fact or fiction

Hey folks, I have heard that if you think that there may be heat
issues with a failing HDD, you can remove it from the pc, wrap it in a
light towel and put it in the freezer for a while. Then reinstall it
and try to remove any needed files if the drive starts up. Is this
possible or just a last ditch effort? Curious...
-J

On 4/9/2010 8:58 AM, jinxy wrote:
Hey folks, I have heard that if you think that there may be heat
issues with a failing HDD, you can remove it from the pc, wrap it in a
light towel and put it in the freezer for a while. Then reinstall it
and try to remove any needed files if the drive starts up. Is this
possible or just a last ditch effort? Curious...
-J

It's a last ditch effort, but it's been known to work. Heat's not
usually a factor in a failing drive, afaik. Because of moisture issues,
put your towel-wrapped drive into a ziploc freezer bag and keep it in
the freezer for at least 12 hours. Personally, I'd use R-Studio to do a
sector-by-sector copy, as long as the drive spins up at all. A freeware
that works for recovery in many instances is PhotoRec:
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec
Have a look at the companion s/w Test Disk as well.

hth

Ron Moore

On 4/9/2010 11:58 AM, jinxy wrote:
Hey folks, I have heard that if you think that there may be heat
issues with a failing HDD, you can remove it from the pc, wrap it in a
light towel and put it in the freezer for a while. Then reinstall it
and try to remove any needed files if the drive starts up. Is this
possible or just a last ditch effort? Curious...
-J

I have heard this before from reputable sources. Never tried it. Could
be a computer myth, could be a fact.

On Fri, 9 Apr 2010 08:58:24 -0700 (PDT), jinxy
wrote:

Hey folks, I have heard that if you think that there may be heat
issues with a failing HDD, you can remove it from the pc, wrap it in a
light towel and put it in the freezer for a while. Then reinstall it
and try to remove any needed files if the drive starts up. Is this
possible or just a last ditch effort? Curious...
-J

I personally have never tried this but I have heard it like a thousand
times. I am going to try it the next time I have a problem.. I have
heard it works for a while when u do that!

TVeblen wrote:
On 4/9/2010 11:58 AM, jinxy wrote:
Hey folks, I have heard that if you think that there may be heat
issues with a failing HDD, you can remove it from the pc, wrap it in a
light towel and put it in the freezer for a while. Then reinstall it
and try to remove any needed files if the drive starts up. Is this
possible or just a last ditch effort? Curious...
-J

I have heard this before from reputable sources. Never tried it. Could
be a computer myth, could be a fact.

Well, in electronics, noise is dependent on temperature, so reliable
readout can improve with lower temperature.

On Apr 9, 4:31*pm, Sjouke Burry
wrote:
TVeblen wrote:
On 4/9/2010 11:58 AM, jinxy wrote:
Hey folks, I have heard that if you think that there may be heat
issues with a failing HDD, you can remove it from the pc, wrap it in a
light towel and put it in the freezer for a while. Then reinstall it
and try to remove any needed files if the drive starts up. Is this
possible or just a last ditch effort? Curious...
-J

I have heard this before from reputable sources. Never tried it. Could
be a computer myth, could be a fact.

Well, in electronics, noise is dependent on temperature, so reliable
readout can improve with lower temperature.

Hey folks, I have heard that if you think that there may be heat
issues with a failing HDD, you can remove it from the pc, wrap it in a
light towel and put it in the freezer for a while. Then reinstall it
and try to remove any needed files if the drive starts up. Is this
possible or just a last ditch effort? Curious...
-J
Well it's in the freezer now . I will try later and post my results.
-J

On Fri, 9 Apr 2010 08:58:24 -0700 (PDT), jinxy
wrote:

Hey folks, I have heard that if you think that there may be heat
issues with a failing HDD, you can remove it from the pc, wrap it in a
light towel and put it in the freezer for a while. Then reinstall it
and try to remove any needed files if the drive starts up. Is this
possible or just a last ditch effort? Curious...
-J

That might work. I know that "many" years ago when I was still
working, the IT guys had a failing drive on a server that they kept
working long enough to make a complete copy by putting chunks of dry
ice on the drive.
--
Charlie Hoffpauir

Everything is what it is because it got that way....D'Arcy Thompson

jinxy wrote:

Hey folks, I have heard that if you think that there may be heat
issues with a failing HDD, you can remove it from the pc, wrap
it in a light towel and put it in the freezer for a while. Then
reinstall it and try to remove any needed files if the drive
starts up. Is this possible or just a last ditch effort?

It would be a last ditch effort. You might end up with condensed
water inside of your hard drive.

John Doe wrote:
jinxy wrote:

Hey folks, I have heard that if you think that there may be heat
issues with a failing HDD, you can remove it from the pc, wrap
it in a light towel and put it in the freezer for a while. Then
reinstall it and try to remove any needed files if the drive
starts up. Is this possible or just a last ditch effort?

It would be a last ditch effort. You might end up with condensed
water inside of your hard drive.

Well, if I had to try it, I would put the computer very close
to my deep feeze unit, connect the HD to my computer,
and put the working( and warm ) disk in the fridge.
As long as it is working, the temperature will be higher than
the air inside, and no condensation will take place.
Wait ~ 10 minutes, then start checking readability.
If it wants to cooperate, start copying as fast as yo can.
If not try a quick shutdown, remove mains power, re-apply,
then start up again.

All this is easier (but slower) with an usb enclosure.

Even better, all my disks/systems have been cross-copied between 3
computers, so I dont expect to ever need this procedure,
unless the house burns down. But then the fridge trick wont help me
anyway.

Sjouke Burry burrynulnulfour ppllaanneett.nnll wrote:

John Doe wrote:
jinxy willandsue rogers.com wrote:

Hey folks, I have heard that if you think that there may be
heat issues with a failing HDD, you can remove it from the pc,
wrap it in a light towel and put it in the freezer for a
while.

It would be a last ditch effort. You might end up with
condensed water inside of your hard drive.

Well, if I had to try it, I would put the computer very close
to my deep feeze unit, connect the HD to my computer, and put
the working( and warm ) disk in the fridge. As long as it is
working, the temperature will be higher than the air inside, and
no condensation will take place.

Maybe, but freezing your hard drive or any enclosed electronics is
a bad idea and would be a last ditch effort here. Sometimes things
work by coincidence, those are usually things you have no
scientific explanation for, and that freezing method might be an
example.