Hard Drive Failed - DPChallenge Forums

06/09/2007 09:45:11 PM · #1

Well bad news for me. My photo data 250 Gb hard drive just crashed. No programs on it just photos, lots of photos, maybe 225 Gb of photos. About 250 ready for submission to Alamy ... ouch not good. No backups on those since I usually backup when I burn the DVD to send them. It's a WD 250GB SATA. The HD is only about 3 months old, it looks like it's not getting power. I had another HD just like it so I plugged it in and it works just fine. I tried to use different cables and change it from disk HD1 to HD 2 and 3. Checked all the bios setting, no luck. Any ideas?

Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC Macro for Canon

06/09/2007 09:47:37 PM · #2

Same exact one i had fail.....

DO NOT LEAVE THIS DRIVE PLUGGED IN TO TRY AND SAVE IT.
It will eventually smell like burned plastic!

I am currently running the 500 GB version having no problems so far. On the other end most companys will charge 100 dolars to look at it and a hell of alot more to pull it apart in a clean room and recover the data usually 800 to 1000 dollars.

Question is how much is the data worth and can you afford it?

Message edited by author 2007-06-09 21:49:03.

macleodn

Canon EOS-30D

06/09/2007 09:56:55 PM · #3

Future suggestion... Spend the little extra money before hand and go with a RAID. I have done this and it gives me a HUGE piece of mind that the chances of me loosing anything are astronomical. There are no pictures of great importance on my RAID (mainly because I have never taken one) but I like not having to worry about it.

Just a thought

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

06/09/2007 10:06:20 PM · #4

Originally posted by macleodn:

RAID won't protect you from a virus. If you delete, it is gone!
Don't meant to hijack. Carry on....
Nick

kyebosh

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 80-200mm f/2.8L

06/09/2007 10:07:04 PM · #5

My laptop's hard drive just failed this week too, so i know what it's like :-/

MattO

Nikon D4

06/09/2007 10:10:48 PM · #6

My suggestion on trying to save stuff is pretty simple. Take the drive out and put it in the freezer for a couple of hours, then put it back in as a slave and try and copy as much as you can while it will run(this actually works alot of the time) copy as many photos as you can to something new if it quits, freeze it again and try again. May or may not work, but has saved a few things for me in the past.

MattO

06/09/2007 10:10:50 PM · #7

Originally posted by PhantomEWO:

Take the drive to another PC and use different cables to connect it. If that fails ask recover company to look at it. It maybe an easy fix.
Nick

06/09/2007 10:13:11 PM · #8

Originally posted by MattO:

From what I hear you can do this only once and you won't have too much time to recover because condensation sets in and kills the drive completely.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

06/09/2007 10:13:31 PM · #9

Nick as i said I had the exact same WD model fail. I went out and bought an SATA power cable because the drive does use either one (Legacy Support) by default it uses the standard 4 pin.

I bought the cable plugged it up an hour later burnt plastic smell. I wouldnt advise hooking the drive up. It could cause further damage and or damage to a powersupply.

If the intentions are recovery i wouldnt hook it up. Just my advice.

Regarding the matto comment, if the drive isnt spinning the freeze trick has nothing todo with fixing it. Nick not to mention the metal expands and contracts can cause damage.

Message edited by author 2007-06-09 22:14:48.

Dirt_Diver

Nikon D3s

06/09/2007 10:23:41 PM · #10

I have the WD2500 SATA and I haven't had a single problem with it at all.

Guess I should back up though huh???

Message edited by author 2007-06-09 22:24:20.

06/09/2007 10:24:03 PM · #11

Originally posted by RainMotorsports:

In that case buy exactly the same hard drive. Replace circuit board on old hard driver from the new one and you good to go. Put old board on new hard drive and get it replace using your warantly.
Nick

06/09/2007 10:25:23 PM · #12

I had thought about doing that seriously did. Never did though... freaking should have.

If you feel like attempting this your gonna have to find the exact production series they changed the controllers at some point in time.

06/09/2007 10:45:23 PM · #13

I had thought of that too. It looks like the circuit card is lead soldered to the hub of the drive so it would be taking a chance on destroying the new card too. I have no problem buying a new drive and tearing it apart if I can save the data, I'll keep thinking about it. Ya I don't think the freeze will work becasue I can't sense any spinning in the drive. Keep thinking everyone ;)

Originally posted by Nikolai1024:

Originally posted by RainMotorsports:
Nick as i said I had the exact same WD model fail. I went out and bought an SATA power cable because the drive does use either one (Legacy Support) by default it uses the standard 4 pin.

I bought the cable plugged it up an hour later burnt plastic smell. I wouldnt advise hooking the drive up. It could cause further damage and or damage to a powersupply.

If the intentions are recovery i wouldnt hook it up. Just my advice.

Regarding the matto comment, if the drive isnt spinning the freeze trick has nothing todo with fixing it. Nick not to mention the metal expands and contracts can cause damage.

In that case buy exactly the same hard drive. Replace circuit board on old hard driver from the new one and you good to go. Put old board on new hard drive and get it replace using your warantly.
Nick

06/09/2007 11:43:44 PM · #14

Actually board comes off really easy. 3 or 4 screws and that's it. No soldering.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

06/10/2007 12:13:13 AM · #15

Im holding my WD2500KS, 4 6point screws the board has 4 contacts on a black plastic connector that jump the board to the motor. It is not soldered.

Let me grab my WD5000KS EDIT-The new board style has a soldered on ribbon cable that detaches on boards end once u remove it.

Pics of my dead WD2500KS, let me know if its the same one.

Message edited by author 2007-06-10 00:31:11.

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

06/10/2007 12:32:37 AM · #16

I had one crash & burn on me last fall, a couple of weeks ago I gave it to a buddy with some sharp IT skills and he managed to straight-wire the HD to his HD and get some power to it, a few more bizzare connections later he pulled the images off for me. At the same time he confirmed that the failre was due to a faulty drive moter which caused the HD to overheat and die. Long story short.... my images were saved. :)

Rooster

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8-4.0 Aspherical for Canon

06/10/2007 12:39:38 AM · #17

Western Digital has a really good support center. I would give them a call or drop them an email. Seems like at least some of the data can be recovered if not all.

I use a WD 1TB at work & it is awesome. I had some difficulty accessing it remotely & got some of the best technical assistance I have ever gotten anywhere.

Good luck!

06/10/2007 12:42:24 AM · #18

Originally posted by Rooster:

However warranty does not cover data on the drive, so any support they can give u will be useless and beyond that physical assistance would cost money. This goes for all drive manufacturers and its in the manual.

Message edited by author 2007-06-10 00:42:48.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

06/10/2007 01:58:23 AM · #19

Originally posted by RainMotorsports:

Dirt_Diver

Nikon D3s

06/10/2007 09:23:32 AM · #20

Originally posted by idnic:

This was my best friend when I was in I.T.

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM II

06/10/2007 05:43:26 PM · #21

Originally posted by PhantomEWO:

Yup thats exactly the same one, WD2500KS. And yes the solder is from a connector to the hub, the board looks like it will come right off. Sounds like this drive is a good one to stay away from. I've been running HD's since early 1980 and this is the first one to fail out of dozens. Live and learn.

.
I'm sure it's an electrical problem because the computer doesn't even recognize it anymore.
.
Originally posted by RainMotorsports:
Im holding my WD2500KS, 4 6point screws the board has 4 contacts on a black plastic connector that jump the board to the motor. It is not soldered.

Let me grab my WD5000KS EDIT-The new board style has a soldered on ribbon cable that detaches on boards end once u remove it.

Pics of my dead WD2500KS, let me know if its the same one.

Just to let you know The black peice has 4 conectors that touch the 4 conectors on the board. I squeezd it and it moved around. So when the board is removed it should disconnected leaving the small green board stuck on the drive/motor.

Depending on how much its worth youd have to decide if a board swap is worth it. And you need todo it as soon as possible that wd2500ks could disapear or change design at any time. You also have to realize it might not work, if it doesnt work u may damage the new board and make the new drive useless in the end wasting money all together.

giega

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

06/10/2007 06:17:19 PM · #22

PCB version has to match, as the drive's DCM number and model number.

My 80GB WD got fried when my power supply blew up. So I am in the same boat as you....

Message edited by author 2007-06-10 18:17:59.