Replace the Head Stack - or Platters?

[GipBrown]

Howdy - I have an Hitachi TravelStar HDD and was contemplating replacing the head stack - A question or two if I may - Can I just put the old platter into a new drive instead? If so - Are all platters created equally or do I have to get one from an identical drive.

Hitachi Travelstar

Model: IC25N030ATMR04-0 DEC-03
- 30GB 4200 RPM -
P/N: 08K0850 CHS: 16383/16/63
MLC: H69421 A141111
DS/N TH-03E155-12567-3CR-58BD
DP/N 03E155:C/O TH:
Rev. A00
HDD S/N MRG2A9K2K2GBVJ

Thanks,
Gip

[thatdellguy]

You can replace all the parts you want. Let us know how it works out...

[GipBrown]

But won't I get struck by lightning if I'm wrong?

[BlackST]

Maybe by an angry customer...

[GipBrown]

Seriously though - Is it a viable solution?

[harddrivespecialist]

First of all, you did not mention original problem with that drive....

Would you do a heart transplant on a person who has high fever?

My question would be... does he need one?

[GipBrown]

What I can figure - Click Click Click ... and OS cannot be found etc whilst trying to boot up the lappy points to a faulty head stack. Sooo if I am going to get another HDD to replace the stack (need to try and recover the data) it seems placing the old platter in the new HDD might be easier than replacing the stack.

[pcimage]

Why would replacing the platter be easier? You'll have to remove the head stack from both drives anyway to remove the platters. Then put them back again.

[BlackST]

Unless the motor has problems, why move the platter?

[N.C.]

What I can figure - Click Click Click ... and OS cannot be found etc whilst trying to boot up the lappy points to a faulty head stack. Sooo if I am going to get another HDD to replace the stack (need to try and recover the data) it seems placing the old platter in the new HDD might be easier than replacing the stack.

Read this before do anything:

results-the-yourself-solutions-t11912.html

[GipBrown]

What have I got to lose?

[lcoughey]

Click - Click - Click
- this one is due to bad heads

Click - Click - Click
- this one is due to media damage in the SA

Click - Click - Click
- this one has a corrupt translator

Click - Click - Click
- this one has a failing PCB

So, what do you have to lose? Well, pretty much everything. Avoid changing heads at all costs is my motto.

If the data on the drive is not worth anything to you, you can give it a try...but, you are more than likely going to destroy both drives without the right tools for the job.

Perhaps, if you would like some help troubleshooting the problem and narrowing in on what is the cause, you can post the drive model information and more details about the symptoms.

[BlackST]

Is the disk YOURS or from customer?

[GipBrown]

Hi Luke - Some help troubleshooting the problem would surely be appreciated -

Interesting array of possible problems -

Last week the Dell D600 laptop would not boot up.
The drive didn't exhibit any indication it was going to fail -

Press power button -
It shows the BIOS trying to hand off to an operating system - Hangs for a few seconds then:

Primary hard disk drive 0 not found

Error loading OS

The clicking is very rhythmic - about every second and is constant until the lappy is powered down.

On occasion it will hang during bootup and does not display:

Primary hard disk drive 0 not found

Error loading OS

The clicking may stop at this point

I tried the "freezer method" and the drive did not click at all though still would not boot into Win2K

When it warmed up a bit the clicking resumed.

The clicking is not always rhythmic - and sometimes varies in loudness - CLICK then a click - CLICK click CLICK click CLICK click CLICK click ... though the softer click sounds more like a rattle than a click

Most times the CLICK will go on as long as the lappy is on and sometimes it will stop after a few miniutes.

I will survive if the data is lost though I'd rather recover it -

Hitachi Travelstar

Model: IC25N030ATMR04-0 DEC-03
- 30GB 4200 RPM -
P/N: 08K0850 CHS: 16383/16/63
MLC: H69421 A141111
DS/N TH-03E155-12567-3CR-58BD
DP/N 03E155:C/O TH:
Rev. A00
HDD S/N MRG2A9K2K2GBVJ

Thanks much - Gip

[GipBrown]

BlackST The disk is mine

[N.C.]

I tried the "freezer method" and the drive did not click at all though still would not boot into Win2K

When it warmed up a bit the clicking resumed.

The clicking is not always rhythmic - and sometimes varies in loudness - CLICK then a click - CLICK click CLICK click CLICK click CLICK click ... though the softer click sounds more like a rattle than a click

Most times the CLICK will go on as long as the lappy is on and sometimes it will stop after a few miniutes.

I bet for this drive is not recoverable at all actually.
This is already done.

Janos

[lcoughey]

Thanks for the info. Based on the situation you are describing and the drive model, I suspect that the drive may be toast. There is likely a surface damages due to a head crash. However, if the data is recoverable, it will likely need a head change.

Unless you have the right tools and an exact drive donor, I don't recommend that you attempt the head change yourself. This particular model of drive has the most annoying magnet I have ever seen and you will likely destroy the heads before you even get them out of the donor drive. But, if you are just doing this for fun and don't mind destroying the drives...go for it.

If you really do want the data and may consider having the work done by someone with the right tools, you should get it assessed before you do anything further. I hazard to guess that the price quotes will vary anywhere between $750 and $2500, if it is even recoverable. You can PM me if you would like to know what we would charge.

Please note...freezer is not a good tool for data recovery.

[BlackST]

OH NO! NOT AGAIN!!

[GipBrown]

OH NO! NOT AGAIN!!

Freezer burn?

[GipBrown]

Unless you have the right tools and an exact drive donor, I don't recommend that you attempt the head change yourself. This particular model of drive has the most annoying magnet I have ever seen and you will likely destroy the heads before you even get them out of the donor drive. But, if you are just doing this for fun and don't mind destroying the drives...go for it.

Finding an exact donor is what is holding up my attempt at this point -

I have a nice clean area and access to tools though probably not the whatsitamajig necessary -

What is it about the magnet that is so vexing?

I think the cost versus the fun and excitement I might get from getting it running again has me looking at the fun side -

Right now I feel like I am going into the ring without my cut man ...