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01-08-2011, 10:05 PM
Hard drives fail. At some point during use you will need another one or you won't be able to use the computer anymore. But there are ways to revive a hard drive, at least temporarily, to extract data from it. Sometimes a failed hard drive will last a little while longer, and sometimes not. You'd be surprised at how simple it can be to make a hard drive work again for a short time.
One of the best methods is to get a ziplock freezer bag and put the hard drive in it. (After you have disconnected it from the computer) Roll up the ziplock bag to remove as much air as possible before you zip it closed. Put it in the freezer for a few hours. Usually 2 hours will do. After you take it out of the freezer, immediately reconnect it to the computer. In many cases the hard drive worked until it overheated. The length of time the drive will continue to work will vary, but most of the time the drive data was able to be copied before it failed again.
If a hard drive is failing to spin, then get the appropriate tools and open it up. Make sure you disconnect the hard drive from the computer before attempting anything to it. Open the hard drive case and you should see the actual disks. Antistatic yourself by touching your computers casing with both hands. Touch around the aluminum parts and wipe your hands across the case. A few seconds is all it takes to release any static you may have. Now carefully spin the disks without breaking anything. Usually the hard drive will work normally again, because you freed the disks.
There is a last resort method that has as much chance to fail as it does to work. And it's simple. Disconnect the hard drive from the computer. Hold it in one hand about 6 inches off the desk and drop it on the desk. Once or twice. Then reconnect it. I have personally done this and it worked on some drives and others were just so dead that nothing was going to work.
Freezer method has had around an 80% success rate for me. Dismantling hard drives and spinning disks has worked about 40% of the time. Dropping the hard drive on the desk a few times and reconnecting it actually worked about 40% of the time also.
One of the best methods is to get a ziplock freezer bag and put the hard drive in it. (After you have disconnected it from the computer) Roll up the ziplock bag to remove as much air as possible before you zip it closed. Put it in the freezer for a few hours. Usually 2 hours will do. After you take it out of the freezer, immediately reconnect it to the computer. In many cases the hard drive worked until it overheated. The length of time the drive will continue to work will vary, but most of the time the drive data was able to be copied before it failed again.
If a hard drive is failing to spin, then get the appropriate tools and open it up. Make sure you disconnect the hard drive from the computer before attempting anything to it. Open the hard drive case and you should see the actual disks. Antistatic yourself by touching your computers casing with both hands. Touch around the aluminum parts and wipe your hands across the case. A few seconds is all it takes to release any static you may have. Now carefully spin the disks without breaking anything. Usually the hard drive will work normally again, because you freed the disks.
There is a last resort method that has as much chance to fail as it does to work. And it's simple. Disconnect the hard drive from the computer. Hold it in one hand about 6 inches off the desk and drop it on the desk. Once or twice. Then reconnect it. I have personally done this and it worked on some drives and others were just so dead that nothing was going to work.
Freezer method has had around an 80% success rate for me. Dismantling hard drives and spinning disks has worked about 40% of the time. Dropping the hard drive on the desk a few times and reconnecting it actually worked about 40% of the time also.
