drive recovery

[Craig White]

On Wed, 2008-04-30 at 13:48 -0700, Charles Jones wrote:
> Technomage Hawke wrote:
> > ok guys, I am in immediate need of some help here.
> >
> > I just had a western digital WD500ks fail on me. it started with some
> > filesystem errors about 3 hours ago and after I restarted the machine,
> > it failed to be detected in BIOS and makes a loud clack on startup
> > (this indicates a possible electronics package failure).
> >
> > what I need to do is this: I need to get my data off the drive and
> > onto a backup.
> >
> > does anyone happen to have a spare electronics package laying around
> > or know of a place here in town that can help me?
> >  all my personal data is on this drive.
> >
> > HELP!!!!!!!
> >   
> It may sound like snakeoil, but if you get desperate enough, try putting 
> the drive in the deep freezer overnight, and then see if it will spin 
> up. I've actually had this work in the past when nothing else would. If 
> it is indeed the electronics and not mechanical, sometimes a component 
> is overheating which you can temporarily relieve with a blast of canned 
> air. Once you get it spinning be prepared to do everything you can to 
> get the data off.
----
freezer...I've done refrigerator but never freezer.

also, I like to run it upside down (thinking lubricants might come back)
but if it's clacking, it sounds like the heads are stuck and a sharp
slap between your hands sometimes can help...desperate times call for
desperate measures.

Craig