I posted ealier about my power supply fried. Looking at my hard drives the chips on the circuit board are melted. Everything that was in my computer fried. Is there a way to get data off my hards drives? Is there a company somewhere that specializes in this sort of thing? Please help, my life was on those hard drives.

I will definatly in the future backup my stuff on cd.

Hi,

Whilst I sympathise with your potential loss of data. So many people learn this lesson the very terrible hard way.

There are numerous data recovery companies that can recover data from your HD. Be warned it can be expensive.

Do a search on google for hard disk data recovery

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22hard+disk+data+recovery%22&btnG=Google+Search

As for backups,

"he who laughs last and loudest probably made a backup"

With hard disks themselves and CDR & CDRW drives costing so little there is no real reason not to back up.

Ceri

Is is possible to replace the circuit board on my hard drives? If so where would I go to get it?

So why didn't you post in the same place then?

You really did have a meltdown!

Your least expensive option is to buy working used hard drives that have the same controller board - the exact same model would be easier to match. Then you remove the platters (disks) from inside the working drive, and replace them with the platters from the dead drives, then close up the drives and try them - if you are lucky, they will work fine.
You may need specially shaped screwdriver tips to get the hard drives apart. The platters must be very clean, and there must no be any dust inside the case when you close up the enclosure.

Is your data that precious that you would want to go to that trouble?

When you get or build another computer, make sure the power supply has anti-short protection. Most good current power supplies do.

Hold on stop right there! impossible! hard drives are assembled in a clean room just 1 speck of dust and the whole things ruined ppl have been able to mod hard drives by removing the top and covering it quickly with a food bag then cutting and placing a perspex screen then fitting it back quickly, and even some of them have failed so removing the platters is well.... im having a good chuckle now sorry mike!

A speck of dust to us is a mountain of dirt to a hard drive, don't even attempt this. usually you have the possible, and I only mean possible option of placing the drive in a refridgerator for a little bit, taking it out, and placing the drive in a different system to get some of the data back.

But, if the circuits are melted on the drive, I can't possibly figure out how you'd even have that option, much less another one. Yes, there are companies that use software-related data recovery and some (including the government) that use highly sophisticated hardware-related methods.

As far as software-related recovery, it can be anywhere from hundreds to a few thousands of dollars to have this done. As far as hardware-related methods, you need a really good reason for the companies that can do this to do so. That kind of method is reserved usually for crime-related matters and government (read military and intelligence) matters.

I'm afraid you're pretty much screwed. Next time, not only should you back up period, but anything that is text-related, you should print up and lock it inside a fire-proof safe (these are inexpensive). Hell, if they were truly, truly important, I'd have backup copies off-site someplace.

"Looking at my hard drives the chips on the circuit board are melted."

That may not be the case. It could be that you're looking at melted solder that was there already. I'd suggest you plug that drive into a working system. If that does not work, I don't know of a way to resurrect the data.

Johnoh, trust me my drives are fried as in chips on the circuit board are melted and are bubbly. The wires that holds the chips on the board are black and broken. The circuit board itself is melted all the way through where this chips are.

Anyways I was told by a data recovery tech that my data can be recovered but it will cost me around 1200 to 5000 bucks. So I guess I am screwed. Seems like just replacing the circuit board would work, that is if I find one with the exact numbers as mine.

No idea as to what are the odds of victory with replacing the circuit board, but if you want to go that route I'd just buy a used hard drive exactly like yours and see if you can de-install its circuit board.

You might also call these guys and see if you can get to a tech who might give you some do-it-yourself tips, or get you a better deal than $1k+.

http://www.datarecoverylink.com/data_recovery.htm

http://www.datadoctors.com/recovery/

http://www.drivesavers.com/recovery_tips/index.html

Your best option is to get a new drive. You can find used ones, sure, but how long might they last, how long had they already been in use?

Drives are not that expensive anymore, unless you want something in the 120 or higher GB range. Forget the do it yourself tips, if it will take 1200-5 grand to have it done professionally, there's no chance in hell of you getting that data by yourself. I also highly doubt you'll get a good data recovery tech to do it under a grand, 1200 is probably a decent deal.

You want to replace your circuit board? heres where to buy one, they snap on and off easier than lego construction you just need some torque(tork ...whatever) screwdrivers

http://www.tcbtek.com/

tcb technologies

its all on you whether you think it will work or not, I'm about to try myself

hey how do I edit my post, ignore that link and call this phone number to get circuit boards its tcb technologies, 949 587 5153

I did find a new circuit board. The drive did run but bios would not reconize it. So I found a place in New York (CBL Data Recovery) and they were able to get all my data off my drive and put on dvd's. It cost me 535.00 to have this done. A valueable lesson here is BACKUP!

Now its just a matter of replacing my computer. Its hard when I had 2 grand in it. Not only did my hard drives fry but everything inside the case fried.

I too have now done the same thing to 2 Maxtor and Seagate drives. I don't see any physical meltdown on the circuit boards; however I know the problem was caused by power. I was transferring to a new PC. The power supply is so quiet on the new machine (compared to old) that I plugged the drive in when it was hot. I heard a quick spark and then drive started clicking during boot up then nothing...a data recovery guy told me that I likely "shocked the system". Do you think I can do a circuit board swap as well?