IDE hard drive causing heart ache

RedXIV

Hi all,

I have an old IDE harddrive from my first computer (ah nostalgia) that I had kept in the odd chance I could extract that data from it. After it sitting tucked away for about 2 years in a drawer, I finally got a IDE docking station to try and get the data but when I plug in the hard drive, it will spin up but my laptop(s) don't acknowledge it.

I've tried some of the following:

• Used another drive (SATA) in the docking station to see if it works and it's identified alright
• Switched USB ports for the cable being plugged in
• Tried to read it via windows and Linux (on a virtual machine)
• Two laptops with two versions of windows (7 and 10)
• Downloaded a couple of disk diagnosis tools but no joy

I'm very close to the point of accepting my losses here but before I do, has anyone any other suggestions?

Ant695

step 1: Windows "start menu"

step 2: TYPE IN, "disk management" into the "Search Programs and Files" box at the botom

step 3 find and RIGHT click on the Hard Drive in the list that program shows.

step 4: select "Change Drive Letter and Paths"

step 5: click ADD and make sure the ASSIGN THE FOLLOWING DRIVE LETTER: bubble is selected, and then use the drop down menu to select a Drive Letter not in use.

step 5: Click OK

step 6: Done, you should have something pop up showing that your HD is available to show.

RedXIV

Cheers for the response Ant695!

I tried this also, it's how I knew the Sata drive had been identified. Unfortunately when I plug in the IDE drive, nothing appears in the Disk Management screen other than my laptops inbuilt harddrive.

Thanks for the suggestion though!

ED E

How are you powering it? Old drives can be pretty thirsty. If its USB power it definitely won't cut it.

RedXIV

It's got a dedicated power source, the docking station is one of these (without the card readers in the front)

CreepingDeath

By any chance do you have a non-standard jumper setting on the hard drive?
Eg. set to be an IDE slave ?

Other thoughts, try a partition manager, in case you had a dual boot configuration and Windows refuses to recognise the non-windows partition(s)

http://www.easeus.com/partition-manager/epm-free.html

RedXIV

There was no jumper on the pins for the drive so I assumed it should be read without issue?

Cheers for the recommendation on the partition manager, i'll try and take it for a spin later tonight

ED E

I had one of those docks before, died after two months. No easy way to see just how much current it can actually deliver.

I used one of these on about ten old IDE drives, worked like a charm. Not to say it'll definitely boot yours, but it may do.

RedXIV

Any recommendations on where to pick one up?

colossus-x

Have you plugged in the IDE drive BEFORE you power up the computer? Then go to computer management..

cruizer101

I'm not too knowledgeable on these things but do you have access to a desktop. Something just makes me think it might work better than through a laptop via usb.

RedXIV

colossus-x wrote: »

Have you plugged in the IDE drive BEFORE you power up the computer? Then go to computer management..

Haven't tried this but will try tonight when I get a hold of the hard drive again

cruizer101 wrote: »

I'm not too knowledgeable on these things but do you have access to a desktop. Something just makes me think it might work better than through a laptop via usb.

This is one of the reasons I haven't given up on this just yet. In my head, I have it that reading and IDE drive directly from a motherboard somewhere may yet be an option. I just don't have one at the moment

colossus-x

RedXIV wrote: »

Haven't tried this but will try tonight when I get a hold of the hard drive again

Ordinarily an IDE drive ( not in a dock ) has to be connected to the comp before boot-up otherwise windows won't recognise it. You can't just plug it in when the system is live - it certainly won't be recognized that way. That's the opposite in the case of a SATA drive or usb memory stick for example , which are more advanced devices for that very reason.

I've never used a usb dock for IDE drive. It may be the dock's electronics convert the IDE to regular USB 2.0 in which case my suggestion is not the issue but it's worth a try anyway.

RedXIV

colossus-x wrote: »

Ordinarily an IDE drive ( not in a dock ) has to be connected to the comp before boot-up otherwise windows won't recognise it. You can't just plug it in when the system is live - it certainly won't be recognized that way. That's the opposite in the case of a SATA drive or usb memory stick for example , which are more advanced devices for that very reason.

I've never used a usb dock for IDE drive. It may be the dock's electronics convert the IDE to regular USB 2.0 in which case my suggestion is not the issue but it's worth a try anyway.

Just tried this now and no joy with this either.

Cheers for the suggestion though!

bonzodog2

CreepingDeath wrote: »

By any chance do you have a non-standard jumper setting on the hard drive?
Eg. set to be an IDE slave ?

OP, I'd check all possibilities of jumper config (master/slave/CS) if you haven't used the dock for IDE before. Some USB converters can be fussy.

RedXIV

bonzodog2 wrote: »

OP, I'd check all possibilities of jumper config (master/slave/CS) if you haven't used the dock for IDE before. Some USB converters can be fussy.

Will have to go see if I can find some jumpers, None came with the drive when my Dad gave it to me. Any ideas where they could be picked up these days?

colossus-x

RedXIV wrote: »

Just tried this now and no joy with this either.

Cheers for the suggestion though!

Bummer. I forgot to say though to refresh devices in device manager after you've booted up and see if you get an 'installing ide drive' balloon in the taskbar. Cause sometimes it doesn't happen automatically.

RedXIV

colossus-x wrote: »

Bummer. I forgot to say though to refresh devices in device manager after you've booted up and see if you get an 'installing ide drive' balloon in the taskbar. Cause sometimes it doesn't happen automatically.

ah. Something for tonight then

bonzodog2

RedXIV wrote: »

Will have to go see if I can find some jumpers, None came with the drive when my Dad gave it to me. Any ideas where they could be picked up these days?

I'd ask in a small computer repair shop. They might even plug it in to something and test it. You can get them on ebay (http://www.ebay.ie/itm/IDE-HDD-PC-Jumpers-Blue-5-Pack-Hard-Drive-Pin-Caps-Free-UK-P-P-/231675190831?hash=item35f0eade2f:g:vvEAAOSwDNdV6DNA), but usually in 5-packs. Maybe a local WEEE yard, used on some motherboards too.

riclad

There should be a label , jumpers set = master,or slave,
settings.See diagram on the drive , on top.
jumpers can be got from any pc motherboard , at any recycling centre .
set to master .
maybe make a linux livecd , iso cdr disc. boot from cd.
browse to file manager sd0 , sd1 =drive c.
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-set-jumpers-for-your-computers-ide-drive.html


most ide drives need 1jumper set to work properly ,
try master mode first,then slave mode . ) try Place the hard drive on a smooth surface. Grab the ends and physically spin the whole unit around", "just spinning the unit sharply along the axis of the blades" and (2) "In situations where the head has crashed, you can temporarily get it up and running by turning the drive upsidedown. Keep the drive upsidedown while you back up your files



or try freeze trick.

Now I have read in several places about the "freezer trick" (e.g. on AskDifferent, on Unix SE, on AskUbuntu). The crux of it is as follows (but do read the full instructions!):

Place the damaged hard drive inside of a ziploc freezer bag, so that no moisture gets in. (Use two or even three bags, and note that the bags do NOT need to be isotherm.)
Place the wrapped hard drive in the freezer
Leave the hard drive in the freezer for at least 12 hours
Then connect the drive to the computer and start copying data
At some point, the hard drive will fail again. When it does, redo the procedure until all data is copied or the drive dies.


OR place drive inside an old pc, connect ide cable to ide drive ,boot from a linux live cd, mint 7 32bit cdr disc. boot from the cd.
Modern pc after 2008 are usually set to sata connectors , ie there,s no ide connectors on the motherboard


if drive head is crashed drive will not spin up,
ie when drive is acessed or turned on it spins up,
you can feel spinup for a few seconds by placing a finger on the top centre of the drive .its a slight vibration .


https://fitzcarraldoblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/help-for-windows-users-how-to-create-a-linux-livecd-livedvd-or-livependrive-from-an-iso-file/ a 32bit linix iso should fit on 1 cdr disc.
any old pc in a skip will have jumpers on the motherboard .

ED E

riclad wrote: »

Place the damaged hard drive inside of a ziploc freezer bag, so that no moisture gets in. (Use two or even three bags, and note that the bags do NOT need to be isotherm.)
Place the wrapped hard drive in the freezer
Leave the hard drive in the freezer for at least 12 hours
Then connect the drive to the computer and start copying data
At some point, the hard drive will fail again. When it does, redo the procedure until all data is copied or the drive dies.
.

NOT relevant to the OPs issue riclad. If it was a mechanical failure it would apply. Also dont take the drive out of the freezer when doing this, recover INSIDE the freezer.

riclad

The freezer trick is the very last resort ,before you give up on the drive.
does the drive spin up.
i have a sata , ide drive unit ,
it works on all my ide drives ,i have 5 or 6 ide drives .
3.5inch and 2.5inch ide .
i have working drives 40 / 80 gig ide 10 plus years old.
if using linux,
go to menu, acessorys, disk,
it shows all drives detected if they are not partitioned ,or formatted properly.
IF drive is attached to a pc the drive activity light will blink when drive is acessed or it spins up.

if trying the freezer trick switch off all heating in the room,
maybe even open the window slightly .
ie keep drive cold .
google drive ide freezer trick.

All we know now is drive is not detected by his laptop .

its easier to just make a linux boot cd or bootable linux usb drive,
than setting up a vmware virtual os.

riclad

I tried an old hard drive yesterday ,i booted from ubuntu live cd .
its not detected in linux file manager,
IN menu, disks it says 80gig unknown partition.
from linux i loaded gparted,
I made a new partition table , msdos type , then
and formatted it to 80gig,
it has 130k bad sectors .
see menu, system tools gparted from menu, ubuntu .

ie You may Need to use linux gparted to see the disk info ,
if the partition is damaged .
it will not show up in the standard file browser .
This drive is not being detected from my windows 7 laptop.

PropJoe10

RedXIV wrote: »

It's got a dedicated power source, the docking station is one of these (without the card readers in the front)

A word of warning - I had one of these, and it was one of the worst things I ever bought. It didnt power any IDE drives I tried connecting to it, so maybe that's your issue. I fired mine out into the trash with extreme prejudice and bought something that actually worked!

riclad

My Windows 7 laptop cant detect the drive sata/ide unit ,
my ubuntu laptop can see all sata ,ide drives fine.
i think its a driver issue .
it can see standard external usb drives ,1gig,8gig , 250gig .
no device shows up in my computer if i plug in the docking station.

unkel

I too had one of those docking stations. Was hit and miss if it detected IDE disks (2.5" was better than 3.5", so was indeed probably a powering issue). Mine lasted less than a year until it broke down. At least it was cheap (about €16 iirc)

OP - you need an old PC (with internal IDE connectors) to hook it up to. Maybe some of your friends family still use one / have one in the attic? Or pick one up for peanuts / even for free on adverts?

RedXIV

You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find one of these old machines

Joeface

i had a similar issue , my solution to most of the IDE drives I had was to Put them into the dock with the power on the dock and then plug the usb into the PC, so the disk was spun up before I connected the USB to the PC. and also make sure its to a usb port on the Mother board not a slave one that's extended out via a cable to the front or top of the PC.

(and I have a lot of IDE drives ) (no plug intended http://www.adverts.ie/other-peripherals/bundle-of-components/8916276)

Lu Tze

RedXIV wrote: »

You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find one of these old machines

Hey Red, did you get sorted?

RedXIV

Lu Tze wrote: »

Hey Red, did you get sorted?

No got carried away with Xmas the last while and haven't been able to get to an old machine since

Lu Tze

RedXIV wrote: »

No got carried away with Xmas the last while and haven't been able to get to an old machine since

I'm doing a pretty Christmas clear out of cheap (I'm a bit of a hoarder - the usual I'll use it sometime, in the future so better hang on to it! ) came across the remnants of an external ide hard drive and remembered this thread. If its any use to you, you're welcome to it. Power supply and board there to connect the hard drive.