DP Files on a hard drive gone south

[blazingrythm]

I have several months of DP data on a usually dependable Rocstor external hard drive that, because of a power outage is now going, 'click,click, wherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.'
On the internet I found a site that says that if it is making that noise don't power it up anymore.
I managed to back up a few of the most important DP Projects but there are several others on that drive that are imperative.

Isn't there some company out there that physically repairs hard drives mechanically?
One Mac expert I know says there isn't and that your only option is to pay through the nose for data recovery.

My bad for not backing up redundantly or for that matter not backing up at all.
It's a strange concept because as I write a song and start putting time into it I am mostly just thinking about saving
in case the computer crashes.

Backing up files at what point?
I guess the answer is once you've invested a considerable amount of time.

Perhaps a new feature in the next update should include an annoying pop up after the project reaches 500 megabytes.
That's a good chunk of time at 44.1, depending on how long the song is etc.

Anyway, back to the hard drive...

Any suggestions?

[FMiguelez]

Backing up files at what point?
I guess the answer is once you've invested a considerable amount of time.

Damn! That really sucks!

To answer your question: it depends on how much you are willing to risk.
Ask yourself: is the amount of work done worth backing up, or does it not matter if I loose it and have to do it all over again?

THAT should be your parameter.
I, too, was once in your same situation, and it made me learn my lesson the hard way, so I definitely understand how bad you must feel now.

Perhaps a new feature in the next update should include an annoying pop up after the project reaches 500 megabytes.

Nooooooooooooo! That's too much to loose! I wouldn't be willing to loose even 1MB, especially since doing backups is so easy. If you just leave a plain USB disk connected all the time to your computer, you just have to drag your folder to it at the end of the day. This would be your "temporary" backup. You would make it permanent the second you finish your project, or the second you have too much to lose if things go sour.


You might still be able to recover some data, but it won't be cheap at all. I understand those data recovery firms charge a LOT of money for their services, and I don't think they guarantee success.

I really feel bad that you are in such a bad situation
But you have nothing to lose at this point. Contact one of those companies. Perhaps (and hopefully) is not as bad as I wrote.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

OK, I'm gonna reveal a secret - just don't tell anyone.

Sometimes that clicking is the sound of a drive with stiction. Yes, that's a real word and a real condition. The drive gets stuck and the platter doesn't move. I bought an iMac for $5 last week or so that was "dead" in such a manner. How to bring it back? Here's the scary part and not for the faint of heart...

With the drive turned off, lift the drive about 4" above a solid surface such as a table, gently but a bit firmly and evenly (flatly) force the drive onto the table. OK, basically, drop the drive. This can and often does free the stiction.

This may not be what is wrong with your drive, but I've fixed more than one drive that way. Bang too hard and you'll kill it for sure, but they are pretty sturdy - contrary to popular belief.

Do this at your own risk! Then you might retrieve your files. Then again, you might have a working drive for a few more years - but I'd replace it. And there are data recovery businesses out there but they ain't cheap. You might also try Drive Genius or Disk Warrior to check the general health of the drive. If you don't have those programs, this is the time to buy them. It it what those data recovery guys use and then charge you 3 or 4 times the program cost for "repairing" your drive.

Be brave! Bang the drive, I say!

[cuttime]

With the drive turned off, lift the drive about 4" above a solid surface such as a table, gently but a bit firmly and evenly (flatly) force the drive onto the table. OK, basically, drop the drive. This can and often does free the stiction.

Or freeze the drive for two hours, thaw, then serve.

[blazingrythm]

I tried Techtool Pro, Disk Warrior, Disc Utility, and Data Rescue.
Data Rescue worked for a short time but the drive won't mount and Data Rescue no longer sees it.

Does anyone agree with my slamming it onto the coffee table?

That seems a bit of a last ditch effort if it indeed would work in the first place.

Ugh! Someone please chime in seriously on this one.

[blazingrythm]

Oh yeah, I tried Drive Genius too

[cuttime]

The best info on the board regarding this subject is here:

http://www.motunation.com/forum/viewtop ... 98&start=0

I'd use SuperDuper to duplicate the drive, then use disk utility to do a block level copy. Make several copies, then bang (freeze) away.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Well, there's this:

http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/securitymon ... overy-6749

OK, so maybe it's a myth. I've been computing since about 1986 and it has worked on several drives (most recently last week), but again, it IS a last ditch effort. Hadn't heard the freeze it method before. Myths are sometimes born in fact (and I'm not saying this one will work), then again, how does one play those open reel tapes from the 60s, 70s and 80s? By baking them? Indeed, that is how you do it!

Then there is this stuff:

http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1535758.aspx

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7591_102-0. ... 4&start=15

http://www.linuxdojo.net/index.php?opti ... hard-drive

http://www.runqa.com/desktops/1761-desktops.html

And of course, if you can find this guy, HE can fix it as well...



Or this guy...


But no, I wasn't kidding. If it were my drive and I thought it would help, I try the tap method first, then the drop, then the freeze (new to me but if it's toast, What the heck?) Or you can pay the data guys to do it for you.

[HCMarkus]

I just spent $568 getting critical data back from a drive gone bad. There are lots of data recovery guys out there... but it costs! Clean Room work is the last resort and runs in excess of $1,000.

This is why I just went to a RAID 1 array. If it works properly, I should never lose any data. (cue sound of fingers crossing).

See this thread for the unfolding of events and kind assistance I received from many here at the Nation, as well details on setting up hardware RAID using a Highpoint card. http://www.motunation.com/forum/viewtop ... =9&t=36724

[MIDI Life Crisis]

For 5 bucks I'll drop the drive for you. Shipping not included.

[blazingrythm]

I timidly smacked the hard drive down because at this point, I can't afford to shell out big bucks.
It didn't work. Same clicking and wherring sound.
I did manage to Data Rescue the most important DP projects and at this point I'm ready to give it the full smack down.

I have heard that if you leave the drive for too long in that state it becomes more difficult to retrieve the data even if you don't power it up.

So I'll wait just bit to see if someone here comes up with a preferable solution.

There's a YouTube video that suggests smearing peanut butter on it so just to make sure I'm not wasting my time I'll use the chunky version. Maybe I'll add a little jelly for good measure.

But seriously, if someone here can give me any serious solution I'd appreciate it.
After leaving you're serious suggestion feel free to mock me and point and laugh.
It'll be worth it to at least get some sound advice in the post.

Robert

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Peanut butter? Ha! That's rich! The great hard drive smack down of 2009... I saw a commercial once where they drove a truck over something (a watch? maybe a flashlight?) and it still worked. Do you have a truck? Or you could make a fluffernutter... but you'd need fluff, fluff, flull, and lots of peanut butter. OK, I'm a little hysterical now. Long sessions these days and MOTUNation is my only real entertainment in the studio.

[ghobish]

I've done the freezing-dropping thing before. The idea is, you freeze it (the bare drive only, not the enclosure if there is one), which expands the molecules of the bearings. Then you drop/ bang it a little to knock the stiction loose, and then let the drive come up to room temperature naturally, hook it up and if it mounts, get as much data as you can off it before hanging it on the Christmas tree.

Although it sounds like it could offer a solution, I have to say that in the dozen or so times I've tried it it has yet to actually work.

I keep trying, though.


It's the romantic in me.

(If you decide to go Drivesavers, PM me, I have some tips.)

[FMiguelez]

I've done the freezing-dropping thing before. The idea is, you freeze it (the bare drive only, not the enclosure if there is one), which expands the molecules of the bearings.

But wouldn't freezing make molecules contract instead of expand?

[MIDI Life Crisis]

I've done the freezing-dropping thing before. The idea is, you freeze it (the bare drive only, not the enclosure if there is one), which expands the molecules of the bearings.

But wouldn't freezing make molecules contract instead of expand?

Ah, the age old question of shrinkage...