KNOCK KNOCK! Data Recovery or HDD Repair?

[pawn3d 0]

HARDWARE: HITACHI Travelstar from thinkpad 41.

 

SYMPTOMS: Knocking; No operating system found.

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OVERVIEW: Apparently, the machine was dropped, rusulting in the following error upon booting: "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

<windows root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe

 

After expanding the file from an XP installation disk, I ran chkdks /r and it said there were errors that couldn't be fixed and the HDD started knocking. It knocks at a rate of 1 knock/sec. I restarted the machine and it says there's no OS and the knocking continues.

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Some guy told me to dl and run IBM - Hitachi Drive Fitness Test and another guy told me to pop it in an external enclosure, but aren't both of those options pointless if the drive is knocking? Doesn't that mean the drive head is toast? If yes, how do I fix the drive head, or...?

 

Thanks.

P.S. I can operate a soldering iron if need be.

[Philipp 6]

The drive in question is most likely defect and cannot be repaired. There is no way to fix the drive head or anything else in the hard disk.

[zepper 0]

Sounds like a form of the "click of death" - a new mechanical noise like that is almost always BAD and the drive should not be powered up once such sounds are heard as further mechanical damage to the platter(s) may occur - once platter damage happens there is no chance of data recovery from where the platters get damaged.

. If there is critical data on the drive, then you will have to send the drive off to a data recovery outfit where they disassemble the drive in a white room, remove the platters and put them into a special recovery jig that has it's own platter motor and heads for attempting data recovery.

. As you can guess, such isn't cheap (can easily run into the four figures on some drives). The owner needs to assess the cost/benefit ratio and then call or email for an estimate. Kim Komando recommends a data recovery service on her site (komando.com) - I've never used one nor do I know anyone who has, but I can say that OnTrack has been in that biz for nearly as long as there have been PCs and have regional white-room recovery sites in most parts of the country. If you call the drive mfr's tech support (would be my next step at this point), they may also recommend one or more services with which they have had good results.

. If any readers here are still not doing proper backups, please get a clue from this example. You may be one of the lucky that never needs to recover critical data from a mechanical drive failure, but when the Click of Death knocks, there's usually no second chance that isn't also VERY expensive.

 

.bh.