Freezing your HD

[AnthroAndStargate]

have read and heard from many places that freezing a HD that is making the clicking sound and is not recognized by the laptop (or desktop) is a good way to possibly get it to work for 30 min (long enough to get data off).

I froze my laptop hard drive and ploped it in after about 4 hours of freeze and while it did not click it made a slow rotation noise and still was not recognized.

Any tips/hints/suggestions on the time I should freeze it for, etc?

Thanks a ton! Hopefully I can get the data I forgot to backup back!

 

[PokerGuy]

I've read a lot about the freezing option, and I figure if the drive is toast anyway then it can't hurt to try. I've tried it a few times on bad drives but I've never actually seen it work, nor do I know anyone who has used it successfully.

Also, the freezing trick (if it works at all, which I doubt) is supposed to help when you get the clicking noise (where the drive head is bouncing), it definitely does not help if you have a drive that has other issues.

 

[SirChadwick]

never heard of the freezing trick - but i don't see how it would work

 

[Accipiter22]

i predict 3 posts until we get that picture of the hd in a block of ice

 

[AnthroAndStargate]

Originally posted by: SirChadwick
never heard of the freezing trick - but i don't see how it would work

I think it shrinks the head to the platter so they make contact if they are bouncing (which is exactly what mine i doing) - but it didn't work on the first go. I'll try after 24 hrs I guess.

 

[AnthroAndStargate]

Originally posted by: Accipiter22
i predict 3 posts until we get that picture of the hd in a block of ice

Haha. Or a shortout in my laptop when the cold of the drive hits the heat of the laptop - despiration FTW

 

[Vegitto]

I've had it work on one occasion, but all of my data was corrupted 🙁. The files were there, and I copied them, but they were all corrupt 🙁.

EDIT: After a 48h freezing period.

 

[SagaLore]

Yes, I've gotten that to work before. But you have to get the data off quick before its permanently damaged.