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warra · Feb 10, 2007, 04:06 PM

I need some help. I'm trying to fix a 15 inch powerbook with Tiger with a failing (quite possibly has died already). It started with the flashing question mark when it is turned on. So, I started searching the apple support tips. I've tried resetting the PRAM/NVRAM and that didnt work. When I loaded the Tiger cd to try to use Disk Utility, the hard drive was not even listed. Ive also tried using the startup manager to see what it detects, and the hard drive isn't listed. I'm pretty sure its completely dead, but I was wondering if there were any other tips or tricks i could use to recover the data.

I have diskwarrior installed on my computer, but I do not have the disk with me right now, so instead I tried burning a bootable copy of it through disk utility but I kept getting an error.

Any Ideas?

peeb · Feb 10, 2007, 05:49 PM

Replace the hard drive?!

cagljevic · Feb 10, 2007, 09:40 PM

I think the post was more geared towards how to get the data off the disk that isn't responding...

I dont have much of an answer since I haven't been in that situation, but I can tell you that replacing the hard drive yourself is an option, and one that isn't overly difficult when using the free online guides for that particular upgrade.

Mark

MrN79 · Feb 11, 2007, 05:18 AM

I was in the same situation, i had data on my failed HD and didn't know how to get it off. I replaced the HD myself, installed the failed HD in an external case and retrieved the data from it (after using diskwarrior to fix the bad blocks/sectors). Both HD's are still working fine.

As far as it being "easy" to replace? I would call it a moderate task if you have basic mechanical skills. Be as meticulous as you can as far as labeling where each screw came from. I took the pictures from my take apart manual, double sticky taped the pic, and placed each screw on the tape.

warra · Feb 11, 2007, 01:17 PM

Thanks mrN79, ill try that.

neon_duke · Feb 14, 2007, 10:46 PM

Actually, I just went through this with my PB17. It lunched the harddrive and my backup was not current (though I DID have one).

I was able to use a firewire cable to connect it to my daughter's robot iMac, then boot the laptop in Firewire Target mode (hold down T on your laptop after pressing the boot button). Although the failing drive wouldn't boot, it would mount on the other machine as if it was an external drive, allowing me to copy my critical files over. I skipped anything replaceable (music, etc.) in order to minimize the run time of the grinding hard drive. Most of it came over, though I did lose a few pictures and other documents.

LESSON LEARNED.

I bought a Seagate 100mb 7200rpm drive for $179 and installed it myself in about an hour, and that was only because I was going slowly and carefully. I used a DIY guide from MacFixIt, which even included a sheet to tape all the tiny screws down. I bought a Home Depot multi-head Phillips and the similar Torx driver for $5 each, in order to get the tiny sizes (#0 Phillips, T8 torx) you need. Those were the only tools I used besides a toothpick.

It's really not difficult as long as you go carefully and pay attention to how things are routed when you take it apart. On the PB17, anyway, there were only 4 connectors to remove (trackpad, one end of the sound cable, both ends of the HD cable).

Apple wanted $300+ to put another 60gb 5400rpm drive in. For 2/3 the money I got 1.5 times the capacity and half again as much spin speed.

peeb · Feb 15, 2007, 05:37 PM

What effect does it have on battery life? I heard the 7200s eat battery. Also, do you notice the difference over the 5400 in day- to day use? I'm thinking of doing the same thing.

neon_duke · Feb 15, 2007, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by peeb

What effect does it have on battery life? I heard the 7200s eat battery. Also, do you notice the difference over the 5400 in day- to day use? I'm thinking of doing the same thing.

Well, the jury's out on that one. Currently, when you unplug the machine, it says you have 455 hours of battery life. 5 minutes later, it says you have 12 hours of battery life. 3 minutes after that, it shuts down with no warning.

I'm thinking I need a new battery, too. However, I'm not too worried about squeezing the last minutes of battery life out of it, since the machine spends most of its time plugged in.

When I installed the new drive, I also went from 10.2.8 to 10.4.whatever's current. The machine definitely seems snappier, but I can't give you a straight comparison because a more significant variable changed than just the drive speed. I will say the Seagate is quieter, and seems to make the fans run less (though that could be updated management software talking, too).

peeb · Feb 15, 2007, 07:13 PM

hmmm.... have you calibrated the battery lately?

tinkered · Feb 16, 2007, 02:03 AM

The more full your drive the less difference rotational speed makes. So if you don't carry around a lot of data then go with the 7200. Also, drives have become more power efficient. When I replaced the 10GB drive on my pismo with 5400 rpm 40GB it upped my battery life, which is something I really care about with this machine since it main use is as the road laptop in conditions I would never risk my newer ones.

The hardest part of working on Aluminum PG's is to not bend the case in anyway. Once you are in the repairs become about not loosing track of where things go.

Also, have you tried connecting your computer to another with target disk mode and then running disk warrior?

ehwang114 · Mar 6, 2007, 05:53 AM

Originally Posted by MrN79

I was in the same situation, i had data on my failed HD and didn't know how to get it off. I replaced the HD myself, installed the failed HD in an external case and retrieved the data from it (after using diskwarrior to fix the bad blocks/sectors). Both HD's are still working fine.

MrN79,

I am curious as to what you mean by "installed the failed HD in an external case?" I had my HD give out completely on me and if there is a way to retrieve some of the data I would like to know how. Considering my situation, would diskwarrior still help? Thank you in advance.

bbales · Mar 6, 2007, 10:22 AM

My drive in my 12-inch PB gave out last week. (I had a backup plus I was able to use Disk Warrior and Disk Utility to get a complete backup before declaring the drive dead.)

I took mine to Comp USA. Bought a Seagate drive and had them install it for $30. I did all the transferring, installing the OS myself, because for all that, they wanted another $120. I decided not to try to do it myself.

Also -- to those who've just gone through this -- did your battery work afterwards? I have a nice big X through mine. It's not charging at all. This is my second battery and the machine is 4 years old, so I'm assuming the battery's probably 2 or close to it. I have a new battery on order. I'm reluctant to reset the power management system until I know for sure it's not the battery. (And certainly the battery won't go to waste.) Battery arrives tomorrow.

ehwang114 · Mar 6, 2007, 01:23 PM

so if my drive is dead meaning disk utility cant read it and my pb cant even boot up...theres no point in me getting disk warrior right? i just want to make sure because i was thinking about spending some money on the software.