Hi All,

I've been looking into buying PC3000.

From what i understand it is a great product, however I can't for the life of me decide which version to get, DOS or PCI?????

My issue is this:

1. If i get the DOS version I may not be able to attach/repair newer, larger HDDs because new HDDs will only be supported in the PCI version. Are you able to repair HDDs that are not in the list by using an identical one???

2. Then, if i purchase the PCI version I dont get the data to repair the HDDs that are supported in the DOS version (except for MAxtor) unless I go out and get an identical HDD to read it off (and some of those HDDs are realy hard to find).

Seems to me like a huge catch 22 (dilema)!!

I can only buy one of the two versions and need to make a decision, can any experienced users help me please??

I'd appreciate any thoughts...

Thank you

Analyses this is what you need, and to have this you will need to do a research; why ?
Because if are gonna buy something to work you need to think like a person that is going to
make an investiment, and for this you will need to do a reseach in your Market.
And after this you will be able to decide.
Points to look and to consider:
1- There are -now- more hard disk in the market that can be handle by ISA version.
2- You will need a to be little honest with yourself, and consider how is your background, why ?
because is not easy to work with PC3K and do a good job of course.
3- ISA version is a 11 years product and PCI version is bornning just now, only for analyses they need a time to improove it.
IMHO you will need both, but if this could be my decision ISA vesion definily is your case.
Bone chance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks cenahum

I have done research, however the language barrier doesn't help with correspondance. I've been in correspondence with AceLabs for a few weeks now, but there are some questions that just can't (may be wont) be anwered.

This is why Ive put the topic up here - some questions can only be answered from those ppl who have used the product, or products and may be able to provide a different insight than the one i have gained through research only.

I do realise PC3K is an investment, which is why I want to try and make the right decision. I've been performing data recoveries for years now, I have an indepth knowledge of File Systems, can logically repair most from the ground up, including all types of RAIDs and perform physical repairs.

System Area and firmware however, are unchartered territory, and this forum appears to contain the best of that world....

****Cenahum, is there a utility provided with PC3000 ISA/DOS that can be used to create ur own data base of firmware/system area from good HDDs? And if it does, does it work properly??

Hello TheReepa,
When I said to you to do some research , was for your Market. To you do one thing - look for the companies and what are the hds most comum in them.
To look for people that can pay a Recovery service and to look for what are the hd that they have, and with this information you can have a better ideia of what you need to buy.

The biggest problem about PC3000 is not that people do not want or do not know what to answer, the biggest problem is the language you will ask one thing they will understand another. And in that case the experience will make the difference because even when people ask things with a lot of errors in the language it will be possible to understand what happens and to give an answer. I hope that you understand what I'm saying here.

PC3000 is not only a System Area repair system, is much more than this ( and is the same with the HRT ) PC3000 is a system that will help you to have a better diagnostic, and Diagnostic is one of the most important thing ( if not the biggest ) in Hard Disk repair. With PC3000 we c an see and we can have a different "path" to fallow and this will open a lot the hard disk world.

About your question, the aswer is yes. Almost thing that you will need to fix the disk you can have using the PC3000 and a good hard disk. And if you are curious you will have the oprotunity to understand that even when this ( the database of the good hard disk stuff ) will be hard to get you will have the oportunity to "make" it. You will only need to read the manuals and to learn ( people in general need to understand that to read and to learn are not the same word.

Anorther important thing is to colect documents about hard disk and use then to help you - and you can start with ATA commands.

I really hope that I had make myself clear and that you and others that has the daubts then you can undertand what I said here.
I already wrote here - ENGLISH IS NOT SO EASY - and when you are readding and trying to comunicate in a language that is not naturaly yours this will be also a great barrier.

Best regards all
cenahum
(I still need something to continue believ that one day the things will change and people will understand that there is no - magic wang only a hard work)

Thanks Cenahum,

I understand comepletley what you are trying to say.

We get in over a 1000 recoveries per year and i know the exact models of those that give us issues with recovering data.

They are:
Fujitsu MPG
IBM/Hitachi DDYS, DTLA, IC25
Maxtor N40P
Western Digital JB, BB

We can still recover about 70% of these, its the other 30% that gets frustrating. This is hopefully what PC300 will be used for...

Now PC300 DOS version supports these drives, however the WIN version has alot of other features that are handy, like HDD unlock. But, of course the WIN version doesn't support the HDDs that the DOS version does (except for Maxtor).

Think that WIN version is the way to go, because of its vast range of utils and the fact that it will be supported from now on. We'll have to take a chance on being able to produce a database on those HDDs supported by the DOS version.

By the way, has anyone actually used the PC3000 Windows version?