Forum Home
Press F1
 
Thread ID: 117821 2011-05-06 07:52:00 getting defective Ext HD to work as an itnernal one Briktop (16362) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1199846 2011-05-06 07:52:00 I recently bought a Seagate 1TB ext HD and after 2 months it stopped working . It would power up fine (could feel it the vibrations fine when pluggin it in) but neither my two computers nor my Media Player could read from it .

I took it back to the store where it had a 90 day warranty . They couldnt get it to work either, and they informed me that if sent back, it would probably be replaced and I would definitely lose all data I had on it . I absolutely cannot have this happen since i have almost every picture and video I have ever taken backed up on this as well as a lot of other important stuff . After telling the Tech guy this, he told me my only option was to take it apart myself (while voiding the warranty) and attempt converting it to an internal HD .

I have since dismantled it and found out it has a SATA connection and not the 24 pin IDE connection I am accustomed to . Now I have to figure out how to install this to an IBM ThinkCentre PC motherboard .

Is this easily done? Does the IBM ThinkCentre even have connection slots for Serial ATA hard drives? I just found a website that shows you can get a SATA Drive USB Adapter Perhaps that would be my best bet?

I guess my biggest worry is that I go through all of this and it still doesnt work . If so, might there be any other options I can turn to? This is so depressing that I am now without 380 Gig of data I no longer have backed up anywhere else
Briktop (16362)
1199847 2011-05-06 07:56:00 What model is it. As some seagates had a firmware bug. And what firmware version is on it? Speedy Gonzales (78)
1199848 2011-05-06 09:54:00 I am pretty sure it is a Barracuda 7200 I am at work right now but I will check when I get home what firmware version is on it. Is this info listed right on the HD itself? Briktop (16362)
1199849 2011-05-06 09:58:00 The fw version is on the top of it. And so is the model Speedy Gonzales (78)
1199850 2011-05-06 10:13:00 If your motherboard doesn't support SATA, then you'll still have to go through some other external interface.

This sucker is all you'll need (assuming the drive can still be accessed)

www.trademe.co.nz

I've bought one of these myself, and cannot fault it for the price. However, in my case the plug into the power transformer for the device was very tight, and needed a particularly hard shove in order to achieve a good stable connection.

This interface lets you connect 3.5 or 2.5 inch IDE drives or SATA drives to your computers USB interface... so it's a handy and cheap all-round drive interfacing tool.

On the other hand, if your MOBO does support SATA, you may just need the appropriate SATA power and data cables (and a trip into the BIOS) to get the drive working internally.

If you're lucky the drive is ok, and it's original housing (interface) is bad. However, most likely the drive is poked, and short of getting the data recovered it may well be lost beyond the reach of us merely average users. Given that it is within warranty, check out directly with the drive manufacturers whether or not they will recover the data for free (they should). Don't mention it being removed from an enclosure - just treat the process as if it was a bare SATA drive that you bought as such.
Paul.Cov (425)
1199851 2011-05-06 10:37:00 Paul.Cov,

Which drive manufacturers recover data for free?
gcarmich (10068)
1199852 2011-05-06 11:49:00 What model is it. As some seagates had a firmware bug. And what firmware version is on it?

Model: Seagate Barracuda 7200.12

Firmware: CC3E

hopefully this isn't bad news..... :badpc:
Briktop (16362)
1199853 2011-05-06 11:54:00 The model will start with ST Speedy Gonzales (78)
1199854 2011-05-06 21:07:00 I absolutely cannot have this happen since i have almost every picture and video I have ever taken backed up on this as well as a lot of other important stuff .


I guess my biggest worry is that I go through all of this and it still doesn;t work .

It might not . There are professional services for this sort of thing but it's likely to be expensive . very expensive .

Never, ever, have important stuff on one hard drive only . They fail .
Always use at least 2 hard drives, I have mine on 3 . I know that doesn't help now - but for others reading this - why do people think if it's on one HDD it's safe?

In fact think about all the scenarios . You get burgled, they steal the external as well as your PC .
The house burns down .
Anything can happen, not just drive failure .

More than 1 HDD and preferably one off-site . (or at least outside in a shed or something)
pctek (84)
1199855 2011-05-06 23:11:00 The model will start with ST


Seagate Barracuda 7200.12

Model: ST31000528AS

Firmware: CC3E

thanks
Briktop (16362)
1 2 3