I have an Iomega Prestige Hard Disk 1 TB usb external disk[http://www.iomega-europe.com/section?SID=3...amp;secid=40360] (the actual disk is a Barracuda) attached on an Acer Gemstone 5920G laptop with VISTA Home Premium SP1.

I dropped the hd.

The hard disk is under warranty so I will have to return it asap to get a new one but I would like to recover some of my data form it before shipping it back.

When powered on the disk starts something like a short buzz every 2 seconds (it's not the click of death) for 10 minutes.
After it buzzing ends Vista sees the hd but tells me that it's an "unrecognised usb device" and that something is not working (eh you can't fool Vista!).
I cannot see the disk in Windows Explorer but Windows Vista Disk Manager recognises the unit as an "Unknown Disk" and "Not Initialized" and only offers me the chance to initialize it.

Victoria diagnostic tool gives an "invalid geometry" error and "Block 0 Error: T0NF" error.
Testdisk does not sees the disk at all.

I have also tried to access the disk through Knoppix live cd to no avail since, unless Vista, the hd is recognised only for few seconds whcih give me no time to attempt anything.

Reading on the Internet I understood that I am supposed to tell the disk the supposed number of cylinders or something like that but not being very technical I really don't know how to do it.

Well any help/advice anyone wishes to provide will be much appreciated.

Hi,

Thats a problem the disk´s in a case, because you can not open the case "break the seal off warranty".
So you have to see if your data is more important that the warranty off the disk.
And the disk that have dropped normaly is head problem... have to be open the disk and change heads to get the data.

Regards
ZeBong

_________________
ZeBong
" что случилось в России - останется в России "
" Россия еще раз"

Short buzz is the motor trying unsuccessfully to spin the spindle. Spindle lockup after being dropped is a very common problem, especially on this model.

You'll have to send it to a professional.

_________________
You don't have to backup all of your files, just the ones you want to keep.

In a few words : seized motor and / or head crashed (dropping the HD have bent the platter stack axis so maybe one or more heads are likely damaged, too).
Forget your data because it's gonna cost you something like 1500 / 2000 $ to recover, and obviously you'll lose your "warranty".
P.S. sure they won't be able to tell that the drive was dropped ?

Thank you Zebong,

I know I cannot open the case (I am assuming to the case that actually stores the disks and not the outer shell).
I removed the outer shell just to have a look but that's all.

Even if I could open the case I honestly would not know where to start from.
I have seen some videos on youtube but it's just too much for me.

I phoned a technician that generally helps me with computer matters and, from what I told him, he thinks something could be done but unfortunately I cannot even afford him at present.
He mentioned something that told the hd the number of cylinders or something like that but so far only Victoria and Vista Manager see the disk.

As a last resort I wonder if trying to initialise the disk through Vista hard Disk Manager and than try to recover the data with Testdisk or Photorec might do anything

Yeah I kinda figured it was something like that.
It really sounds like it wants to start...but it can't.

Oh well I REALLY hope they can't tell!
From the outside there seems not to be anything visible and 2 days before i had already contacted support because of other problems and we are talking about a 5 days hd.
So hopefully not because it would be a total disaster.
They don't even offer the option to repair it here in Europe

What all of you guys think of initialising the disk?
If anything else and if it works at least I won't have my pictures and stuff viewed by a complete stranger.
I have heard of people buying regenerated hd full of data!

You will NOT be able to initialize the disk as there is a mechanical fault with the drive caused by you dropping it. I guarantee you that the spindle motor has seized and will require professional intervention to get it operating again.

The only way for you to prevent somebody accessing your data - if they were to go to the trouble of having the drive repaired - is to Degauss (Magnetically destroy the data).

If you don't want your data getting into somebody else's hands, don't bother sending it back under warranty, just buy yourself a new one, and don't drop it next time! Anyway, if you have opened the external casing, you have already broken the warranty seal!

_________________
Data Recovery Ireland

Oh well I will just give it a try to initialise it just before sending it back since I have nothing to loose at that point and I can't afford not to send it back.
If I had money to spare I would have had my technician to have a look at it.

I will try to refrain my urge to drop external hard disks next time: thanks for the great advice!
I don't know how they could figure it out that the external case has been opened since I can't see any seal that got broken.
There is no seal even on the actual hd in case I wished to open that too (but I won't).

Oh well I will just give it a try to initialise it just before sending it back since I have nothing to loose at that point and I can't afford not to send it back.
If I had money to spare I would have had my technician to have a look at it.

I will try to refrain my urge to drop external hard disks next time: thanks for the great advice!
I don't know how they could figure it out that the external case has been opened since I can't see any seal that got broken.
There is no seal even on the actual hd in case I wished to open that too (but I won't).

Do you understand what "Initialising" is?

The hard drive MUST BE FULLY OPERATIONAL for you to do this. Even if it WAS working, initialising the drive would NOT securely erase your data.

If your data is confidential, don't send it back and save money for a new HDD.

_________________
Data Recovery Ireland

We always say what people don't want to hear... very few people in the world and many of them are on THIS forum (ehm... ehm...) can get the data back out of your drive but it's going to cost you $$$$$$$$$ .... OK, so we know that you can't afford the price and maybe there's something confidential in your disk so you don't want anybody to sniff in it (btw. to mass refurbish repaired drives, a procedure that completely DESTROY data is used, so the "regenerated" drives you are talking about are NOT factory refurbished, are more likely SHOP checked and re-sold as is - or maybe (rare) a drive was not selfscanned)... BUT PLEASE DON'T ASK US ANYMORE WHAT TO DO OR WHAT IS OUR OPINION. MAKE YOUR OWN EXPERIMENTS that , trust us, will lead to NOTHING. Buy a new drive and live without your "data" , or save money until you can afford a pro to retrieve your "data". Hard to say but that's the way it is.
Please close this thread... :S

I never really understand this sort of "acid\harsh" replies which seem to be quite common on this forum.

I EVIDENTLY don't understand much about harddisks, or PC in general for that matter, or I wouldn't be here asking for help.
I tried to learn as much as I could around the Internet and on this forum before asking for help but being a novice and in the short time I have it's all a bit overwhelming and complicated.

For those who don't feel like helping out or giving their opinion well don't and the 3D will quickly fall back.

As for my data is nothing too confidential: just personal stuff that in order to get it back I felt like trying all in my possibilities since I cannot afford any data retrieval, now or in the future, or not to return the drive for an exchange.

Anyway thanks a lot to all that helped out.

You can't learn for free what is not your field to solve your problem. It's not like changing a bulb. Life, computers, arts, science and sports have one thing in common: few people DOMINATE things, all the rest are simple spectators. Sorry. Maybe some answers are acid, but people should understand at 1st or 2nd opinion what an expert says, instead of thinking that the answer was not what expected and asking...asking...asking.

Ah, but you are wrong, BlackST.

The mere fact that there are forums means that ANYONE asking a question is entitled to a complete, personally customized, do-it-yourself answer for FREE from the world's leading experts on the topic.

I thought EVERYONE knew that?!

_________________
http://www.datasaversllc.com

I've heard that if you get kicked in the head by a mule, you'll get amnesia. If you get kicked in the head by a mule a 2nd time, you'll be cured (memory will return).

So yep, I'd drop the hard drive a second time.

Threshold; these forums are not hostile or harsh. You presented your problem. Most agreed that this is a seized motor and not something that is easily fixed by an end user. You ignored the information given to you by the members. Let's say at the very least you need to fix a motor problem.

At the very least you would need:
1. A class 100 clean room (used $2000+).
2. Maybe a platter moving device ($500 to $1000+).
3. Maybe a donor drive for heads and a motor ($100 to 400+).
4. In case of firmware damage you would need something to fix it ($500 to $12,000+).
5. You would need someone to complete all of this because its more than an average pc user can do ($$$).
6. A software/hardware solution to image the drive in case of platter damage ($100 to $5000).
7. The expertise to complete all this (years and years of experience).
8. Software to analyze the image ($100 to $800).
9. A place to copy the data to ($$$).
10. Various hand tools to perform this ($100 to $1000+)
11. A lot of luck...(sorry, can't buy this)

Forgive us if giving you the answer to your question gives you a bad taste about this forum and its members.

_________________
Buy your friends Toshiba\Hitachi and your enemies Seagate.