Dead Powerbook HD question

[dacreativeguy]

So my mom's Powerbook G4 12" started freezing every so often and increased in frequency. I told her that the HD was going and we ordered a MacBook. While waiting for it to arrive, I told her to use the PB sparingly so that it could survive to have its data migrated. Well, she didn't go easy on it, and the HD is now unresponsive and making noises that aren't normal. We have some backups from a few months ago so all is not totally lost, but is there any way I can get it spinning for a few minutes to copy the data off via FW target mode? Any ideas? I don't want to take it apart.

Thanks

 

[A Pittarelli]

put in the freezer for a day the try target disk mode. otherwise it approx 2 hour job to swap the drive yourself. its not that difficult, just lots of little screws

 

[iBookG4user]

So, have you or have you not tried Target disk mode?

 

[dacreativeguy]

I tried target disk mode after letting the computer rest for a few days. It mounted the disk and gave me a file list, but that was it.

I've heard of people putting the drive in the freezer but I don't think putting the entire powerbook in the freezer is a good idea. Is this what was implied?

 

[knelto]

put in the freezer for a day the try target disk mode. otherwise it approx 2 hour job to swap the drive yourself. its not that difficult, just lots of little screws

That's the truth... I swapped hard drives in a friends' 12" Powerbook a few times and I had to devise a system to keep up with the different screws from each step. The price you pay for a beautiful enclosure.

 

[aphexacid]

i swapped out the hard drive in my 17" PB in about 40 minutes. i thought it was a breeze. i followed the directions on ifixit, and i was all good. its a PITA compared to regular notebooks, but whuddyagonnado.