O/T Drive crash.

I had everything backed up in triplicate - except this one: a 1TB internal Maxtor.

It will mount, but neither Disk Warrior nor Disk Utility is able to unmount it in order to fix/rebuild or whatever. It won't let me copy stuff off it. I am also unable to erase it - if I could do that I could recover the data by using an "un-erase" program, I guess.

Has anyone had success with one of the zillions of disk repair programs for sale out there?

And yes - I agree that it should have been backed up.

Boo-hoo.

Harry.

OS 10.6.8.
8 Core Mac.

Arrrrrgh! Maxtor strikes again!

Horrid Horrid Tech (spit).

Interesting that it will mount - have you had any luck in transferring any files at all?

I have had limited success with file recovery apps like DataRescue.

Last resort:

Using the Voodoo technique of taking the HDD out of the Mac - wrapping it in tissue paper then putting in a zip-lock bag and put in the freezer for about an hour.

Take out then whilst still cold you stick in a HDD "toaster" SATA dock connected to another Mac and attempt to copy as much data as possible.

I'm sure I will receive hate mail from people who think this is BS but on the 6 (yes six) occasions I have massively problematic and ticking HDDs I've managed to recover everything before they die forever.

If anyone doesn't believe me - I recovered the entire HDD of Mr Horton's son's iMac by this method last year.



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

Hey, Ben,

Thanks so much for the moral and technical support.

I'm prepared to try anything including the freezer trick, but I don't understand what you mean when you say: "then whilst still cold you stick in a HDD "toaster" SATA dock connected to another Mac"

Wot iz dat?

Harry

OK Ben, I Googled the term "HDD Toaster". That sounds like something I should buy in any case since they are farily cheap. So I'll give it a shot.

Once again, thanks for the reply.

Harry

The trolls in Terry Pratchett's Discworld get smarter the colder they get, so I see no reason to doubt the science of getting silicon cold for better performance. Just makes sense.

It really is a last resort so if you simply cannot get anything from it you have nothing to lose.

The only other thing you can do is go to a forensic data recovery specialist who will remove the platters and extract the data albeit, for a very large sum of money. Even seriously burned or battered HDDs can have data partially recovered.



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

Depending where you are, local police forensics lab, the FBI, CIA, MI6, Le Securité, Bundesnachrichtendienst, Homeland Security. No big deal for those guys. Or a data recovery service ($$$$$$$$). They charge by the MB recovered.

But there are Mac shops around (no, not the Apple retail stores) that have their own tech guys. Try that, saved me on a few occaisions. If you're in a big metro area, there's also an authorized Mac repair place somewhere that handles repairs for the retail shops. Used them with success before too.

Have only had bad experience with disk repair software. I've actually seen them make things worse.

Maxtor should really be wiped out. Cheap crap.

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.