Massive Error..!!!

kaan_is

Can someone please help.....did a real stupid mistake!
Removed the data & the power cables from behind the hard drive..while the pc was running...(big mistake)..as a result Hd not operating.Need the data fom this ..kids schoolwork etc....
Was told by a freind to find a similar Hd (maxtor) get the circuit board changed over.I am at a complete loss...any help would be welcome.Thanks.

Browntoa

does it not boot, or give errors as it boots ??

you could try a bootable linux disk like Knoppix to see if you can see the Hd and get data off it,

http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html

burn the linux cd from another PC

kaan_is

it does not boot...error message.."check cable" also when pc is running no sign of Hd activity(No noise)..

Browntoa

probably blown the chip in the HD

I suspect that putting the HD in another drive of the same type may work but you are looking at alignment problems possibly

depends how much you need the data and how much the other drive costs, it would have to be the same one exactly , not a similar one

Browntoa

found this:-

the hard drive will be sent to the appropriate engineer to have work done on it. Work can include platter swapping, (swapping of the platter(s) inside the hard drive into the housing of another hard disk), head stack changing, (exchanging the heads of a hard drive with an identical set), firmware corruption, (the firmware on the chips on the circuit board has become corrupted and need manual programming repair), and circuit board repair, (removing chips from a circuit board and replacing them with working ones from another circuit board).

also:-

Unfortunately with hard drives if you have a 20GB Maxtor Hard Drive for example, then you will need another identical 20GB Maxtor Hard Drive for salvaging parts. In cases where the electronic circuit board has failed on the hard drive, then you have to have the exact same circuit board on hand in order to retrieve the necessary circuit components for replacement. Many times you cannot even exchange circuit board for circuit board. These repairs generally require soldering skills and a thorough knowledge of electronics to be successfully completed. You will most likely hear “Class100 Clean Room” thrown around a lot when talking to data recovery professionals. Simply stated, a Class100 Clean Room maintains exceptional air purity, and contains less than 100 airborne particles larger than 0.5 microns in each cubic foot of air. This is vital in protecting sensitive internal components of hard drives. Anytime a hard drive is having an invasive procedure performed on it, a Class100 clean room or better is needed.

good article about doing it in practice here

http://www.ezinearticles.com/?One-Method-of-Data-Recovery-from-a-Dead-Hard-Drive&id=84559

Browntoa

good one with pictures here

http://www.instructables.com/ex/i/9679303209101029BC4A001143E7E506/

click on the "step" button to move through pages

toonfan

Might help, hope it does.........
if PSU functioning correctly (as it seems to be) perhaps the wiring on the cable connector to the HD got damaged when you gave it a tug (personal experience - was overeager when got irritated with an unco-operative hd) you could try using a different lead from the PSU or maybe a bit riskier, swapping with one from say the CD Rom/Optical drive (assuming HD has same connector - might be differnet if SATA drive)
If that fails ...In the past (not knowing about Browntoa's great tip) have got data off a failing HD is to set it up as a "slave" to another drive in another PC, which probably isnt a very helpful piece of advice to you at the moment

Joe_Bloggs

The hard disk controller on the motherboard could have been damaged. You can check this by exclusively connecting a CD drive to the cable and IDE channel in question. A useful boot disK is the Ultimate boot disk. The recognition of the drive and type is certainly a quicker test that proves the interface and cable does work and that the fault lies within the hard disk. alone. The master IDE drive should go on the end of the cable. The slave /master situation is easily set with jumpers.
J_B.