HDD Data Loss...HELP

[chojin]

HELP

I have 2 Samsung Spin Point 250gb SaTa HDD's. One of them, my download drive did something strange the other day and all the data on the HDD has gone. Windows and my BIOS both can see the drive. Windows says the HDD needs formating.

I disconnected my good HDD and tried to Fix the MBR on the HDD by booting into DOS, but fdisk /status cannot see the drive it just see's the FDD. (A friend of mine has tried with other failed HDD's and it has worked)

If I leave the broke HDD connected and boot up into windows, check disc kicks in and finds loads of errors and eventually boots into windows. My system tends to run slow with that HDD attached. Disk Management in Admin Tools under control pannel can see the HDD and says its healthy.


So I have now tried data recovery software from within Windows, including

EasyRecovery Pro, Recover My File, Advance@Undelete

All the software can see the HDD but when I start a recovery the process it starts to find stuff and after a couple of mins Windows reboots. The HDD is less than 12 months old so I will send it back but I could do with my data back. There was approx 30gb music, 50gb apps, 30gb Film and 20gb tv

Any ideas on what I should do next ?

[clocker]

Since Microcenter started selling these drives so cheaply we've seen a number of them in customer's PCs and an inordinate percentage seem to fail just like yours.
The only customer who's data was really critical ( a professional photographer) resorted to a company specializing in forensic data recovery and was able to retrieve almost everything, but it cost him dearly.

Another customer, poorer and much more adventurous, figuring that he had nothing to lose tried a DIY approach and claimed success.
I offer his solution without being able to verify it, so use your best judgement...

He removed (supposedly) the PCB from his faulty drive and replaced it with the one from his good drive and then installed the cobbled together unit in another PC for data recovery.
When finished, he swapped the circuit boards back and continued to use the "good" drive.

On the face of it this seems like it would work but I don't know for sure.
It's worth a try I suppose and if you do, I'd love to know the outcome.

[chojin]

Oh my, not sure if that something I want to try, I could end up with 2 dead drives.

Cheers for the info, If I feel brave i MIGHT try it.

[clocker]

Oh my, not sure if that something I want to try, I could end up with 2 dead drives.

With Spinpoints, chances are you'll end up with two dead drives anyway but I understand your reluctance.