Hi,

My scsi raid 0 array failed while in operation. The first hard disk does not show any size, cylinders, heads, sectors, etc. It powers up (maybe clicking faintly) and I can only see the model name, nothing else. All tests fail or will not run. The second hard disk is ok.
I have been trying for days different controllers, cables, configurations, downloaded every software I could get my hands on, I have tried cooling, tapping, hitting, leaving overnight, powering on and off, basically anything I could think of so it springs back to life but nothing.
The only thing I have not tried is putting the board from the good hard disk to the bad one. Will this fix it? If yes please recommend the best free image/cloning software so I can clone the good hard disk before I try to remove its board.
From my description can you tell me what is wrong with the first hard disk and how could I fix it (apart from sending it to someone who knows what they're doing of course)?

Thank in advance.

You won't get a single bit of data from the drive in this state if it is not working properly, either with free or commercial software.
Nothing else to say as it seems to me that you want only FREE DIY solutions, that - moreover - do not exist in this case.
In addition, all the "attempts" can have added damage to damage.
Last hope is to get "some" data from the working disk.
Good luck.

Agree on this one.

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Iorana Haraharaini

No don't say that
Can you tell me what's wrong with the hard disk from your experience?
I'm only asking someone to point me to the right direction.

OK, you want to hear something different...

You said your drives are SCSI, right ? (still don't know what brand or model, but this is ininfluent).
Well, there is only ONE tool available on the market (HW+SW) that has "limited" possibilities of diagnose and intervention on SCSI HDDs and cost thousands of $ + must know how to use it.
You won't buy it.

Alternative : you must know how YOUR drives work (unless, having most probably scrubbed the internet for every "0 MB" issue fix , you have the hope that you can do something similar on SCSI drive - forget it !) and analyze it at low level to understand what the problem is (and possibly do something). Assuming you fix the issue you have then to clone to another disk and rebuild the array. But will you manage to do it ?

From my experience the failed disk has internal problems either physical (media, heads) or firmware.

Thank you BlackST although it doesn't sound good.
Drives are Seagate (I hate Seagate although I managed to save 100% data from my Seagate drive using an ebay botched up usb cable, I vividly recall sd15 firmware, rest is a blur). Unfortunately that time the data was replaceable, this time not so I will try everything to get them back. It is my fault so I cannot let anyone touch the hard disk until I am sure nothing else can be done.
I have already downloaded several raid reconstruction software programs in the hope I can revitalize the broken hard disk and salvage all the data by creating a virtual array as you say.
I want to clone the good drive before I take its board off so any recommendations for a free cloning tool appreciated.
Two things I've learned the hard way:
1) Raid 0 = suicide
2) HD can fail without warning
P.S. I already knew about backup but some people never learn, eh?

Please take your drive to a pro. Let us know your location and we can give recommendation. They will be able to properly give diag. and let you know cost. The advice already given is also good to follow. No DIY.

PCB wil not help, guaranteed.

If your data is worth anything to you, DO NOT "DIY it to death" you will only make matters worse. Potentially costing you 10x more and minimising your chances of recovery.

There is NOTHING you can do DIY-wise to this particular drive.

As you have already been advised TAKE IT TO A PRO NOW!

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Are these REALLY SCSI drives? Or are they hooked up to a "scsi" controller? Can we have the m/n (ie. STxxxxxxxx)?

The above suggestions are solid, no DIY, especially if these are truly SCSI drives.

Also,



this could easily have made things a lot worse.

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Hi maxgate, DIY method can't help you, don't even dream about the tool $500-$5000 can help. Like BlackST said that, you must know how YOUR drives work, must have the tool (+how to use it) and then you can dream (or think about how to recovery data) on your drive.

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* Có ba thứ ngu dốt :

Không hiểu biết những gì mình đáng biết.
Hiểu biết không rành những gì mình biết.
Hiểu biết những gì mình không cần biết.

All of this information and the OP NEVER provides even the most basic information like the make and model number of the drive. its maddening

Everyone saying take your hd to a pro, no diy, physical damage etc. were unfortunately correct.
Following your advice I finally took the drive to a pro, I believe head damage was the culprit and a bill for $$$$ for data recovery.
I decided not to recover the drive and take this instead as a hard lesson.
Thank you all for your help.
*Drive model not provided on purpose:)

Probably the problem is even not head damage and the drive can still be re-used after refurbishing, but anyway as it is not DIY-doable (less than less if it is pure SCSI) , trash the drive. Or sell it to me at $/EUR 1

Another dead drive bites the dust! Thriftiness wins the day!

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Nationwide data recovery services for RAID servers and laptops - http://www.harddriverecovery.org/

I wonder why everyone keeps saying they may not be real scsi drives? Is this a reference to the fake sata "scsi" controllers? Anyway the drives are real scsi LW models. You can have both drives for free if I get my data back and zero fill the drives (maybe in another life:))

I fully believe that your drives are real SCSI. But to recover them for free just to get old hardware in return seems a little bit ridiculous.

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Nationwide data recovery services for RAID servers and laptops - http://www.harddriverecovery.org/