Sources of info to retrieve data off failing (failed) hard drives.

[Stellijer]

Anyone know of any great web sites or discussions boards for reviving hard
drives which have failed fir data retreival?

I have two hard drives which failed within 2 weeks of each other before backups
could be made of certain data. I'd like to research the best ways to recover
the data.

In each case, it's a hardware failure and NOT accidentally deleted or otherwise
corrupted data.

I'd appreciate any discussion boards where some experts might hang out or maybe
some COMPREHENSIVE websites dedicated to this. So far I've found a lot of
information but it's all pretty basic and none of it worked. The more
information I can get, the better chance I have.


Let me mention just ONE of the cases here, just in case in addition to
information, someone here has some adivce:

The first drive is a 40GB Western Digital, 2-1/2 years old. It's been used a
lot in the past couple years. Last weekend it quit spinning up. I'd like to
get it to spin up JUST ONCE to get the data off. Right now, you can often feel
the drive 'jerking' in an attempt to start. Just a little vibration here and
there, sometimes hard enough to feel the drive try to rotate in your hand. I've
tried twisting the drive as fast as I could by hand to get the platters to spin.
While this caused more 'jerking', it didn't spin up. I tapped it as hard as I
dared without wanting to cause damage. I put it in the freezer for a while in a
static bag without change. Naturally I've tried different power connectors and
a different power supply. It behaves the same whether the drive is hooked up to
a contoller or just to a power supply alone. I just need ONE good spin-up.

Any ideas and any sources of such info appreciated (and desperately craved)!!!

P.S. The other hard drive is a stranger situation. I didn't want to dilute the
issues by mentioning both at the same time; I will mention the other situation
if someone of considerable expertese responds to this post.

 

[James Sweet]

Anyone know of any great web sites or discussions boards for reviving hard
drives which have failed fir data retreival?

I have two hard drives which failed within 2 weeks of each other before backups
could be made of certain data. I'd like to research the best ways to recover
the data.

In each case, it's a hardware failure and NOT accidentally deleted or otherwise
corrupted data.

I'd appreciate any discussion boards where some experts might hang out or maybe
some COMPREHENSIVE websites dedicated to this. So far I've found a lot of
information but it's all pretty basic and none of it worked. The more
information I can get, the better chance I have.


Let me mention just ONE of the cases here, just in case in addition to
information, someone here has some adivce:

The first drive is a 40GB Western Digital, 2-1/2 years old. It's been used a
lot in the past couple years. Last weekend it quit spinning up. I'd like to
get it to spin up JUST ONCE to get the data off. Right now, you can often feel
the drive 'jerking' in an attempt to start. Just a little vibration here and
there, sometimes hard enough to feel the drive try to rotate in your hand. I've
tried twisting the drive as fast as I could by hand to get the platters to spin.
While this caused more 'jerking', it didn't spin up. I tapped it as hard as I
dared without wanting to cause damage. I put it in the freezer for a while in a
static bag without change. Naturally I've tried different power connectors and
a different power supply. It behaves the same whether the drive is hooked up to
a contoller or just to a power supply alone. I just need ONE good spin-up.

Occasionally you can make a drive like this work by swapping the circuit
board with an identical drive, the newer the drive is the less likely
this'll work though.

 

[Ian Stirling]

Anyone know of any great web sites or discussions boards for reviving hard
drives which have failed fir data retreival?

I have two hard drives which failed within 2 weeks of each other before backups
could be made of certain data. I'd like to research the best ways to recover
the data.

The best way is to pay a professional recovery company to do it.

 

[James Sweet]

The best way is to pay a professional recovery company to do it.

Well that's a given, but the data has to be very valuable to make that
worthwhile, professional recovery is big $$$.

 

[Stellijer]

Occasionally you can make a drive like this work by swapping the circuit
board with an identical drive, the newer the drive is the less likely
this'll work though.

Is this likely to be the case when the drive fails to spin up, however? Seems
to me that's more likely a mechanical issue; I don't see how the drive would TRY
to spin and have it be in the circuit board.

As for age; it's 2-1/2 years old.

 

[Stellijer]

The best way is to pay a professional recovery company to do it.

Oh, yeah - and they say "$500-$1000 is our minimum fee".

While that may be the BEST way, it's not a realistic one. The only way a
recovery company would be worth it is if you are a company with project data on
the drive (and any such company would be foolish to not run backups regularly on
mission critical data).

I'm hoping there's a way to get the drive working just long enough to retrieve
the data.

 

[anon]

The appropriate NG for this question is:

comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage

 

[Alan Peterman]

Anyone know of any great web sites or discussions boards for reviving hard
drives which have failed fir data retreival?

Let me mention just ONE of the cases here, just in case in addition to
information, someone here has some adivce:

The first drive is a 40GB Western Digital, 2-1/2 years old. It's been used a
lot in the past couple years. Last weekend it quit spinning up.

I had another brand of drive freeze up on a client last year. It turned out
that these drives were notorious for "stiction" problems where the platters
would not be able to be spun up by the motor. Opening the platter enclosure and
manually spinning the platters freed it up so I could run it and retrieve the
data. While a "clean room" is desire able, if you've got a reasonably dust free
environment it's worth a try.

 

[jakdedert]

Many have advocated freezing the drive in a sealed plastic bag overnight,
then *immediately* powering up and copying.

jak

 

[Stellijer]

Many have advocated freezing the drive in a sealed plastic bag overnight,
then *immediately* powering up and copying.

Tried that. No luck.

 

[Stellijer]

I had another brand of drive freeze up on a client last year. It turned out
that these drives were notorious for "stiction" problems where the platters
would not be able to be spun up by the motor. Opening the platter enclosure and
manually spinning the platters freed it up so I could run it and retrieve the
data. While a "clean room" is desire able, if you've got a reasonably dust free
environment it's worth a try.

Did your drive "jerk" a little? It seems like the platters CAN spin, at least a
little bit. They're certainly not stuck SOLID.

I'm only being cautious becuase I know that opening the case invites, as you
elude to, contamination from dust, no matter how clean the room normally seems.

What kind of tool is used to open a drive, anyway? It looks like a Torx wrench
but it's not of a size I've seen available before. A #10 was a little too large
and the screws on top of the drive seem even a little smaller. I wish to know
in case I do end up having to open the drive.

P.S. As for a 'clean room' - I would probably try scrubbing my bathroom down as
there's no carpet in there... then put the air filter in there for a day to
hopefully remove any amibient particles. Probably any dust in the room would
come in the door with me when I enter...

 

[Stellijer]

Thanks! I will post this over there, too.

 

[Asimov]

"Stellijer" bravely wrote to "All" (10 Dec 03 13:47:02)
--- on the heady topic of "Sources of info to retrieve data off failing
(failed) hard drives."

Some drives use a type of "Zebra strip" to connect the circuit board to
the platter motor. This Zebra strip consist of an elastomere insulation
into which are imbedded a row of very fine stiff wires. Pressure is
applied by the circuit board ensuring contact.

I've had my current drive fail to start up twice, years apart, and each
time all it took to get it started again was to clean the circuit
contact points for the motor's Zebra strip. I'm using this very drive
right now. I found the problem crept up in the middle of summer when
humidity and heat were both at their highest.

Good luck!


St> From: "Stellijer" <[email protected]>

St> Anyone know of any great web sites or discussions boards for reviving
St> hard drives which have failed fir data retreival?

St> I have two hard drives which failed within 2 weeks of each other
St> before backups could be made of certain data. I'd like to research the
St> best ways to recover the data.

St> In each case, it's a hardware failure and NOT accidentally deleted or
St> otherwise corrupted data.

St> I'd appreciate any discussion boards where some experts might hang out
St> or maybe some COMPREHENSIVE websites dedicated to this. So far I've
St> found a lot of information but it's all pretty basic and none of it
St> worked. The more information I can get, the better chance I have.


St> Let me mention just ONE of the cases here, just in case in addition to
St> information, someone here has some adivce:

St> The first drive is a 40GB Western Digital, 2-1/2 years old. It's been
St> used a lot in the past couple years. Last weekend it quit spinning up.
St> I'd like to get it to spin up JUST ONCE to get the data off. Right
St> now, you can often feel the drive 'jerking' in an attempt to start.
St> Just a little vibration here and there, sometimes hard enough to feel
St> the drive try to rotate in your hand. I've tried twisting the drive as
St> fast as I could by hand to get the platters to spin. While this caused
St> more 'jerking', it didn't spin up. I tapped it as hard as I dared
St> without wanting to cause damage. I put it in the freezer for a while
St> in a static bag without change. Naturally I've tried different power
St> connectors and a different power supply. It behaves the same whether
St> the drive is hooked up to a contoller or just to a power supply alone.
St> I just need ONE good spin-up.
St> Any ideas and any sources of such info appreciated (and desperately
St> craved)!!!
St> P.S. The other hard drive is a stranger situation. I didn't want to
St> dilute the issues by mentioning both at the same time; I will mention
St> the other situation if someone of considerable expertese responds to
St> this post.

.... Resistance Is Futile! (If < 1 ohm)

 

[Stellijer]

I notice there are two points of contact from the PCB to the drive.

One, about 4 connectors which connect to the motor itself. These are little
"prongs" which extend nearly horizontally over the several little 1/16" or so
little squares of copper on the drive motor and make contact.

Two, there are perhaps a couple dozen little tiny contacts in 2 rows which
extend out of a formed plastic (maybe elastomeric) piece located at the corner
of the drive. These stick out and contact the circuit board.

Which do you say is the "Zebra strip"? The second, I would imagine, but the
first looks like it carries more voltage and would more directly impact the
motor.

I will surely try cleaning them ALL. By the way - what do you most recommend
for cleaning circuit board contacts? I know alcohol is one choice but I've
heard it's not the best choice

 

[BFriedl]

An eraser would clean well

I notice there are two points of contact from the PCB to the drive.

One, about 4 connectors which connect to the motor itself. These are little
"prongs" which extend nearly horizontally over the several little 1/16" or so
little squares of copper on the drive motor and make contact.

Two, there are perhaps a couple dozen little tiny contacts in 2 rows which
extend out of a formed plastic (maybe elastomeric) piece located at the corner
of the drive. These stick out and contact the circuit board.

Which do you say is the "Zebra strip"? The second, I would imagine, but the
first looks like it carries more voltage and would more directly impact the
motor.

I will surely try cleaning them ALL. By the way - what do you most recommend
for cleaning circuit board contacts? I know alcohol is one choice but I've
heard it's not the best choice

--
BFriedl
A+ Certified Technician
AIM: UACybercat
** Bear Down Arizona! **
******* Go Cats! *******

 

[Stellijer]

I had another brand of drive freeze up on a client last year. It turned out
that these drives were notorious for "stiction" problems where the platters
would not be able to be spun up by the motor. Opening the platter enclosure and
manually spinning the platters freed it up so I could run it and retrieve the
data. While a "clean room" is desire able, if you've got a reasonably dust free
environment it's worth a try.

I peeled back the little seal on the drive in a pretty safe environment (plus I
didn't open the whole thing).

It appears the platters spin reasonably freely. The problem is that the motor
"jerks" the platters only a small amount at a time.

I'm very concerned that maybe the motor has burned out, in which case I'm not
sure WHAT to do.

 

[JW]

Did your drive "jerk" a little? It seems like the platters CAN spin, at least a
little bit. They're certainly not stuck SOLID.

Have you tried spinning it in your hand back and forth on the plane of disk
rotation right after applying power? This method used to work for me, if it
was a "stiction" problem.

 

[anon]

http://www.computerworld.com/departments/opinions/sharktank

Read the one bad idea after another article

 

[JW]

I peeled back the little seal on the drive in a pretty safe environment (plus I
didn't open the whole thing).

It appears the platters spin reasonably freely. The problem is that the motor
"jerks" the platters only a small amount at a time.

I'm very concerned that maybe the motor has burned out, in which case I'm not
sure WHAT to do.

Much more likely would be the motor controller on the PCB.

 

[Stellijer]

Have you tried spinning it in your hand back and forth on the plane of disk
rotation right after applying power? This method used to work for me, if it
was a "stiction" problem.

Yes, tried that. It causes the drive to "jerk" if it had otherwise stopped
jerking.

I'm thinking it's not "stiction" per se, since there's movement, just not the
RIGHT movement.