Hard drive crashed! Need to get my info off.

[Turkey]

This problem just started randomly as far as I can tell. I have an IBM Deskstar (75gxp I think) 7200rpm 45GB drive. I left my computer on for a few hours like I always do, came back and the screen was all screwy and the system was frozen. So I hit the reset button, and when the PC went through its POST, the hard drive started making a really bad recurring noise, like "clunk-screech, clunk-screech." Also when making this sound the drive is not "smooth" when I pick it up, it shakes a little when it clunks. I immediately turned off the power, waited a few seconds, tried again, same thing. The drive will begin spinning, then it seems like when the drive is just about at "normal" revs & is about to do its read test, this noise happens. Since I did this a couple of times, I figured that cylinder was f*cked and just left it on to see what would happen. After about 20 seconds the sound stops and the drive just spins. But the drive does not get recognized by the bios and IBM's drive fitness tool does not recognize the drive. The same thing happens if I have the IDE cable plugged in and not plugged in. It also happens in two different PCs.

Is there any chance of this going away, even for an instant, so I can get my digital pics off? Or is it permanently screwed and I have to lose all my data when I send it in for RMA?

 

[pcman2002b]

I had a very similar problem happen with my Quantum Bigfoot. Even the description of the sound you make sounds the same. I figured it was just because Quantum makes crappy HDs. I never knew an IBM Deskstar would do it. Fortunately before it completely stopped working I had enough time to get the data off. Sounds to me like you are SCREWED. Of course you could always pay one of those data recovery companies 3 grand to get the stuff off. My old hard drive got progressively worse with the sound until the hard drive could never get to the beginning of the drive it would just click! I hate when crap like that happens. Good Luck to ya. Oh, I waited like a whole year and gave the hard drive to a friend and it fired up in his computer for about 10 minutes, set up in a slave environment it might be enough to get the stuff off.

 

[SemperFi]

Have you tried the freezer trick?

This has worked from what I hear. Take the drive and put in a ziploc bag and remove all of the air you can. Place in freezer for 20 -30 minutes. Remove from freezer and fire it up. If it works, work fast you may not have long before it gives up.

Semper Fi

 

[Wolfsraider]

ditto on the freezer trickbut fast is best

 

[WileCoyote]

you can get professional data recovery for around 1k in northern virginia. it's still a lot of money, but a lot easier to rationalize than 3k.

 

[DaiShan]

Originally posted by: Wolfsraider
ditto on the freezer trickbut fast is best

If you try the freezer trick, slave this hard drive up, don't make it the master and have it boot, that is just that much more wear on it.

 

[Turkey]

Well I am just about to try the freezer trick . Wish me luck!

Edit: oh yeah, is the freezer trick specific to IBM Deskstars or will this work for any hd?

 

[Turkey]

Tried the freezer trick, same thing happened . I d/l'd some data recovery tools too and even they can't find the drive (they bypass the bios).

 

[TheCorm]

How much for data recovery!!??....companies over here in the UK do similar jobs for £150 - £200.

Corm

 

[SemperFi]

Sorry to hear that Turkey. It is one of those things to try but of course there is no guarantee.