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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Consumer Hardware & Components > My (Full) 1TB Just died - Help!!

My (Full) 1TB Just died - Help!!
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Ryan1524
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Feb 14, 2008, 02:19 AM
 
I think my 1TB external HDD that's about 99% full just decided to went kaputski. Close to half of that amount is irreplacable. Any suggestions on how to revive it - even temporarily would be good.

I've gone through a dozen power cycles, orienting the drives differently, setting it next to my window for 10 minutes (it's -6 outside), and a different cable. Nothing. My Disk Utility (on a mac) recognizes something plugged in, but can't read any properties of the drive. It can't even tell its SMART status, size, etc. But it does show the drive there. I jsut can't access it, or do anything to it.

I really need help. Anyone, please?
Ryan
     
JustinHorne
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Feb 14, 2008, 04:50 AM
 
Are you hearing nasty noises? Like.. heads grinding, etc?

Of no, and everything else you have tried has failed, and I'm serious about this:

Put it in the freezer, then try to use it. I've heard enough success stories from this idea that I've come to believe it's credible. it won't be FIXED, but it might give you enough time to transfer your data off of it.

Good luck.
     
OreoCookie
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Feb 14, 2008, 05:45 AM
 
If the electronics of the drive has died, then there is not much you can do.

(1) So first of all, I would try a different enclosure: perhaps it's just the enclosure that is broken and not the harddrive.
(2) If it's not the enclosure and your harddrive has died, then there's one more thing you can try: you could buy another harddrive of the same make and model and exchange the electronics in the broken one for the new one. There are several things you need to keep in mind: even if you can get the same make and model, it still doesn't mean, the electronics is compatible between different revisions. Nor is it clear that it's the electronics of the drive, it could be the motor or the heads that are broken.
(3) Use a professional recovery service. They're reliable, but expensive (think four digits!).

Honestly, if data is precious to you, then back it up! I know that it's easy to give you this advice now that your data might be lost forever, but in the future: back up all essential data.
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
     
pixelbaker
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Feb 14, 2008, 10:32 AM
 
My Seagate 500gb just bit the dust after about 7yrs of good service. It was my storage drive that contained anything I could have possibly ever wanted to save (music, video, documents, photos, misc other stuffs). I was getting some bad clicking sounds from it so I immediately put it in a freezer bag, squeezed out all the air, and left it in the freezer while I ordered a new 1TB drive from newegg. When the new one arrived, I put the 500gb drive back in my Mac Pro and I was able to get about 150/450gb off of it before it finally clicked it's last click.

that was just enough to get all of my music plus other misc stuff that was irreplaceable. I would have gone nuts had I not gotten rescued my music library.

The freezer method WORKS [with varying degrees of success]. Just prioritize ahead of time what data you'd like to get off of the drive and have a backup location ready so you can take quick action.
     
Ryan1524  (op)
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Feb 14, 2008, 01:48 PM
 
On a normal day, the drive makes a beep/spin sound as I turn it on, and proceeds to make read/click noises, then it mounts. Now, it just keeps on alternating spinning noise from one drive to the other. I was dumb enough to buy a RAID0 1TB.

But Disk Utility shows the enclosure (OtherWorldComputing), but all the functions are greyed out. I can't verify or repair the disk. and it also doesn't show the capacity, or SMART status. Now, if I switch to USB instead of Firewire, it does the exact same thing, with the addition of a new item in Disk Util: '2 Maxtor Grizzly Drives'. So my computer can see something is there, but can't read or access it. The above results are the same in Windows Device Manager.

I'm thinking either the drives are gone, or the Oxford bridge is damaged.

I also tried the cooling method. Left it by my open window for 5 minutes. It's -6C outside, so it's nice and chilly when I plugged it back in. same thing.
Ryan
     
Big Mac
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Feb 14, 2008, 02:07 PM
 
That's really terrible, Ryan. Are you going to try a different enclosure?

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
     
OreoCookie
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Feb 14, 2008, 03:19 PM
 
Leaving the harddrive near the window is not the same as putting it into the freezer. I'd try again. Important: Use the drive only to recover your data. Buy a new drive now and have it handy!
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
     
hookem2oo7
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Feb 14, 2008, 03:30 PM
 
It sounds like the power supply for the enclosure isn't getting the drives enough power to spin up. I had a cheap single enclosure that was showing the same symptoms as yours. I thought for sure the drive was toast, but i bought a new enclosure and it's been working perfectly for 8 months now. Granted I don't have any critical information on it...but something to think about.
     
Ryan1524  (op)
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Feb 15, 2008, 05:59 AM
 
Originally Posted by OreoCookie View Post
Leaving the harddrive near the window is not the same as putting it into the freezer. I'd try again. Important: Use the drive only to recover your data. Buy a new drive now and have it handy!
By putting it in the freezer, do you mean with it running? or put it in for 10 minutes and take it out to attempt data extraction? The window was open, so having -6C air blow on it for 5-10 minutes was (i thought) similar enough to having it in the freezer. The case was so cold that any extra time there, and it might start condensating.
Ryan
     
Big Mac
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Feb 15, 2008, 06:56 AM
 

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
     
OreoCookie
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Feb 15, 2008, 08:45 AM
 
Originally Posted by Ryan1524 View Post
By putting it in the freezer, do you mean with it running? or put it in for 10 minutes and take it out to attempt data extraction? The window was open, so having -6C air blow on it for 5-10 minutes was (i thought) similar enough to having it in the freezer. The case was so cold that any extra time there, and it might start condensating.
The freezer is -20 degrees celsius and it's not enough if you let some cold air blow on it, the whole harddrive needs to have that low temperature, not just the surface!

Again, do that only to recover data! Don't use the drive for anything else. Have you bought a new harddrive?
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
     
vmarks
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Feb 15, 2008, 11:56 AM
 
The idea behind the freezer is that cold causes contraction.

It can affect the bearings, or if the head is going past where it ought to travel on the platter, the geometry will change enough to be readable.

You have to be quick for this to work because the very act of having the drive connected to power and spinning is going to generate heat, which causes expansion.
     
macdude22
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Mar 24, 2008, 09:36 AM
 
If it's bearings, you might be hosed. But if you can pull it and find a PC Spin Rite from GRC has been known to perform minor miracles on drives (mac drives included).
"Don't try to be a great man, just be a man."
     
   
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