What's the best way to diagnose a HDD mechanical problem?

[sosorel]

Like the title said, may probably be a newbie question, but i need a almost-sure way to diagnose a HDD mechanical problem. Like clicking noises, or any kind of noises actually. I need to know the problem before going in for the solution. Thanks

[Doomer]

Like the title said, may probably be a newbie question, but i need a almost-sure way to diagnose a HDD mechanical problem. Like clicking noises, or any kind of noises actually. I need to know the problem before going in for the solution. Thanks

Spend 5-10 year doing data recovery on a daily basis and you will have a way

[lcoughey]

What he said.

[jono-ats]

Send it to a pro and ask them for a diagnosis.

[helpless]

The OP is looking for a DIY solution IMHO.

[northwind]

It's not the 'almost-sure' solution you want, but you can record the noise your HDD is making, and some of the experienced pros can help you with it. But to diagnose a fault on the drive accurately, a pro must have the drive on his bench.

[data-medics]

A lot of pros offer free evaluation. Get it evaluated, and they can tell you what's wrong with it. Then when you DIY it up against good advice, at least you'll be changing the right part the wrong way.

[sosorel]

Well, i work in a deposit, and i have thousands of HDDs. I cant call a pro, because i want to become a pro, by learning.

[sosorel]

Well, i work in a deposit, and i have thousands of HDDs. I cant call a pro, because i want to become a pro, by learning.

Strat by using MHDD on all the drives, one by one.
Check if they spin, if MHDD detect the drives and check S.M.A.R.T. for relocated sectors. Then scan the drives.

You can now seaparate the ones that work (even if they still have defects on the media) from the ones that don't work at all.

Thanks for reply.

I already know how to separate the good ones from bad ones. I use sentinel to see their life expectancy, I LLF them, but some of them can't be red and/or make clicking noises, or even worse, the problem being a mechanical ones. Or, don't make any noise at all, the problem being an electrical one. But all the mechanical problems can be from absolutely any problem. I want to learn to find that problem and solve it.

[JustJoe]

I tend to hold the drive in my hand and power on for about 5 - 20 seconds. After a while, you get to know all the sounds and feelings well enough to diagnose almost straight away.

If I think that there's anything physically wrong with a drive it goes straight to a clean room analysis. I wouldn't run any software on it until after I know that the surface is clear and feel confident that the heads aren't 10KB away from turning the data into dust.

[sosorel]

I tend to hold the drive in my hand and power on for about 5 - 20 seconds. After a while, you get to know all the sounds and feelings well enough to diagnose almost straight away.

If I think that there's anything physically wrong with a drive it goes straight to a clean room analysis. I wouldn't run any software on it until after I know that the surface is clear and feel confident that the heads aren't 10KB away from turning the data into dust.

I do the same thing. The problem is, our clean room has no people. It's still in search&development stage. I want to get there and start repairing. But maybe there some stuff that I should know before I get there.