ST1 in Toilet

[Zorb]

I had someone bring to me today a Seagate ST1 that was dropped into water. Anyone know what can be done with this tiny thing? It is a model ST660211CF, f/w 3.04. I was told that the data isn't absolutely critical, it's part of some sort of logging thing. I was also told that it was in the water for less than ten seconds (the person had no problem reaching in because the toilet had not been used) and doesn't sound like it has water in it.

I did explain that this might cost something, and he had no problem with this, as long as estimates are communicated before work is done. I've not seen microdrive posts here lately and from that infer that either no one here services them, they are simply uncommon, no one cares to fix them, or any combination of the above. This drive has been replaced with an 8GB Compact Flash card which seems to be working just fine. I have a couple old ones around from when I used to use them with one of my cameras when you could have two 1GB drives for what a 512MB CF card cost, but don't know much about them (never any trouble).

[dobrevjetser]

Got an identical problem here too

Mine is a magicstor that has been under water.
First of all good cleaning since water that dries up produces salts.
Still figuring out, but quite confident i will succeed.

Dobre

[BlackST]

Our job is going/becoming s--t... LOL

[HardDiskBug]

SHIT RECOVERY!!

[BlackST]

What I don't get is what the user was doing with the HDD in the toilet

[thatdellguy]

Maybe they thought Seagates worked better in the toilet. Nothing like a bio-hazard to go with your recovery.

[harddrivespecialist]

This is the time when you are willing to recover data from toilets.

I had same seagate model in for a recovery.

What is a reason to make such drives? Flash drives much cheaper to manufacture...

[dick]

What is a reason to make such drives? Flash drives much cheaper to manufacture...

Its just the same with general electronics........do you remember valves? Then solid state devices appeared, transistors etc. Now of course we have integrated ic's.

3 or so years ago we had portable usb microdrives, maybe up to 4gb in size. Now its all memory sticks but 3 years ago a typical memory stick was only 256 or 512mb. Its called progress.

Whats next.

[Zorb]

I actually had a couple 8GB Memorex TraveDrive Mega or something like that, which were little data storage units with similar drives in them that worked like a big flash drive. Don't forget that three years ago when I got mine for about $100 apiece, a 2GB flash drive cost that much easily. I used to use 500MB and 1GB IBM microdrives with a digital camera back when 128MB CF cards cost $180 (same as the Microdrive at the time) and SD cards had just hit 64MB.

Flash storage capacities increased slowly up until just about 5 years ago, then exploded essentially exponentially. The reverse happened to their prices, which essentially went through the floor about starting about the same time. Micro Center will sell you 512MB USB drives for $3.99 now, 1GB for 4.99, 2GB for 6.99, 4GB for 9.99, 8GB for 14.99, 16GB for 24.99, 32GB for 39.99. I remember paying $35 for my Sandisk Cruzer Mini 512MB after 50% discount in 2004!

As far as this thing goes though, any suggestions other than cleaning? It was brought to me still somewhat wet and I used a vacuum with small nozzle (5mm or so) to suck out the water I could from the CF connector. I am waiting for a tool to take the board off of it, as it uses very small three pointed screws which are much smaller than my three pointed screwdriver. They take a tool less than 1mm wide, and I have this tool in mobile phone size (about 3mm) and then one that's about half that, but still quite a bit too big.

[Zorb]

What is a reason to make such drives? Flash drives much cheaper to manufacture...

Its just the same with general electronics........do you remember valves? Then solid state devices appeared, transistors etc. Now of course we have integrated ic's.

3 or so years ago we had portable usb microdrives, maybe up to 4gb in size. Now its all memory sticks but 3 years ago a typical memory stick was only 256 or 512mb. Its called progress.

Whats next.

One of my friends at a local coffee shop and I were talking about old tape recorders a couple days back. He has an old one (first generation stereo) which uses a vacuum tube with two colors on it to approximately indicate recording signal intensity (to prevent overdriving input). He took the stand that it was far more complicated to produce than an LED scale. I do agree, but was trying (unsuccessfully) to explain that the LED was manufactured using a more complicated process and more complicated materials, neither of which was available when his tape recorder was built. He still believes that it's simply a reduction in cost and effort, but I of course do not agree.

[Zorb]

Information has been recovered. There was mo water intrusion into the mechanism. All that ended up being required was nonconductive water displacing PCB cleaner.

[drc]

Hooray for WD40!

[Zorb]

WD40 is volatile and I believe electrically conductive.

I don't think it would be such a good idea to use it in this manner. It may also have effects on conductive adhesives. My cleaner is noncombustible.