Recovering data from a dead hard drive

[Quimbly]

Hi everyone,
First off, I'll get this out of the way... Yes, I know I SHOULD have backed up! I'm really sad that I didn't do it more frequently. Hind sight is 20/20.

Now, I have a hard drive which crashed, and I need to recover data off of it.

Here's how it crashed: For a long time, when I used to boot up, the hard drive would "click", like it was poweing up and powering down repeatedly. It would do this several times before it finally got past this point and functioned normally.

Then, about a week ago, when reading data, it would sometimes get very slow. Tranferring data or just opening up My Computer would freeze the window for a minute or so. Finally, it crashed one morning, and the boot sector was gone (i.e. DISK LOAD FAILED, PLEASE INSERT BOOT DISK... or whatever that message says) or at least damaged.

I had another drive handy, so I booted up on it and hooked up the crashed drive as a slave. I was able to transfer SOME of the data off, but I was starting to get long delays and CRC errors on many of the files. Finally, it just froze. I rebooted, and the hard drive appeared to be totally dead. Now, the BIOS won't even recognize its existence.

What I'm looking for is suggestions on how I might go about recovering some or all of the data on this apparently-dead drive.

From my research, I've discovered these possibilities:

1) Try different master/slave/cable select configurations with the drive, in combination with another drive, and on its own.

I have tried all possible configurations (I believe), but haven't been able to get the BIOS to recognize the drive.

2) Freezer method. I've heard from a couple of different places that freezing your hard drive can sometimes "reallign" platters that are misaligned -- or something to that effect.

Interesting suggestions. I haven't tried it yet, but I am willing, if nothing else works. Any know the proper method?

3) Professional Data Recovery Service

Well, I'm not made of money. Anyone know of a good place to go for this? (Preferrably in Canada)


So, my questions are:
A) Does anyone have any other suggestions aside from these 3 options?

B) Does anyone have any successful or unsuccessful experiences with any of the above 3 options?

C) Please share your experience with this kind of problem. What worked, what didn't, what mistakes did you make, did it work, if not -- why not, where did you go for help, etc. etc.

Thanks in advance!

 

[micker377]

Hold the bad drive in your hand (cables connected), turn on the system and see if you can feel the gyoscopic effect of the platters spinning. If not, try a different power connector. Next, twist your hand from side to side to see if you can get it started. If it still won't spin, the bearings are locked up, send to restore service (very expensive!). If it spins OK, post back and we can go the other way.

 

[Lemon13]

the clicking is a bad sign, the heads are gone. a prof. data recovery company might get the data back(depending on what the head destroyed on the disk surface), but its costly.
if you can live without the data just throw it in a bin and do a backup next time.

 

[Quimbly]

Thanks for the replies...

It seems to me that the disk is spinning, Micker. As you suggested, I held the drive in my hand as I started it up. I feel it vibrating, and it seems that the platters are spinning.

What next?

 

[micker377]

Refer to what Lemon13 says. The drive heads are "searching" for information, and can't find it. Either the heads are bad, or the disk is trashed. I have a couple of old drives that click and I've tried everything - give up.

 

[tomaso11]

If the drive isnt recognized in the bios the control board is probably gone so now it becomes a question of money.
One posibility is to buy another drive must be the same to the last digit in every aspect and swap controllers but as yours was clicking head damage is highly likely.
If this is the case there is a small posibility that you might strip the drive and swap the armature but the chances of it aligning correctly are slim!If you strip the drive and find it full of powder or the platters badly scratched you can console yourself with the fact that it was scrap anyway.Obviously opening either drive will render it good only for data recovery.
You say you recovered some data have you checked to see how much you previously printed/burnt to disk etc I had a similar problem recently and was amazed at what I managed to recover from the other machines that I use occasionally.


Thomas

 

[devyan]

Hi to all .. My hard disk spins but the head is making the same movement front and back,front and back...anyone have an idea ???
I'm thinking t6o change the head can i manage it ?
what do you think ?