ST31000340AS Dead

[BlackST]

So it would seem I have a stuck spindle or something...
Would it work to just get a pretty much identical drive, and transfer the platters or something? If it's even remotely possible, I'm all for it. We're talking the price of a new computer here.

VERY remotely - you need at least 2500+ dollars worth of tooling + clean room + experience as nobody here will guide you.

[adriangb]

So it would seem I have a stuck spindle or something...
Would it work to just get a pretty much identical drive, and transfer the platters or something? If it's even remotely possible, I'm all for it. We're talking the price of a new computer here.

VERY remotely - you need at least 2500+ dollars worth of tooling + clean room + experience as nobody here will guide you.

That's sounds very depressing.
What tools are needed? I can't imagine what kind of equipment worth >2500 would be needed to open a drive.

[BlackST]

To OPEN the drive you can use everything from a torx key to a jackhammer to a Caterpillar, the problem comes when you need to physically move the platters safely WITHOUT dis-alignment and moving safely the headstack. Not to talk about clean room environment / flow bench.

This is going to be another whining and useless thread : if you really trust your capabilities and youtube stuff etc. etc. SEARCH THE NET and you'll find everything and the contrary of everything so you can figure out what you need and what is the argument. The drive and its destiny is in your hands , BUT refer and ask ONLY the people who give you advice you trust OR the makers of the videos you find OR to the manufacturers of eventual tooling you'll buy, ONLY TO THEM.

If you want to hear something "less depressing" we can say the exact contrary, it will make you feel better but it's maybe gonna destroy your chances about getting data back - IF THE DIAGNOSE YOU HAD WAS CORRECT.

[adriangb]

To OPEN the drive you can use everything from a torx key to a jackhammer to a Caterpillar, the problem comes when you need to physically move the platters safely WITHOUT dis-alignment and moving safely the headstack. Not to talk about clean room environment / flow bench.

This is going to be another whining and useless thread : if you really trust your capabilities and youtube stuff etc. etc. SEARCH THE NET and you'll find everything and the contrary of everything so you can figure out what you need and what is the argument. The drive and its destiny is in your hands , BUT refer and ask ONLY the people who give you advice you trust OR the makers of the videos you find OR to the manufacturers of eventual tooling you'll buy, ONLY TO THEM.

If you want to hear something "less depressing" we can say the exact contrary, it will make you feel better but it's maybe gonna destroy your chances about getting data back - IF THE DIAGNOSE YOU HAD WAS CORRECT.

Lol, I didn't mean "I wan't to hear something less depressing", I meant, that news sucks, but I'll have to just suck it up.
I don't trust just watching a youtube video and copying from it. I'd probably open my drive and find it has 5 platters instead of the two on the drive in the vid or something... I wouldn't take the risk.
I'm probably going to take it to someone else, just to get a 2nd diagnose (kind of like going to a doctor and being told you have cancer or something ). If I do do this, I'll report back my results.

[Doomer]

I'll save you some time
You drive has 4 platters, now you know what so search
That's gonna be interesting, don't forget to post your results. People suddenly disappear from this forum when results are not going exactly as they expected.

I remember reading one topic lately, it was like this
Day 0. Topicstarter : "My drive is not working and I don't want to pay for recovery. What do I do?"
Here comes a suggestion from one member of this forum. "Please read this link it has some description of possible internal problems. Be advised that's it may be dangerous to try"
Some other guys post some warning messages but topicstarter is "too happy" to listen
Day 1. Happy topicstarter "I opened my drive and it seems that I fixed it, yay!"
Day 2. Happy topicstarter "Wow, I copying my drive I got 10% already. It returns some errors but still going"
Day 10. Not so happy topicstarter "Hmm, my drive is becoming slower and returns more errors and I only got 15%"
Day 30. People here ask about results. Silence was the answer

[adriangb]

I'll save you some time
You drive has 4 platters, now you know what so search
That's gonna be interesting, don't forget to post your results. People suddenly disappear from this forum when results are not going exactly as they expected.

I remember reading one topic lately, it was like this
Day 0. Topicstarter : "My drive is not working and I don't want to pay for recovery. What do I do?"
Here comes a suggestion from one member of this forum. "Please read this link it has some description of possible internal problems. Be advised that's it may be dangerous to try"
Some other guys post some warning messages but topicstarter is "too happy" to listen
Day 1. Happy topicstarter "I opened my drive and it seems that I fixed it, yay!"
Day 2. Happy topicstarter "Wow, I copying my drive I got 10% already. It returns some errors but still going"
Day 10. Not so happy topicstarter "Hmm, my drive is becoming slower and returns more errors and I only got 15%"
Day 30. People here ask about results. Silence was the answer

Well, if I do open my drive and try and fix it, I'll be sure to post my results here. But I probably won't open it until I have to, ie, I'll take it to at least one more pro, just to get a 2nd opinion (and maybe a better price). If I get the same diagnostic, I'll try to fight for a better price (I'd supply the twin HDD myself, for example). Once I get the 2nd opinion, I'll post it here and then decide what I'll do. If I can get the price under $500 I'll probably go for it.
Just to throw it out there: say I open my drive and get scared s******s, and decide I want a pro to do it. Suppose I didn't scratch my platters, or de-magnetize them, etc. Would the price of recovery increase, just because I disassembled the thing? Would I probably loose some of my data? I'm ok with loosing a couple documents, but not 50% of the stuff. Also, is it dangerous to even take the cover off, I mean, just to look at the thing?

[Doomer]

Would the price of recovery increase, just because I disassembled the thing?

Generally, yes. Usually if lid was opened it is automatically assumed by a DR company that some remedies were already tried

Would I probably loose some of my data? I'm ok with loosing a couple documents, but not 50% of the stuff. Also, is it dangerous to even take the cover off, I mean, just to look at the thing?

depends on environment. I wouldn't encourage you to open the lid if you have no plans to do "the surgery"
And I do not suggest you to do any internal work with this drive since you have no experience

[BlackST]

1) Suppose I didn't scratch my platters, or de-magnetize them, etc. Would the price of recovery increase, just because I disassembled the thing?

Yes. by a lot.

2) Would I probably loose some of my data? I'm ok with loosing a couple documents, but not 50% of the stuff.

Yes.

3) Also, is it dangerous to even take the cover off, I mean, just to look at the thing?

Maybe NO, depending on how you do it and where you do it. But see point 1).

[adriangb]

1) Suppose I didn't scratch my platters, or de-magnetize them, etc. Would the price of recovery increase, just because I disassembled the thing?

Yes. by a lot.

2) Would I probably loose some of my data? I'm ok with loosing a couple documents, but not 50% of the stuff.

Yes.

3) Also, is it dangerous to even take the cover off, I mean, just to look at the thing?

Maybe NO, depending on how you do it and where you do it. But see point 1).

Thanks for the response. I'll be taking it to another data recovery guy then, to get a second diagnosis and price offer.

[fzabkar]

So it would seem I have a stuck spindle or something...
Would it work to just get a pretty much identical drive, and transfer the platters or something? If it's even remotely possible, I'm all for it. We're talking the price of a new computer here.

VERY remotely - you need at least 2500+ dollars worth of tooling + clean room + experience as nobody here will guide you.

That's sounds very depressing.
What tools are needed? I can't imagine what kind of equipment worth >2500 would be needed to open a drive.

A platter swap is a major job. It's not DIY.

Head Stack Replacement: Questions and Answers:
http://hddguru.com/content/en/articles/ ... k-Q-and-A/

Head replacement and platter swap demo:
http://www.datarecoverytools.co.uk/2010 ... swap-demo/

Customer support PC-3000
Seagate Barracuda IV: wedging bearing
http://www.acelab.ru/dep.pc/pc.tech.sup ... cuda4.html

English translation:
http://translate.google.com/translate?h ... cuda4.html

[BlackST]

Ambulance ! Ambulance !!
Take PC3000, clean bench, a new chassis...

[Alexii]

On the platter / head swap demo i see salvation data tools =)
Very limited success with 3.5 inch drives. A bit better with 2.5 but still meh.

[robbie]

In this picture,

http://www.datarecoverytools.co.uk/wp-c ... /06/19.jpg

Where is the other platter?
=D

[nick dean]

Hello ,
There are more and more motor stuck on hard drives.
I have already purchased several product, the clothes of Salvation Data works for the old hard drive with little synchonisation.

it exsist several products for this problem

I found a solution that works with all brands and we have no problem with spindle failure.

it's HDDSYNC

You can see their demo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2MkThaAYdk

Hoping you have helped

Bye

[fzabkar]

Hello ,
There are more and more motor stuck on hard drives.
I have already purchased several product, the clothes of Salvation Data works for the old hard drive with little synchonisation.

it exsist several products for this problem

I found a solution that works with all brands and we have no problem with spindle failure.

it's HDDSYNC

You can see their demo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2MkThaAYdk

Hoping you have helped

Bye

For someone named "nick dean" at "Location: sud africa", the grammar is awful. Maybe it will improve with the second post. :wink:

[guru]

Strange, most French people have a very good understanding of English.

[BlackST]

Strange, most French people have a very good understanding of English.

Oh, no wonder... even many Italians, Portoguese, Russians, Spanish, Slovenian.... etc. etc.