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Trying to access a dead laptop hard drive

My customer brought me a dead laptop drive. Tried several things, attached to other computers via connectors, spinrite, getdataback, put in freezer....
The bios does not recognize the drive. Is there any way to boot the drive in the laptop and access it as a network drive
to get the data - even if the bios doesn't recognize it?
Thanks,
Al

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Callandor

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Alan Silverman

ASKER

How do you replace the logic board from an identical drive?
Thanks,
Al

Callandor

You get a set of small torx screwdrivers (#7 or #8, I think, available from Home Depot online) and remove the screws holding the board to the drive. The board is not connected to the drive; it just uses metal fingers to make contact. You have to make sure the PCB is the same revision or this will fail for sure. Usually, the full model# of the drive is a good indication of which revision it is.

Alan Silverman

ASKER

Thanks,
Al

Alan Silverman

ASKER

Hope it's not too late to ask another question. Is there a high probability of screwing this up in such a way that afterward you won't be able to use the new hard drive either?
Thanks again,
Al

Callandor

Low probability of messing up the board, unless you mishandle the board. I was unsuccessful in some transplants and was always able to use the new drive afterwards.

Alan Silverman

ASKER

Thanks again again,
Al