Hard Disk Problem

[Barbusa]

My nephew's IDE hard disk has packed up completely and, needless to say, he hasn't backed up all his school work and all the music that he has spent years copying from his cds.

I have tried to help by seeing if I can repair it as I have some really good software for recovering data from corrupted/damaged hard drives.

I am connecting it to my pc using an internal but removable hard disk tray but the bios is unable to detect it.

Any advice, or guidance, on this would be much appreciated.

 

[Igorian]

If it's not being detected (in any machine) then the controller board is screwed. Your only hope, outside a pro recovery outfit and if the drive actually spins, is to locate an identical drive and swap the boards. The biggest problem is finding an identical drive with the same revision board (note that an identical model does not always have the same revision board.) Post the model number and revision (or take a picture of the drive and post if you are not sure what I mean) I tend to keep boards from duff drives for ths reason and have temporarily revived some drives.

Slim chance, but one of us might have one. As I said, the drive needs to be spinning.

 

[eggplant]

Hi,

A pain aint it often they give warning signs but not always. Indeed post the model, I also have a few lying around for the same reason. As mentioned, if it dont detect, then you cant run software on it.
That said, do give it a try plugging straight in, rather than in the caddy - probably the same but at least thats out of the equation.
The only other option really is to pay - and you will PAY a data recovery firm.

 

[Barbusa]

Many thanks for the offers of help.

The drive is a Western Digital WD800 Caviar.

MDL : WD800JB - 00ETA0

DATE : 24 JUL 2003

DCM : HSBHCTJAH

Is this the info you require?

 

[Builder.Bird]

Hi. Not sure if you have checked, but have you set the jumpers on the HDD to set it as a salve when you put it in you pc?

Make sure your bios is set to detect HDD's automatically too.

 

[Barbusa]

Sorry for not replying sooner but I have been away for a few days!

Yes I have set the jumpers on the HDD to slave but no joy.

I have tried other jumper settings, but not master, as well but still no luck!

 

[breezer]

can you put it in your pc, on the slave ide cable and set it as master, it may see it

 

[Igorian]

Many thanks for the offers of help.

The drive is a Western Digital WD800 Caviar.

MDL : WD800JB - 00ETA0

DATE : 24 JUL 2003

DCM : HSBHCTJAH

Is this the info you require?

Sorry, I don't have an old one of these to try.