I have a failed WD Caviar 500GB SATA drive that I'm considering repairing myself. 95% of the files we have elsewhere (as mostly it was a secondary backup for a laptop system), but typically we think there may be around 200 photos which aren't covered on other drives (was used as a temp laptop overspill and for laptop backup). They aren't crucial work files, everything like that is backed up multiple times, but still it's annoying as they should have been moved onto the appropriate drive by the user.

I can't get a PC or Mac to recognise it either directly SATA connected, or via USB enclosure, doesn't appear in BIOS or via any disk tools such as TestDisk (which I'm quite familiar with).

It's spins, clicks, carries on spinning, clicks etc. I've tried putting it in the freezer for a week (sealed in anti-static with silica gel), but it makes the same noises - so I suspect that trick works very rarely, if at all.

Could it be a logic board failure? It died instantly from working perfectly day it was powered down, to the next time it was powered on (which I why I suspect the logic board). It's about 5 years old, but only been used perhaps once a week as an additional backup store for one of our laptops (in a WD MyBook enclosure), it's only ever sat on a desk, it's never travelled anywhere, not moved from the desk since it was new. I suspect at most it's been used for 300 work hour days.

I think I can possibly track down a replacement board (checked the board revision numbers and some are available online), providing the firmware is the same, or if I can switch out the chip - that seems to be the biggest issue.

So I'm considering having a crack at repairing it, if the logic board could be the issue - is it a time waste, or a possible solution?

If not, we need to decide 100% which photos are missing and if it's worth getting it recovered by a secure specialist, and no doubt spending a small fortune.

From your description (clicking etc) it's more than likely an actuator fault of the drive itself.

Do NOT attempt to "repair" the drive.

Your need is to RECOVER files, so, go...

HERE

and download the demo version of Data Rescue 3.

With the faulty drive attached to one of the Macs (internally of externally, makes no difference), run DR3 (even if the drive does not appear on the Desktop which it probably will not given your post).

You'll know very quickly whether DR3 will provide positive results. If it does, consider purchasing.

Finally, remember to recover files to a location other than the target drive.

Good luck!

HTH.

-------

Going to a data recovery specialist will be VERY expensive. You pay for all data recovered (even if corrupted), not just any specific files you may want.

Thanks Ian,

Appreciate the info.

I'm definitely not going to open the actual drive and get to the heads, but I'd be confident to swap the logic board, as this is external to the mechanism.

Apparently clicking can sometimes be caused by the controller failing (I assume to direct the heads) - but I'm not an expert so as you say, it may just be internal failure, hence my Q.

I've used TestDisk on many occasions, which is an incredible open source expert recovery tool: http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk (I suspect it offers more powerful features to Data Rescue, which looks more like a sophisticated unerase and file scavenger but I may be wrong). I've used this on drives before with fried partition tables and failing drives before they die. It's cmd/terminal only but incredibly powerful as long as you know what you are doing, and providing the drive will spin with heads able read data in some form. There is an OS X version too.

I very much doubt I'll be able to recover anything with the drive in the current state using software as it can't be detected by anything low-level (BIOS tools, SATA port scans etc), which is why I suspect logic board failure.

As the files aren't 100% critical (but would ideally like to recover) I'm happy to experiment with the logic board, if it could solve, hence the initial post... If it contained 100% essential data which had no backup, I'd send it immediately to a clean room specialist, but as it only has a small set of missing data, I'm happy to experiment as I'm electronics savvy!

I'm pretty confident the problem is the actuator (used to run Apples HDD warranty process and have considerable DR experience myself).

That said, if you decided to try changing the logic board you'll need to ensure it's an identical board with the same revision(s).

Sourcing the appropriate board may be neither quick nor inxpensive.

Noted your comments regarding DR3, it's much more than a trawler - give it a go, what's to lose?

I suspect you are correct, it definitely sounds mechanical, maybe me just trying to be hopeful. The data isn't worth £1000s to recover, which is the irritating thing.

The main issue with swapping logic boards is getting both the firmware and potential EPROM data correct, it appears in many HDs nowadays as well as having unique firmware chip which changes regularly, some HD manufacturers also flash an EPROM on the board with the platter information at the time of manufacturer, and this can differ with every batch. I'd be happy to swap with Firmware chip if it was small enough, but if I kill it completely, or make it worse, that'd be foolish!

You must have a look at TestDisk from CGSecurity http://www.cgsecurity.org it's an incredible tool, and for lesser technical jobs, their PhotoRec software is brilliant too.

Okay, will give DR3 a whirl now as suggested, as you say, nothing to lose! Will try on the Mac first via USB as can't be bother with opening another PC before finishing for the weekend!

"You must have a look at TestDisk..."

I did, immediately folowing your earlier post...

and I must agree, it's a very mean bit of kit - with a most compelling price !

Good Luck!

Gave it a go Ian, but as expected - nothing, as the drive can't be detected at all.

It spins up, clicks three times over about 6-8 seconds and spins down, I think this is due to a head problem where it's trying to locate the firmware zone.

Now it's whether to have a go and the logic board... hmmmm!

Sadly this sounds all too familiar to me also. The dreaded "clicks" as the actuator attempts to position the heads.

When it happened to me some years back I hadn't had the foresight / been too stupid to back up my files. I lost the lot and learned a very valuable lesson. As you'll know there are firms who can recover data from hard drives but as far as I know it's quite an expensive business.

Good luck with your attempts to resurrect it but I fear the worst.

This has just happened to me this week with our spare Pc the kids use, little man has put all his pictures of our holidays etc on it so is a little upset that he may lose them.

The main problem with my SATA HDD is it stops the PC dead in its tracks, it takes ages to get off the check screen and if I remove the HDD and put in my PC as a secondary my pc wont boot? I though that was very odd.

Clicking Clicking Clicking is all I get....

Rich