Troubleshooting MacBook Hard Drive Issue

[MDE]

I'm trying to help a friend out with their MacBook that's showing a gray screen with a flashing folder on bootup. I've basically narrowed it down to a failed\failing hard drive. If I try to start the computer up with that drive in it, I can't do a Safe Boot, or get into Target Disk Mode, but TDM "works" with no drive inside. I've also put that drive into my MacBook and get the same problems.

I basically want to know what you guys think the chances of getting any data off of this thing are and the best way of going about recovery, if possible. I've tried installing it into my Windows PC (7, 64 bit) and got nowhere fast (seems like every method to read an HFS drive makes my PC BSOD on boot). I'm a PC guy, so I'm hoping there's something that I'm missing that'll let me get something off the drive. Thanks!

 

[jonesthewine]

You could try installing the drive in an external enclosure ( http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCateg...nal-Enclosures ) with a USB interface and plugging it into a functioning Mac to try to recover whatever it is that your friend needs from the drive.

 

[MDE]

I tried a trial of MacDrive, and the PC just hangs up and can't read the drive. I'm just going to call it dead.