Word to the wise...

jbyrd · Post by **jbyrd** » 2003-07-26 15:38

Don't laugh.

Yesterday, when I was connecting a new DSL modem to my computer, one of my case fans started making noise. Man, I really hate noise.

So, in my haste I opened the case and took it out.

Word to the wise, turn your computer off when before you unplug anything. I didn't, and it turns out that my power supply was running through the fan to the hard disk. So, when I disconnected power to my fan, my hard disk also lost power. It must have been in the middle of writing, because now one of the heads is stuck. It just furiously beeps at me when I try to boot. The bios does not autodetect it.

Hitachi says it should be about two weeks (after they receive the defective drive) before I'll get the new one. Man, this sucks!

Stop laughing.

P.S. Does anyone know of a do-it-yourself data recovery technique?

cologic · Post by **cologic** » 2003-07-26 16:12

I've had pretty good luck with freezing them; seems to unstick stuff.

TheNOP · Post by **TheNOP** » 2003-07-27 02:45

if bios does not reconize the hd there is notting you can do.
yours options are ,contact data recovery specialist or try to ask manufacturer if they can do it.
it might be only a fuse on the board.
but it won't be cheap....

tetsuokin · Post by **tetsuokin** » 2003-07-27 05:08

I don't have a problem with noise now.... I've got my PC converted over to a watercooled system, and it's running stable at 35 Degrees on a full load...

jbyrd · Post by **jbyrd** » 2003-07-27 18:23

Water cooling sounds nice. But, I don't overclock; so I don't see a need to spend all that money. I have 3 Antec fans, and they all run with no problem. It was just that one (generic) fan that I bought when I was in a bind. Oh well.

I contacted Customer Service, and I have an RMA request waiting to get approved. All I can do now is wait...

Splicer · Post by **Splicer** » 2003-07-31 02:07

Oh well at least you've learned something from this whole ordeal. (unless you're like me and make the same mistakes over and over.)

KeithK · Post by **KeithK** » 2003-08-01 10:19

I agree with cologic. Try putting it in the freezer and hooking it up cold. Even if you send it back with the rma, you might be able to recover your data off of it.

jbyrd · Post by **jbyrd** » 2003-08-01 12:05

Yeah. Thanks guys. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait until my next drive goes bad to try this. I already sent it off.

Look at these Packaging Requirements and the Acceptable Packaging. Simply unbelievable! It's broken!
Hell, they will probably send it to me in a freaking Wal-Mart bag wrapped in some napkins. Bastards.

TheNOP · Post by **TheNOP** » 2003-08-01 23:03

yes it is broken for you,but they may be able to salvage it by swamping the electronic board, reprogram the board to the actual physical carracteristic of the Hard drive(all drive are program with different carracteristic to hide default on the platers in HD and a code sticker put on the board for this purpose) and sold it back as refurbish.

TheParanoidOne · Post by **TheParanoidOne** » 2003-08-08 14:25

Pointless posts and swearing split off. Please take it elsewhere.

jbyrd · Post by **jbyrd** » 2003-08-29 12:54

I would like to advise everyone out there to stay AWAY from Hitachi. These guys are giving me such a hassle. It was a pain in the @$$ to ship it to them (so particular)...but it has been 4 weeks and they still haven't shipped it back to me.

I had recently bought a new RAM chip and Mobo, and I haven't been able to use them because my operation partition was on that harddrive, and creating a new OS partition would result in me reformatting my 160gb HD...and I will not do that. During these 4 weeks, the prices on the RAM chip and Mobo have gone down by 35 bucks...and I haven't even got to use it.

I'm heading off to school in 2 days. If I don't have it when class starts, I'll be royally screwed.

So, from experience...DON'T BUY ANYTHING MADE BY HITACHI (OR IBM Hard Drives)!

TheNOP · Post by **TheNOP** » 2003-08-29 23:27

a solution could be to borrow a hard drive with same OS on it from a friend, transfer the needed data to it (to make a backup in case...), and install your OS directly without re-formating or re-partitioning it.

that depend why you need to re-partition it.

note that since you would have a backup, you could re-partition/format it,
install OS, an transfer back data to it also.

TheNOP · Post by **TheNOP** » 2003-08-29 23:31

borrow a hard drive with same OS on it

i should have sayed and OS with same FAT format compability.

Post by **GargoyleMT** » 2003-08-31 08:08

jbyrd wrote:... creating a new OS partition would result in me reformatting my 160gb HD...

Is using the (excellent) Partition Magic not an option?

TheNOP · Post by **TheNOP** » 2003-08-31 16:20

GargoyleMT wrote: Is using the (excellent) Partition Magic not an option?

yes it is a good solution, when you have it, but he should make a backup anyway.