HDD no longer visible

[Osprey]

On w/end PC started booting up and would go into "preparing desktop" and load a default profile .... and all program icons defaulted.

I have W7 64bit OS on an SSD ... but all programs & saved docs are on an HDD .....

 

I noticed that the HDD no longer shows in 'My computer"

 

I did try connecting it via a Sandberg all-in-one device:

http://www.sandberg.it/product/USB [...] -Disk-Link

 

 

HDD does spin up, but still does not show in 'My Computer'

 

This is only a couple of months old and under warranty so can get it replaced, but would like to get access to 'my documents' on it first, as it is spinning up, are there any diagnostics / HDD utitlities that might help ........

It is a Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB

 

I bought the Caviar Black as they are supposed to be more reliable that the 'Blue' I had previoulsy.

[KenB]

Hi

 

Does it show up in Disk Management ?

 

Start ...type in ...diskmgmt.msc ....Enter

[ Disk 0 will be your SSD ]

 

If it does show up there - does it have a drive letter?

[Osprey]

Hi

 

Does it show up in Disk Management ?

 

Start ...type in ...diskmgmt.msc ....Enter

[ Disk 0 will be your SSD ]

 

If it does show up there - does it have a drive letter?

 

 

Nope .... neither when connect to another PC (with Sanberg unit) or when plugged into SATA on my PC.

Only Drive 0 and DVD rw show

[KenB]

If the drive cannot be seen we can't run any diagnostics on it.

 

It looks like you will have to return it for a refund.

[Osprey]

I have raised a support Tkt with WD, no problem sedning it back ... just would like to get the 'my documents folder, email & pics' off it.

 

I know some may say that is waht backups are for .... I have never managed to recover data using Windows backup .......... it just does not seem to work.

I get the backup successful .... but whenever I have tried a restore it has failed. (Vista & W7)

[Osprey]

Did try datalifeguard ... no luck ... both when in PC and when tried with another PC via a SATA to USB adapter.

 

In both cases drives spins up, but nothing else.

Put HD back in original PC ... and it is not detected under BIOS.

 

Raised a Tkt with WD support ........ all they said was, if not being detected by OS, then replace it under warranty.

This is a ***** as will mean any emails / pic / docs since last backup (PC build time) will be lost. :(

I'm guessing that there are no cheap routes to data recovery.

 

 

A very 'simple' Q ......... if I got another identical drive .... can you easily swap the disk platter assembly from one drive to another .... looking at it, appears as if the HDD is a platter drive asembly with a small interface PCB & connector strip ...

If I could move the disk platter assembly to the new interface .. just to be able to recover docs ?

 

Is that practical ?

[KenB]

Hi

can you easily swap the disk platter assembly from one drive to another .

This is how data recovery companies sometimes get at your data.

It is done in an absolutely dust free environment.

This is why it is so expensive.

 

If you take the disk out of the enclosure and get it contaminated it will not run.

 

There is absolutely nothing to lose in trying but bear this in mind .... Why cannot the drive be seen in the first place ?

If the disk surface is bad all you are doing is transferring the problem to a different enclosure.

[Vr5fx]

Hiya.

To add to what Ken has said;

It is not easy to do, and you probably won't be successful, swapping the platters is like taking the lottery, even one particle of dust can ruin the data on the platters.

"If" you do get an identical drive, try swapping the PCB board, it's an extreme long shot but it could be a bad chip.

 

-Vr

[Osprey]

Think my description was not right.

What I meant was that the HDD is a metal sealed box with the platters

inside. Outside the box is the interface pcb.

Wondering if I could swap the sealed platters Box to a working interface pcb.?

[KenB]

Wondering if I could swap the sealed platters Box to a working interface pcb.?

That is different.

If you are not opening up the housing then you could give it a go - nothing to lose as you cannot access it anyway :)

[Osprey]

That is different.

If you are not opening up the housing then you could give it a go - nothing to lose as you cannot access it anyway :)

 

well they might not do a warranty replacement :(

 

Anybody ever done this ?

[KenB]

well they might not do a warranty replacement

I think you can safely say "goodbye" to any warranty if you start pulling the drive apart :)