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(Help) External Hard Drives

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by MystikArkitect, Oct 22, 2013.

  1. MystikArkitect

    Supporting Member

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    Just a quick note to all, back your stuff up...always. I have a 4 TB external hard drive (G Technology G-RAID 4TB) that crapped the bed on me today. Won't power on, the tech at MicroCenter says that I have one of two options:

    1) Get an identical case and swap out the discs to try and retrieve the data.

    2) Send to lab where they will take it apart and quote me somewhere between 1000-5000 to get the data off of it.

    Does anyone have any experience getting data out of a dead hard drive? Definitely will go the backup route now...thanks.
     
  2. Ottomaton

    Ottomaton Member
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    When you say 'won't power on, is there an LED on the case that shows when on? If so, does it light?@
     
  3. SwoLy-D

    SwoLy-D Member

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    If it won't power on, it's more than likely either a cable from the power source, or one to the main board inside, or one to probably the controller of the disk. If you're brave enough to open that baby up and check what cable is the blockage of power. :cool:
     
  4. DreamShook

    DreamShook Member

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    I had an external crap out on me too. it powers on but the disk doesn't feel like it's spinning.
     
  5. bobloblaw

    bobloblaw Member

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    My internal hard drive crashed a few weeks ago and I lost some important data... I now have my laptop backed up on an external hard drive and random files on a few usb drives. Data... I thought you were forever.
     
  6. Cowboy_Bebop

    Cowboy_Bebop Member

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    That's mean the board is fried. To recover the data get the exact same HD and swap the board on the back. Mostly when the HD doesn't power on or spin means the board on the back is dead.
     
  7. morpheus133

    morpheus133 Member

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  8. calcium

    calcium Member

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    Hello, as swolly above says, it could just be the power supply of the case that is problematic. If you can get another enclosure, you could try putting the hard disk in there instead. Of course this would mean removing the disk from the disk from the current enclosure.

    There should be some videos on YouTube as to how to do this.

    I would Google this for you but am replying from my phone.

    Good luck.
     
  9. calcium

    calcium Member

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    O...K... am on my PC now.

    Is it this unit?

    http://www.storagereview.com/gtechnology_4tb_gdrive_review_0g02537

    It looks like it's possible to remove the hard disk without needing
    to crack open the case (like some others).

    If you can take out the hard disk and get a case like this,

    http://www.amazon.com/External-SATA-Hard-Drive-Enclosure/dp/B003FW4NYO

    and then you can work out if it is the case that is faulty or if it is
    the disk that is dead.

    But if there is no lights/power etc at all, there is a good chance it is just
    the case, which is good.

    If so, then using the new case, the disk should work again.

    Good luck again.
     
  10. bingsha10

    bingsha10 Member

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    Like some others said, try a new enclosure.

    If that doesn't work send it to a lab.

    depending on what it is 800 to 2000 sounds more realistic. Depends on how many hours it takes
     
  11. AMS

    AMS Member

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    Sometimes booting into UBUNTU does the trick for some of my "crashed" hard drives.
     
  12. MystikArkitect

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    Probably going the new case route. Will need to swing by Frys and pick up the identical HD to do the swap. Left it with another tech so waiting to hear what they say and then I'll go from there. Thanks all.
     

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