Failed Apple Branded WD5000AAKS-40V6A0

[poops]

My Mid to Late 2010 21.5" iMac's with a WD5000AAKS drive failed a week ago. Upon trying to restart the machine, I experienced the dreaded flashing question mark. After that the iMac was not able to detect/recognize the drive. I took it out and connected it to a couple of SATA > USB 3.0 & 2.0 docks/enclosures in attempt to retrieve my data. However, the 2 macs I have connected it to did not recognize the drive. The drive makes normal sounds when powered up. No clicking or what I would consider to be potentially "bad" sounds/noises.

I'm all new to data/HDD recovery. However, very willing to try things. If there's someone with expertise local to me, I'm more than happy to avail you of your services.

I appreciate all insight.

Thanks in advance.

[Dmitri]

I took it out and connected it to a couple of SATA > USB 3.0 & 2.0 docks/enclosures in attempt to retrieve my data
...
If there's someone with expertise local to me, I'm more than happy to avail you of your services.

It would also be good to attempt a direct SATA connection. Just to see what happens a PC will do as well. Should Windows somehow suggest to initialize or format the drive, do not click OK, however.

As for the professional assistance, contact ddrecovery: ucp.php?i=pm&mode=compose&u=26310 I'm not 100% sure which states exactly Midwest is, but believe he isn't too far.
I also didn't see the drive, but considering you didn't put it into fridge or opened the lid, quite likely cost should be very reasonable.

[DRUG]

I would sugest you to try using testdisk or a linux machine to see what you can get from it, but if your data is 100% critical ask for pro help.

[falther]

Pure information / not ment as an assult:
I am really surprised to see it so often, that other members suggest/recommend
DIY procedures, allthough its obvious that the requesting member has no clue
what/and how to continue or that he/she could damage his/her valuable data.

***
1)
Any DIY advice can destroy your valuable data because either
- the advice is wrong for your special case
- the advice/information is lacking necessary information
- the user following the advice misunderstands/misinterpretes it
- the user doesnt follow the advice correctly
- etc., etc., etc....

finally for 99,99% of the DIY cases:
data is either lost - or if a recovery is possible at all - it will cost
you then .... much, much more to recover.

Would you bet that your DIY case is within the remaining 0,01% ?

2)
Even if the procedure is simple and isnt a "big secret" hidden from the "bad DR guys"
(to earn for their living) they are used to do this DR work day in & day out
and know exactly what to do in your case - and most probably for a very
reasonable price - if, yes ... if you didnt try some dum DIY procedure which
made your case much, much more complicated ....

3)
if the drive + data has no value for you - and you just want to try whether
a DIY would work - yes, then give it a try

But bear in mind, that even it worked in this case - this doesnt prove
that it will work in other - similar looking - cases. And its also no cause
to publish (forum/Youtube) "how simple" it is/was to do DR.... this is
why so many people are mislead to try DIY.... and loose their data.

+++

[mr_spokk]

Pure information / not ment as an assult:
I am really surprised to see it so often, that other members suggest/recommend
DIY procedures, allthough its obvious that the requesting member has no clue
what/and how to continue or that he/she could damage his/her valuable data.

***
1)
Any DIY advice can destroy your valuable data because either
- the advice is wrong for your special case
- the advice/information is lacking necessary information
- the user following the advice misunderstands/misinterpretes it
- the user doesnt follow the advice correctly
- etc., etc., etc....

finally for 99,99% of the DIY cases:
data is either lost - or if a recovery is possible at all - it will cost
you then .... much, much more to recover.

Would you bet that your DIY case is within the remaining 0,01% ?

2)
Even if the procedure is simple and isnt a "big secret" hidden from the "bad DR guys"
(to earn for their living) they are used to do this DR work day in & day out
and know exactly what to do in your case - and most probably for a very
reasonable price - if, yes ... if you didnt try some dum DIY procedure which
made your case much, much more complicated ....

3)
if the drive + data has no value for you - and you just want to try whether
a DIY would work - yes, then give it a try

But bear in mind, that even it worked in this case - this doesnt prove
that it will work in other - similar looking - cases. And its also no cause
to publish (forum/Youtube) "how simple" it is/was to do DR.... this is
why so many people are mislead to try DIY.... and loose their data.

+++

Well Spoken...

[froogle]

I had a similar problem last week. Fitted a new hard drive in a customer's imac and connected their old one up via usb to migrate data. For some reason it wouldn't see the drive.

I connected the drive to my DDI4 and imaged it onto a good hard drive, connected the good hard drive to the imac and it was seen. Managed to recover all the data no problem.