Jeffrey
too dark too early
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Dix Hills,NY
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1 edit | reply to ChiTang
Re: [hard drive] Hard Drive Failure - Realistic Opinions/Suggest
said by ChiTang  :Knoppix is free and RStudio is a fantasic commercial product. I would try Knoppix first. Since he is going to reimburse you, you should get RStudio to compensate your inconvinience. Sounds like an excellent idea. I will do that.
said by ChiTang :As far as hooking the HD in an enclosure. Those software will run without taking the HD out. However, I would still put it an enclosure and check it by your PC. Just to make sure his problem is actually in the HD and not in the MOBO of laptop (before spending the money). Ok, I'll give that a shot first to rule out, and then go from there.
If the HDD is indeed clicking and making sounds it shouldn't, what can I expect out of RStudio? (Just curious, not expecting anything concrete.)
--
"Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy." - George Carlin
[my ramblings] |
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ChiTang
Premium,MVM
join:2002-08-23
Alhambra, CA
| When the HD clicks, it could mean
1. R/W head tries to move but can't (stucked)
2. R/W head moves freely but makeing noise.
3. R/W head moves freely but touching the platter.
For 1,3, no software can fix it, it is a machanical problem.
For 1, sometime people just shake the HD a little bit to unstuck it.
For 2, you may be able to retrieve all info without any software. Sometimes, when #2 has been there for a long time and some area of the HD is difficult to read, RStudio may be able to fix it.
You really are doing your friend a favor and should be compensated for it. You are not going to change his behaviour and this is not going to be the last time. I can be certain that he will come back to you again especially if you do a good job this time. 
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I used to be indecisive, now I am not sure. |
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Jeffrey
too dark too early
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| said by ChiTang :You really are doing your friend a favor and should be compensated for it. You are not going to change his behaviour and this is not going to be the last time. I can be certain that he will come back to you again especially if you do a good job this time. Thanks for the info. Oh this is not the first time, nor the last. He usually infects his PC pretty good once a year or so.
I'll pickup the software for the heck of it, as I probably will need it this time, or definitely some other time.
I'll post back and see how it goes.
--
"Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy." - George Carlin
[my ramblings] |
|
ChiTang
Premium,MVM
join:2002-08-23
Alhambra, CA
| Get the software, make a copy, give him the original (when he gives you the money ). This way, he does not feel like you are taking advantage of the situation in any way, shape or form. He will have what he pays for and you'll have an extra tool.
Next time, when his HD clicks again, tell him, don't come to me, you have the software.
--
I used to be indecisive, now I am not sure. |
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Jeffrey
too dark too early
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| Well, I have the PC. I turned it on just to hear it and see the error. PC reports HDD failure on the monitor. F1 to continue, F2 to setup, etc.
The sound the HDD is making is a definitive, repetitive pattern click, click. tick. click, click. tick. same tempo. Only let it run about 10 seconds, and then shut it off.
Looks like I have my work cut out for me. Plus, it's a SATA drive (thought he had an IDE), and I have no external SATA enclosures. So, I think I'll probably open up one of my newer PCs and slap his HDD inside in lieu of the external enclosure.
--
"Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy." - George Carlin
[my ramblings] |
|
CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
1 edit | the chance of getting anything off the laptop is less than 1% I would say. Click of death means you will be lucky to get anything off of it unless you take the platters out and put them in another drive case and the reason data recovery is so expensive.
You can try the freezer trick but that is the last, last, last resort. |
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Jeffrey
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1 edit | said by CylonRed :the chance of getting anything off the laptop is less than 1% I would say. Click of death means you will be lucky to get anything off of it unless you take the platters out and put them in another drive case and the reason data recovery is so expensive. You can try the freezer trick but that is the last, last, last resort. That's what I sort of figured, but nice to hear the confirmation.
I have been under the impression the entire time that the chances of getting data off of this drive is next to nothing. This being said, how hard would it be for me to do exactly that; take out the platters and put them in another drive casing? Basically, a learning experience, and if I happen to get data, then great. Is it even worth my time?
I was thinking about the freezer trick, I'll have to read up on the exact process.
--
"Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy." - George Carlin
[my ramblings] |
|
CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
1 edit | The tolerances are so close for the heads that you would really need a clean room to remove the platters as dust will interfere with the heads.
Process for the freezer trick is not difficult - I tried it once with my mom's hard drive. Took the drive out and attached it to a enclosure for ease, wrapped it in a couple of layers of paper towel, then out it in a plastic freezer bag. Left it in the freezer for a good while then cut a hole in the plastic to insert the power and data cable while it was in the freezer - to prevent condensation and powered it up. In my case - it was a resounding failure.
I have a write up and pics somewhere here at DSLR - I will have to try and find the thread.
Thought i had pics but I don't see any in the thread: »[hard drive] Official freezer trick instructions... |
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Jeffrey
too dark too early
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| said by CylonRed :The tolerances are so close for the heads that you would really need a clean room to remove the platters as dust will interfere with the heads. Well, that sort of closes the book on that unless they let me borrow the clean room here at work. (Finally, something at work that's potentially useful to me, personally! Although they will question while a hard drive is being taken apart, and medication is not being mixed. )
said by CylonRed :Process for the freezer trick is not difficult - I tried it once with my mom's hard drive. Took the drive out and attached it to a enclosure for ease, wrapped it in a couple of layers of paper towel, then out it in a plastic freezer bag. Left it in the freezer for a good while then cut a hole in the plastic to insert the power and data cable while it was in the freezer - to prevent condensation and powered it up. In my case - it was a resounding failure. I have a write up and pics somewhere here at DSLR - I will have to try and find the thread. Interesting. I did a quick search here, and the consensus seems to be leavng it in a few hours/overnight. I wasn't clear from my own search whether or not I was to actually leave the HDD in the freezer while hooked to the PC, or if I could remove it from the freezer. From your reply here, you answered my question. Thanks!
I'm off to Newegg to get a SATA enclosure.
--
"Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy." - George Carlin
[my ramblings] |
|
CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County | I should ask - the drive is a SATA drive and not a PATA (IDE) correct? Just be sure to get the right connector in teh enclosure. The enclosure is not mandatory but it does make it a bit easier. |
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Jeffrey
too dark too early
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Dix Hills,NY
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| said by CylonRed :I should ask - the drive is a SATA drive and not a PATA (IDE) correct? Just be sure to get the right connector in teh enclosure. The enclosure is not mandatory but it does make it a bit easier. Thanks for your link in your post above this one---gave me a better idea of what I'm supposed to do.
Yeah I have a EIDE external enclosure, and I always meant to pickup an SATA enclosure, but never did. Guess now is the time. I think what I'll do is setup my PC in the kitchen, and put the failed drive in the SATA external enclosure, and then run a 6 foot USB cable from it - in the freezer - to my laptop. Someone will need to take a photo of this, as I'm sure I'll get asked what the hell it is I'm doing.
--
"Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy." - George Carlin
[my ramblings] |
|
Jeffrey
too dark too early
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| reply to CylonRed
HDD enclosure is here, and ready to go. Hooked up the drive to it, put it in the freezer in the paper towel + bag. Going to leave it in overnight. Sometime tomorrow morning, I'm going to bring my laptop to the freezer, turn on the enclosure while it's in the freezer, and hook the USB cable from it to my laptop. And cross my fingers.
In a strange twist of luck, when I looked at his PC today I noticed a second hard drive. Pulled that out, and put it into a spare PC I had here. This second HDD did not crash, and on it was his porn and music - two things he was worried about losing. I guess a few years ago when I setup his PC, I must have setup iTunes to put it on this D: drive. So, looks like the music is saved. However, his newborn baby photographs are on the broken HDD.
Until tomorrow...
--
"Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy." - George Carlin
[my ramblings] |
|
