barnett76
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Need to repair fried hard drive...
Hi,
A couple of years ago, I fried my external Maxtor One Touch 120gb drive by plugging in the wrong plug. I could smell the board being burned up. Anyway, it is obviously no longer operational but I feel confidient that all my data is still on the platters. I have some valuable pictures on it but I decided long ago that I'm NOT paying $500 or more to have the data recovered.
Instead, I am considering swapping out the platters from the dead drive to a working drive. I found one site in which a guy successfully did this but his instructions were vague. Do any of you have experience with doing this or can you direct me to a set of instructions?
A couple of years ago, I fried my external Maxtor One Touch 120gb drive by plugging in the wrong plug. I could smell the board being burned up. Anyway, it is obviously no longer operational but I feel confidient that all my data is still on the platters. I have some valuable pictures on it but I decided long ago that I'm NOT paying $500 or more to have the data recovered.
Instead, I am considering swapping out the platters from the dead drive to a working drive. I found one site in which a guy successfully did this but his instructions were vague. Do any of you have experience with doing this or can you direct me to a set of instructions?
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ASKER
Gillware services for $379 is a whole lot better than the $500 to $1000 that I've been seeing for other recovery companies.
It seems like I did try to put that drive in a computer and it did not work but since it's been so long I'll try again and let you know how that goes. I did also see an article about replacing the circuit board...I may go that route if it's possible.
It seems like I did try to put that drive in a computer and it did not work but since it's been so long I'll try again and let you know how that goes. I did also see an article about replacing the circuit board...I may go that route if it's possible.
just make sure you have the correct jumper settings.
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Before you do, look at the ribbon cables between the logic board and the drive enclosure with a 10x lens, if there is any burning of those fine leads, the heads are probably gone. And if this works, how about backing up your data more often? Dont rely on USB drives, they are less reliable than internal HDDs.
ASKER
Okay...I tried the hard drive and it is dead in the water. I looked at the circuit board and one of the chips is even charred from where it burned up (back when I first fried it).
I then went to ebay and found numerous Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 drives with various capacities. I looked at the 80gb drive which is obviously the cheapest and noted that everything on that drive and mine look identical. Will a board work within the same series or do I have to go with same capacity and everything?
I then went to ebay and found numerous Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 drives with various capacities. I looked at the 80gb drive which is obviously the cheapest and noted that everything on that drive and mine look identical. Will a board work within the same series or do I have to go with same capacity and everything?
I would always use identical sizes. Theres no guarentee it will work, but if it is going to, you want to give yourself the greatest chance.
same series.......but man....if you actually do it...I'll bow down to you.. :-(
If you consider the pictures you took are priceless....like you will never ever ever get that back...and once you open that drive....it could potentially be dust in the wind. Is it really worth you saving a few hundred bucks? Can you deal with missing any of those pictures? What about if you just tossed the drive away...will you be able to sleep at night?
If you consider the pictures you took are priceless....like you will never ever ever get that back...and once you open that drive....it could potentially be dust in the wind. Is it really worth you saving a few hundred bucks? Can you deal with missing any of those pictures? What about if you just tossed the drive away...will you be able to sleep at night?
To get the same IDE sector translation, it will have to be identical in capacity -- sorry, but it is the logic board that governs all the sector reading, and if it is not right, you wont read anything. So it must be the identical logic board.
so to be clear, it needs to be the same series, yes, and same model, but also, the drive capacity will have to be the same. Note there were slightly different HHD capacities in the 80GB range, even a slight dirrence will not work. Read the heads/sectors/cylinders off the drive top, and the exact capacity. Ask the eBay sellers to confirm they have the same readings on top. and the same version number. Dont rush it, with time you will find the identical drive if you have patience.
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YES! http://www.deadharddrive.com/ was the site that inspired me to try my procedure. I couldn't remember/find the site, but this guy has a great write-up.
ASKER
irwinpks...I won't consider actually opening the drive after what you have told me. I am only considering replacing the logic board. Thanks to your links and advice, it seems quite stupid to think of trying to swap out platters. On the other hand, I think that I can change the logic board without exposing the the platters. Correct?
Others...thanks for the advice and links to replacing the logic board. It makes sense to try this and I always have the $400 recovery option if I cannot match up the drive.
Others...thanks for the advice and links to replacing the logic board. It makes sense to try this and I always have the $400 recovery option if I cannot match up the drive.
let us know the outcome !
ASKER
Thanks to all of you who pitched in to educate me on the workings of a hard drive. I'm going to patiently watch on ebay and at some point I may save up the money and send it in for recovery. I have since learned to back up my stuff...I even keep a backup with streamload as a central place to access my stuff. I wish they would cross the enormous file availability of streamload with the great UI of xdrive.
"I think that I can change the logic board without exposing the the platters. Correct?"
yes...and let us know as nobus' said.
Sometimes there is good when you scrape the bottom of a barrel, but I rather have someone else do it. Happy Guinea-pigging! ;-)
yes...and let us know as nobus' said.
Sometimes there is good when you scrape the bottom of a barrel, but I rather have someone else do it. Happy Guinea-pigging! ;-)
ao you actually ended up following my suggestions, right? which is not reflected in how question closed.
ASKER
scrathcyboy,
I followed the cumulative suggestions of most here so I am sorry that I missed you on the points total. Lots of answers and I quickly awarded points.
I followed the cumulative suggestions of most here so I am sorry that I missed you on the points total. Lots of answers and I quickly awarded points.
Before you swap anything out...