Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
From: Lichtenwalner Allen L TSgt
Solution:
• Carefully remove it from the computer.
• Place it in the freezer
for 24 hours, then put it back in the computer. You should have
approximately 30 minutes of good spin time left before a final and much more permanent shut
down. This problem often arises from a catastrophic hard disk crash bearings are usually the
culprit, coupled with badly worn read/write heads. I've used this technique on many computers
throughout the last fifteen years as "resident expert" and saved virtually all important data. If
you're in a pinch for time, such as critical data needed for a briefing in twenty minutes, you
can opt for the more drastic cooling technique—a C02 fire extinguisher...
From: Jeff Smoley
Here is a solution for really dead drives: ones that won't spin or ones that make those funny
grinding noises:
Put the drive in the fridge for a few hours. This can shrink up something inside that might let it
run long enough to get critical data. If not, try the freezer
for a few more. This actually has
worked for me in the past.
From: Neal Menkus
Things we have done in the past that worked:
1. Remove the drive, grab it, and shake the hell out of it: "What could it hurt? It's not working
anyway…."
2. Place the drive in a freezer
for about 10 minutes.
3. Open the drive case in a laminar flow-hood, and give it a spin. (Once it was closed up and
reinstalled, it worked long enough to suck the data off of it.)
4. Swap the logic board with one on another drive of the same type.
Numbers 1, 2, and 3 worked with older Seagate (which we no longer purchase) drives, which
were prone to "stiction" problems. Number 4 worked following an electrical surge (lightning
strike), since the data on the platters were still there and OK.
From: Clifford Liles
Depending on the drive failure I have had success with some rather extreme solutions to data
recovery.
Symptom: Invalid Drive Specifications
Treatment: Basic Check your cmos battery
Check your IDE cable and connections
Check your jumper settings
Remove all other IDE connections but the drive in question
Advanced Try disk manager software
Try data recovery software
Use a bios upgrade card ($39) and allow it to setup the drive
Look up the drive specifications on the manufacturer's Web site and plug them in manually.
Turn Off or On Write Precomp—32bit disk access
