I'm gonna cry...

[Wah]

So, my 75gxp hard drive started making high pitched clicking noises today... and before I had a chance to move my data, it stopped working. Yeah, it clicks, but thats about it. The computer does not even see the drive (its a storage drive, OS is on another drive)

I don't care that I lost all my mp3s (i have the CDs), but my photos.... oh god. 3 years of digital photos of vacations, graduations, friends, family... everything that wasn't printed.

I hate computers... I really do.

Thanks for listening to me bitch and moan.

 

[Ionizer86]

Freezer trick.

 

[Bovinicus]

You should try putting the drive in the freezer overnight and sticking it back in your system. I have heard that this can often give the drive a little extra life, at least long enough to back up all your important data.

I feel your pain. My 75GXP just kicked the bucket not too long ago. Thankfully (Sort of), I was devoting that entire drive to my brother's needs. None of my data was lost. It was all just MP3s and skate videos anyway.

 

[Wah]

I read about the freezer thing... I was wondering though, what about condensation? Wouldn't that just screw the drive up even more?

 

[suklee]

Wow, 3 years of photos is a LOT of memories. I feel your pain :brokenheart:

I think the idea is once you take it out of the freezer, you don't want to leave it out for too long. Put it back into your computer asap and retrieve the data , if possible. but definitely try the freezer trick... your drive is F'd anyways. btw, make sure no electrical components are directly under the Deathstar... once it does condensate you don't want any water molecules to drip onto your mobo, etc.

 

[Ionizer86]

Originally posted by: Wah
I read about the freezer thing... I was wondering though, what about condensation? Wouldn't that just screw the drive up even more?

I put mine in a ziplock bag and then sealed that up tightly

There's still a bit of condensation, but it'll be pretty minimal if you're careful when you take the HDD out and when you run it on the PC.

 

[Lyfer]

Wow, that sux.

 

[luco]

That's 5 IBM GXP drives that I know went south. I've witnessed my friend's drive go. They sent him a new one, but he just sold it and got Quantum (at that time).

 

[tart666]

the IT guy at work one told me to spin the drive around its axis while it's powering up. That adds extra angular momentum to lift the heads when they are stuck to the media. The drive should be OK once it's on. He claims he retrieved the data from dozens of non-starter drives that way.

(most of the time clicking is the head motor shutting off due to overcurrent trying to lift the heads when they are stuck)

 

[acebake]

It's expensive, but if they're pictures you want back for sure, you could consider one of those data recovery places...

 

[buleyb]

Not that I don't understand and care, backups were created for a reason (and I should point out, having a 75GXP fail isn't a surprise, where have you been for the past several years).

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

3 years of pics, Mp3's, etc important stuff....I feel for ya and all, But why the hell were you not backed up better? No excuse for that. CD's are cheap and backup software is plentiful..

 

[jagec]

it's a 75GXP and you didn't have it backed up?

Yeah, try the freezer trick, be sure to use a ziplock bag and work quickly.

 

[Sheriff]

:roll:

I hate computers... I really do.

Oh Wah look a little further as even the IBM 75GXP probably lasted the warranty and you had plenty of backup time. I sincerly hope you recover the stuffs by the suggestions but sorry it's your Cryin Time and fault.

 

[Special1Sauce]

Yeah computers bite the big one sometimes but chalk it up to experience I guess. You should try to get a big long ass IDE cable and leave it in the freezer and run it to your rig

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

Originally posted by: Special1Sauce
Yeah computers bite the big one sometimes but chalk it up to experience I guess. You should try to get a big long ass IDE cable and leave it in the freezer and run it to your rig

Or wrap it with dry ice just outside of the case.

 

[Pauli]

Dude, you haven't backed up any of your photos in 3 YEARS?!?!?!?! And knowing all of the problems with the IBM drives of that vintage?!?!?!? I'm sorry, but you have nobody to blame but yourself.

Ah well, in any case, make sure you get all of the extra air out of the ziplock bag when you zip it up after putting the drive in.

 

[eastvillager]

I had 4 75gxp drives running pretty much 24x7 from the first week they were released until I eventually upgraded them to 10k rpm raptors. Never had a problem with them.

You probably sent all the photos you really want to other people on cd-rom or in e-mail, just send out a request for copies.

 

[Steve]

Hasn't anybody heard about the firmware fix for Deathstars?

http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=0&q=DTLA&uid=psg1MIGR-44195

Not sure if it'll retrieve your data, but it may resurrect your drive. In working drives it helps prevent death.

 

[0roo0roo]

welcome to the world of harddrives. its russian roulette at 7200rpm. raid is your friend. remember that next time

 

[Maverick]

My 75GXP is still alive and kicking...but this thread gives me motivation to replace it

what size was this one btw? I have the 60 gig and I haven't heard of too many probs with it. Mostly I've heard of the 45 GB ones dying.

 

[klah]

We got Deathstar, we got Deathstar...

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

I had a 40GB WD die on me 3 or 4 days ago. Still clicking. 16 hours in the freezer didn't touch it though.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: klah
We got Deathstar, we got Deathstar...

Lol, that flash is great.

 

[Swanny]

I've had 4 of those drives fail, too. For future reference, if you had flashed the drive with the latest firmware this wouldn't have happened. IBM claims the new firmware keeps the drive from doing whatever is does to kill itself.