (on-board or on-drive
controller) is bad?

Most likely is not. Most probably - the disk is locked by ATA security
password. The problem in on-disk firmware is possible also.

Leonid