Shoutbox

Okay, here's the problem.

I accidentally plugged my laptop power supply into my external hard drive (320Gb Western Digital - NOT a MyBook) after getting the cables mixed up when I came home from Uni.  At first I didn't realise and the LED failed to come on when I pressed the power button......then after that it did come on, but the drive made no sound (as in a whirring sound of the hard-drive kicking in)

I took it apart and got the drive itself out and tried it in my computer where it wasn't detected either during start-up, or by Windows.  Out of interest I also tried another hard-drive in the external hard drive casing and that did start whirring.

Evidently I've damaged some part of the hard-drive, but what I'd like to know is if it's at all possible that the data is still in tact and that there'd be some way of getting it off.

The data is probably still all intact, but the mechanism for the arms to move has blown. Might only be something small too =/

The data itself will still be intact, but the mechanisms inside your drive for reading that data have all but died.

Most likely, the only way now to recover the data is if the disk platters are extracted and placed in an identical drive housing, and risk losing everything. one fingerprint or speck of dust could render the second drive useless as well, not to mention void both warranties. Or, you could get someone to do the data recovery for you, like Seagate

If you go to UNI i would imagine that they have people that can do it and have the stuff. Not saying they will.

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Originally posted by john-t
If you go to UNI i would imagine that they have people that can do it and have the stuff. Not saying they will.

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That's VERY unlikely.

Data recovery will probably cost alot more then the data is worth to you...

PC world tried to charge me £100 for data recovery... Bunch of n00bs IMO

Actually, the "mechanisms" are more than likely fine.  The drive electronics (circuit board on the back) are what's been damaged.

To revive the drive, you will need to find an identical drive (same exact brand / model / size) and borrow the board from it.  It should be easy to swap if done carefully, usually just a few screws.  Once you get your old drive going, you can get off the data or just keep using it -- it will be the same as the drive that donated the board, anyway.

When somebody doesn't fry them with wrong voltage, most drive failures are mechanical -- so with some luck you could source the board from another non-working drive. 

quote:

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Originally posted by Adeptus
Actually, the "mechanisms" are more than likely fine.  The drive electronics (circuit board on the back) are what's been damaged.

To revive the drive, you will need to find an identical drive (same exact brand / model / size) and borrow the board from it.  It should be easy to swap if done carefully, usually just a few screws.  Once you get your old drive going, you can get off the data or just keep using it -- it will be the same as the drive that donated the board, anyway.

When somebody doesn't fry them with wrong voltage, most drive failures are mechanical -- so with some luck you could source the board from another non-working drive.

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i'd second that is the drive removeable from the enclosure?

i can get the hard-drive out of the external enclosure, as far as i can remember there were a few screws (not traditonal heads though, looked more like an allen key was needed) on the circuit board on the back.

would it literally have to be an identical drive for me to be able to do that myself?

i have an old western digital 40gb hard-drive that i'd happily dissemble in order to get this one working

as for people saying before that profesional data recovery would be worth more than the data, that's not true.....the data is mostly priceless and irrecoverable