Hi everybody,

I'm rather new in this domain, but I was reading this forum from a while and I like it very much. You are doing a great job here!
Now , my problem:
Can anybody please tell me what software can I use for making an image file from a harddisk in DOS?
It's about a notebook hdd Samsung MP0402H. It is very unstable and after 15-20 minutes it hangs and starts to click.
I've tried with Norton Ghost but I don't know why I can not select this drive as a source drive for image file. I can see it in ghost but I can not select it ( grey colour).
So is there another utility than can do a very fast image file ( or a clone). Maybee a freeware? Can MHDD do something like this?

Thank you in advance.

Hi Gill,

Norton Ghost is using the allocation table to create the image file witch might be bad for recovering data.

If you have a linux base workstation I can suggest you to use "dd" or "dd_rescue" to image your drive.

For myself I prefere Copyr (The free version will work for you les than 120GB) witch you can find more information on this forum. Your Hard drive might be hanging because of the heat try to cool down the drive with a fan while imaging.

If you have a linux base workstation you might try to image the first part (Up to the hang up) and then try to image with the -R switch reverse you might get the part you missed,

Hope it helps

Regards

_________________
--
Francis Parent-Valiquette
http://www.tux-tech.ca/

franckrules , thank you very much for the info....now I can see the difference between Ghost and Copyr....
Unfortunately ...my dear Samsung MP0402H don't want to boot anymore..just a very low clic-clik..BIOS dosen't see it anymore and I am very sad....I realy need the data...
Any ideea ??
Thank you again anyway...you were very kind.

Gill

Does the drive spin up properly?

If not, it sounds like stiction.

Quite common in these Samsung drives

No it does not spin at all.
It just begin to click from the first second of power.
The click-click is very low.
And yes ..i think something is stucked inside.
Anybody knows any solution?
Do I have to open the drive? Would this help ?

Basically opening it will not help, U will have to eliminate the cause of course
It depends on how and where do U open it. Should U have never done this before (and this is what I suppose) it is very risky, U have a great chance to kill the drive forever.
Yes, it is pretty expensive to have an expert to solve it, but if the data is not consisting of MP3 and some games' saves only (I mean there is really valuable and not easily reproductible data), it is a better choice.

regards,
pepe

Do you need data? Or repair drive for future use?

If you just need data and it's not mega important, I would open the drive quickly in as clean an environment as possible. Then see if the head is stuck to the platter.

If so, GENTLY try and move platter via the spindle, without touching it, to see if it comes unstuck. Do not apply excessive force or you will rip the head(s) off the arm.

If it comes unstuck, guide the heads off the platter (if heads using parking ramp, or onto parking zone if no head ramp seen), while turning the platter anti-clockwise slowly. Put the lid back on and fire it up.

Important: This all at your own risk, and IMHO only. If in doubt, send toa professional.

If you think you're gonna get a 100% usable drive out of this, then think again. Once opened, drives are never reliable enough.

OK.
First I want to thank you all for advices.
This are the facts.
I made some data recoverys until know but only using some recovery software, especialy freeware software. (deleted data, formated partitions,deleted partitions...swap some boards, moved and solder some chips etc). I never made any head or disk swap but I opened some dead disks just for fun to see how they work.
Now , this Samsung belongs to a kind of friend of mine who is not ready to pay for a proffesional recovery. So I am his only chance to get his data back just for a few beers.
The disk is not important so if we recover the data we can put it to garbage.
And most important I want to leran more about data recovery so for me is the chance to do experience.
But I don't want to do stupid beginer mistakes so that's why I asked for your proffesional help.
So, I will take the chance to open it. But please tell me how can I get an "as clean as possible environment"? ( I know what a real clean room is and I can not fulfill such requierments, I know what PC3000 is but I don't have something like this but I am thinking to buy one, after I will learn some more things)

How can I move the platter without touching it? I suppose that you mean not to touch the surface of the platter. Am I right?Can I touch the margins of the platter?



Sorry but I don't know what you mean by "IMHO only" ??

IMHO=In My Humble Oppinion


The question is how much do U need the data. Think about it seriously, and disassemble the drive ONLY in the case U are sure U don't want to pay for its recovery. Nobody likes drives disassembled by the user, so the costs after U tried it will be much higher.

regards,
pepe

Thank you Pepe for translation...

OK. I need the data just enough to take the risk and open the drive and I don't need it so much to pay for a pro recovery.( my friend is between jobs right now ...so...)
And most of all I want to gain some experience...with your pro help, of course.And of course I will share the result...

Well I did just like as pcimage said: turn it gently counterclockwise and while spinning the platers move the head to the park zone... Now I'm dealing around bad sectors, but 70% of the disk (HTS541060G9AT00) is now copied to a good one. Thank you for the advice. I tried to do it as cleanly as possible (in a clean area of a pharmaceuticals company), but surely some dirt got on the platters. Next time I hope I'll do it in my own DIY cabinet.

Do not touch the edges. Touch the disc in the middle that holds the platters.
Here's an example.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7c_MTX6-gYg
The guy ripped the heads off completely... Hope you will have more success in your case

Wow

_________________
DataRecovery.bg

What the hell is he doing with the heads ?

just fooling around... with gloves you know, to avoid dirt on the head he's going to resolder later

no i dont mean that i mean why is he lifting the head up with that screw driver and what do u mean by resolder later

I mean he "thinks" it will resolder the head.... obviously the man has no idea about he's doing.

resolder the head are u joking . Is this possible ?

Of course is a joke... never heard of someone resoldering a broken head.