Data recovery from a dead hard drive

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TomKroscavage · #1 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:29 pm

I have a netVista with two Hitachi 250GB Deskstar HDS722525VLAT80 hard drives. The D drive, with important files, had one S.M.A.R.T error. After that no computer or server in the house would boot if this drive was connected. I have tried everything I can think of. No computer, no cable setup usb or ide will mount the hard drive. It is never even recognized in the bios, as a matter of fact, if this hard drive is connected to any IDE cable no drive on that cable is reconized.

I am going to try a common data recovery technique. I have bought a hard drive that matches the dead one, down to the month of manufacturing. It should be here in a week. I plan to start a computer with the new hard drive, wait until it powers down due to inactivity, swap the hard drive controller boards, plug in the old hard drive, say a prayer, and wake the pc.

Any advice in the mid term? Special motherboard? Cables? Software?

Brad · #2 Post by **Brad** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:47 am

I think you are on the right track.

If you have identical firmware and the problem does indeed lie in the onboard electronics then you should have success.

If this does not work you may have to implement your backup plan.

Brad

TomKroscavage · #3 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:56 am

Brad wrote:If this does not work you may have to implement your backup plan.Brad

More Praying?

TomKroscavage · #4 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:58 am

Brad wrote:If the problem does indeed lie in the onboard electronics then you should have success.

What do you make of the S.M.A.R.T. error?

Brad · #5 Post by **Brad** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:02 am

I just checked and I have this exact drive 100% working.

Which firmware is yours?

Brad

PS - Your backup plan in action.

TomKroscavage · #6 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:21 am

Brad wrote:Which firmware is yours?

I'm not sure, but i have
MLC: BA1254
CHS: 16383/16/63

Does that help?

Brad · #7 Post by **Brad** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 11:09 am

I am away from the drive at the moment.

I will let you know later today.

Brad

TomKroscavage · #8 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 11:23 pm

I'm thinking of upgrading the motherboard in this netvista does anyone know of a motherboard that is especially stable and most important good at mounting hard drives? would that be called "plug and play" for a Google search?

Beaver · #9 Post by **Beaver** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:19 am

TomKroscavage wrote:I plan to start a computer with the new hard drive, wait until it powers down due to inactivity, swap the hard drive controller boards, plug in the old hard drive, say a prayer, and wake the pc.

Why not to directly swap the drive boards ? You will in this way use the new electronics with the old surfaces.

For an important data is pretty bad idea have only one drive without regular backup. You need at least backup solution to some external media or store data on drives in RAID1 (or better RAID5 if you can afford it).

Brad · #10 Post by **Brad** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:42 am

I am looking at the drive now.

The MLC and CHS is the same.

On the controller card the label says:

0A29245
BA1327_
Xzx542
116M

Brad

TomKroscavage · #11 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:46 am

Beaver wrote:For an important data is pretty bad idea have only one drive without regular backup. You need at least backup solution to some external media or store data on drives in RAID1 (or better RAID5 if you can afford it).

I knew this was coming. Thanks for the info.

TomKroscavage · #12 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:51 am

Brad wrote:I am looking at the drive now.
The MLC and CHS is the same.
On the controller card the label says:
0A29245
BA1327_
Xzx542
116M
Brad

I have
oa30212
ba1084a
xz9448
orfw

Is this the firmware version?

TomKroscavage · #13 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:54 am

Beaver wrote:Why not to directly swap the drive boards ? You will in this way use the new electronics with the old surfaces.

after a power down the PC does not compare the platter-board info.

TomKroscavage · #14 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 5:42 pm

The hard drive came today in a bubble wrap envelope only. I try it tonight.

davelaye · #15 Post by **davelaye** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 7:55 pm

Tom any update? did it work, i have a dead deskstar the same as yours AND THE SAME FIRMWARE!!! where did you get the controller board???? i am desperate to get it going, it has my life on it, my fault for not backing up though. if you managed to retrieve your files i dont suppose you would want to hook a brother up and sell the card on? i would be glad to pay the postage and buy it for the price of a new drive!!

TomKroscavage · #16 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 2:25 pm

davelaye wrote:Tom any update? did it work, i have a dead deskstar the same as yours AND THE SAME FIRMWARE!!! where did you get the controller board???? i am desperate to get it going, it has my life on it, my fault for not backing up though. if you managed to retrieve your files i dont suppose you would want to hook a brother up and sell the card on? i would be glad to pay the postage and buy it for the price of a new drive!!

Hi Dave: No, I did not get the drive going yet. The hard drive I bought off eBay was destroyed. Who would send a hard drive in a plain manila envelope?
How can I tell what firmware I have, because I have a few boards. I woud be happy to share. Did you watch the videos i have linked here?

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