Failed HDD

[Schwarztod]

Hi, one of my HDDs recently crapped out on me. It is an IBM Deskstar (82.3gb) which I've had for a number of years (4 to be exact). I can hear it start spinning during startup, but it just stops suddenly, which leads me to believe it may be an electronic problem as opposed to mechanical. Does anyone here know what steps I might take to get it running just long enough to transfer everything over to a different hdd? Help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, -Glenn

 

[evongugg]

You can try this software:

Spinrite 6

http://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm

 

[sturm]

No guarantees but you can try putting it in the freezer over night. Sometimes it will stay cold enough to keept he electrical contact.
doesnt work for all problems but if everything else fails, what have you got to lose?

 

[Schwarztod]

Wish I could afford that software though it sounds like it could do the trick. Nothing on the HDD is worth $90 though. It's on its way to sub-zero temperatures as I type this. Thanks for the tips!

 

[Schwarztod]

The freeze method worked like a charm! It only worked for 10 minutes or so, but it was enough time to retrieve the most important files. I'll refreeze it and see what happens. Thanks a ton!

 

[sturm]

Good to hear it helped.