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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Consumer Hardware & Components > hard drive dead? file recovery

hard drive dead? file recovery
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GuyWithACamera
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Jul 5, 2011, 02:48 AM
 
I had a Seagate 1TB Freeagent Pro FW/USB/eSata (connected via FW) drive go belly up - first it wouldn't always mount then not at all. Since it was out of warranty and the data was worth more than a replacement anyways, I ripped it out of the enclosure and installed it into a spare bay in my Mac Pro and also tried a USB/SATA adapter but it won't mount either way.

Disk Utility sees the drive but all the options of repair, verify, erase, etc. are grayed out.

I've tried Data Rescue to recover files but it won't even see it. Disk Warrior or Drive Genius can't do anything either. I tried to freeezer trick to no avail. You can feel the drive spinning up when plugged in.

The drive was partitioned for misc storage and TM backup over the network for my Macbook Pro. The only files I'm concerned about are the 400+ CD's that I don't want to have to rip again.

In the disk utility info screenshot, you can see the serial number is all 0's and there's a space in the drive name/number that I dont think should be there.



Whether this is crucial or not, I believe heat was an issue with it failing. The enclosure would get quite warm. When it failed completely, I was booting back into Mac OS from Win7 and my Mac boot drive was corrupted enough to have to reinstall snow leopard in order to boot into OSX.

Are there any other reliable applications or methods of getting data off a toasted drive?
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CharlesS
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Jul 5, 2011, 02:55 AM
 
Only thing I can think of is DriveSavers. They could probably recover your data — but hiring a local teenager by the hour to re-rip your CDs for you would probably be cheaper.

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Doc HM
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Jul 5, 2011, 12:10 PM
 
Looks to me more like and issue with the drive controller than the physical hard drive mechanics. A data recovery shop will try to find a drive of the same manufacturer and close serial number and swap the controller boards over. The chances of you finding a drive to do this with are essentially zero. I'd pay the neighbour to re rip your cd's. It'll be quicker.
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chabig
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Jul 5, 2011, 02:05 PM
 
If those songs are in iTunes, and you can wait until this fall, you can purchase iTunes Match for $25 and Apple will magically replace all of those songs for you.
     
GuyWithACamera  (op)
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Jul 5, 2011, 04:07 PM
 
I'm not sure if the Match will look for the actual music on the drive or just reference the iTunes library (where the music is still listed - just get an exclamation symbol when I try to play).

I really wanted to claim victory over this drive. i don't like losing to the "Machine"
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Waragainstsleep
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Jul 10, 2011, 05:05 AM
 
Put in a bag and stick it in the freezer. The try again.
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AKcrab
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Jul 11, 2011, 02:12 PM
 
He already tried the "freezer trick".
     
reader50
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Jul 11, 2011, 03:13 PM
 
Is the drive inside a Seagate 7200.11 ? If so, the design has some bugs that caused numerous failures.

Seagate came out with a large number of firmware updates, which appear to have stabilized things. But if the drive is bricked, a new firmware cannot be applied. You can send it back to Seagate for replacement and data recovery at a reduced rate - $300 IIRC. Which is pretty cheap for data recovery.

Let me recommend CharlesS's solution. Hire neighbor teen to re-rip your CDs. Or con a young relative into doing it instead of your lawn.
     
GuyWithACamera  (op)
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Jul 11, 2011, 05:31 PM
 
Thanks for the response. I had chalked it up to overheating and never knew about the firmware updates. I doubt Seagate would even consider replace it or touch it since I removed it from the enclosure destroying it (enclosure) in the process. I think Fort Knox would be easier to break into than this enclosure.

I think this will be the last Seagate external drive I ever purchase, maybe even any external drive unless it has a fan and serious venting.
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CharlesS
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Jul 11, 2011, 06:45 PM
 
For external drives, it's generally a better idea to get the enclosure separately. This makes it easier to get the drive out of the enclosure, and avoids voiding the warranty if you do.

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