How to fix broken Harddisk ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter James Argo
  • Start date Start date
James Argo

James Argo

Fancy Rock N' Roll
You don't want this happens to you guys... :(
I was trackin client for about 8 songs. They laid all tracks and about to take the vox part. SONAR 2. In the middle of the session, I have to attach the optional USB port to the PC's motherboard. It comes bundled with the mobo I never used since I first got it. So, Turn off the PC, open the case, I put the socket on the dedicated slot on the mobo. Sure I read the manual carefully, and pretty much I can tell if I did it propherly. Turn the PC back on. No such warning sound came from the PC speaker, but the monitor didn't show any activities for a while. Then I smelled something burnt. Not so stink, but noticable enough to move my hand shut the PC. GEEEESSS... something must be wrong here. I check again all that I did. Nope. I'm sure, I didn't do anything wrong. CHECK EVERYTHING from the AC connector to the mouse... All over the place. Nothing wrong. So... I have a look inside the PC...

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:


My Audio HD (secondary master) is burnt!!! And so the Delta card in it's slot !!! I dunno much about this tinny electronic scheme, but I SAW the black soot on both Delta & Audio HD.

:( :( :( :( :(

I didn't notice any fire nor circuit short. WTF :confused: So, I took the PC to the dealer, and se if they can help. They said they CAN'T FIX the Delta, and still work on the HD. My primary concern is the HD, since it has so many data I put for a week of trackin'. Yeah, I always made a back up regularly, but it was 5 days before. Now I'm curious, is there any hope to recover my data on the audio HD ? I see it doesn't impact the internal disk but just one of the chip in the HD circuit board. It's Quantum 20GB....

Anyone :confused:
 
I've seen that exact same scenario with a quantum 20GB, one chip just started smoking (and then didn't smoke anymore, couldn't figure out which chip so powered it back up and used my finger... ouch!). Why the delta got taken out as well... well a few possiblities, your powersupply is flakey, or another card (maybe even the delta) decided to go flakey and cause this cascade effect. It's rare but can happen.

As for your data. If it is really critical I would send it to a business dedicated to DATA recovery, not your typical computer store.

Maybe someone like this: http://www.adv-data.com/

I have never used their services and have no idea if they are reputable, but your average computer store is not equipped to recover data from a hard drive that is electronically damaged.

Good luck.
 
Well, thanks for the link, Emeric. I guess there's a hope. Yeah, couple of my friends also reporting the similiar case about Quantum 20GB with Phillip chipset. Mine used Agere chip. I'm not sure it was power suply failure since other attached devices (Master HD, CD ROM, & CD WRITER) left undamaged. Other soundcard in the box (SB Live!), Network card, and int modem is fine. But who knows... And since I live in Indonesia, I was hoping for reasonable similiar service around. I guess it's a bit too far to send the HD to US services... Anyway, Thanks Emeric!!


Anyone ?
 
James... you may be lucky with the freezer spray. You know the stuff they use on overheating chips audio and TV wise. To see if you can bring the chip on the HD back to operation whilst it is working.
(1) Keep spraying to keep chip cool
(2) If the drive then responds then copy MADLY

OR
Find another Quantum 20G disc, back it up. Then transfer the main circuit board to your drive. I know this sounds totally MAADDDDDDDDDD but often, if you are careful you can reconnect the ribbon cable(s).

No???? well it was just a thought!!
 
Johnhoe has it right. It would be cheaper to buy another 20 gig and transfer the circuit board. You stand a reasonable chance of recovery. Professional recovery places are very very expensive. Often a couple of grand. It the chip actually smoked, the freeze spray isnt gonna help, and you might blow something else on the system it is hooked up to. Be very carefull, mylar ribbon cables tear easy.
 
Thanks guys. I don't thnk I can easily do that. The circuit on the board seems to be soldered very tight. Too tiny for my hand. I should look for my friend who can handle this... hmmm :rolleyes:
 
Just a thought James. Make sure your power supply has enough watts to handle everything.
:cool:
 
If you want to recover yourself: check that you get a second disk that is its twin brother! Even the slightest difference can make your disk unusable. If the chip that blowed was the motor controller, I don't give you much chance of doing it yourself. Don't try to change the chip, replace the whole board.
 
Thanks duck, my PS is 500W. I think it's enough... is it ?

Havoc, I think it's the motor. Cause after while, I heard tiny sound of a metal being rotated... you know... I sent it carefully to my friend who said can replace the board and transfer the data to another HD.. Hope it works... :)
 
This is a common problem...believe me, I know, I do PROFESSIONAL data recovery...

you need a new drive that is EXACTLY the same...same revision, same firmware. Even if you do find that, I can almost guarantee you still will have bad areas on the drive...

good luck
 
Glad to finally have a comment of some professional data recovery man. :) So there's a hope !! Well... I already loose my faith on it as I had the same thought about the bad area, but any can be covered will do. Thanks Clark. So, I should look for exactly the same twins of it ?
 
Not questioning your post Clark_Griswold, but I would think, hope, that professional data recovery businesses have a bit more sophisticated equipment around to do this, rather than a closet full of every PCB revision on the planet.

James Argo, it may be a question of how important this data really is to you? There is a very good chance your friend will not recover it, and may even make it non-recoverable for someone who could have. Only you can put the value ($) on the data.

Good luck though!
 
My former company has similiar case, and about to use the service. It costs you almost a grand to recover ~20GB. I'm not sure what made it so expensive. They must "capitalized" the service, since they know how datas are important.
 
Transfering the circuit boards sounds like a viable option! I work at Matrox and we've done this many times. Just be absolutely anal about anti-static measures and you should have no problems. ESD measures are VERY important. A grounding yourself with a wire or by touching a ground is not the right way, you need to have some resistance between your body and the ground, so the electricity doesn't jump. You can get an anti-static braclet for like $5 at most electronics supply outlets.

Even if you don't attempt this yourself, make sure that whoever is doing it is well grounded.

It'd be a shame to lose all that Data, and the original groove that the musicians had when tracking might be hard to get back when starting over. :(

Best of luck!
 
Thanks guys...

duck:
Bitter laught :D

Emeric:
Well, the data is indeed important to me and for the client. But I don't think we're gonna spend hundreds or grands for that. Thanks for the wishes. I'll see what my friend can do about it. It takes days to examine it.

Clemie:
They bet capitalized it, what can I do ? :(

Agtronic:
Thanks for the Electric static infos. We'll be sure to handle it like you suggested.

It takes almost a week to examine it, and they'll tell me if anyway I can get an options. Thanks guys !!!

;)
Jaymz
 
emeric,

I was saying that is what HE would need to do... ;)

Now what *I* could do...

cheers,
C
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top