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sagpower

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 2, 2003
11
0
My iMac's hard drive is a 40 Gb Seagate (iMac SE graphite bought 2 years ago). No I didnt take the extended warranty :eek:

Here is my problem, the hard drive fails to start. I know its a hardware problem because i can hear the drive starting then I hear a "tock", i tries to start again, the another "tock". I does that for 3 or 4 times then shuts down. So the computer wont start. I tried many recovery programs with it, but it wont work because the drive doesnt even start! :confused: I cant get it recognized by the computer. And it's only the drive because i tried it in different computers in good condition.

So, is there any hard disk wizards hiding in this forum? I'm ready to try different things... even opening it up. I dont mind if I break it because i cant use it anymore. But I would be happy to recover some data, so if anyone has some tips it would be nice. Is it possible to open it up and se whats the problem? And does someone have some good web site about do-it yourself HD repair?

Sorry for this long message and thank you.

Sam
 

manitoubalck

macrumors 6502a
Jul 17, 2003
815
0
Adelaide, Australia
Since the computer wont even start, it sounds like the HD is nackered:( bad luck. You might wat to plug it into another machine as a second HD and see what you can rercover or edit, or send it away to a data recovery place. But I'm sorry to say that it may be time to buy a new HD.
 

manitoubalck

macrumors 6502a
Jul 17, 2003
815
0
Adelaide, Australia
Re: hard disk failure - hardware

Originally posted by sagpower
And it's only the drive because i tried it in different computers in good condition.

So does that mean you have placed the HD in different machines? Also the door stays off my computer, so don't be affraid to take the case off your mac. It could be that the IDE cable has worked itself loose and just needs plugging back in.
 

Rezet

macrumors 6502a
Re: hard disk failure - hardware

Originally posted by sagpower
My iMac's hard drive is a 40 Gb Seagate (iMac SE graphite bought 2 years ago). No I didnt take the extended warranty :eek:

Here is my problem, the hard drive fails to start. I know its a hardware problem because i can hear the drive starting then I hear a "tock", i tries to start again, the another "tock". I does that for 3 or 4 times then shuts down. So the computer wont start. I tried many recovery programs with it, but it wont work because the drive doesnt even start! :confused: I cant get it recognized by the computer. And it's only the drive because i tried it in different computers in good condition.

So, is there any hard disk wizards hiding in this forum? I'm ready to try different things... even opening it up. I dont mind if I break it because i cant use it anymore. But I would be happy to recover some data, so if anyone has some tips it would be nice. Is it possible to open it up and se whats the problem? And does someone have some good web site about do-it yourself HD repair?

Sorry for this long message and thank you.

Sam


Umm, I'm afraid your hdd is finished.
I had the same Segate 40 gb disk on my older PC and i got the same problem in a bout a year after I got it. I tried pretty much everything possible. But like you said that weird tick when u start up the comp is there and comp often froze right after that. When I got a new HDD i tried to see what disk utilities can do... No luck. So i just hit it with a hammer and tossed it into garbage. It could be a problem with that particular Segate HDD type, I'm thinking.

But I do have good news though...
I just saved a bunch of money on car insurance by switchiing to GEICO.

Cheers. :D
 

sagpower

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 2, 2003
11
0
Re: Re: hard disk failure - hardware

Originally posted by manitoubalck
So does that mean you have placed the HD in different machines? Also the door stays off my computer, so don't be affraid to take the case off your mac. It could be that the IDE cable has worked itself loose and just needs plugging back in.

it means that I already tried to put it in a different machine (A G4) as a second drive. Recovery programs wont work. The drive does the same tick-then-stop.

And it also means that i already bought a 120 Gb HD. :D But I want to do something with this 40 Gb one. Is there only the hammer solution? :p

Whats weird is that it was working fine, I was doing regular maintenance on it and one day... I started it and it would not.

thanks
 

sagpower

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 2, 2003
11
0
Re: Re: hard disk failure - hardware

Originally posted by Rezet
Umm, I'm afraid your hdd is finished.
I had the same Segate 40 gb disk on my older PC and i got the same problem in a bout a year after I got it. I tried pretty much everything possible. But like you said that weird tick when u start up the comp is there and comp often froze right after that. When I got a new HDD i tried to see what disk utilities can do... No luck. So i just hit it with a hammer and tossed it into garbage. It could be a problem with that particular Segate HDD type, I'm thinking.

But I do have good news though...
I just saved a bunch of money on car insurance by switchiing to GEICO.

Cheers. :D

that's it? one day it just stop working like that? I'm pretty sure all the data is still there! i'm wondering what mecanical part can do that.... It's not the kind of sound it would do if it would be the heads hitting the plates... its just like it tries to start 3 or 4 times and then just quit...
 

Rezet

macrumors 6502a
Re: Re: Re: hard disk failure - hardware

Originally posted by sagpower
that's it? one day it just stop working like that? I'm pretty sure all the data is still there! i'm wondering what mecanical part can do that.... It's not the kind of sound it would do if it would be the heads hitting the plates... its just like it tries to start 3 or 4 times and then just quit...

Yeah, it clicked afew times when comp started up and then just froze.
Yeah. im pretty sure the data is there, and if you need it, i bet hdd recovery labs can recover it for ya for around 200 bucks.
If you don't really need it, just slam it hard with a hammer and toss it.
That's what i did anyway.
 

sagpower

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 2, 2003
11
0
If I want to open it up first, what should I be aware of? what should I check first? Is it that dangerous to open a HD?

thanks
 

Flynnstone

macrumors 65816
Feb 25, 2003
1,438
96
Cold beer land
If the drive doesn't spinup, try taking the drive and rotating it quickly to get the platters to move. Dead spot in the motor. Then try again.
If it spins up, then it maybe the head locking (parking) mechanism. Tapping on the drive is the only thing I can thing of.
It maybe the electronics have "fried". Sometimes you can get the same (exact) drive and swap the electronics board. I've seen this work.

Open up the drive to see the platters and see whats going on on startup. Purhaps you can "help" spin the platters or un lock the heads.

With all these solutions :
- only temporary - get the data off and toss the unit.
- there is a very good chance that you may further damage the drive such that a service may have more trouble getting the data off.
- try at your own risk !
 

Flynnstone

macrumors 65816
Feb 25, 2003
1,438
96
Cold beer land
Originally posted by sagpower
If I want to open it up first, what should I be aware of? what should I check first? Is it that dangerous to open a HD?

thanks

Drives are very clean inside. Open it and thats no longer true.
Spinning platters, moving heads : careful where you put your fingers.
Don't short anything out ! place drive on something non-conductive.
 
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