Hard Drive fault fixing.

Galahad/FLT · 30 January 2006, 23:52

I have a hard drive that is broken, unfortunately its the one with most of my code/WHDload/ETc, etc, etc on it.

The drive motor doesn't spin up properly, so I'm guessing the motor has gone weak and needs to be replaced.

I contacted Vogon International in the UK, and curiously, they actually cater for Amiga formatted hard drives, but they charge an absolute fortune.

Does anyone have any experiences of getting drives fixed?

agent_jdh · 31 January 2006, 02:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galahad/FLT

I have a hard drive that is broken, unfortunately its the one with most of my code/WHDload/ETc, etc, etc on it.

The drive motor doesn't spin up properly, so I'm guessing the motor has gone weak and needs to be replaced.

I contacted Vogon International in the UK, and curiously, they actually cater for Amiga formatted hard drives, but they charge an absolute fortune.

Does anyone have any experiences of getting drives fixed?

Unless it's an external component on the PCB, it'll be nigh on impossible to fix. If the drive has to be opened, it needs to be done in a clean room (and a very good one at that). That's why hard drive repair/data recovery operations cost so much money.

I know that's probably not what you want to hear though.

BippyM · 31 January 2006, 11:56

It depends on how vluable the data is as to whether it's worth spending money to get it repaired!

thomas · 31 January 2006, 12:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galahad/FLT

I contacted Vogon International in the UK, and curiously, they actually cater for Amiga formatted hard drives, but they charge an absolute fortune.

Perhaps you didn't ask the right question. I don't know if it makes a difference for them, but you should tell them that you don't need a file recovery. You just need a full-volume image, i.e. reading block by block writing it into one big file on CD-R or DVD-R. No analysis needed and no bad-block repair needed (fill bad blocks with zeros). You can do the file recovery yourself with DiskSalv or similar free tools.

thomas · 31 January 2006, 12:59

Quote:

The drive motor doesn't spin up properly, so I'm guessing the motor has gone weak and needs to be replaced.

Could also be the power supply which needs replacement. You should try this first.

lauri_t · 31 January 2006, 17:43

You could also try the usual tricks in getting a drive to spin up. I remember one to be about gently hitting the drive with the grip of a screwdriver while it is spinning up. An other is putting the drive in your freezer for a couple of hours in a sealed bag and then try to start it.

These are from memory so I may be wrong!

thomas · 31 January 2006, 17:45

Quote:

I remember one to be about gently hitting the drive with the grip of a screwdriver while it is spinning up.

This works if the drive does not spin up at all because the heads are sticked to the park position (after not being used for a long time). Do not do it while the disks are already rotating !!!

demoniac · 31 January 2006, 20:36

Hitting the drive real hard might causing additional damage. Be forewarned.

You might be able to locate another drive of the same model that you have already, and try swapping the platter into the new chassis if it's really a motor issue.

agent_jdh · 31 January 2006, 21:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by demoniac

You might be able to locate another drive of the same model that you have already, and try swapping the platter into the new chassis if it's really a motor issue.

Are you serious?

demoniac · 31 January 2006, 22:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by agent_jdh

Are you serious?

Yes. Why do you ask?

gizmomelb · 31 January 2006, 22:14

I used to have a 5.25" IDE Quantum Bigfoot drive on my IBM that wouldn't spin up in time when first powered on, so what I used to have to do was hold the drive at a vertical angle and give it a slick flick/twist while powering on to aid the motor spinning up. Worked fine once it was going

Frog · 31 January 2006, 22:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by demoniac

Hitting the drive real hard might causing additional damage. Be forewarned.

You might be able to locate another drive of the same model that you have already, and try swapping the platter into the new chassis if it's really a motor issue.

i've myself a problem with my own amiga hd. i recently purchased the same model on ebay in the hope to rescue my amiga hd. i receive it this week and i'm now sure it's not the electronic part which is faulty. When i plug it, i heard some noise, as if he try to run, then i heard a noise as if he park the hd, then he retry (3 times) then no more thing. I was thinking now to swapp the platter but agent_jdh said it must be done in a clean room. So my question is did you try yourself to swapp the platter ?

BippyM · 31 January 2006, 22:29

if it is not done in a clean room dust and other invisible to the eye particles will be attracted to the magnetic surface of the platter.. which in turn will kill it!

31 January 2006, 22:33

Hello.
I have myself tried this " operation " some years ago. I swapped the plates, and was able to recover most of my data. The two main problems, was loosing the screws, keeping the plate in place. Theese are tighten VERY hard. Second is getting the plate out & into the " new " drive, without scratching the plate against the drive's head. It is dificult, but can be done.

demoniac · 31 January 2006, 23:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by bippym

if it is not done in a clean room dust and other invisible to the eye particles will be attracted to the magnetic surface of the platter.. which in turn will kill it!

I should point out that this should be done as a last case scenario. A clean, static-free area is best, and you should probably latex wear gloves, etc. I'm also assumming that this is an older drive with larger area and more tolerances.

Frog · 31 January 2006, 23:49

mmmhhh... i swap the electronic controller but it didn't resolve my problem so i really think the only solution is swapping the plate. i've no knowledge at all about hd.
This operation seems a bit hazardous. i'll try to get a ticket for space and make the stuff in zero gravity

Oh and sorry Galahad for taking over your thread but as we got the same problems i think it can also help you

Galahad/FLT · 01 February 2006, 08:26

Well I won an auction for 4 IDE hard drives on Ebay, and one of them is the exact same model. This one also has problems, but I'm hoping they are different problems and I can swap the electronics around.

I did mention to Vogon that I knew what was wrong with the drive, I simply wanted them to recover the data, but their policy is that they perform a diagnosis anyway and charge for it?!!!! Bastards!

Codetapper · 01 February 2006, 09:52

Galahad: Is this the drive with Demonburg etc on or is that safely on a different one?

agent_jdh · 01 February 2006, 13:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by demoniac

Yes. Why do you ask?

It's an act of insanity which to all intents and purposes guarantees a sticky end for the drive in question. It might be worth a go at the very last resort, but any drive made in the last ten years will have a ride height so low that opening it in a non-clean room enironment is effectively a death sentence for the drive. It's just a matter of time before the particles that will now be on the platter/ in the drive enclosure start slowly smashing the heads apart.

mr_0rga5m · 01 February 2006, 20:06

Your all so anal about this clean room .. sheesh .. swap the platters and recover the data to another drive .. then chuck the drive. While your swapping/recovering data the drive is hardly likely to get covered in inches of poo is it.

30 January 2006, 23:52	#1
Galahad/FLT Going nowhere Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: United Kingdom Age: 50 Posts: 8,994	Hard Drive fault fixing. I have a hard drive that is broken, unfortunately its the one with most of my code/WHDload/ETc, etc, etc on it. The drive motor doesn't spin up properly, so I'm guessing the motor has gone weak and needs to be replaced. I contacted Vogon International in the UK, and curiously, they actually cater for Amiga formatted hard drives, but they charge an absolute fortune. Does anyone have any experiences of getting drives fixed?

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31 January 2006, 11:56	#3
BippyM Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Derby, UK Age: 48 Posts: 9,355	It depends on how vluable the data is as to whether it's worth spending money to get it repaired!

31 January 2006, 17:43	#6
lauri_t Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Turku, Finland Age: 39 Posts: 20	You could also try the usual tricks in getting a drive to spin up. I remember one to be about gently hitting the drive with the grip of a screwdriver while it is spinning up. An other is putting the drive in your freezer for a couple of hours in a sealed bag and then try to start it. These are from memory so I may be wrong!

31 January 2006, 20:36	#8
demoniac Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: - Posts: 1,696	Hitting the drive real hard might causing additional damage. Be forewarned. You might be able to locate another drive of the same model that you have already, and try swapping the platter into the new chassis if it's really a motor issue.

31 January 2006, 22:14	#11
gizmomelb Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: melbourne Age: 55 Posts: 541	I used to have a 5.25" IDE Quantum Bigfoot drive on my IBM that wouldn't spin up in time when first powered on, so what I used to have to do was hold the drive at a vertical angle and give it a slick flick/twist while powering on to aid the motor spinning up. Worked fine once it was going

31 January 2006, 22:29	#13
BippyM Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Derby, UK Age: 48 Posts: 9,355	if it is not done in a clean room dust and other invisible to the eye particles will be attracted to the magnetic surface of the platter.. which in turn will kill it!

31 January 2006, 22:33	#14
-Rob- Posts: n/a	Hello. I have myself tried this " operation " some years ago. I swapped the plates, and was able to recover most of my data. The two main problems, was loosing the screws, keeping the plate in place. Theese are tighten VERY hard. Second is getting the plate out & into the " new " drive, without scratching the plate against the drive's head. It is dificult, but can be done.

31 January 2006, 23:49	#16
Frog Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: France Posts: 1,385	mmmhhh... i swap the electronic controller but it didn't resolve my problem so i really think the only solution is swapping the plate. i've no knowledge at all about hd. This operation seems a bit hazardous. i'll try to get a ticket for space and make the stuff in zero gravity Oh and sorry Galahad for taking over your thread but as we got the same problems i think it can also help you

01 February 2006, 08:26	#17
Galahad/FLT Going nowhere Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: United Kingdom Age: 50 Posts: 8,994	Well I won an auction for 4 IDE hard drives on Ebay, and one of them is the exact same model. This one also has problems, but I'm hoping they are different problems and I can swap the electronics around. I did mention to Vogon that I knew what was wrong with the drive, I simply wanted them to recover the data, but their policy is that they perform a diagnosis anyway and charge for it?!!!! Bastards!

01 February 2006, 09:52	#18
Codetapper 2 contact me: email only! Join Date: May 2001 Location: Auckland / New Zealand Posts: 3,182	Galahad: Is this the drive with Demonburg etc on or is that safely on a different one?

01 February 2006, 20:06	#20
mr_0rga5m Tik Gora :D Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Round yo momma's Posts: 1,273	Your all so anal about this clean room .. sheesh .. swap the platters and recover the data to another drive .. then chuck the drive. While your swapping/recovering data the drive is hardly likely to get covered in inches of poo is it.

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