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bkb · Jul 17, 2005, 06:02 PM

I dropped one of my PowerBooks and now I get the question mark when I turn it on. It's no longer in warranty, and frankly I don't mind it dying, I just want to get a few files out of it. Booting with my Panther Install CD doesn't find the HD. Similarly, when I boot using DiskWarrior, it doesn't find the HD either. Any suggestions on what I can do to get it to find or mount the HD?

Thanks.

romeosc · Jul 17, 2005, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by bkb

I dropped one of my PowerBooks and now I get the question mark when I turn it on. It's no longer in warranty, and frankly I don't mind it dying, I just want to get a few files out of it. Booting with my Panther Install CD doesn't find the HD. Similarly, when I boot using DiskWarrior, it doesn't find the HD either. Any suggestions on what I can do to get it to find or mount the HD?

Thanks.

Does device show up under system profiler, when you boot from cd or firewire drive?
if you have anoher mac, try using firewire mode.

bkb · Jul 17, 2005, 06:29 PM

How do I get to system profiler from CD? Unfortunately, I no longer have the original CD that came with it.

I do have another Mac but I haven't tried FIrewire mode yet - I need to get the cable. But is it worth looking into or probably just another dead end? What will I be able to do once I'm in?

Also - I have a iPod Mini. Would I be able to install Mac OS X on that and use it to boot into Target Mode?

Thank you for your suggestion.

romeosc · Jul 17, 2005, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by bkb

How do I get to system profiler from CD? Unfortunately, I no longer have the original CD that came with it.

I do have another Mac but I haven't tried FIrewire mode yet - I need to get the cable. But is it worth looking into or probably just another dead end? What will I be able to do once I'm in?

Also - I have a iPod Mini. Would I be able to install Mac OS X on that and use it to boot into Target Mode?

Thank you for your suggestion.

You could use mini with OSX on it to boot, but if you use another Mac and set PB in firewire mode, you have a better chance of recovering files from drive.

If this fails, you could check to see if the drive connector was bumped loose!

bkb · Jul 17, 2005, 07:08 PM

I just installed Panther on my Mini and booted into it on the faulty Mac. I have 2.5 GB to spare on the Mini, and that is more than enough to transfer the files. However, I can't find the faulty PB's internal HD. It doesn't appear in the ATA Device Tree, nor on the desktop. Could someone tell me how to try and mount it manually? Or, is there anything I detect it?

Thanks.

Gavin · Jul 18, 2005, 09:00 AM

I'd try zapping the pram just for the hell of it.
shut it down, unplug it and take out the battery - let it sit for a few minutes. <- the computer version of giving your tv a whack.

You might try picking a startup disk with the system prefs - It might do a better job of hunting.

anyway

the command is 'mount'

try something like this:

mount -t hfs /dev/disk0s5 /tmp

/dev/disk0s5 <- this is the drive name on an ibook, might be different on a powerbook??

/tmp is where the folders will show up. you could use /Volumes or something else

bkb · Jul 18, 2005, 12:26 PM

I've zapped the PRAM - no improvement.

I'll try to make it hunt in System Prefs.

Regarding mounting - the thing is, when I start the computer in target mode using my iPod, the output from df shows that the iPod is considered disk0 mounted at /. And there is no sign of another disk in there. I am familiar with the mount command but the issue I'm having is in idenfitying the dev number of my internal HD.

tooki · Jul 18, 2005, 01:51 PM

It sounds to me as if one of two things has happened:

1) the hard disk has become disconnected
2) the hard disk has been damaged.

(I do not think the PowerBook itself is damaged.)

tooki

bkb · Jul 18, 2005, 07:01 PM

Tooki - clearly - the fact that I could boot into the OS using my iPod confirms that the Powerbook itself is not damaged.

I managed to open it up and took the HD out of it's slot. I then reconnected it and reassembled. Same problem - though I can confirm now that the HD is connected, I still get the question mark sign. So that points to a damaged HD.

When I boot in target mode and go into System Preferences --> Startup Disk (Gavin's suggestion), I get the spinning beachball. It doesn't stop spinning. The Finder itself becomes unresponsive and I have to do a cold reboot.

So - I guess the only thing left to do is order a new HD, replace it, and then send the old one in somewhere to see if a technician can get anything out of it. Is this correct? Final question: if anyone knows of a third part repair service in the US that I can send my HD to, please let me know. I have had a great experience repairing another PB's faulty Superdrive with Wegener Media, but a HD specialist might be more appropriate.

Thanks.

Detrius · Jul 19, 2005, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by tooki

It sounds to me as if one of two things has happened:

1) the hard disk has become disconnected
2) the hard disk has been damaged.

(I do not think the PowerBook itself is damaged.)

tooki

There are more possibilities:

3) the hard drive cable is damaged (effectively disconnected)
4) the portion of the logic board handling the hard drive has become damaged

#4 would effectively mean your laptop is toast... #2 would mean your data is toast. For anything other than #2, you should be able to get your data off the drive relatively easily (i.e. you won't have to send it to drive savers and spend a lot of money).

tooki · Jul 20, 2005, 10:14 AM

I didn't say my list was exhaustive. I chose the two problems that are far more likely to have happened. I have never encountered #3. #4 is also very rare -- FAR less likely than #1 or #2.

tooki

P.S. Booting from a FireWire drive is NOT target disk mode. TDM is booting the Mac as a FireWire drive.

bkb · Jul 20, 2005, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by tooki

I didn't say my list was exhaustive. I chose the two problems that are far more likely to have happened. I have never encountered #3. #4 is also very rare -- FAR less likely than #1 or #2.

tooki

P.S. Booting from a FireWire drive is NOT target disk mode. TDM is booting the Mac as a FireWire drive.

Thanks for the feedback & correction. I called a repair service and they said I might try sticking the HD in the freezer overnight and trying it the next day. Has anyone heard of this? It's in there right now and I'll give it a shot tonight. Another thing - when I removed the HD, I could her something moving around in there. A loose part. Not good - but probably points to the hard disk being damaged (2), rather than 3 or 4. Either way - I've ordered a replacement HD and I will confirm this in a couple days.

Finally - shooting in the dark here - is there any scope for opening up and examining/repairing a HD?

Thanks.

OreoCookie · Jul 20, 2005, 11:25 AM

If it is an OS9 version of Diskwarrior, make sure the OS9 drivers for the harddrive have been installed!! Otherwise OS9 won't see it.

bkb · Jul 20, 2005, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

If it is an OS9 version of Diskwarrior, make sure the OS9 drivers for the harddrive have been installed!! Otherwise OS9 won't see it.

Thanks - but it isn't.

Tyre MacAdmin · Jul 20, 2005, 01:14 PM

The freezer? Be sure and ask what that does... I've never heard that one before, lol...

bkb · Jul 20, 2005, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by Tyler McAdams

The freezer? Be sure and ask what that does... I've never heard that one before, lol...

Apparently most HDs that break get get burnt, and this is a short term fix to get the data out.

Tyre MacAdmin · Jul 20, 2005, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by bkb

T
Finally - shooting in the dark here - is there any scope for opening up and examining/repairing a HD?
Thanks.

If you value your data don't open it up... send it to a data retreval center like Lazarus (http://www.lazarus.com/)

They will have a "clean room" where they can open the hard drive shell up and use special tools to get your data back... that's about the only option if your drive is dead.

bkb · Jul 20, 2005, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by Tyler McAdams

If you value your data don't open it up... send it to a data retreval center like Lazarus (http://www.lazarus.com/)

They will have a "clean room" where they can open the hard drive shell up and use special tools to get your data back... that's about the only option if your drive is dead.

Thanks - that's exactly what I was looking for.

bkb · Jul 21, 2005, 01:07 PM

BTW - when bookmarking these threads (temporarily), is there a way to tweak the address to make it go to the most recent post?

Thanks.

tooki · Jul 21, 2005, 02:03 PM

There's no easy way right now. But we will be bringing back direct-linking eventually.

tooki

bkb · Jul 21, 2005, 02:28 PM

Cool.

BTW - I called a handful of specialist data recovery places and they all charge in the $1000+ range. My data is really not that critical and I'm looking to spend $150 max to get it out. Lazarus's was a little less expensive but still quoted $150-$700. HDs suck.

Tyre MacAdmin · Jul 21, 2005, 02:30 PM

They are expensive... and the reason is due to the process of cracking open the hard drive and getting at the data... It's less complex if there is no physical damage to the disk but a pain still.

Gavin · Jul 22, 2005, 12:01 PM

That sucks about the drive.

Maybe you could get a local college or tech school lab to go after your data for free.

bkb · Aug 4, 2005, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by tooki

I didn't say my list was exhaustive. I chose the two problems that are far more likely to have happened. I have never encountered #3. #4 is also very rare -- FAR less likely than #1 or #2.

tooki

P.S. Booting from a FireWire drive is NOT target disk mode. TDM is booting the Mac as a FireWire drive.

It was number 2 - I replaced the HD and the computer is back up and running. Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Next stop, data recovery.