Laptop HDD won't spin up...

[DaFinn]

The HDD on my IBM TP T41p just died . On boot I get "Error 0200, fixed disk failure". Acc. to IBM tihs means HDD is physically broken, in this case it doesn't spin (ie. motor is broken).

I have about 6 months worth of photos (~600) that I haven't backed up. I tried already in another laptop, and get same error. Anything else I can do???

I'm even willing to buy another drive, and start changing parts. Anybody ever done this?

And no, data is not worht sending to Norman-Ibas. I checked, and it would cost ~2000 - 3500,-

help...

 

[DaFinn]

C'mon... anybody???

 

[corkyg]

Download the IBM/Hitachi Drive Fitness Test, and put it on bootable media. Then run the DFT on that drive. It will tell you in more detail what is wrong.

If there is any life left, you may be able to off load some files by removing it from the latop, and use a 2.5" to 3.5" adapter and run it as a second drive in your desktop. If you do that, you should use the Master slot of the secondary channel because 2.5" mini-jumpers are very hard to come by.

If all that is still a dead end, you have to come to grips with the loss of the pictures. Lesson learned - always burn them to CDRs periodically.

 

[DaFinn]

I already tried in another laptop. Problem is, it won't spin = either motor turning the plates or the circuit board is bad.
Basically the question is, how many parts can I change myself??? I've herd about people changing the circuit board succesfully, but could I physically open the drive and change the motor???

 

[ValuedCustomer]

If the data is worth that much to you then you may as well take it/send it to a data recovery/forensics lab.. and yeah, it's gonna cost you. --

 

[bacillus]

Have you tried putting the hard disk into a sealed plastic bag then placing it in the freezer for a few hours. After that time, quickly try reinstalling the drive. If it spins up then you have a short period of time in which to salvage any data you can.

 

[DaFinn]

Originally posted by: bacillus
Have you tried putting the hard disk into a sealed plastic bag then placing it in the freezer for a few hours. After that time, quickly try reinstalling the drive. If it spins up then you have a short period of time in which to salvage any data you can.

Hmm... freezer it is I'll let you know how it goes!!!

 

[Lorthreth]

Originally posted by: DaFinn
And no, data is not worht sending to Norman-Ibas. I checked, and it would cost ~2000 - 3500,-

help...

Text

It's in finnish, but according to that, Ibas has a reasonably priced plan for home users and small businesses. 30,50e for a desktop and 48,80e for laptop per year. Not "~2000 - 3500,-"

 

[DaFinn]

Originally posted by: Lorthreth

Originally posted by: DaFinn
And no, data is not worht sending to Norman-Ibas. I checked, and it would cost ~2000 - 3500,-

help...

Text

It's in finnish, but according to that, Ibas has a reasonably priced plan for home users and small businesses. 30,50e for a desktop and 48,80e for laptop per year. Not "~2000 - 3500,-"

YUP, IF YOU HAVE MADE THE AGREEMENT BEFORE THE DATA GOES BYE BYE!!! I tried, but for some reason you cannot make the agreement after you've lost your data
So, in my case
-Analysis ? 570,-
-Data recovery ? 1500 - 3500,- depending what needs to be done.
-shipping (only dhl) ? 90,-/ direction

So there...

 

[DaFinn]

Originally posted by: DaFinn

Originally posted by: bacillus
Have you tried putting the hard disk into a sealed plastic bag then placing it in the freezer for a few hours. After that time, quickly try reinstalling the drive. If it spins up then you have a short period of time in which to salvage any data you can.

Hmm... freezer it is I'll let you know how it goes!!!

Freezer no worky Still won't spin up... and now HDD is cold and wet.

 

[corkyg]

Requiescat in pace! +

 

[crazy guy]

I had my disk drive failure about 10 years ago (20 MByte Connor hard disk drive) - I was able to recover from that one by swapping the control board - but that was back when the circuit boards were the size of paperbacks novels. But technology has advanced rapidly since then. You would have to find the exact match of circuit boards (down to the exact model number) - look at your drive, and the manufacturers web site to make sure.

More recently, I've had a Hitachi 'Travelstar' 80XN fail (60 Gigabytes) from a Sony laptop fail - finding a replacement drive is cheap enough ($60), but recovering the lost data is the problem (Dual boot Linux/Windows XP system with multiple partitions. Last backup for my source code was about a week ago. I'm considering sending the laptop back for repairs while still under warranty (20 days left), but the contract requires that I am willing to have the drive reformatted, which is not what I want.

I think the advice from corkyg is about the best I have seen. I'm living off a Knoppix CD just now, but will burn a copy of the Hitachi diagnostic software to see if I can get anywhere. (80% chance of firmware vs. 20% chance of physical failure)

 

[Wandere]

You can recover it.

1) Swap control boards but look for any burnt components first...that's a sure sign it's definitely the control board.

2) Disassemble the drive and see if the spindle is locked. Do this in a humid environment (bathroom). If it is, you can order a replace drive and swap the platters.

I've done both successfully but it's a last-ditch attempt at getting the data.

Good luck!

-Wandere

Edit: just spinning the spindle with your fingers may be enough to temporary "loosen" it. Once it starts spinning, give that motor voltage and don't stop until all of your data is off!

 

[nbarb99]

Originally posted by: Wandere
You can recover it.

1) Swap control boards but look for any burnt components first...that's a sure sign it's definitely the control board.

2) Disassemble the drive and see if the spindle is locked. Do this in a humid environment (bathroom). If it is, you can order a replace drive and swap the platters.

I've done both successfully but it's a last-ditch attempt at getting the data.

Good luck!

-Wandere

Edit: just spinning the spindle with your fingers may be enough to temporary "loosen" it. Once it starts spinning, give that motor voltage and don't stop until all of your data is off!

Err... I've always been told that opening the air-tight seal around the drive internals can pose a serious risk unless you are in a clean room enviroment.

 

[birdpup]

Wandere's recommendation was definitely one of the most interestingly novel methods of restoring a hard drive I have read in a long time. Very nice and thank you for providing that insight, Wandere. May I ask about the locked spindle? What is the significance of the spindle being locked and the presumption this is a good thing? Thanks.

The recommendation to open the drive in a [actively] humid environment would serve the purpose of having the water in the air catch and remove all the loose dust particles floating through the air. The dust particles are why you normally need to open a hard drive in a clean room environment. Even a single dust particle would physically damage the hard drive spindle.