WD5000AADS with 1 defect head?

[xqu_hdd]

Hi,

I've got a WD Caviar Green 500GB drive here (WD5000AADS-00S9B0). I can read about 2/3 of the data, the "dead" sections are spread out evenly over the disk.

This points towards a single read/write head failure, doesn't it?
The data is not important enough to pay >1000€ Kroll Ontrack & Co want. Can anyone recommend an affordable professional (preferably in Germany) which is equipped to deal with this?

Is this a model where DIY headstack replacement has a chance? I'm prepared to buy a few spare drives of the same model and practice on them, but I read of WD models with scary head alignment quirks...

Thanks,
Max

[pcimage]

We can do this in UK, pm me if interested.

[xqu_hdd]

PCImage got the job. Better than me fumbling around