tehcu wrote:
Hi
About 2 months ago I bought a samsung s2 portable 500 gb. It has worked fine until yesterday. It slipped down from where it was laying (while plugged in and running) and was hanging the 20 cm usb-cabel. Now I can't get it alive. When I plug in the usb-cabel a spinning noise appears and lasts for about 5 seconds, before the diode light start flashing. The disk is not showing up in windows and bios (at least not in the list over boot devices). Can anything be done to save the disk and/or its content?
HDD noise:
http://files.myopera.com/tehcucumber/fi ... 165603.wavI had the same problem of techcu ...
I did find some software, some diagnostic and some low level format from the Samsung site (US flavor) ... anyhow ... they did not help, since if the HD is not recognized by the PC ... these SW does not do anything ...
Anyhow ... I did not gave up ... and I decided to open this HD ... I mean ... the platic cover (that damn it) has has no screw ....
So, I did damage a bit the nice plastic shell of this HD ... but I manage to open ...
Again ... bad surprise ... this is not a standard USB HD that is made using a IDE or SATA adapter ... this HD is born for USB ... so ...
I could have try to change the USB to something adapter ... but this is not possible ...
Ok ... so ... for some reason I got in mind that maybe in the fall .. the USB cable could have couse a broken contact somewhere ... but ... the design is nice and clean ... and this is not possible ... the USB plug is well stick ... so ... a pressure or a hit in the USB connector cant cause any damage ....
With HD naked ... was more clear to hear and see the problem ... after power up the HD try to make some meccanical start up ... it try repitevely for 4/5 times ... then it gave up ... after these few second... the meccanic sound sleeping ... the led blink 3 time .... pause ... and other 3 blink ... this forever .... and HD is not recognized by the PC (not even by my Samusng LE37B651 TV)
Anyhow ... in my mind I got the idea that possible one of the magnetic head, or moving part of the hard disk may have been just outside the running path ... like my old Floppy disk in was able to "die" if send to read the 83 track out of 80
... (temporary die ... sinde with the head exposed .. was possible to give a manual push .. and put the head back in the "path")
So ... I decided to try to give some shocks to the HD in the start up phase ... maybe I can by luck push back the out of space/range meccanical part into a workable position ...
And ... bang ... at the second attemp ... give one single shake up at the start up ... I heard a different noise ... and it start to work again ....
I immediately I did copy my critical data ... then I disconnect it ... plug it back ... it did work fine ... as before crach
So ... I feel lucky to have these 500b online again ...
Still ... it scares me that a little hit in this HD, can bring it out of order ...
Tchuss
e_lm_70
ps: Any attempt to repeat my experience, and any possible damages, it is outside my responsabiity ... I just want to share my story that may help some desperate "samsung" users