drive... recovery process/services

[bruce]

Hi Gene.

The issue is, the drive is in the "insignia" it's attached to the new
test linux system via usb.

This works with other 2.5" drives. With the error one, no response.

Now, as a curiosity, I did the same thing with a windows/usb and with
the insignia with/without drive in the dock slot, got diff information
in the "disk management" app.  it may have been drive id data.

Also, the drive/dock slot light was lit on the insignia when drive inserted.


On Fri, Jun 20, 2025 at 6:42 AM gene heskett <gheskett at shentel.net> wrote:
>
> On 6/20/25 05:36, bruce wrote:
> > Hi All.
> >
> > This continues the issue/problem of the drive having the "no bootable
> > device" error.
>
> Then next thing is to determine if the drive is spinning, which may be
> done by touching its frame with a long screwdriver while listening by
> sticking the handle in your ear, using the screwdriver for a
> stethoscope. You should be able to hear a faint humming sound from a
> spinning rust drive, which I assume this old drive to be.  It may be
> difficult to do this while in the old computer but it could also be done
> while plugged into the insignia via its usb cable.  Ideal if  you do
> this while powering it up. You should hear it spin up, then do a couple
> seeks to calibrate track zero, if all is well. If you hear it seek many
> times and the data is important, seek a repair/recovery firm, either the
> head has fallen off or the logic board has failed.
>
> If no seeking sounds, I'd just plug in an SSD and reinstall a recent
> noble, You will be impressed by how much faster that old computer feels,
> as small data read/write speeds will be at least 5x what the spinning
> rust drive could do. On half or less the power input.  If the data is
> important, then send the drive to a recovery service, get a StarTech usb
> drive adaptor and use that to copy the recovered drives data back to the
> old machines new SSD. I've had other brands of usb adaptors fail, but
> the StarTech Just Works. Good luck!
>
> >
> > If one has a drive in this situation, where when inserted into the
> > "insignia" drive dock, the drive doesn't appear, how do you even begin
> > to "see" the device at all. And then how do you go from there.
> >
> > I'm asking about all of this, as it relates to the operation of ubuntu
> > for the person that might run into this problem!!
> >
> > And while it is "easy" to say -- try A, or try B, and then maybe a
> > data recovery service, have you looked for "data recovery", 'scam" on
> > google!!
> >
> > It's better to be prepared to have as much of an understanding as
> > possible before talking to a "service" that you have no clue about
> > other than what you may have seen online. And, it's not as though you
> > can make a copy of the drive that's having issues!
> >
> > So, I'm trying to get into the depth of -- how does one, (even if the
> > resource has a lab, etc) -- how do you start to get the drive to show
> > the data? I've yet to see anything online, other than - "we use
> > magic", and we've done this for a long time"..
> >
> > So, if you don't mind, if you have skills in this area, if you're
> > curious (as you might want to know, just in case), please add your
> > information, or any service you've used that's worked, or failed.
> >
> > thanks all!!
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Jun 20, 2025 at 12:45 AM gene heskett <gheskett at shentel.net> wrote:
> >> On 6/19/25 20:05, bruce wrote:
> >>> the 2.5" drive in the original centos was plug-in,  no cables.  using the
> >>> drive with insignia device, fresh usb interface cable provided by insignia.
> >>>
> >>> I know it works as a different test dive works correctly.
> >> Rules my idea out then, so it does sound as if the drive has failed. I had
> >>
> >> a pair of 2T 3.5" seagates do that at only 10 days from 1st powerup 3 yrs
> >>
> >> ago.  Simply disappeared from the ends of 2 new cables.  Almost all drives
> >>
> >> at this site, are now 4T SSD's.  Around 9 of them, but 12 are powered up,
> >>
> >> they last longer when they aren't being power cycled. With continuous
> >>
> >> pwr, they can auto-correct their alpha hit errors for long periods of time.
> >>
> >> Sitting powered down, the errors accumulate until the drive dies.
> >>
> >> I can't recommend a data recovery, the last time I used one was around
> >>
> >> 27 years ago when a drive containing lots of  tv station ID gfx we didn't
> >>
> >> have backed up needed to be recovered, done successfully, they
> >>
> >> repaired the drives PCB, I think.
> >>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On Thu, Jun 19, 2025, 8:01 PM gene heskett <gheskett at shentel.net> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> On 6/19/25 16:02, bruce wrote:
> >>>>> Hi
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Got an old drive. In an old system, and when doing an off/on cycle,
> >>>>> got a "no bootable system" err.  Thats bad. Tried again, same thing.
> >>>>> Turned it off.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Got an Insignia dock device -- tested with another 2.5 drive, the test
> >>>>> box/Insignia showed files.
> >>>> Different data cable to drive when connected to the Insignia device?
> >>>>
> >>>> Old one reddish magenta? Try a new cable, preferably not that same
> >>>>
> >>>> brilliant red. Something in that dye causes the copper wire to oxidize,
> >>>>
> >>>> turning the metallic copper into rust colored dust, a lousy conductor
> >>>>
> >>>> Takes 3+ years.
> >>>>
> >>>>> So tried the target 2.5" drive.  Nothing. The insignia did show drive
> >>>>> light being on.  But no data/usb to the box.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Any thoughts?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Any possible data recovery services you can recommend?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> thanks
> >>>>>
> >>>> Cheers, Gene Heskett, CET.
> >>>> --
> >>>> "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
> >>>>     soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
> >>>> -Ed Howdershelt (Author, 1940)
> >>>> If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.
> >>>>     - Louis D. Brandeis
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> --
> >>>> ubuntu-users mailing list
> >>>> ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
> >>>> Modify settings or unsubscribe at:
> >>>> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users
> >>>>
> >> Cheers, Gene Heskett, CET.
> >> --
> >> "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
> >>    soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
> >> -Ed Howdershelt (Author, 1940)
> >> If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.
> >>    - Louis D. Brandeis
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> ubuntu-users mailing list
> >> ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
> >> Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users
>
> Cheers, Gene Heskett, CET.
> --
> "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
>   soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
> -Ed Howdershelt (Author, 1940)
> If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.
>   - Louis D. Brandeis
>
>
> --
> ubuntu-users mailing list
> ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
> Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users