Random questions to which you seek an answer

[Seul]

So… My Western Digital external HD is fucked... Well: one of two, but the one I used most (not the back-up one)... About 500 GB worth of data I'd like to recover... Anyone up for it (will pay ya)?.. Just a standard 1 TB model... Three years old, perhaps a bit more?.. Still works, doesn't make any noise, just isn't recognised by any of my PCs anymore...

[mclaincausey]

I know this doesn't help you, but for future reference I use a RAID and an online backup service.  At the very least a small array configured with redundancy helps, though a disk outage during a rebuild without a hot spare and you're toast.

If you're not techy the Drobo is probably the way to go.

[Seul]

Most stuff is backed up through uploads on the net… Other stuff (The Precious Goods) is backed on two other disks, and online... The "lost" stuff is mostly music, recently downloaded shows, and of course lots and lots of pr0n…

[mclaincausey]

Some hot pig-on-pig action eh?

[Seul]

Babe on Babe and Babe Sex in the City…

[Snowy]

(RAID = Redundant Array of Independent Disks).

Seul, let me have a think about it, maybe, I'm not good @ platter transplants but am good at swapping the other bits around, and some can talk you through. 20-30% says I can do it, so low chance. Will likely be tomorrow night before I think on it…

[Seul]

Just went through my warranty papers: disk was 5 years old… Now using a WD Passport thingy to get me through... Will need a solid 2 or even 3 TB disk asap... Any recs = welcome...

Oh and Snow: not going to try and retrieve the data... No need to... Most stuff was backed up... Gonna use Soulseek for music and Kickass torrents for some shows I hadn't backed up...

Only shitty thing: no more bonus points on Pass the Popcorn and IP Torrents... Have good ratios but gotta rebuild from scratch... Damn it...

[Snowy]

Depending on how serious you are about not losing data, RAID stuff really does come into it.

If you're serious I'd suggest http://www.synology.com/products/product.php?product_name=DS413j&lang=enu
It's $380USD @ Amazon( http://www.amazon.com/Synology-DiskStation-Diskless-Network-Attached/dp/B008U69LC4 ) before you buy your own HDD's (4 of them).  So total cost with drives is around $800 for some nice disks.

[Snowy]

Hey Seul, having thought about it, can you get a picture of the drive up? Sounds like the controller's shit itself, in which case you open up the case, and buy a new $20 case and plug the HDD into it and you're back in action.

[Seul]

Thing is: when I connect it, my PC recognises it, and says it's downloading a driver for it… Then says "it's ready for use" but doesn't recognise the disk... Hard Disk Sentinel doesn't recognise it either... Oh: and it works (well: worked) without a driver...

Hmmm...

[Snowy]

Yeah, sounds like the controller's going/gone really. As long as you can get the HDD out it should be possible to stick in another enclosure. About $20 - http://www.newegg.com/External-Enclosures/SubCategory/ID-92

[Seul]

I might take it round me local PC shop and ask about it… Cause I know jack shit about PCs...

Thanks Snow!.. You've been most helpful!..

[Snowy]

Drop me a PM if you want help in prepping the local shop. Should be okay tho. If you get a little more adventurous can talk you through the process yourself via skype or something…

[mclaincausey]

I think that the controller is really part of the drive anyway; I don't know that changing the enclosure would help.

[Seul]

Hahah like landing a plane!.. "Push the green button, the GREEN button you EEJIT… Now you're off to Mars!.."

[Snowy]

There's a USB<>IDE controller inside the enclosures. I think that's the thing that's gone. Hence getting power and spinning without issue.

[mclaincausey]

Ah, yep, that makes sense, though hopefully it'd be SATA of some sort to USB.  If it's an IDE drive, I'm guessing the platters are toast and would be wondering how it lasted so long

[Snowy]

coughs ahem, yes of course I meant SATA ;). (I spent 1/2 the day looking @ SSD, SAS, NL-SAS, and SATA for work and I still messed it up, lol )

[mclaincausey]

Dude just joshin. I'm old enough to have IDE and EIDE etched into my brain too. I love how they expect us to call it PATA now. Yeah, right.

[Snowy]

All good mate, appreciate the pickup