Hello,

My laptop's 250GB Seagate drive stopped spinning up about a month ago and, although I've got a replacement drive (Toshiba this time), I want to see if I can get some of my data off the Seagate.

The drive doesn't spin up at all although I can hear a faint repetitive (about 1 a second for maybe a minute) beeping noise from the drive when it's powered up.

I've tested the diodes and they're ok.

Today I've just found a You Tube video which demonstrates exactly what I'm hearing so thought I'd ask everyone on here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISTN_64MVnA

Any ideas what the problem might be? Head or spindle stuck?

Cheers,
Scott

Could be either, or both. In any case, it is likely that the recording heads are not correctly parked, and attempts to power the unit will create resistance between heads and media surface - almost certainly damaging both the heads and creating multiple surface errors.

Best case scenario - heads stuck on surface preventing normal operation

Worst Case scenario - spindle siezed

If data is important to you then the only real option you have is to get a accurate diagnostic from a repuable DR firm.

If data is not important, maybe you can make yourself a pretty clock or something

Wow that was a quick reply. Many thanks hddguy

The data on it is not important enough to spend any money on ... I've only really lost 10-20 purchased mp3 that I had yet to backup - I'll just buy them again.

So, a pretty clock it is then! Yay!

Cheers,
Scott

Now THIS one might be a candidate for "percussive maintenance" as the data is considered not valuable.

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Posting the results of "percussive maintenance" attempts would be interesting to anyone interested in advising this as DIY...

The OP may like to see this thread:
http://forums.seagate.com/t5/FreeAgent- ... 242#M11384

BTW, what was the verdict for hazybabes? Seized spindle? Stiction? Just curious ...

"percussive maintenance" thats great!

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All went well until I plugged the drive in.

Few types of faults arise

1: Stiction
2: Spindle seized
3: Heads jammed between ramp and platter (load/unload ramp)

plus a few other reasons

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All went well until I plugged the drive in.

Seized....

seagate-st3500820as-500gb-stopped-working-t16930.html

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You need to do this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHNaiuwceAk

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I did mean to report back what the actual cause was ... but I forgot Still, only a year late!

I opened it up and, as some of you suggested, I found the head had stuck on the platter (see attached pic). I managed to gently release it so the head was able to park and the platter could spin freely.
The drive would then spin up normally and was then visible to the laptop but it would not boot (actually, it did manage the 1st time to get to the Windows 7 dual boot screen (it took forever to get there so it wasn't very happy) but couldn't boot any further - subsequent attempts failed to get even to that point)

Anyway, my replacement drive has been working fine for nearly a year but I still haven't made a pretty clock out of my old one ... maybe in another year

Cheers,
Scott

Better late, than never
This time the info was not of value, and you can always try whatever you want!
But this is just another classic DIY try that I've seen some of that goes wrong, and it ain't getting better.
I could understand why people try, but seriusly if you had a Mercedes 500slc would you try to fiddle with the engine yourself?

Best regards/ Bosse

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hey I am about to try my first percussive maintenance too....

whats the chance of success DIY when compared to a DR?

I was torrenting and the whole system stopped, and the drive started beeping as above.

whats my likely cause? seizure? of the head is misplaced?

It cannot be stitchion since it was in use, right?

check this guy,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m5cil6KezI

pretty easy for him, "do not be afraid to open a hard drive" LOL

Wrong.


Well, my advice? Don't.
Unless you don't care about the data and once drive goes FUBAR, it won't be a big deal.

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The heads of your hdd are destroyed. You're probably lucky because if they did actually made it to the platters, they would scratch them.
Now your drive has a chance in the hands of a very good DR professional.

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Hello Guys,

I had the exact issue with my Seagate Momentus 7200.4 500 GB.
Have been using it with the Seagate Freeagent Go.
Suddenly one day it started making the beeping noise one day exactly as the one in the original topic post.
I managed to open it and parked the head in the parking postion.
Before it was just the beeping noise.
Now the disk is spinning freely but the head is doing this.
http://youtu.be/5M7032aP5jo

Any ideas ??

Is that your recording? The drive should never open in normal room environment.
Heads and maybe surface are bad, if you data is of value contact a data recovery lab...not DIY.

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