HardDrive Manufractors

[va!n]

hi guys,
i am very shocked and demotivated while writting this, because i am sitting in front of an old PC where i had my "Seagate SATA 500 GB HD"  external connected by USB (backup of all datas from my notebook that is at the manufractor atm). This HD had all my private datas and all my sources (a nearly done project for breakpoint, a nearly done sounddisk, experience in texgen and synth coding, started tools and game projects)....

However, this drive f**** up today and the BIOS does not know/see/accept it. Its really now the 5th Seagate HD in the last years, that died. So it seems to me,that the quality is not very good for Seagate drives. Even the drive was just 6 month old but as i noticed now an OEM version, so there is no guarantee

Recovering the datas by a company are to expensive for me. I will think and try it again to recover hopefully some important private docs and sources/prjojects.

In the last years, this is my 5th Seagate HD that crashed O.O  I had only one crash for Maxtor HD. SO, what are your experience with Harddrives?


[Edit]
I will never again buy any Seagate HD... and in german i would say a new advert slogan for seagate:  "Seag*te - Enweder sie geht oder sie geht nicht ^^"

[zawran]

I have Maxtors and Western Digital hdds and so far none of them have crashed on me (knock on wood). I usually keep my source code on two seperate hdds and once every 6 months or so I backup it all onto dvds. I have not lost any code yet, thankfully.

[Jim]

A couple of things you can try before writing it off.

First, buy a new drive to copy the data on to.

Then, try plugging the drive directly into the motherboard of a computer instead of using the USB enclosure.
If that doesn't work, put the drive in a plastic watertight bag and put it in the freezer overnight.  Try it again to see if you can make it work. (Yes, this DOES sometimes work).
See:
http://geeksaresexy.blogspot.com/2006/01/freeze-your-hard-drive-to-recover-data.html
My friend has done this successfully too.

Jim

[benny!]

@va!n:
Sorry to hear that. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you
that you can recover your data.

So far, fortunately I never had a HDD crash (knock on
wood).

[Rbz]

@Vain: Same as Benny said      (and 3 x knock on wood)

My brother had problems with Seagate HD sometime ago...

[va!n]

until now i didnt managed to get the hd work again... even windows and the bios does not like to accept the drive. argh.

@Jim:
thanks for the info/link. i am a bit confused when i read that. Today i found on web a lot of infos that this technique is very dangerous thing and will not recover and datas. mhhhh http://www.focus.de/digital/diverses/dumme-datenpannen_did_12007.html

@all:
i think to buy the same modell again (possible another revision, because i am sure its not easy to get the same revision) and try to put the old HD-disc into the new hd-box. (i never did something like this before, so i hope it will work instead loosing datas and more money ^^)

[Jim]

I guarantee the freezer technique can be made to work, since my friend used it.  You just have to be careful with the condensation.
What have you got to lose?   Freeze the drive, plug it in as a slave and see if it works.  If it does, you'll have a limited time to copy some stuff off it.  If it doesn't, you've got a space in the freezer

Jim

[zawran]

We have also used the freezer trick twice at work, once with success, one without.

[Shockwave]

I also heard about this working before, It's worth a shot.

[Rbz]

I suggest to you to keep with your first idea, buy another HD and replace the disk with the old one, you can even ask help to one of your friends with electronic skills to replace it for you.
 

[zawran]

If you are going to open the hdd, then its crucial that you do not get any dust into it. You could use a clear plastic bag and perform the "surgery" inside that, and perhaps even do it in the bathroom after you have let the shower run for a little while. Because in a slightly damp room, you have less dust particles flying around. Good luck with it, and be sure to let us know how it went, and have someone take some pictures

[va!n]

i am not really sure what i will do... i have phoned with some recovery companies and even some special lowcost offers. but even this called lowcost offers will cost me more money as i have for one month.

Nearly all this companies told me that they only will try to recover the harddisk as long as the guarantee sign is not broken/damaged. (else if would be very expensive for me). 

I think i will wait to get my notebook back and hopefully without future problems. In the meantime, or latest when the notebook is back, i will think what i will do next with the broken harddisk.

thanks to all you guys for help and motivation.