Laptop Hard disk failure : how to repair the motor?

[Yves--]

I have a Toshiba Laptop Satellite SA10-S203 with a harddisk 30GB MK3021GAS.
(XP, NTFS)
The motor isn't spinning anymore (first slowing down and having errors, not
booting anymore and now completely stopped)
I disassembled the harddisk and tried to connect it using an external
Freecom USB case, but does not mannage to have acces.
There are a lot of tools & software available to recover data, but as long
as the platters don't spin, it has no use.

The help of specialised companies is not realy a first option. This is
turning out to be a pretty expensive solution ($600 to $1500, depending on
size, complexety, etc.. )
Ok, I know the data on it has also a value, and one has to consider what's
it's personal value. Here I do not want to spent that much money, but at
the other hand, I would like recover a few files, some pictures, some doc's.
I know a good backup policy would have prevented me to get in this
situation, but even the last backup is not always having all recent data. A
halve a day working on a laptop generates enough data to be sorry when lost.

So, as a summary, I have an identical harddisk in good shape, and want to
perform a hardware 'transplantation'.
Is it feasable to dissasemble the case and replace platters from the
'broken' one to the 'good' one. Where can I find a guide or description
where this operation is explained.
I have nothing to lose, only the cost of the second harddisk. I know I have
only one chance, but it's also a challenge.

All suggestions are welcome, especially about disassemble and mechanical
aproach of the harddisks. (Toshiba MK3021GAS)

Thanks a lot.

Yves


PS : This was f.e. a start, but not enough to proceed:
http://www.whitecanyon.com/rmf-data-recovery-how-to.php

 

[kony]

I have a Toshiba Laptop Satellite SA10-S203 with a harddisk 30GB MK3021GAS.
(XP, NTFS)
The motor isn't spinning anymore

Ok, I know the data on it has also a value, and one has to consider what's
it's personal value. Here I do not want to spent that much money, but at
the other hand, I would like recover a few ...

Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that. I mean, nobody
"wants" to pay for data recovery if they could just wish a
drive back to life, but have to do so anyway.

So, as a summary, I have an identical harddisk in good shape, and want to
perform a hardware 'transplantation'.

It's not likely to work. Not only is there precision
alignment and procedure necessary, but also the drive is
formatted AFTER these parts have been installed. If you
could (did) install all the parts in a cleanroom and the
operation went "perfectly", you then would have a higher
chance of formatting the drive and experimentally trying to
write fresh data to it- not read what was there previously.

Is it feasable to dissasemble the case and replace platters from the
'broken' one to the 'good' one. Where can I find a guide or description
where this operation is explained.

No, not feasable.

I have nothing to lose, only the cost of the second harddisk. I know I have
only one chance, but it's also a challenge.

Frankly, you'd be better off taking that chance by putting
it in the freezer and trying to copy off data while it's
cold. If you can create a clean environment you might take
the cover off and see if the spindle/platters freely rotate
but not touching the platter surfaces. If it doesn't freely
rotate you might try manually releasing it but it's probably
not going to work, would typically seize up violently in a
few seconds even if it began spinning at (trying to reach)
operational speed.

All suggestions are welcome, especially about disassemble and mechanical
aproach of the harddisks. (Toshiba MK3021GAS)

Thanks a lot.

Yves


PS : This was f.e. a start, but not enough to proceed:
http://www.whitecanyon.com/rmf-data-recovery-how-to.php

That's not really all that helpful, it's just a basic
overview of drives in general.

The best suggestion is to determine if the data is worth the
recovery cost. If so, pay a professional. If not, you
might try putting it in the freezer (in an air-tight
evacuated baggie) for a few hours then trying it, but that's
all you have a reasonable hope of accomplishing if the
mechanical portions have failed.

However, if the circuit board is bad you might try swapping
the board from one to another. Contact the drive
manufacturer to see if they'll give you any addt'l
informiation on determining compatibility between one drive
and the next- it might need be more alike than just the same
drive model #.

 

[DaveW]

You obviously have NO idea what is involved in "transferring the platters to
another harddrive case." It is NOT possible as a home project. Consider
your data lost, and backup in the future.

 

[Yves--]

You obviously have NO idea what is involved in "transferring the platters
to another harddrive case." It is NOT possible as a home project.
Consider your data lost, and backup in the future.

--

Yea, right, euh....just the kind of reaction everybody is waiting. Verry
profound.
Read my posting once again, Dave,
..... and try to be positive and helpfull. Life is to short, you know ;-)

 

[Yves--]

Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that. I mean, nobody
"wants" to pay for data recovery if they could just wish a
drive back to life, but have to do so anyway.

Correction: if the value of the data is in line with the recovery cost,
most of the people would pay with pleasure.
If the data is not that important , in $ I mean, will not mean one is sorry.

It's not likely to work. Not only is there precision
alignment and procedure necessary, but also the drive is
formatted AFTER these parts have been installed. If you
could (did) install all the parts in a cleanroom and the
operation went "perfectly", you then would have a higher
chance of formatting the drive and experimentally trying to
write fresh data to it- not read what was there previously.


No, not feasable.



Frankly, you'd be better off taking that chance by putting
it in the freezer and trying to copy off data while it's
cold. If you can create a clean environment you might take
the cover off and see if the spindle/platters freely rotate
but not touching the platter surfaces. If it doesn't freely
rotate you might try manually releasing it but it's probably
not going to work, would typically seize up violently in a
few seconds even if it began spinning at (trying to reach)
operational speed.

I did put the harddisk in a anti-static bag, and this one in an paper bow
into the freeze for 1 +1/2 h.
I disassembled the laptop, so the harddisk wouldend suffer from the
processor, powersupply and other sources of heat.
I connected about 30 min. later the harddisk to the laptop.
And what do you think.... YES, the platters started again to spin, with
not that much noise as they did before

So with the tools UBCD4XP, I first retrieved the couple of files I was most
interested (yea, I know, the backup story, of course...)

While the thing kept on running, I copied the complete directory "My
document" , and while all was going sweet and well, I took an image of the
harddisk.

End of story. Thanks for the POSITIVE approach and comment!

You saved my life, yea, right ;-))

 

[General Schvantzkoph]

I did put the harddisk in a anti-static bag, and this one in an paper bow
into the freeze for 1 +1/2 h.
I disassembled the laptop, so the harddisk wouldend suffer from the
processor, powersupply and other sources of heat.
I connected about 30 min. later the harddisk to the laptop.
And what do you think.... YES, the platters started again to spin, with
not that much noise as they did before

So with the tools UBCD4XP, I first retrieved the couple of files I was most
interested (yea, I know, the backup story, of course...)

While the thing kept on running, I copied the complete directory "My
document" , and while all was going sweet and well, I took an image of the
harddisk.

End of story. Thanks for the POSITIVE approach and comment!

You saved my life, yea, right ;-))

Nothing is so exhilarating as being shot at and missed.
Winston Churchill