Hard Drive Data Recovery

[MikeT]

Has anyone used a Data Recovery Co to get data off a Hard Drive?

My wife has been writing a novel on an old laptop. The HD fails to power up in the laptop or in an external drive. An IT expert has confirmed this.

I just want to know if anybody has use one of these Data Cos and were they successful in recovering files.

Mike

 

[pargyle]

Has anyone used a Data Recovery Co to get data off a Hard Drive?

My wife has been writing a novel on an old laptop. The HD fails to power up in the laptop or in an external drive. An IT expert has confirmed this.

I just want to know if anybody has use one of these Data Cos and were they successful in recovering files.

Mike

Yes... I used one a few years ago - can't remember the name of the firm but they were in Romford somewhere. I actually got about 80% of the files back but they told me that it was a mechanical failure of the actual drive and the rest of the files were in a sector that had been physically damaged. Most of the reputable ones will look at the drive for a fixed fee and report on the likelihood of success before they try - as I recall they sent me a list of the ones they thought were recoverable and I was able to select the ones I really needed. Good luck, it's got to be worth a try in your wife's situation - I'm sure you are muttering things like off site back up to her for the future ....

 

[dn170221]

Yes I have used one and yes they got the data back.
It is not guaranteed depending on the problem with the disk but is doable.

 

[MikeT]

Can you remember which Company you used? There are so many on Google, I don't want to pick a duff one. Also their prices range from £97 to £800 + VAT. My wife is prepared to spend £200 + Vat. She only want her 2nd Novel, I am sure she will now backup more regularly.

I am not surprised the HD failed as the Laptop, is we believe 18 or 19 years old running on Windows 95, there is an electrical safety certificate sticker dated 2000. on the base.

 

[dn170221]

It was about ten years ago and I cant recall the details.
I will ask around and see if anyone has used a company with success recently.

 

[peteinwilts]

A hard drive is made up of two parts. Electrics and mechanics.

If the electrics have gone, the circuit board can simply be changed and the data recovered. If the drive does not power up, it is probably the electrics.

Mechanical failures cost a fortune to fix as they need the platter or head to be changed in controlled environment.

What is the model of the Hard Drive? I will see if I have one kicking about...

many laptops of that age had a door where the disk can be pulled out..

 

[alanf]

Friend of a friend used Kroll with some success a few years back. Not one of the cheaper options is as much as I can recall but they also offer forensics to legal standards which is some indication of a larger operation. If a company doesn't offer at least an assessment for a fixed fee, then find one that does.

If it were mine, I'd be tempted to try a few things. That's really depending on what it was on there, and any clues such as clicking before or when it was last known to work. You have done one of the obvious ones in trying a USB caddy, I'll take it you know the device works with other drives and the jumper settings are OK. If you can hear/feel it spin it can be a stuck arm that a gentle tap might free. Sometimes seal in polybag with a desiccant bag and in a freezer overnight, then gently warm to room temp can free something mechanical. One of the precautions in an office setting is: always buy more than one identical PC at a time, that gives you options in swapping components like control boards. I know that doesn't help here, but otherwise you need a lot of luck finding replacement boards for 15-20 year old kit. Ultimately, the cost rises as you do more, up to remounting the physical platters when you're in real specialist territory.

 

[Dishmop]

Buy an external hard drive as an extra backup.
I use one h/d for Windows and other programs and everything else goes onto an internal hard drive and I duplicate it onto an external drive.

 

[Mammoth]

If the hard drive will not spin up.
i.e. you power up and you hear nothing (Not even a feint whining as the drive spins up) no CD on the planet will help you.

But! A friend had a similar issue a while back and we retrieved the data.

Provided the physical discs (Inside the hard drive case) and the read heads are ok, you could try replacing the electronics.

In this case, the electronics are the circuits and bits usually under the hard drive itself, it looks like a small circuit board.
You could buy a duplicate hard drive (Exact duplicate down to make, mode, size (capacity), everything) and swap out the circuit board on the broken drive.

If the problem is with the circuit board you will at least be able to get your data off.
If you do get the data off, best to throw both drives in the bin afterwards, do not be tempted to try and use the repaired drive after you get the info you need.

Oh yes forgot to say....always back everything up, even if it is to a USB stick that costs £10 or less.....but I appreciate that horse bolted a while ago

If you are struggling, sent the hard drive info and I'll have a scout around.....

Tom

 

[itma]

First thing to try with a non-spinning disk is to see if you can "unstick it".

With the thing in an external box with a long-enough lead, pick it up and "whip" it, with a flick of the wrist.

Think of a bicycle, now lay it down on its side, and turn it on a vertical axis - the wheels will try and stay in the same place and will therefore appear to rotate in the opposite direction to which you rotated the frame.
That's the idea ...

The disk axle is at right angles to the plane of the large dimensions of the disk enclosure.
A quick twist with the wrist (try both directions) with the thing powered up can be enough to unstick it and, no longer stalled, the motor can spin it up properly.
The ONLY risk in this procedure is that you let go and chuck it across the room ...


This used to be a common problem with some drives - and I can even tell you that it happened mostly on Monday mornings after the machine had been off for the weekend.
Its to do with lubricant, and its viscosity (or rather 'stiction') when its cold. Seemed to affect older (well-used) drives, not barely new ones.
Hence even warming the thing up (35C?) can help it to start.
For those interested in a bit of history, it was an absolutely standard problem with the Sony 40 megabyte drives that were factory-fitted to most Mac SE/30's ... but only after they were out of warranty!


Whether or not it is the problem here, I don't know.
I do know that the procedure can work, costs nothing and (as long as you hold onto the disk) risks nothing.
Hence its worth a try before spending any money ...


/// and the moment it is running, back it up and replace it. It will happen again with that drive ...

 

[peteinwilts]

This used to be a common problem with some drives - and I can even tell you that it happened mostly on Monday mornings after the machine had been off for the weekend.

sounds like you are thinking of 1980's drives!

I have not seen this attempted in over 25 years!

If the IT friend says the drive does not power up, that may mean the head may not be seeking regardless of the platter. on an old 2.5" drive, in a quiet room, this can still be heard.

if the IT friend stated the drive does not power up with the drive still in the laptop because it is not seen in the BIOS, he may have been talking 'layman'. "dead"

I am an IT manager in an IT company, and have stacks of old crap about. Tell me the make and model and I will see if I have something compatible to attempt a repair.

 

[itma]

sounds like you are thinking of 1980's drives!

I have not seen this attempted in over 25 years!

...

Did it on a 2.5 inch drive last year!


/// the old tricks are the best tricks!

 

[MikeT]

Thanks ITMA I will giver it ago, as you say I have nothing to loose.

I have just looked again at the HD it is a Toshiba 1346 mb (yes only 1.3GB). The laptop is a Toshiba Satellit Pro 21OCD.

Mike

 

[itma]

... If the IT friend says the drive does not power up, that may mean the head may not be seeking regardless of the platter. on an old 2.5" drive, in a quiet room, this can still be heard.
... .

If the drive is indeed spinning (but there is another problem - not seeking or an electronic interface defect, etc) the spinning can be detected by the noticable 'gyroscope' effect of the fast-rotating platter(s).

If it resists tipping (like a gyro) then it IS spinning and 'whipping' to try and unstick it would NOT be appropriate. But if its simply playing {ADDED totally} dead, 'whipping' should be perfectly safe ... as long as you don't throw it!

 

[MikeT]

sounds like you are thinking of 1980's drives!

I have not seen this attempted in over 25 years!

If the IT friend says the drive does not power up, that may mean the head may not be seeking regardless of the platter. on an old 2.5" drive, in a quiet room, this can still be heard.

if the IT friend stated the drive does not power up with the drive still in the laptop because it is not seen in the BIOS, he may have been talking 'layman'. "dead"

I am an IT manager in an IT company, and have stacks of old crap about. Tell me the make and model and I will see if I have something compatible to attempt a repair.

I put the Hd in my caddy. The light on the caddy came on so it was receiving power through the USB. No sound was heard from the disc even when the USB was disconnected or connected again.
I then tried another disc in the caddy and that one powered up OK, proving the caddy was OK.

My ex colleague then tried the same procedure with higher grade equipment, and again no results.

 

[sipa]

Sometimes a very small crack can appear in a circuit board, or you can get a "dry joint" on one of the soldered parts.

Try this, it may work. I've done it several times with good results.

Remove the drive from the machine, put into a plastic bag and seal securely.
Place the drive in a freezer for 24 hours.

Remove the drive and connect up to the Pc again. If it powers up and spins you could be good to go for a short while, enough time to get your data off.

good luck

 

[peteinwilts]

Did it on a 2.5 inch drive last year!


/// the old tricks are the best tricks!

I was not watching, so still did not see it!

 

[peteinwilts]

If the drive is indeed spinning (but there is another problem - not seeking or an electronic interface defect, etc) the spinning can be detected by the noticable 'gyroscope' effect of the fast-rotating platter(s).

If it resists tipping (like a gyro) then it IS spinning and 'whipping' to try and unstick it would NOT be appropriate. But if its simply playing {ADDED totally} dead, 'whipping' should be perfectly safe ... as long as you don't throw it!

If Mike does not have the cabling to try this, it would be difficult to tell in a laptop.

A disk of that age is likely to be IDE or mini-ide (can't remember the name!). If an integrated connector, it might be difficult to test the gyro-effect as extender cables of this type are not too common.

 

[peteinwilts]

Sometimes a very small crack can appear in a circuit board, or you can get a "dry joint" on one of the soldered parts.

Try this, it may work. I've done it several times with good results.

Remove the drive from the machine, put into a plastic bag and seal securely.
Place the drive in a freezer for 24 hours.

Remove the drive and connect up to the Pc again. If it powers up and spins you could be good to go for a short while, enough time to get your data off.

good luck

Freezers go down to a possible -24°C. Many of todays mechanical hard drives will not work beyond -11°C. The oil emulsifies at too lower temperature preventing the disk from spinning up..

also, need to think condensation. Once 'frozen' the drive needs to be warmed gradually and make sure it is completely dry.

 

[bpmurray]

I would never put a HD in the freezer. It's much safer to have the recovery company use their skills & machines to read what they can.