Resolved Recovering files from a damaged disk

I am trying to get files from a hard drive that is making a clicking noise, which I presume is damaged. I go to computer managmenet, disk management, to initalize disk, but it won't. How do I get all the info from it. It is a SATA desktop hard drive attached through usb cable to my computer. ( Wd caviar se 250 gig)

 

Normaly when a disk makes audable noises it has a solid hardware problem. You can try to run the diagnostics from the Western Digital web site for your drive and see if there is any hope. I do hope you have a recient backup.

 

Ok I will try that, and like most people, he does not have a recent back up, that is why Iam trying to get the files off for him.

 

Tried Wd diagnostics, but the drive can even be read. I plug it in with the SATA cable then it starts up, makes it's clicking noise then keeps going and then nothing. The OS see's it as Disk 1 not initialized.

 

Arie, thanks I was hoping you wouldn't say that, but I know he is not willing to spend that much. What about freezing the HD? What are your thoughts on that?

 

TonyT what does the freezing do to the HD?

 

Freezing was a trick used on old harddrives that had bad lubricant on the motors. Sometimes it would help the motor break free and spin. I don't think it will help your problem but you have nothing to lose. A way out solution I have used is to find an identical drive and swap the platters between them. This was used at an electronics manufacturer where the engineers would have thousands of hours of research on drives that of course they could not spare the time to backup. Sometimes it worked!

 

ok cool will try it

 

Rest assured, it did not work. Now I am going to try and swap out the platters and see. First time for everything. Does anyone know what type of ***** driver I would use? I believe it is some kind of torx driver. T-25?

 

Most likely it is a T6 or T7 drive and some are the security type with the pin in the middle. This has high odds of not working. The drive you swap the platters with must be the exact model or it wont be able to read the disks. Caution, some drives use glass platters and will shatter if twisted or bumped. When all else fails compleatly disasamble the drive and there will be a very strong magnet you can remove and use for something else. Probably needs not to be said but if the disk platter has obvious scrapes or other damage stop there, you'r done.

 

Alright it sounds like a weekend project, can I pick up one those T6 or T7 at home depot?

 

I had a hard drive that developed physical damage to the platters. I was actually able to recover the data. YMMV, as yours sounds a little more beat than mine. But, it might be something to try before you go and switch platters.

I cloned the disk using a utility from EaseUS. I cloned the hard drive, sector by sector (took almost 14 hours) with an identically-sized hard drive, and have been using the clone flawlessly ever since. It just skipped the damaged sectors of the drive (thankfully few for me), and I haven't noticed any problems from it.

Can't promise it'll work with yours, but I'd try it before doing anything more radical. Paul and Arie probably know better than me, so maybe they'll weigh in after I've said something.

 

the only probelm is that, the os is not recognizing the drive or unable to read the drive at all. That is the problem.

 

It was the same for mine. The BIOS detected physical errors and wouldn't boot. But the bootable software I linked to did it. Not sure how or why... All I can offer is that it worked for me.

Never booted the OS, never accessed the hard drive for actual use. Just copy and go. <shrug>