Recover HDD after Wrong Voltage

teacherer on 14/04/2023 - 12:48
Last edited 14/04/2023 - 12:57

Hi all. I made a big booboo. $800 in drives are gone and $800 in potentially recovering precious data. I've posted on a few sites and come up with a bit of a picture but wanted to check in with some fellow Australian's that might be in the know.

I forgot that I backed my photos up to this drive during a phone repair, before messing with the drive and stuffing it up. I've lost about a year of photos including my daughters birth.
These were usually media drives for plex that I occasionally backed phones up to, but i'd totally forgotten when I was messing around trying to turn them into internal drives.
I believe I have accidentally sent the wrong voltage to a HDD by accidentally using a spare PSU cable with a different pinout.
I've lost a 10TB and a 12TB white label HDD shucked from external drives. Hopefully just the TVS diode is blown, and not the entire drive.

Can anyone please advise me on the next step to take?
Would a local mob (bundaberg) be able to help? or Just make things worse.
Should I look for a local soldering company?
Or am I out $800 in sending the drive to Payam, CBL, or recovered.co.

Here is the full info including pics of the errors for anyone that would like to help.

Thank you.

I've got 2 shucked WD white label drives. They worked outside of their enclosure with the adapter on for a few weeks while I wated for another power cable.

After plugging them in to SATA (and back into their adapters) they have become uninitialised and I get "The Request Failed Due to a Fatal Device Error" when trying to initialise. (I know realise initialising them would have destroyed the data).

Drives in question are:
12TB- WD120EMFZ-11A6JA0
10TB- WD100EZAZ-11TDBA0

They show up in:
Disk Management as uninitialised drives, unknown, and offline.
In Bios as drives to choose to boot from
In DiskPart as online, but with 0 bytes.

Pics from Disk Management, DiskPart, bios, and initialise screen

Extra info:
I was using them with their adapters because they would not boot without them (assuming due to the 3.3v pin issue ).
I first tried SATA extenders from amazon and cut the yellow wire to skip the 3.3v pin.
I then tried cutting the back wire on a different one (as the paths looked opposite).
These did not work.

I snapped pin 3 off of one to bypass it as seen on reddit. However, I don't believe this is an issue, as both drives are showing the exact same symptoms.
I did try a new cable from my power supply at one stage, I it was tge wrong type out as afterward I noticed it had a different pinout. But I thought tried this one one drive, not both.

I've tried wiping from CMD to no effect, and can't CHKDSK as they aren't showing up as drives.

Computing Computer Component Hard Drive

Comments

  • CascadeHush on 14/04/2023 - 13:11
    +4

    Given the hardware is detected, but the partition table is borked, I'd be trying https://www.reclaime.com/

    I believe you can run it for free to see what it can find. It's the only data recovery utility that I tried that actually did anything and was worth the $150, I only wish I'd found it sooner.

    • teacherer on 14/04/2023 - 13:13

      I have tried Mini Tool Partition Wizard and it could detect no old or current partitions.
      I can try reclaime if you reckon it'd be different :)

      • CascadeHush on 14/04/2023 - 13:37
        +1

        Yeah, Mini Tool didn't do anything for my situation. Reclaime can read data even when the partition or the file system is not detected by anything else, or at least it did in my situation. There are a lot of tools that claim to be able to do this, but I tried a bunch that didn't do anything. It's a pretty flooded market, and it took me a lot of digging through forums to find something that worked. If you do a basic web search, you'll get a bunch of stuff that is mostly designed to get clicks from SEO and doesn't actually do much.

  • FoxJump on 14/04/2023 - 13:13
    +4

    I have used this in the past to get photos after my router re-formatted my (only one at the time) backup disk to ext4 from ntfs
    https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec

    • teacherer on 14/04/2023 - 13:14

      Thanks mate, I'll suss that one out

  • c64 on 14/04/2023 - 13:13
    +4

    do the drives actually spin up?

    i'm pretty sure the hdds have input protection on the power rails - probably a tvs or zener diode and fuse. might also be a blown voltage regulator. chances are the bios chip and data on your hdd is fine, just you are not getting a power supply. someone with electronics experience could probably help you. if you have a multimeter you could test for shorts between the 12v & gnd, 5v and gnd, 3.3v and gnd.

    take the pcb off if you have the right screw bit and post a pic of the back. don't go snapping off any more pins :)

    • teacherer on 14/04/2023 - 13:16

      They spin up a tiny bit, slight whir but that's all.

      If I take off the PCB, what should I be looking for?
      I do have some some torx bits

      My understanding is if i want to swap PCBs, I need a PCB from the same model drive AND same serial (batch) number

      • c64 on 14/04/2023 - 13:23
        +3

        you can't simply swap pcbs. there is a bios chip on the pcb which matches the drive. if you wanted to swap pcbs you would also need to swap the bios chips on the pcbs

        • teacherer on 14/04/2023 - 13:28

          okay so replacing the diod/fuse/voltage regulator is the logical solution you think?
          Do you think a mob like this would be able to do it or it's a much more specialised thing?
          They're the only pc repair store in my town that mentions they can solder.
          I've soldered plenty, but not well, and not micro stuff.

          • AwesomeAndrew on 14/04/2023 - 13:45
            +2

            @teacherer: Since the drive still shows up and gives you an error message, it is unlikely to be a hardware issue with the voltage regulator. It is likely a different hardware issue or a software issue. I would recommend going to a professional data recovery company, and not touching the drive anymore as it could damage the drive further. If you attempt DIY repairs and make a mistake, your data could be gone permanently.

            • teacherer on 14/04/2023 - 13:46

              @AwesomeAndrew: Damn

              • trustnoone on 14/04/2023 - 17:47

                @teacherer: Do you have a multimeter? Can you check for continuity across the fuse.

                • teacherer on 14/04/2023 - 19:11

                  @trustnoone: I have a multimeter but I'm unsure how to do that.

                  • TightLikeThisx on 14/04/2023 - 22:38
                    +1

                    @teacherer: Just google it. Its simple. You just have to identify what part if the fuse though. Put one test lead on the in and the other one on the out. If the multimeter beeps you know there is continuity so the fuse is not broken. If no beep you know the fuse is broken because the power is not passing through it.

  • FoxJump on 14/04/2023 - 13:20
    +1

    For the future, read up on 32110 backup strategy.
    I had that event where 1 disk got corrupted, and i managed to save the photos (with broken directory structure, metadata, and some duplicates)
    I then started using 2 hdds i would copy photos onto both.
    then 1 died, and bought a replacement, and copied from the remaining one.

    then i discovered some of the photos were corrupted due to some filesystem error some time before - anytime in the last 20 years.

    i now have a raid6 nas, with 1 offline backup at home, and then 2 backup disks on rotation offsite, plus the last years worth of photos on onedrive thanks to Telstra 200gb onedrive promo yonks ago.

    i think i should be good now.

    • teacherer on 14/04/2023 - 13:20

      Yes that will be my next step, thanks for your ideas

      • FoxJump on 14/04/2023 - 13:21

        the offline at home disk is plugged into the nas always, but the enclosure power for that disk controlled through a timer switch so it only turns on to grab a backup and then goes to sleep - and does so automatically.

      • FoxJump on 14/04/2023 - 13:22

        also dont forget the monthly raid scrub and yearly content check on backup disks

    • jv on 14/04/2023 - 14:59

      32110 backup strategy.

      Particularly on offline copy.

  • USER DC on 14/04/2023 - 13:29
    +1

    I have recovered USBs using Disk drill,

    i guess could also use easeus recovery software too

    • teacherer on 14/04/2023 - 13:31

      I'll be honest, I'm not real keen on easeus. The first step they recommended was to initialise the drive. It's a good thing I couldn't because it would have destroyed the data.
      I think i already tried their tool.
      I'll check out Disk Drill.

      Thanks

    • A-mak on 15/04/2023 - 16:35

      +1 for disk drill, was asked to attempt to recover data from a Hitachi that those "data recovery experts" were claiming it needed a full clean-room experience. File format was for iOS, drive simply had bad sectors. Disk drill was the only program I was able to do a major recovery with.

  • FoxJump on 14/04/2023 - 13:37

    Idea!
    before you send your disk away for recovery, try a disk duplication dock.
    Maybe that's able to duplicate your disk to a new disk; at a low level so that it copies things that arent even "in a file system"

    note: i dont know if this will actually work.

    • teacherer on 14/04/2023 - 13:40

      I'll suss that out, thanks

  • garetz on 14/04/2023 - 13:54
    +10

    If the data is important to you, stop everything you are doing right now, stop taking advice from idiots on the internet.

    Take your disks to a professional data recovery service NOW, stop wasting your time with this stupid shit advice on these forums. GO NOW

    • teacherer on 14/04/2023 - 13:56

      Unfortunately I don't have $800 spare and the data might need to be a paperweight for a few years

      • garetz on 14/04/2023 - 13:57
        +8

        Pros have access to alot of things that will guarantee the recovery of your data that the layman does not have access to.

        Chances are the more you try to recover it yourself the more chance you have of destroying the data. Save the money, dont touch the disks any further.
        Then take it to the professionals when you can afford to. Sooner is better than later.

        • skillet on 16/04/2023 - 20:25
          +2

          Pros have $10k worth of equipment and recovery software not something you can download off the internet for trial such as PC-3000.

    • Ramrunner on 15/04/2023 - 13:26
      +2

      100%. I can't believe this is even a question.

      Stop dicking around with something that is this precious to you. It is highly likely you're only going to do more damage.

      When customers bring in their disks, we always try to bit duplicate first, but if there's any sign at all of possible physical damage stop everything and contact our recovery partner (Payam).

      Unfortunately a lot of customers bring us hard disks they've already attempted to "fix" themselves and made things a lot worse.

      And I'm sure I won't have to explain the significant importance of always having multiple working backups of precious data such as photos.

      • Clear on 15/04/2023 - 17:45
        +1

        I had someone come in with an external HDD that wasn't detected when shucked and had the only copy of photos from her son's birth. She turned down the option of data recovery specialists and said she'd try another IT company.

        Apparently we were the 3rd company to take a look at it. She was adamant that everyone was trying to rip her off. I doubt she ever got the files back after all that extra damage.

  • lint on 14/04/2023 - 13:54

    At what point in the process did the drives show up on your computer but as uninitialised drives? Are the drives now back in their original external enclosures? It's hard to gauge at what stage you may have zapped your drives, the things you did (apart from the one with the incorrect pinout) don't sound like they would damage the drives.

    In any case, I think whether any data is recoverable without professional help depends on if any of the suggested file recovery apps are able to read the drives.

    • teacherer on 14/04/2023 - 13:56

      They read them as 0 bytes with no system information and no partitions

      • lint on 14/04/2023 - 14:05
        +1

        Yeah, unfortunately you're probably going to have to weigh up whether the photos on those drives are worth the cost of professional recovery or not.

        To me photos and videos are amongst the most important data I need to store so although it may be too late in this instance, it's definitely a good idea to ensure you have data redundancy for them going forward.

  • pharkurnell on 14/04/2023 - 14:16

    before you totally (profanity) it for life

    https://harddrive-doctor.com.au/ I've used him a few times.

    • teacherer on 14/04/2023 - 14:26

      Thanks, I had a word with him.
      $350 plus the board if he can get it going.
      Seems more reasonable.
      He said I'll only really be screwed if beaneath the PCB the screws are machined and it would be inaccessbile except for a mob in the US which starts at $5000

  • Transient on 14/04/2023 - 15:38

    Is this a case of corrupted HDD or one that does not even power up? If the former, I've had success with diskdigger and other related tools. If the latter, I think some specialist data recovery companies can open the case in a cleanroom and relocate the platter to a compatible drive as a last resort. But repairing the electronics in the defective drive if possible should be easier and cheaper.

  • Clear on 15/04/2023 - 07:51
    +1

    Forget the downloadable tools or getting someone trying to solder stuff. Don't try and power on the HDD and talk to an actual recovery specialist. Everything else is going to make recovery less likely.

    I personally use Ontrack in business and they're able to provide free quotes. You can call or email them and they'd let you know what they think. I'd think Payam would be the same.

  • fdav on 15/04/2023 - 08:48
    +2

    I managed to fry the PCB of one of my HDDs when I used the wrong modular PSU cables because I was too lazy to swap them when troubleshooting my PSU.
    I used these guys: http://www.hdd-parts.com
    I removed and mailed them the PCB and they swapped the BIOS chip onto a new PCB and sent back. Worked well enough for the HDD to last another couple of years. I think it was about $50 USD which was significantly cheaper than any other recovery service I found, they were helpful in helping me work out exactly which PCB I needed.
    Not sure if it will help in your case but worked for completely dead drive.

  • 2esc on 15/04/2023 - 11:04
    +1

    Wife thinks im too cautious i save on the internal drive and also backup on 2 external drives. One of those i store in a fire safe other drive is in the shed filing cabinet.

    • Ramrunner on 15/04/2023 - 13:27
      +2

      I'd still cloud backup my photos and other unmissable data though :(

    • garetz on 15/04/2023 - 17:35

      If your data is valuable to you, you can never be too cautious.

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