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Any chance to recover data on ext HD?

chiplee

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chiplee Newbie

chiplee

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hey chip

 

what kind of externals do you have?

 

also are they full usb based or do they have a power source?

 

Muzz

 

They both have power sources. One is a Western Digital I think and I can't remember the brand name on the other one.

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jolyrgr Newbie

jolyrgr

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There are companies that specialize in recovering data like you are wanting. I don't have a good contact for you, but the corporate office of my last job has had this done.

 

http://www.salvagedata.com/

 

perhaps they have a suggestion.

 

and one more

 

http://ezinearticles.com/?One-Method-of-Da...ve&id=84559

Edited by jolyrgr
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Komeuppance Newbie

Komeuppance

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They are standard hard drives inside cases with a controller/power supply.

 

You can open up the case (voids your warranty) and install in another computer (desktop or laptop depending on what type of drive it is) and hopefully bring them back to life.

 

Was there any sounds before they stopped working?? Is there any sounds now?? Can you feel the drives spinning??

 

If you can feel the drives spinning, then there is hope... (hope = won't cost buku bucks to recover your data.)

 

Let me know what the hard drives look like after you crack open the external case, and we can determine what type of machine to plug them into.

 

-Robert

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vbrad511 Newbie

vbrad511

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I looked into this a few years ago when one of my internals went down. It's crazy expensive. Between $700 and $1800. Is your power supply just dead? You can maybe find a relacement supply on Ebay. If not, I'd think you could pull the enclosure apart and see what makes it tick. The drive's bound to be it's own sealed unit inside the case. You may be able to just install it in your computer as an internal.
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Komeuppance Newbie

Komeuppance

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both drives try to spin up and sound like they stop and try again. I'll open the cases and see if I can get to the data. They're out of warranty so no big deal.

 

Strange that both drives would do the same thing at the same time.

 

If they are still able to spin, hopefully it is a power supply issue. Don't let them stop and spin too many times as it will kill the motors for sure.

 

What size are the cases?? If it's a tiny thing, it's most likely a laptop sized hard drive (Unenclosed, they are about the size of a deck of cards). If it's an inch or two bigger than a deck of cards, it's most likely a desktop 3.5" hard drive.

 

-Robert

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chiplee Newbie

chiplee

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Strange that both drives would do the same thing at the same time.

 

If they are still able to spin, hopefully it is a power supply issue. Don't let them stop and spin too many times as it will kill the motors for sure.

 

What size are the cases?? If it's a tiny thing, it's most likely a laptop sized hard drive (Unenclosed, they are about the size of a deck of cards). If it's an inch or two bigger than a deck of cards, it's most likely a desktop 3.5" hard drive.

 

-Robert

 

no they're big, I'm probably confusing the issue. They didn't die together. They're just both dead. And neither is a western digital. They are IOMEGA and Simpletech drives, both large cases. I'm sure they're not laptop drives but that's fine. My desk top will be easier to plug them into anyway. I just don't have the Desktop HD space to recover the drives. If I can access it at all it'll be nice.

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Komeuppance Newbie

Komeuppance

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Simpletech is most likely a Western Bacon Cheeseburger Digital inside the simpletech case. IOMEGA, probably the same. Depends on what year they were manufactured.

 

I'd prepare some space to transfer your data to before attempting recovery... you may only get one shot... can't be shooting blanks now.

 

Spin up then shut down is almost equal to drive failure, you could try the freezer trick if they won't boot up.

 

For good luck: I've seen the simpletech power supplies... and wonder how they live with themselves producing that kind of garbage.

 

-Robert

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chiplee Newbie

chiplee

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Simpletech is most likely a Western Bacon Cheeseburger Digital inside the simpletech case. IOMEGA, probably the same. Depends on what year they were manufactured.

 

I'd prepare some space to transfer your data to before attempting recovery... you may only get one shot... can't be shooting blanks now.

 

Spin up then shut down is almost equal to drive failure, you could try the freezer trick if they won't boot up.

 

For good luck: I've seen the simpletech power supplies... and wonder how they live with themselves producing that kind of garbage.

 

-Robert

 

I don't know the freezer trick

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Richie_Rich Newbie

Richie_Rich

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It's strange that both drives do the exact same thing.

I'd first try them on a different system, then I would buy an external drive case and swap one of your drives into it and see what happens.

 

There are cheaper places to get enclosures, but this one looks pretty cool if you have several drives you want to use.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16817153066

 

Oops. That is for SATA drives.

Yours are most likely IDE.

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.as...rnal-Enclosures

Edited by Richie_Rich
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chiplee Newbie

chiplee

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It's strange that both drives do the exact same thing.

I'd first try them on a different system, then I would buy an external drive case and swap one of your drives into it and see what happens.

 

There are cheaper places to get enclosures, but this one looks pretty cool if you have several drives you want to use.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16817153066

 

Oops. That is for SATA drives.

Yours are most likely IDE.

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.as...rnal-Enclosures

 

I'll open them and see if they're SATA or IDE before I order but a new case is a good idea as well. Thanks

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mikec Newbie

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As others have said, "USB Drives" are just regular laptop or desktop drives in a case with a dinky circuit board to convert USB (or Firewire or eSATA) to the PATA/SATA interface of the hard disk. I've never seen anything but a regular hard disk in USB/Firewire enclosures.

 

Freezer trick: stick the hard disk into a plastic bag (to keep freezer moisture/humidity off the disk) and chill the drive completely. Then try using it again. I'd be a bit careful stuffing the hard disk into your regular computer; if it has electronic problems (compared to magnetic issues) it could spit voltages into your motherboard's disk controller, or it could damage the computer power supply.

 

Vantec sells a cool USB to hard disk cable: it has connectors for laptop PATA/IDE disks, desktop PATA/IDE disks, and SATA disks. It includes a power brick too. Everything you need to test/use a hard disk on a USB port for testing/debugging. Costs about 25 bucks at Frys.

 

Chip, I've got some specialized hardware & software for data recovery too. I've been able to repair hard disks before.

 

mike c.

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chiplee Newbie

chiplee

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As others have said, "USB Drives" are just regular laptop or desktop drives in a case with a dinky circuit board to convert USB (or Firewire or eSATA) to the PATA/SATA interface of the hard disk. I've never seen anything but a regular hard disk in USB/Firewire enclosures.

 

Freezer trick: stick the hard disk into a plastic bag (to keep freezer moisture/humidity off the disk) and chill the drive completely. Then try using it again. I'd be a bit careful stuffing the hard disk into your regular computer; if it has electronic problems (compared to magnetic issues) it could spit voltages into your motherboard's disk controller, or it could damage the computer power supply.

 

Vantec sells a cool USB to hard disk cable: it has connectors for laptop PATA/IDE disks, desktop PATA/IDE disks, and SATA disks. It includes a power brick too. Everything you need to test/use a hard disk on a USB port for testing/debugging. Costs about 25 bucks at Frys.

 

Chip, I've got some specialized hardware & software for data recovery too. I've been able to repair hard disks before.

 

mike c.

 

sweet, thanks. I'll keep all that in mind, Mike.

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