Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!samsung!uunet!fernwood!portal!gdc!danek
From: danek@gdc.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Hard drive repair...For do-it-yourselfers.
Message-ID: <16731@gdc.portal.com>
Date: 25 Jun 91 12:03:12 GMT
Organization: General DataComm, Middlebury CT
Lines: 34



I've  been reading many help requests about crashed hard drives over the 
last few weeks and wish to share an experience that may (or may not) help
some desperate data seekers.

I have a clone AT with an ST-225 drive. Upon exiting from a long edit session
my hard drive "hung" (the drive light was on with the disk spinning endlessly).
Needless to say, I forcefully reminded myself about frequent backup's and
periodically saving one's work as I re-booted the computer. Much to my suprise
the drive did not boot! The drive just made a klunking noise about every 10 
seconds. Booting off a floppy and accessing the drive didn't help either. 
I frantically tried all the utilites I could get my hands on to access the
drive. Nothing worked.

After about a week of calling drive repair places, I decided upon a local
house. Being the destructive type, I decided to do what everyone says NOT to
even think about...open the drive. I figured I at worst, I could see what makes
the drives tick. After removing the screws, cover and seal, I found the platter
and the head staring me in the face. I moved the head back and forth a few
times to watch the movement, then put the drive back together. 

I decided to power the unit up as a last good-by and...you guessed it... the 
dirve booted!!! Not only that, but all the data that wasn't on track 0 (wiped
out when I tried a low level format) was recovered (and backed up)...That was
about 6 months ago and the drive has been working fine ever since. All my
disk tests say the drive is just fine....until the next crash!!!

Remember...this is just a personal experience...never try this at home...unless
you have nothin to lose!!

Good luck.

Bob