PC hardware: Hard Drive In Freezer question
Hard Drive In Freezer question
by DComander1 - 4/30/07 12:59 PMI have read here that putting a non-working hard drive in a freezer will make it work again. I am asking for the specifics on the max temperature the hard drive can sustain in a freezer and how to bag it properly. I have 2 failed hard drives, a 250GB and a 10 GB, so, i am desperate to try a way to start these drives since a professinal data recovery and a new computer is out of the question due to the prices.
-DComander1
Wrap it
by Darton Fury - 4/30/07 1:32 PM In reply to: Hard Drive In Freezer question by DComander1in something absorbent first, then put it in a freezer bag and place in the freezer for 12 hours. If it spins-up, copy the files quickly before it fails.
Just for clarity.
by R. Proffitt
- 4/30/07 2:19 PM
In reply to: Hard Drive In Freezer question by DComander1
This doesn't make it work again. Just might get it going long enough to copy the files out.
Bob
Why not....
by Willy - 4/30/07 7:06 PM In reply to: Hard Drive In Freezer question by DComander1The "freezer cure" is a carryover when HDs were in the Mb range. Plus, it *may* allow the electronics "contract" if an open or burnt component, BUT this is only a temporary fix, not a real fix. Thus, you need to get any data if that's the sole purpose and do it quickly. Understand, if it fails further, it maybe corrupt the data even more, so beware. Even then it may not work at all, just be sure to double wrap the HD in plastic and allow at least a few minutes before use to climatize and then power-UP.
tada -----Willy 
The real question is
by billzhills - 5/1/07 6:19 AM In reply to: Hard Drive In Freezer question by DComander1will the drive spin up and the read/write heads track. As, if I remember correctly, the freezer trick was for bad sectors.
On drives that do not spin up I use an external enclosure. This allows me hold the HDD in various position, shocking the drive with the power switch. When and if the drive spins up I hold that position, cross my fingers and start copying files.
Luck
Bill
Tried the freezer trick, doesn't work
by DComander1 - 5/6/07 12:30 PM In reply to: The real question is by billzhillsI tried the freezer trick, doesn't work, i have tried it over and over again, and it still doesn't work. i got a 10Gb hard drive from ebay and it worked for a few minutes before it started clicking and it failed. i am mad that ebay would allow such people to rip you off of 10 dollars. hmph, and i am buying yet another hard drive from ebay, this time a 500Gb for 11 dollars. i hope this drive is not a waste of money.anyway, what shall i do to get my moneys worth out of that 10Gb hard drive? i would hate to see my money going to some one who rips people off regularlly of their hard earned cash.
A 500GB for 10 dollars screams "something is wrong."
by R. Proffitt - 5/6/07 12:45 PM
In reply to: Tried the freezer trick, doesn't work by DComander1
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
Snap out of it...
by Willy - 5/6/07 5:54 PM In reply to: Tried the freezer trick, doesn't work by DComander1Come on, a 500gb HD for $10. It reeks of a possible failure if only worth is $10 for parts. To believe it'll work for any length of time is less likely on its own. Remember, if it sounds to good to be true, then its not. However, you an play with parts all you want as you can be capable of some repairs, provide you treat this as a learning experience. good luck 
tada -----Willy
Voodooo
by xFulcrumx - 5/7/07 2:47 AM In reply to: Snap out of it... by WillyIve heard it all now, freeze your hard drive to make it work.
any proof this works or is this just more fairytales from the noob section.
Update
by xFulcrumx - 5/7/07 3:38 AM In reply to: Voodooo by xFulcrumxwell after doing some research on the topic, I did find out that it can work for short periods of time. as in a few min or an hour ect.
wich can be long enough to get the files you need off the hard drive.
but also begs the question, why ask that question here??. for me to find the info took all of 30seconds. click on new tab - google -
type in -- freezing your hard drive And wala I found a million sites that have tons of info about that topic.
Another success story was...
by R. Proffitt - 5/7/07 4:14 AM
In reply to: Voodooo by xFulcrumx
A failing laptop drive. They thought that spinrite could bring it back but the drive wouldn't stay good long enough to try it. So the put the entire laptop in the garage that was just above freezing (40F or so). That did the trick.
Remember we are dealing with abnormal hardware with issues. All bets are off.
Bob
not
by xFulcrumx - 5/7/07 7:45 AM In reply to: Another success story was... by R. Proffitt
its not a permenant fix.
It was a permanent fix. Why?
by R. Proffitt - 5/7/07 10:51 AM
In reply to: not by xFulcrumx
The files were saved and we got them onto a new hard disk.
Well unless you count that the new hard disk will fail in a few years?
Bob
This works but not 100%
by ereal2000 - 5/12/07 7:55 AM In reply to: Voodooo by xFulcrumxThis is a last ditch effort to try to get the drive spinning to copy the data. The reason behind this is the principle of heat contracts and cold expands. If the mechanism inside the dirve is jammed this could unjam it. It won't work if you have a fry circuit or crash heads on the platter or the mechanism is to far gone for this to work.
Backwards
by geckospyker - 8/27/08 8:21 PM In reply to: This works but not 100% by ereal2000ereal2000 I think you got it a bit backwards - heat expands and cold contracts - but you were on the right track. This idea sounds bizarre, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Next time I think we'll find a way to double maybe even triple ghost the files to keep a crisis from happening again.
| Forum legend: | |
 |
Locked thread |
 |
Moderator |
 |
CNET staff |
 |
Samsung staff |
 |
Norton Authorized Support team |
 |
AVG staff |
 |
Windows Outreach team |
 |
Dell staff |
 |
Intel staff |
