What to do about failed external hard drive

[jaredangle]

I'd try taking the hard drive to a local specialist to recover the data. Not geek squad, etc... they will overcharge. Sometimes hard drive failures are not a loss of the data themselves, but damage to the interface between the hard drive and its casing/computer, or sometimes it's a failed internal component, like a broken drive head that reads the data from the platters. it's difficult and costly, but the hard drive can be rescued.

 

[migtex]

Plenty of Great advise and info on this thread.

1 - At minimum get one of these - eSATA, USB 3.0 , 2 x1G ports, 6 Disk (1,2, or 3 TB) and Raid 6 or 10.
2 - Then get another one bigger for backup (they will synchronize between them-self's)
3 - Buy storage online (google or MSFT) and put the ones you don't like to lose there.
4- do the backup maintenance everyday, if you implement batch/automatic routines Check them everyday too! Murphy is a great guy but only if he it's on a short short leach!

QNAP 659 Pro II

 

[Rob-F]

That thing looks like it ought to back up the pentagon! What does one cost?

 

[migtex]

That thing looks like it ought to back up the pentagon! What does one cost?

Around 600-700 bucks/euros, varies accordingly with the disk capacity.
It allows multiple configurations.
Like using 4 disks of 2 TB in Raid 5 or 10 for working and 2 Disks of 3 TB on Raid 0/1 for backup as a start, later add another box for correct backup environment and just move the disks.

It's more how much one values it's work. :bang:

I still have my first digital picture from 1998... and I'm around 5 TB so far... (it increases rapidly with the scanning of old films).
Besides family has specific instruction of what to grab in case of evacuation... just the black boxes (and some Nikon yellow boxes if they have time or remember, hence the Yellow 😉 ).

my 2 cents

 

[BobYIL]

Around 600-700 bucks/euros, varies accordingly with the disk capacity.
It allows multiple configurations.

Miguel, do 600-700 $ include the disks or just the product?

 

[Rob-F]

It takes 5 (five) minutes once you learn how to check it. Also for an FCC licensed radar tech to learn such things, IMO, should be fun, not trouble.

It is fun. Doesn't mean I will necessarily succeed; but it's fun. Anyway, thanks for the vote of confidence.

I have an idea. As an electronics experimenter, I have a homemade regulated power supply for various voltages, including 12V; and a 5v logic supply. Why don't I just swap it in place of the drive's own power supply? It would be a quick way of seeing if the drive is going to run. And if it does, I could recover any pictures on it that I may not have backed up.

 

[BobYIL]

It is fun. Doesn't mean I will necessarily succeed; but it's fun. Anyway, thanks for the vote of confidence.

I have an idea. As an electronics experimenter, I have a homemade regulated power supply for various voltages, including 12V; and a 5v logic supply. Why don't I just swap it in place of the drive's own power supply? It would be a quick way of seeing if the drive is going to run. And if it does, I could recover any pictures on it that I may not have backed up.

I'm afraid that you'll not be able to replace any of those surface mounted components as you could not even check them properly. A short cut for you: Take the disk portion to any computer service, they surely have the old type IDE output from any PC enclosure to check it properly. If it was intact they will save your data. If the disk is broken;

- it will spin but not read, then buy exactly the same HD from the same series and designations, replace only the pcb inside (via 4-5 tiny screws).

- if it whirrrrs intermittently or "skips" with repetitive clicking then again replace the pcb as in the above case to see if it works.

(If not, then open a beer try to erase those frames not shared with the other disk from your memory and thank to God that it was your HD only, not one of your Leicas..)

 

[migtex]

Miguel, do 600-700 $ include the disks or just the product?

Bob, I believe depends on each of the markets strategies, in PT it comes with 2 x 1 TB SATA on the basic config (+-700€), of course one can go as much as 18 TB (6x 3 TB) on one box and backup for the second with more (or less).

cheers

 

[Rob-F]

I'm afraid that you'll not be able to replace any of those surface mounted components as you could not even check them properly.

I might just surprise you. But, you know, the idea was to sub in a known good power supply for the bad one. Substitution is a legitimate form of troubleshooting. I tried it this evening, with my regulated 12V supply, and my variable DC supply on the 5V circuit. The 12 volts measured OK in-circuit, but the drive loaded down my variable supply so its output was only running about 4.3 volts and did not rise higher even if I turned the knob up a bit. It must have been drawing a fair amount of current to do that. I did not regulate the variable supply, it's just a pot buffered by an emitter follower. But it has a fairly low output impedance, and I'm thinking the drive's logic circuits may be defective to be loading it that much. However, I need to try it with my regulated 5v logic supply before I'll be sure. I just have to find where I put the darn thing.

So, I have work to do, but it's in work . . .

It is for sure 5V on the red lead, and 12V on the yellow, right?