[plug] [OT] Harddrive surgery

[Jim Householder]

Chris Caston wrote:
> Hi guys,
>  
> Long time since my last post. I'm wanting to tap your brains a bit and 
> gather some information, links and advice about about harddrive surgery.
> I'd like to learn how to repair drives. Mainly along the lines of moving 
> platters, fixing or replacing heads or changing curcuit boards.
>  
> There are of course companies that do this but I'd like to be able to 
> help people in sitations where those services are outside their budget.
>  
> Has anyone here fixed a failed drive before and if we what tools would 
> you recommend. Anything from jewellers and precision screwdrivers to 
> screwdriver heads that may be difficult to come by unless ordered online.
>  
> Do you use an electronic airfilter (to remove or minimise dust) and 
> special lighting (limiting parts of the spectrum that may further damage 
> platters) in the workshop?
>  
> I guess in many times there is an element of luck and persistance in 
> being able to source and salvage replacement parts from other drives.
>  
> I'd like to first practice on failed drives with no datarecovery 
> interest or ones that do have data that people want but (a) isn't 
> valaubale enough to warrant going to a professional service and (b) they 
> won't bite my head off if I fail to recover the data.
>  
> At this time i'm more interested in the drive surery side of things 
> rather than specific software and data recovery algorithms.
>  
> Here is one intersting link I have found by googling harddrive surgery:
>  
> http://www.aoaforums.com/frontpage/content/view/2490/1/
>  
> best regards,
>  
> Chris Caston
>  

It occurs to me that if data recovery is the objective, any problem 
involving platters or heads would have destroyed any chance of  data 
recovery.  Assuming you could replace the heads, you would probably be 
faced with alignment problems.  The drives I've dismantled for the 
magnets appear to have had provisions for connecting test or diagnostic 
equipment.

I have heard that it is possible to replace the electronics without the 
need for a clean room if you can find another drive with the same 
controller.

Jim