I really just wanted to post this not because I am being defensive or anything else, but instead just wanted to get it out there. I am not a guru so therefore I ask questions. I want to get into data recovery and have bought all of the tools necessary to do most jobs in my opinion. Even with some training in my opinion you still would not know enough to do this for a living. I know that tools cannot replace experience so I spend just about all night working on drives (that arent clients) just to get some experience. So what can you do when you run into a bad drive that you struggle with? I am sure all of the gurus have had this happen at some point. In the lost topic I read, the proposal of having a closed forum was brought up. Why dont you have a member paid forum so that people who do need help could ask questions that are willing to invest their time and learn.

I'll start with a piece of wisdom...

Knowledge doesn't enter the head through an open mouth.

I think, for the most part, newbies here are treated fairly, but appropriately.

There are messages here going back years. It's a nice resource. In general, people on here respect someone who has already looked for the answers, and needs just a little bit more. Others, who are too lazy to do their own research, and want the secrets of the universe laid at their feet, for free, don't get as warm a reception.

You do OK. Others aren't so fortunate

As for a paid forum, it would certainly weed out some (Too lazy to learn often = Too cheap to pay), but not all. Regardless of what other forums open up, I think this one serves it's purpose well.

Totally agree.

what kind of tools have you bought? I have just gone though this myself and the minimum is about 10 to 15 US$K:
hand tools (anti static if pos)
hot air desolder station
soldering station
imaging SW/HW
Firmware repair SW/HW
Class 100 or better dust free environment
a million other bits and bobs

(BEST OF ALL)
A good DR course, about 3 to 5K,

Before that I had just downloaded or cracked a few other simple softwares to do logical recoveries, and even then I was only recovering about 20% of disks that came in. We are at about 75% now (long way to go still).

In these days of freeware or emule cracks etc, it's easy to think it may be cheap to get into DR, but its not. Sorry.

good luck

For tools I have..

1. All the hd doctors (except fujitsu)
2. Soldering and Desoldering station
3. Microscope (yes BadBoy)
4. Hw Imager (On the way now)
5. Flow bench
6. The salvation hardware kit
7. o-scope
8. Media tools pro and r-studio
9. Multimeter
10.anti static mat.....etc., etc.

I do have alot invested and have learned some, however like it has been said here NOT MUCH EXPERIENCE
As far as courses go I have only found 2 info sec institute and scott moultons class. I really dont know which to take maybe if you guys have been to one or know of others please let me know some opinions. Many of the people I have spoken with are for the most part self taught and have some background in electrical engineering and such. I have been slowly buying these tools over a little time and trying to learn them as I go.

If you buy the tools you get the docs. Sit down and study, it won't take long. Then, for a few bucks, get broken hdds and practice. Stop.

Hi jerkykid,
Tools are always not universal , you need practise and accumulate your experience and learn from others, just like learning from Gurus in this forum.
Like an old saying goes: practise makes perfect.
However, you should practise based on some rules, do not use your tools to damaged your hdds and makes things worse.

I suggest you to learn from others and improve step by step.
Hurry is not always a good thing. Need patience to obtain sucess.
Hope you can reach a great sucess in the near funture in this field.

I can see where your going wrong. You don't seem to own a computer.

Indeed, he has a computer... but it's HIS drive needing to be fixed LOL.
Have a good day !

I deserved it, someone asked me what I had, I shouldnt have replied now I look like a tool Really thou BlackSt I read in another post about you instructing....If you willing to do teaching why not? why dont some of you get together and do this. Like I said in a previous post there are only 2 classes that I know of. In the tech schools I have been trying to take forensic courses forever, they just keep cancelling because thay cant find instructors.

I would be more than willing to pay for training in this field to just be around someone who actually knows what is going on and be able to ask questions at the time I need to.

Maybe I should get a pc then I could use my tools I hope that these forums are not going to be closed, this is a great resource.

They can't find instructors or they don't want to pay instructors so they go elsewhere ? It's the same old story and you know what's going on... just read in this forum... the value of knowledge is too often reputed near s**t (btw the day the s**t will have a great value, the poor will born without ass) .
The unique risk is that (and is happening right now) skilled people go elsewhere and open other forum(s) and stop answering. For everything else, anyway, there are always the PMs !!!

Today , as I have to stay at my PC I have the time to reply almost in real time....

the tools you have look good. you seem to be off on the right foot. I am learning too (aren't we all)

if it makes you feel better (it works for me) there will always be someone who know less than you around and someone who knows a lot more. Share with those who know less, and learn from those who know more.

I guess the key to these forums is, when you have a question/doubt, SEARCH SEARCH SEARCH again, SEARCH once more, then ask. When you do ask, show that you have tried to figure it out alone, attach pictures etc.

This week, with my tools, and searching I have done 3 disks, and asked no questions

I bet i'll be asking one soon though, and hope the guys are not too tough on me

No, mediaman, we won't be that way, it depends on questions . When the forum is the last option and a honest question is always welcome. Asking doesn't hurt, other things do.

I decided to put this message here because I think it fits well. @stts I have read many posts that you have put up when people are asking questions. I thought that you should know a few things here as this is getting a little ridiculous. In my opinion, you say that some posts by the gurus "you say rcchadwick and blackst" are snippy and rude (in a nutshell). Well really if someone does come on this forum and searches for an answer (as you should be) they will find out quickly that you may get that type of reply. I wanted to simply say that it really isnt that big of a deal in my eyes, you are not going to get any help by biting the hand of another then asking an opinion. I am sure I will post more questions and maybe I will get a snippy reply, I am able to handle it, I am a adult as all of us are. I dont think that anyone here needs a guardian angel to watch out for them because they are new. I have talked to a few of the gurus here thru pm and they are all very nice people. Most of the time I think they giving their realistic opinions about someone trying to get their own data back that has no experience. i am not "kissing ass" I am stating my opinion.

So I think in the best interest in this whole forum maybe this just needs to be buried. Topics are being completly thrown off by needless bickering and s**t throwing.

AGAIN, this is not meant to offend anyone, I think we just need to get over this, remember we are done with high school................

Too late. Pm me.

jerrykid just read this post

post57410.html?hilit=#p57410

This forum is for helping people with basic hard drive problems. Since when did it become an excuse for the common Joe to set up shop based on what they learn here. It reminds me of cheap medical surgery in Mexico performed out of someone's kitchen sink. I am tired of getting hard drives with finger prints, damage caused by inexperience, and sloppy work ethics. I urge the pros here to keep it quiet or lose the whole industry altogether. This forum gives the common viewer the wrong information on data recovery which leads to a higher number of unrecoverable drives. I'm really getting tired of it!

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

Well you joined the wrong forum then. The title says EVERYTHING HARDDRIVES. And it doesnt say "PROS ONLY". That means you have to welcome everybody about everything harddrive. All races, creeds, colors, shapes, brain level and wealth status. If you dont like it, you can delete your membership at anytime.

For most people, I dont think they have set up shop based on what they learned here. In fact, maybe they are learning the same way you did.

This has gotten out of control!

No, it was out of control before. Now things are getting cleaned up.