Broken head/reader on Hard drive

[Schytz]

Hi guys.
A few years ago my hard drive stopped working after I moved all my files there because I needed to reboot my laptop.
Then I took it to the place where I bought it and they said it was a broken head/reader.
And at the time they told me I could get my files back, but it was very expensive..
So i just took it home, could have had a new replacement, but I decided to keep it.

Just recently found it again and I really want the files back, because they are the only copies of some of my childhood memories(Pictures mostly.)

Now I am asking you guys if there is someone who can replace the head/reader so I can have my files back.
So is there someone who can fix it for me?

It's a Western Digital 500GB 3.5" Hard drive. (WD5000AAKS)

BTW.
Sounds like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy_64aG-8hI


Thank you.

 

[nukemaster]

I surely hope you did not open your drive. They should be opened in a clean-room.

Many things besides the read/write head can cause that, but unless you are a data recovery specialist, you will not be able to get it back your self. I do not think anyone here provides this service either.

While some users report placing the drive in a sealed plastic bad(to avoid condensation) and freezing it for a few hours may get it operating long enough to attempt file recovery. it does not always work(works less often than it does.)

The real moral of the story is do not trust just 1 copy of files. The more copies you have(over multiple mediums if you can(second hard drive/dvd/bluray/ect), the better.

 

[fzabkar]

Your model is often afflicted with a "head mimic" fault. That is, a faulty Marvell 88i6745 MCU sometimes produces the same symptom as a bad head.

See http://forum.hddguru.com/viewtopic.php?t=19077&start=

 

[Schytz]

I surely hope you did not open your drive. They should be opened in a clean-room.

Many things besides the read/write head can cause that, but unless you are a data recovery specialist, you will not be able to get it back your self. I do not think anyone here provides this service either.

While some users report placing the drive in a sealed plastic bad(to avoid condensation) and freezing it for a few hours may get it operating long enough to attempt file recovery. it does not always work(works less often than it does.)

The real moral of the story is do not trust just 1 copy of files. The more copies you have(over multiple mediums if you can(second hard drive/dvd/bluray/ect), the better.

No I didn't open it.
Yeah, I should have made 2 copies, but I only had one laptop at the time and no other storage laying around.

But there is none that you know of that can recover files?
Or repair hard drives?


But thanks for the answers.

 

[popatim]

Recovering files is not guaranteed.
There are many places that offer recovery of files at the hardware level including Seagate, kroll Ontrack, Disk Doctors, data savers... and prices will vary.

Do you research well, some charge extra if the drive has already been opened before and some charge a fee even if they cannot recovery anything. I think Seagate has a flat fee special going on currently. I think it was $400 which is a pretty good price but still way more expensive than a stack of DVD's is.