Tom's Hardware > Forum > Storage > Hard Disks > 500GB Seagate just bricked? Short circuits my PC anytime I plug it in

500GB Seagate just bricked? Short circuits my PC anytime I plug it in

Forum Storage : Hard Disks - 500GB Seagate just bricked? Short circuits my PC anytime I plug it in

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mith36   07-18-2009 at 06:33:00 AM

As topic says, I was working on a new hardware setup today, and I shifted several components around.

 

I couldn't figure out why my computer wouldn't power on until I slowly started removing pieces--until I reached my seagate 500gb. I unplugged it and my cpu worked, so I added everything else--still fine. Then I re-add it and my computer dies again.

 

No matter what I do it dies the INSTANT it is connected. If I try to power up with it connected, it doesnt work and I have to flip the switch in the back off and on before I can even try to power my comp back on. I have a lot of vital data on there (ok, my music collection). Is there any hope of recovering this data without some expensive recovery company tearing the hdd apart?

 

I am getting sick of all these hardware pieces failing in less than a year lately. My computers used to last 2-4 years, but I am lucky to get 9 months out of my components these days.

 

Thanks


Message edited by mith36 on 07-18-2009 at 06:35:18 AM
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INSPECTOR71   07-18-2009 at 06:59:04 AM
- 0 +

You need to be gentle with you computers and dont go (touching and shifting components)thats why they probably aren't lasting as long as they should.When a certain piece of hardware goes you replace that piece, dont go moving around everything inside you PC.


Message edited by INSPECTOR71 on 07-18-2009 at 07:01:07 AM
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INSPECTOR71   07-18-2009 at 07:00:13 AM
- 0 +

Hate to tell you you may have lost all your data on that hard drive.

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wuzy   07-18-2009 at 08:06:02 AM
- 0 +

Have you tried another SATA/molex plug? Just in case.
If the same thing happens when you plug the drive into another computer then there's nothing you can do about it except through expensive data recovery service.

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jsc   07-18-2009 at 02:34:44 PM
- 1 +

Here's what I would try:
Disconnect the physical drive assembly from the controller PCB. Plug the controller into the computer. If the computer stays on, that sort of indicates a problem with the physical drive assembly - in which case, you are SOL.

If the computer shuts down, that means the controller is bad. If you find an identical drive, you may be able swap controller boards and retrieve the data.

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mith36   07-18-2009 at 05:32:15 PM
- 0 +

Jsc,

The controller board is still causing the same short when I disconnected it from the disks. Is there hope that only this part of my hdd is ruined and not the disk? I know that it is impossible to know as the problem with the controller prevents us from knowing, but if you have seen this before does it tend to lead to good results if you replace the board?

I emailed seagate to ask them if I could order just a board for the hdd and explained my situation. Hopefully they say yes, otherwise I'll have to drop 60$ish on the new hdd. A shame, but I guess I could swap the boards on the second one and RMA IT xD

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jsc   07-18-2009 at 05:43:28 PM
- 0 +

If the controller is causing the short, you have a pretty good chance of recovering your music - but still only a chance. There's still a possibility that something died in the drive mechanism, and that took out the controller - in which case, you are still SOL.

Just out of curiosity, is this a 7200.11 drive or a 7200.12 drive?

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MikeJRamsey   07-18-2009 at 06:22:21 PM
- 0 +

jsc wrote :

If the controller is causing the short, you have a pretty good chance of recovering your music - but still only a chance. There's still a possibility that something died in the drive mechanism, and that took out the controller - in which case, you are still SOL.

Just out of curiosity, is this a 7200.11 drive or a 7200.12 drive?



If 7200:11 then go here: http://seagate.custkb.com/seagate/ [...] 57&Hilite=

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mith36   07-18-2009 at 06:39:51 PM
- 0 +

I don't believe it is a 7200.11.

 

Here's the product page. I ordered it about 20 months ago. It is still under warranty for another 3 years.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822148286

 

It ends with "NS", all .11's end with "AS" it looks like.

 

Anyway, I'll post with my results, but it may be a week or so depending on what seagate tells me. if they say no, i have to order a drive.

 

Oh, I just thought I'd add that prices on hdd recovery seem to have come down to 200$ish. I keep seeing people say 1000$.

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by mith36 on 07-18-2009 at 06:43:26 PM
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MikeJRamsey   07-18-2009 at 07:46:35 PM
- 0 +

mith36 wrote :

I don't believe it is a 7200.11.

Here's the product page. I ordered it about 20 months ago. It is still under warranty for another 3 years.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822148286

It ends with "NS", all .11's end with "AS" it looks like.

Anyway, I'll post with my results, but it may be a week or so depending on what seagate tells me. if they say no, i have to order a drive.

Oh, I just thought I'd add that prices on hdd recovery seem to have come down to 200$ish. I keep seeing people say 1000$.



You have a Barracuda ES (I looked it up). The ES' design is close to the 7200.10. So it's not bricking due to the 7200.11's firmware problems. Later ES.2 models have a number of reported defects.

Looks like a 5-year warranty. www.seagate.com/support/service/

As long as the RW heads didn't crash and ruin the disc there is a good chance that your data can be recovered. Good luck.

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mith36   08-14-2009 at 06:47:31 PM
- 0 +

I was able to recover my HDD contents by replacing the controller card on the back. I used a same model HDD's controller card for replacing. Perfect so far.

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MikeJRamsey   08-15-2009 at 02:01:59 AM
- 0 +

Cool. Thanks for the update.

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