Comments on: How to Recover Data Even When Hard Drive is Damaged

By: Prashant

Prashant — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 10:51:46 +0000

Hi Pablo,
Kindly respond to my query dated 10. September 2011, 4:35 below. Please, since long I was waiting for you to come back to this forum.
Thanks!
Prashant

By: Terrak

Terrak — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 07:46:26 +0000

Thanks for the response Mr Garcia, its very much appreciated.

By: Pablo Garcia

Pablo Garcia — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:17:43 +0000

Hi Terrak
If the BIOS does not detect the drive or shows an incorrect size, then no operating system will. So, do not waste your time.

By: Terrak

Terrak — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 02:25:46 +0000

Hi Mr Garcia

Thanks for the information on this site. I am interested to try this But have a question to ask before starting. I have 2 HDD that have the same problem. They have been moved/dropped whilst on and now do not work correctly. They show up in the Bios but as a blank, no Name, no HDD size. Can URR fix these hdd? i want to know before i start. Any help would be appreciated

Kind regards

Terrak

By: Prashant

Prashant — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 08:35:21 +0000

Hi Pablo, please, please spare some time if possible and advise on my earlier query (reproduced below):
URR detects drives (like /dev/sda, sda1.. , /dev/sdb..) in linux fashion. My problem is- that it sees drives/partitions of internal hard disk, destination drive (portable 160GB) & even pen drive (that holds URR) but does not detect/see the 80GB damaged Toshiba drive at all which is very correctly seen by BIOS & is connected to IDE. (I also tried to see this damaged drive through TestDisk and Photorec but they are also listing all other drives/partitions but not this drive). I have also cleaned the contact-points of board but no success.

Please, I need your expert comments. Thanks a lot! (my problem in detail is mentioned in my post dated 20 August 2011, 2:02 below)

By: AK 11:11

AK 11:11 — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 17:07:35 +0000

Hi Pablo, I appreciate how busy you must be! I have found the correct PCB for my drive in stock in the States, but it comes with the following

Note:
This PCB’s BIOS is intergrated on the Main Controller IC. You should exchange the Main Controller IC to let the HDD be recognized.

Is this a Necessity?

Thanks

Anthony

By: AK 11:11

AK 11:11 — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 22:35:26 +0000

Ok here’s an update….i have removed the PCB on the HDD and didnt seem to have any contacts to clean – However there is this

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65734682@N07/6107495230/in/photostream

What seems to be a burt out chip? Please tell me that this will be the cause of the Drive not being able to be recognised by the BIOs or is my optimism misplaced and this would have been caused by the head failure which was the diagnosis over the phone today?!!

My drive only has the S/N and the following info on the sticker:

Product of Thailand
MDL: WD5000AAKS – 00YGA0
DATE: 12 SEP 2007
DCM: DANCHT2AHB
WWWN: 50014EE255DB8FBC

Is there any way I could find the firmware ver from this info to replace the board? And is there a pointer on where to start looking?
And the biggest question of all , could it fix it?

Again thanks so much for your time…..

Anthony

By: AK 11:11

AK 11:11 — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 21:02:06 +0000

Thanks Pablo – i’ll try those first I’ve been told by the Data recovery folk that the Caviar Black are notoriously difficult to fix. Will it damage it further by putting under power again after cleaning the contacts? And if you could point me in the right direction for purchasing a new pcb for it – is it right that the pcb has to be within a two week manufacture of the hdd – and from the same country…….due to specific firmware tied with the hdd?

Thanks again – PS I was quoted up to £600 from ABC recovery so we wont be looking at those pictures for a good while yet…..:-( Thanks again for your time in responding

Anthony

By: Prashant

Prashant — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 04:33:43 +0000

Hi Pablo,
By drive letter I meant the same only. URR detects (like /dev/sda, sda1.. , /dev/sdb..) in linux fashion only. My problem is- that it sees drives/partitions of internal hard disk, destination drive (portable 160GB) & even pen drive (that hols URR) but does not detect/see the 80GB failed drive at all which is very correctly seen by BIOS. (I also tried to see this drive through TestDisk and Photorec but they also dont see this.
Please, I need your expert comments. Thanks a lot!

By: Pablo Garcia

Pablo Garcia — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 00:56:51 +0000

Hi Stephen
Do not do it using USB… I state this on the article. USB is highly problematic with DD Rescue and it is rare when it actually works, this has been my experience. I know it is convenient but there is nothing like connecting the hard drives directly to the SATA or IDE interfaces.