Hard Drive Failure

[.:.impossible]

In an attempt to find information on how to revive a non-responsive external HD, I came across a lot of bad advice, and wanted to post this here just in case any of you ever run into a similar problem...

I am still running a G5 imac connected to this and a couple of other externals. On Friday, this particular drive would not mount. It sounded like it could not get a good spin going and was undetectable by system profiler.

I didn't panic... I was heading out of town for the weekend and figured things would remedy themselves... I'd get back on Sunday and boot up no problem.

This morning, I tried just that, and no luck. Which is what brings me here. I found advice elsewhere describing attempt to recover data by sticking the drive in the freezer, banging on it, dropping it, etc.

All of these are extreme options, imo, and options that I was not comfortable with just yet.

I have always had the drive in the same position, using the foot on the bottom of the drive, sitting in the same place for the past few years. Before disassembling the casing, freezing, smacking, etc. I figured it would be a good idea to move the drive around a bit to see if I could get a good spin. I ended up setting the drive on its face and it is now purring like the day I bought it.

Bingo. I am backing up everything to a second drive as I type (on a different machine).

While I don't imagine this is the long-term solution, I have at the very least saved valuable files going back to 2005.

Before going to extremes, try repositioning the drive. Put your ear up to the casing and listen. You will be able to determine the best position to get the thing spinning properly again. Extract the data you need and back it up!

I am now researching the Buffalo Technology LS-CH1.0TL 1TB LinkStation Live Shared Network Storage.

Link

Any experience?

[rostasi]

Yeah, those were dumb ideas akin to taking a hammer to something...

No extra ideas about the Buffalo, but when I was doing research a year and a half ago

on externals I learned that even tho LaCie got great reviews from pubs like Consumer Reports

and/or various Mac magazines, the real reviews were from people who had actually put

their drives thru hard everyday use and the LaCie owners were not at all happy.

Complaints were often the same as what you've stated.

I'd found that a lot of folks were really sold on the My Book Studio Edition from WD,

so I picked one up and it's worked flawlessly for 16 months. It's bursting at the seams now,

so it's time to look into another one. Also, I'm going to have to start researching internal drives

'cause I've got 4 bays to fill now and I'm hoping that WD will come thru again.

http://tinyurl.com/lb8luh & http://tinyurl.com/atttov

[neveronfriday]

My take (only):

I have 18 external drives at the moment (mostly 1TB ones) ... and I'm constantly waiting for another one to fail.

External drives are a gamble, no matter what model/make/... you buy.

My experience:

If they last 3 months, they'll last for a few years.

Because these types of drives have become so cheap, I've followed a very simple rule:

Buy two, mirror drive one to drive two and, if one fails, immediately buy a new one to mirror to.

I haven't had any problems since I started doing it that way. I end up buying a new drive every few months ... and that's it. Hell, that's less expenditure than comes with a decent dinner at a few-stars restaurant.

Edited June 1, 2009 by neveronfriday

[rostasi]

Yes, buy two to mirror! Very important!

Forgot to mention that I have a My Book Premium II which has worked flawlessly as well (for mirroring)

but it's bulkier than I want, so I'm going to buy again the Studio Edition for small size and reliability.

Edited June 1, 2009 by rostasi

[rockefeller center]

Because these types of drives have become so cheap, I've followed a very simple rule:

Buy two, mirror drive one to drive two and, if one fails, immediately buy a new one to mirror to.

I haven't had any problems since I started doing it that way. I end up buying a new drive every few months ... and that's it. Hell, that's less expenditure than comes with a decent dinner at a few-stars restaurant.

Personally I prefer RAID 5 to mirroring. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid_5#RAID_5

[.:.impossible]

Well I have two Lacie externals. This one, which has been flawless for over three years and another for over six. I am not using them as backup, but as everyday drives. Ever since changing the position of this one this morning, it has been business as usual. We'll see how long it lasts, but I'm interested in NAS now.

[clifford_thornton]

Have a Buffalo and am happy with it, though I don't run my joint off of it either.

[Chuck Nessa]

Have a Buffalo and am happy with it, though I don't run my joint off of it either.

TMI! This post may come back to haunt you when looking for employment.

[sheldonm]

I have two My Book...a 500 g and a 1T and have not experienced issues to date.

I know nothing about repairing them.

m

[.:.impossible]

A quick update...

I put in an order for the Buffalo NAS. It should be here tomorrow. I have had NO problems with the drive since the first post... Still, it was enough for me to purchase back-up. This is an upgrade in speed, it is a file server, I can install SqueezeCenter directly to it, it is twice the space of my largest drive, and costs less than my 500 did a few years back!