# Recovering files from dead HD

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recovering-files-from-dead-hd/236812>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 27, 2004, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recovering-files-from-dead-hd/236812 "2004-03-27T22:44:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recovering-files-from-dead-hd/236812/1 "2004-03-27T22:44:33Z")

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My son’s computer died last night. The power supply overheated and blew up, taking with it the electronics of the hard drive. We have tried putting the drive in another computer, but it refuses to spin up at all.

I’m assuming the platters themselves are undamaged, but we can’t get the drive to be recognized.

Is there any (inexpensive) way to recover the data from this hard drive?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recovering-files-from-dead-hd/236812/2 "2004-03-27T22:49:26Z")

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> [@Fat Bald Guy](#):
>
> My son’s computer died last night. The power supply overheated and blew up, taking with it the electronics of the hard drive. We have tried putting the drive in another computer, but it refuses to spin up at all.
> 
> I’m assuming the platters themselves are undamaged, but we can’t get the drive to be recognized.
> 
> Is there any (inexpensive) way to recover the data from this hard drive?
> 
> Thanks

I recall reading a story online (can’t recall the link, but I think I got it here) where a guy had the same problem. He was able to find a used hard drive that was EXACTLY the same model as his. He took the control board (the one that’s attached on the bottom of the drive) from the used drive and put it on his dead drive and was able to resurrect it.

The exact specs should be on a decal on the drive. You will have to get an exact duplicate drive in order for the swap to work.

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recovering-files-from-dead-hd/236812/3 "2004-03-27T22:53:45Z")

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[Here’s the link](http://www.deadharddrive.com/) from Slashdot.

If you are able to do this, please post and let me know.

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recovering-files-from-dead-hd/236812/4 "2004-03-27T23:03:58Z")

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Double check that the IDE cable is correctly aligned with the red cable stripe to pin one on the input. If it is not is some cases the drive will not spin up even if powered.

The only other relatively cheap solution is the controller board idea MBS suggested.