Recovering data from harddrive (BIOS cant detect)

Hi guys,

i've been recovering data for a while now from shot drives.. but i've never tried recovering data from a drive that CAN NOT be detected in bios.. the software that i use is then worthless coz the drive doesnt appear..


any suggetstions?

the state of the drive is:

- it made a clanking noise before dying...
- if the harddrive is connected in one IDE line, the other drive in the same IDE channel can not be detected as well.. tried interchanging.. slave and master,
- the hard drive seems to be spinning still.. coz it vibrates when i introduce power to it..


i hope i can still recover data from this drive.. very very valuable data..

please help.

what Shawn is trying to tell you is that, given the HD controller chip has failed or the HD is mechanically corrupted, data recovery is limited to "clean room" removal of the platers and read recovery which is REALLY EXPENSIVE!!!

yes.. i kinda thought so. thanks anyway

there is a superb recovery software called media tools pro
http://www.prosofteng.com/products/mediatools_pro.php (kinda expensive 397$) but it suppost to be able to recover data from mechanicly failing drives even if the bios dont recognize the drive

really? nice.. will certanly try its trial version first. could be just another recovery software like ontrack.. will check

Have you tried putting it in the freezer for a couple of hours and see if that will free it up long enough to get the data off of it? I have used this several times and sometimes it works and sometimes it dont. I usually try it first

Wayne, im familiar with that trick the reason i didnt offer it is simple. that trick can work only for hard drives that makes loud clicking noises , and from what i can see thats not the case here

well im about to try that trick.. i've tried it many times before.. but this trick is usually for dead/non spinning drives.. it "frees" the platter for a short while untill it gets too hot again and it's dead forever..

this drive of mine seems to spin though.. dunno if that's gona help.. will try as last result

you havnt said how it went with media tools pro im curious also did you follow instructions on its manual on how devices should be hooked up? , anyway if your gonna try the freezer thing i hope you alredy know you should put the hd in a sealed anti static bag