FAILED MacBook hard drive :-( data recovery?

[plunar]

Applestore pulled out the old drive and replaced it, but couldn't pull data off the drive. there's a store that says they can, but they're asking $800!

are there any diy options here? i can't even test the hard drive right now cause i have no way to connect it (without re-installing it back into the macbook).

if you lightly shake the drive it sounds like something is loose inside it (probably the reader head?).

my wife really wants her photos back, but $800 is really pushing what it's worth...

 

[JNB]

Actually, $800 for a real data recovery service is pretty cheap. It can easily run into the thousands. We're talking clean rooms, drive disassembly and very expensive equipment to extract the data off the media. I've had a single catastrophic failure, and am now never without multiple redundant backups. Cheaper than the service, to be sure.

You could get an external enclosure to mount the old drive in, but if there's rattling or other noises in the enclosure, then even powering it up could damage it further. You'll have to determine the value of the recovery for yourselves.

 

[GoCubsGo]

From what I know or have learned myself there aren't many diy options around. You can try to find some application or something, but typically recovering data from a drive that no longer boots (failed) is usually a job for a skilled person. Not to say that you're not skilled, just that they have the necessary tools.

$800 seems high but you have to weigh the cost benefit of that. Photos or nothing. $800 may not be the only price in town as well. Western Digital offers up some options, though it may not be a WD drive, you can check out their recommended techs. WD says if you go to any one of those techs their warranty won't be void. Either way, if WD can trust them then maybe you can. Shop around for a better price and weigh the benefit of spending that kind of money.

http://support.wdc.com/recovery/index.asp

 

[seashellz]

if its just that will be inconvenient to buy and rebuild...just toss it (the HD)
If there is some important stuff on it...just toss it or
If there is some really important/secret proprietary stuff on it-spend the $800+

...or just toss it-after smashing it to pieces with a hammer
as good as the CIA and cheaper

and remember-BACK UP at least once a week minimum-some people back up incrementally every day

 

[martinpane]

Mac data recovery

You can try third party mac recupero dati utility. I have faced the same situation few moths ago but with hte help of this utility i was able to recover my all the data from hard drive.